Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/367

 ELEGIES AND EPIGRAMS

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��Nos quoque lucus habet vicina consitus

ulmo,

Atque suburban! nobilis umbra loci. 50 Ssepius hie, blandas spirantia sidera flam- mas,

Virgineos videas praeteriisse chores. Ah quoties dignae stupui miracula formse Quse possit senium vel reparare Jovis ! Ah quoties vidi superantia luniina gemmas, Atque faces quotquot volvit uterque

polus; Collaque bis vivi Pelopis quse brachia vin-

cant,

Quseque fluit puro nectare tincta via, Et decus eximium frontis, tremulosque

capillos,

Aurea quse fallax retia tendit Amor; 60 Pellacesque genas, ad quas hyacinthina

sordet

Purpura, et ipse tui floris, Adoni, rubor ! Cedite laudatse toties Heroides olim,

Et qusecunque vagum cepit arnica Jo-

vem;

Cedite Achsemenise turrita fronte puellse, Et quot Susa colunt, Memnoniamque

Ninon ; Vos etiam Danase fasces submittite Nym-

phse,

Et vos Iliacae, Romuleseque nurus ; Nee Pompeianas Tarpeia Musa columnas

Jactet, et Ausoniis plena theatra stolis. 70 Gloria virginibus debetur prima Britannis;

Extera sat tibi sit foemina posse sequi. Tuque urbs Dardaniis, Londinum, structa

colonis,

Turrigerum late conspicieuda caput, Tu niinium felix intra tua mcenia claudis Quicquid formosi pendulus orbis habet. Non tibi tot cselo scintillant astra sereuo, Endymionese turba ministra dese, Quot tibi conspicuse formaque auroque

puellse

Per inedias radiant turba videnda vias. 80 Creditur hue geminis venisse invecta co-

lumbis

Alma pharetrigero milite cincta Venus, Huic Cnidon, et riguas Simoentis flumine

valles, Huic Paphon, et roseam posthabitura

Cypron. Ast ego, dum pueri sinit indulgentia cseci,

MoBnia qukm subit6 linquere faustaparo; Et vitare procul malefidse infamia Circes Atria, divini Molyos nsus ope.

��by unused. I visit the groves planted thick with elm, the suburban parks noble with shade. There often one may see the virgin bands go past, stars breathing bland fire. Ah, how many times have I stood stupefied before the miracle of some gracious form, such as might give old Jove his youth again ! Ah, how many times have I seen eyes brighter than gems, brighter than all the fires that roll about either pole, necks whiter than the ivory shoulder of Pelops, and lips tinct and dewy with pure nectar ! And exquisite grace of brow, and floating locks, golden nets which Love casts de- ceivingly, inviting cheeks, to which the purple of the hyacinth, yea, even the blush of thy flower, Adonis, is dull ! Yield, ye Heroides so praised of yore, and all ye loves that snared gadding Jove ! Yield, ye Persian damsels with your turreted brows ; and all ye who dwell in Susa, in Memnonian Nineveh ! Even ye, daughters of Danaiis, lower the fasces ; and ye Tro- jan ones, and the betrothed of Romulus 1 Let not the poet who lived by the Tarpeian rock [Ovid] boast the dames of Pompey's , porch, nor the theatre full of Roman stoles. \ To the virgins of Britain first glory is due ; \ suffice it, foreign woman, that thy place is second ! And thou city of London, built by Dardanian colonists, thy towered head conspicuous far and wide, thou, too happy, enclosest with thy walls whatever beauty the pendulous Earth owns. Not so many stars twinkle over tb.ee in the clear night sky, ministrant troops of Endymion's god- dess, as through thy highways throng radi- ant troops of girls, drawing all eyes with the golden grace of their forms. Men say that hither blessed Venus came, with her quivered nymph attendant, drawn by twin doves, willing to love London more than Cnidos, or the vales watered by the stream of Simois, or Paphos, or rosy Cyprus.

But for my part, while the blind boy grants me immunity, I hasten to leave these fortunate walls as quickly as I may ; and avoid far off the evil halls of Circe the deceiver, using at my need moly, that

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