John Dryden - Delphi Poets Series

by John Dryden

  The young Emilia, fairer to be seen 170

  Than the fair Lilly on the Flow’ry Green,

  More fresh than May her self in Blossoms new,

  (For with the rosie Colour strove her Hue)

  Wak’d, as her Custom was, before the Day,

  To do th’ Observance due to sprightly May: 175

  For sprightly May commands our Youth to keep

  The Vigils of her Night, and breaks their sluggard Sleep:

  Each gentle Breast with kindly Warmth she moves;

  Inspires new Flames, revives extinguish’d Loves.

  In this Remembrance Emily e’er day 180

  Arose, and dress’d her self in rich Array;

  Fresh as the Month, and as the Morning fair:

  Adown her Shoulders fell her Length of Hair:

  A Ribband did the braided Tresses bind,

  The rest was loose, and wanton’d in the Wind: 185

  Aurora had but newly chas’d the Night,

  And purpl’d o’er the Sky with blushing Light,

  When to the Garden-walk she took her way,

  To sport and trip along in Cool of Day,

  And offer Maiden Vows in Honour of the May. 190

  At ev’ry Turn she made a little Stand,

  And thrust among the Thorns her Lilly hand

  To draw the Rose; and ev’ry Rose she drew

  She shook the Stalk, and brush’d away the Dew:

  Then party-colour’d Flow’rs of white and red 195

  She wove, to make a Garland for her Head

  This done, she sung and caroll’d out so clear

  That Men and Angels might rejoice to hear

  Ev’n wondring Philomel forgot to sing,

  And learn’d from Her to welcome in the Spring. 200

  The Tow’r, of which before was mention made,

  Within whose Keep the captive Knights were laid,

  Built of a large Extent, and strong withal,

  Was one Partition of the Palace Wall:

  The Garden was enclos’d within the Square 205

  Where young Emilia took the Morning-Air.

  It happen’d Palamon, the Pris’ner Knight,

  Restless for Woe, arose before the Light,

  And with his Jaylor’s leave desir’d to breathe

  An Air more wholesom than the Damps beneath. 210

  This granted, to the Tow’r he took his way,

  Cheer’d with the Promise of a glorious Day:

  Then cast a languishing Regard around,

  And saw with hateful Eyes the Temples crown’d

  With golden Spires, and all the Hostile Ground. 215

  He sigh’d, and turned his Eyes, because he knew

  ’Twas but a larger Jayl he had in view:

  Then look’d below, and from the Castles height

  Beheld a nearer and more pleasing Sight;

  The Garden, which before he had not seen, 220

  In Spring’s new Livery clad of White and Green,

  Fresh Flow’rs in wide Parterres, and shady Walks between.

  This view’d, but not enjoy’d, with Arms across

  He stood, reflecting on his Country’s Loss;

  Himself an Object of the Publick Scorn, 225

  And often wish’d he never had been born.

  At last (for so his Destiny requir’d)

  With walking giddy, and with thinking tir’d,

  He thro’ a little Window cast his Sight,

  Tho’ thick of Bars, that gave a scanty Light: 230

  But ev’n that Glimmering serv’d him to descry

  Th’ inevitable Charms of Emily.

  Scarce had he seen, but, seiz’d with sudden Smart,

  Stung to the Quick, he felt it at his Heart;

  Struck blind with overpowering Light he stood, 235

  Then started back amaz’d, and cry’d aloud.

  Young Arcite heard; and up he ran with haste,

  To help his Friend, and in his Arms embrac’d;

  And ask’d him why he look’d so deadly wan,

  And whence, and how, his change of Cheer began? 240

  Or who had done th’ offence? But if, said he,

  Your Grief alone is hard Captivity;

  For Love of Heav’n, with Patience undergo

  A cureless Ill, since Fate will have it so:

  So stood our Horoscope in Chains to lie, 245

  And Saturn in the Dungeon of the Sky,

  Or other baleful Aspect, rul’d our Birth,

  When all the friendly Stars were under Earth:

  Whate’er betides, by Destiny ’tis done;

  And better bear like Men, than vainly seek to shun, 250

  Nor of my bonds, said Palamon again,

  Nor of unhappy Planets I complain;

  But when my mortal Anguish caus’d my Cry,

  The Moment I was hurt thro’ either Eye;

  Pierc’d with a Random-shaft, I faint away, 255

  And perish with insensible Decay:

  A Glance of some new Goddess gave the Wound,

  Whom, like Acteon, unaware I found.

