Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/410

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��LATIN POEMS

��ARGUMENTUM

THYRSIS et DAMON, ejusdem viciniae pastores, eadem studia sequuti, a pueritiS amici erant, ut qui pluri- inum. THYUSIS, auimi causa" profectus, peregre de obitu DAMONIS nuncium accepit. Doraum postea reversus, et rem ita esse comperto, se suamque soli- tudinem hoc carmine deplorat. DAMONIS autem sub personfi hie intelligitur CAROLUS DBODATUS, ex urbe Hetrurise LucS paterno genere oriundus, cn-tera Ang- I us ; -ingenio, doctrinS, clarissimisque caeteris virtuti- bus, dum viveret, juvenis egregius.

HIMERIDES Nymphse (nam vos et Daphnin

et Hylan,

Et plorata diu meministis fata Bionis), Dicite Sicelicum Tbamesina per oppida

carmen: Quas miser effudit voces, quse murmura

Thyrsis,

Et quibus assiduis exercuit antra querelis. Fluminaque, fontesque vagos, nemorumque

recessus, Dum sibi prareptum queritur Damona,

neque altam Luctibus exemit noctem, loca sola perer-

rans.

Et jam bis viridi surgebat culmus arista, Et totidem flavas numerabant horrea

messes, 10

Ex quo sum ma dies tulerat Damona sub

umbras, Nee dum aderat Thyrsis; pastorem scilicet

ilium Dulcis amor Musse Thusca retinebat in

urbe. Ast ubi mens expleta domum pecorisque

relicti Cura vocat, simul assueta seditque sub

ulmo, Turn ver6 amissum, turn denique, sentit

amicum, Ccepit et immensum sic exonerare dolo-

rem: " Ite domum impasti; domino jam non

vacat, agni. Hei mihi ! qua? terris, quse dicam numina

��Postquam te immiti rapuerunt funere,

Damon ? 20

Siccine nos linquis ? tua sic sine nomine

virtus

Ibit, et obscuris numero sociabitur umbris? At non ille animas virga qui dividit aurea Ista velit, dignumque tui te ducat in agmen, Ignavumque procul pecus arceat omne silentum.

��ARGUMENT

Thyrsis and Damon, sliepherds dwelling in the same region and pursuing the same studies, were close friends from boyhood. Thyrsis, while travelling abroad for the improvement of his mind, receives news of Damon's death. Returning after a time and finding it true, he deplores himself and his solitude in the following poem. By Damon is to be understood Charles Diodati, con- nected through his father's family with the Tuscan city of Lucca ; in other respects an Englishman : a youth distinguished, during his short life, for unusual talents, learning, and virtue.

MUSE of Sicily's pastoral song, who long remembered Daphuis and Hylas and the tearful fate of Bion, repeat these Sicilian verses through the cities of Thames; these words which forlorn Thyrsis poured out in grief for Damon's taking-off. He filled the caves with his murmured complaint, the rivers, the springs, and the depths of the woods; deep into the night he prolonged his sobs, as he wandered in lonely ways. Twice now the ear had grown green on the stalk, and twice had the yellow harvests been gathered into barns, since the fatal day which bore Damon to the shades, and Thyrsis absent. For love of the sweet Muse kept that shepherd in the far-off city of Tuscany. But when a mind replete, and anxiety for the flock he had left be- hind, called him home, he sat down beneath the accustomed elm; and then, ah, then at last he felt the loss of his friend, and thus he sought to lighten his overwhelming grief in speech :

"Go to your folds unfed, my lambs; your master is troubled. Ah me ! what powers shall I name on earth or in heaven, now that cruel death has seized thee, Da- mon ? Dost thou leave us so ? Shall thy virtue thus go hence without a name, and be merged with shades obscure ? Ah, no; he who marshals dead souls with his golden wand, wills it not so; he will lead thee apart into a company worthy thy fellowship, and banish far off the base herd of the voice- less.

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