  Look how she walks along yon shady Space;

  Not Juno moves with more Majestick Grace, 260

  And all the Cyprian Queen is in her face.

  If thou art Venus, (for thy Charms confess

  That Face was form’d in Heaven) nor art thou less;

  Disguis’d in Habit, undisguis’d in Shape,

  O help us Captives from our Chains to scape; 265

  But if our Doom be past in Bonds to lie

  For Life, and in a loathsom Dungeon die;

  Then be thy Wrath appeas’d with our Disgrace,

  And show Compassion to the Theban Race,

  Oppress’d by Tyrant Pow’r! While yet he spoke, 270

  Arcite on Emily had fix’d his Look;

  The fatal Dart a ready Passage found,

  And deep within his Heart infix’d the Wound:

  So that if Palamon were wounded sore,

  Arcite was hurt as much as he, or more: 275

  Then from his inmost Soul he sigh’d, and said,

  The Beauty I behold has struck me dead:

  Unknowingly she strikes, and kills by chance;

  Poyson is in her Eyes, and Death in ev’ry Glance.

  O, I must ask; nor ask alone, but move 280

  Her Mind to Mercy, or must die for Love.

  Thus Arcite: And thus Palamon replies,

  (Eager his Tone, and ardent were his Eyes.)

  Speak’st thou in earnest, or in jesting Vein?

  Jesting, said Arcite, suits but ill with Pain. 285

  It suits far worse, (said Palamon again,

  And bent his Brows) with Men who Honour weigh,

  Their Faith to break, their friendship to betray;

  But worst with Thee, of Noble Lineage born,

  My Kinsman, and in Arms my Brother sworn. 290

  Have we not plighted each our holy Oath,

  That one shou’d be the Common Good of both?

  One Soul shou’d both inspire, and neither prove

  His Fellows Hindrance in pursuit of Love?

  To this before the Gods we gave our Hands, 295

  And nothing but our Death can break the Bands.

  This binds thee, then, to farther my Design,

  As I am bound by Vow to farther thine:

  Nor canst, nor dar’st thou, Traytor, on the Plain

  Appeach my Honour, or thy own maintain, 300

  Since thou art of my Council, and the Friend

  Whose Faith I trust, and on whose Care depend:

  And would’st thou court my Ladies Love, which I

  Much rather than release, would chuse to die?

  But thou, false Arcite, never shalt obtain, 305

  Thy bad Pretence; I told thee first my Pain:

  For first my Love began e’er thine was born;

  Thou, as my Council, and my Brother sworn,

  Art bound t’assist my Eldership of Righ
t,

  Or justly to be deemd a perjur’d Knight. 310

  Thus Palamon: But Arcite with disdain

  In haughty Language thus reply’d again:

  Forsworn thy self: The Traytor’s odious Name

  I first return, and then disprove thy Claim.

  If Love be Passion, and that Passion nurst 315

  With strong Desires, I lov’d the Lady first.

  Canst thou pretend Desire, whom Zeal inflam’d

  To worship, and a Pow’r Cœlestial nam’d?

  Thine was Devotion to the Blest above,

  I saw the Woman, and desir’d her Love; 320

  First own’d my Passion, and to thee commend

  Th’ important Secret, as my chosen Friend.

  Suppose (which yet I grant not) thy Desire

  A Moment elder than my Rival Fire;

  Can Chance of seeing first thy Title prove? 325

  And know’st thou not, no Law is made for Love?

  Law is to Things which to free Choice relate;

  Love is not in our Choice, but in our Fate:

  Laws are but positive: Loves Pow’r we see

  Is Natures Sanction, and her first Decree. 330

  Each Day we break the Bond of Humane Laws

  For Love, and vindicate the Common Cause.

  Laws for Defence of Civil Rights are plac’d,

  Love throws the Fences down, and makes a general Waste:

  Maids, Widows, Wives, without distinction fall; 335

  The sweeping Deluge, Love, comes on and covers all.

  If then the Laws of Friendship I transgress,

  I keep the Greater, while I break the Less;

  And both are mad alike, since neither can possess.

  Both hopeless to be ransom’d, never more 340

  To see the Sun, but as he passes o’er.

  Like Esop’s Hounds contending for the Bone,

  Each pleaded Right, and wou’d be lord alone;

  The fruitless Fight continu’d all the Day,

  A Cur came by and snatch’d the Prize away. 345

  As Courtiers therefore justle for a Grant,

  And when they break their Friendship, plead their Want,

  So thou, if Fortune will thy Suit advance,

  Love on; nor envy me my equal Chance:

  For I must love, and am resolv’d to try 350

  My Fate, or failing in th’ Adventure die.

  Great was their Strife, which hourly was renew’d,

  Till each with mortal Hate his Rival view’d:

  Now Friends no more, nor walking Hand in Hand;

  But when they met, they made a surly Stand; 355

  And glar’d like angry Lions as they pass’d,

  And wish’d that every Look might be their last.

  It chanc’d at length, Perithous came t’ attend

  This worthy Theseus, his familiar Friend:

  Their Love in early Infancy began, 360

  And rose as Childhood ripen’d into Man.

  Companions of the War; and lov’d so well,

  That when one dy’d, as ancient Stories tell,

  His Fellow to redeem him went to Hell.

  But to pursue my Tale; to welcome home 365

  His Warlike Brother, is Perithous come:

  Arcite of Thebes was known in Arms long since,

  And honour’d by this young Thessalian Prince.

  Theseus, to gratifie his Friend and Guest,

  Who made our Arcite’s Freedom his Request, 370

  Restor’d to Liberty the Captive Knight,

  But on these hard Conditions I recite:

  That if hereafter Arcite shou’d be found

  Within the Compass of Athenian Ground,

  By Day or Night, or on whate’er Pretence, 375

  His Head shou’d pay the Forfeit of th’ Offence.

  To this Perithous for his Friend agreed,

  And on his Promise was the Pris’ner freed.

  Unpleas’d and pensive hence he takes his way,

  At his own Peril; for his Life must pay. 380

  Who now but Arcite mourns his bitter Fate,

  Finds his dear Purchase, and repents too late?

  What have I gain’d, he said, in Prison pent,

  If I but change my Bonds for Banishment?

  And banish’d from her Sight, I suffer more 385

  In Freedom than I felt in Bonds before;

  Forc’d from her Presence and condemn’d to live:

  Unwelcom Freedom and unthank’d Reprieve:

  Heav’n is not but where Emily abides,

  And where she’s absent, all is Hell besides. 390

  Next to my Day of Birth, was that accurst

  Which bound my Friendship to Perithous first:

  Had I not known that Prince, I still had been

  In Bondage, and had still Emilia seen:

  For tho’ I never can her Grace deserve, 395

  ’Tis Recompense enough to see and serve.

  O Palamon, my Kinsman and my Friend,

  How much more happy Fates thy Love attend!

  Thine is th’ Adventure; thine the Victory:

  Well has thy Fortune turn’d the Dice for thee: 400

  Thou on that Angels Face maist feed thy Eyes,

  In Prison, no; but blissful Paradise!

  Thou daily seest that Sun of Beauty shine,

  And lov’st at least in Loves extreamest Line.

  I mourn in Absence, Loves Eternal Night; 405

  And who can tell but since thou hast her Sight,

  And art a comely, young, and valiant Knight,

  Fortune (a various Pow’r) may cease to frown,

  And by some Ways unknown thy Wishes crown:

  But I, the most forlorn of Humane Kind, 410

  Nor Help can hope, nor Remedy can find;

  But doom’d to drag my loathsom Life in Care,

  For my Reward, must end it in Despair.

  Fire, Water, Air, and Earth, and Force of Fates

  That governs all, and Heav’n that all creates, 415

  Nor Art, nor Natures Hand can ease my Grief;

  Nothing but Death, the Wretches last Relief:

  Then farewel Youth, and all the Joys that dwell

  With Youth and Life, and Life it self, farewell.

  But why, alas! do mortal Men in vain 420

  Of Fortune, Fate, or Providence complain?

  God gives us what he knows our Wants require,

  And better Things than those which we desire:

  Some pray for Riches; Riches they obtain;

  But watch’d by Robbers, for their Wealth are slain: 425

  Some pray from Prison to be freed; and come

  When guilty of their Vows, to fall at home;

  Murder’d by those they trusted with their Life,

  A favour’d Servant, or a Bosom Wife.

  Such dear-bought Blessings happen ev’ry Day, 430

  Because we know not for what Things to pray.

  Like drunken Sots about the Streets we roam

  Well knows the Sot he has a certain Home;

  Yet knows not how to find th’ uncertain Place,

  And blunders on, and staggers ev’ry Pace. 435

  Thus all seek Happiness; but few can find,

  For far the greater Part of Men are blind.

  This is my Case, who thought our utmost Good

  Was in one Word of Freedom understood:

  The fatal Blessing came: From Prison free, 440

  I starve abroad, and lose the Sight of Emily.

  Thus Arcite: but if Arcite thus deplore

  His Suff’rings, Palamon yet suffers more.

  For when he knew his Rival freed and gone,

  He swells with Wrath; he makes outrageous Moan: 445

  He frets, he fumes, he stares, he stamps the Ground;

  The hollow Tow’r with Clamours rings around:

  With briny Tears he bath’d his fetter’d Feet,

  And dropp’d all o’er with Agony o
f Sweat.

  Alas! he cry’d, I, Wretch, in Prison pine, 450

  Too happy Rival, while the Fruit is thine:

  Thou liv’st at large, thou draw’st thy Native Air,

  Pleas’d with thy Freedom, proud of my Despair:

  Thou may’st, since thou hast Youth and Courage join’d,

  A sweet Behaviour, and a solid Mind, 455

  Assemble ours, and all the Theban Race,

  To vindicate on Athens thy Disgrace;

  And after (by some Treaty made) possess

  Fair Emily, the Pledge of lasting Peace.

  So thine shall be the beauteous Prize, while I 460

  Must languish in Despair, in Prison die.

  Thus all th’ Advantage of the Strife is thine,

  Thy portion double Joys, and double Sorrows mine.

  The Rage of Jealousie then fir’d his Soul,

  And his Face kindl’d like a burning Coal: 465

  Now cold Despair, succeeding in her stead,

  To livid Paleness turns the glowing Red.

  His Blood scarce Liquid, creeps within his Veins,

  Like Water which the freezing Wind constrains.

  Then thus he said; Eternal Deities 470

  Who rule the World with absolute Decrees,

  And write whatever Time shall bring to pass

  With Pens of Adamant on Plates of Brass;

  What is the Race of Humane Kind your Care

  Beyond what all his Fellow-Creatures are? 475

  He with the rest is liable to Pain,

  And like the Sheep, his Brother-Beast, is slain.

  Cold, Hunger, Prisons, Ills without a Cure,

  All these he must, and guiltless oft, endure:

  Or does your Justice, Pow’r, or Prescience fail, 480

  When the Good suffer and the Bad prevail?

  What worse to wretched Vertue could befall,

  If Fate, or giddy Fortune govern’d all?

  Nay, worse than other Beasts is our Estate:

  Them, to pursue their Pleasures you create; 485

  We, bound by harder Laws, must curb our Will,

  And your Commands, not our Desires fulfil:

  Then when the Creature is unjustly slain,

  Yet, after Death at least, he feels no Pain;

  But Man in Life surcharg’d with Woe before, 490

  Not freed when dead, is doom’d to suffer more.

  A Serpent shoots his Sting at unaware;

  An ambush’d Thief forelays a Traveller;

  The Man lies murder’d, while the Thief and Snake,

  One gains the Thickets, and one thrids the Brake. 495

  This let Divines decide; but well I know,

  Just, or unjust, I have my Share of Woe:

  Through Saturn seated in a luckless Place,

  And Juno’s Wrath, that persecutes my Race;

  Or Mars and Venus in a Quartil, move 500

  My Pangs of Jealousie for Arcite’s Love.