The Works of Christopher Marlowe, Vol. 3 (of 3). Christopher Marlowe

name was Eronusis.91 Venus flew

      From Hero's sight, and at her chariot drew

      This wondrous creature to so steep a height,

      That all the world she might command with sleight

      Of her gay wings; and then she bade her haste,—

      Since Hero had dissembled, and disgraced

      Her rites so much,—and every breast infect

      With her deceits: she made her architect

      Of all dissimulation; and since then

      Never was any trust in maids or men.

      O, it spited

      Fair Venus' heart to see her most delighted,

      And one she choos'd, for temper of her mind

      To be the only ruler of her kind,

      So soon to let her virgin race be ended!

      Not simply for the fault a whit offended,

      But that in strife for chasteness with the Moon,

      Spiteful Diana bade her show but one

      That was her servant vow'd, and liv'd a maid;

      And, now she thought to answer that upbraid,

      Hero had lost her answer: who knows not

      Venus would seem as far from any spot

      Of light demeanour, as the very skin

      'Twixt Cynthia's brows? sin is asham'd of sin.

      Up Venus flew, and scarce durst up for fear

      Of Phœbe's laughter, when she pass'd her sphere:

      And so most ugly-clouded was the light,

      That day was hid in day; night came ere night;

      And Venus could not through the thick air pierce,

      Till the day's king, god of undaunted verse,

      Because she was so plentiful a theme

      To such as wore his laurel anademe.

      Like to a fiery bullet made descent,

      And from her passage those fat vapours rent,

      That being not throughly rarified to rain,

      Melted like pitch, as blue as any vein;

      And scalding tempests made the earth to shrink

      Under their fervour, and the world did think

      In every drop a torturing spirit flew,

      It pierc'd so deeply, and it burn'd so blue.

      Betwixt all this and Hero, Hero held

      Leander's picture, as a Persian shield;

      And she was free from fear of worst success:

      The more ill threats us, we suspect the less:

      As we grow hapless, violence subtle grows,

      Dumb, deaf, and blind, and comes when no man knows.

      THE FIFTH SESTIAD

The Argument of the Fifth Sestiad

      Day doubles his accustom'd date,

      As loath the Night, incens'd by Fate,

      Should wreck our lovers. Hero's plight;

      Longs for Leander and the night:

      Which ere her thirsty wish recovers,

      She sends for two betrothèd lovers,

      And marries them, that, with their crew,

      Their sports, and ceremonies due,

      She covertly might celebrate,

      With secret joy her own estate.

      She makes a feast, at which appears

      The wild nymph Teras, that still bears

      An ivory lute, tells ominous tales,

      And sings at solemn festivals.

      Now was bright Hero weary of the day,

      Thought an Olympiad in Leander's stay.

      Sol and the soft-foot Hours hung on his arms,

      And would not let him swim, foreseeing his harms:

      That day Aurora double grace obtain'd

      Of her love Phœbus; she his horses reign'd,

      Set92 on his golden knee, and, as she list,

      She pull'd him back; and as she pull'd she kiss'd,

      To have him turn to bed: he lov'd her more,

      To see the love Leander Hero bore:

      Examples profit much; ten times in one,

      In persons full of note, good deeds are done.

      Day was so long, men walking fell asleep;

      The heavy humours that their eyes did steep

      Made them fear mischiefs. The hard streets were beds

      For covetous churls and for ambitious heads,

      That, spite of Nature, would their business ply:

      All thought they had the falling epilepsy,

      Men grovell'd so upon the smother'd ground;

      And pity did the heart of Heaven confound.

      The Gods, the Graces, and the Muses came

      Down to the Destinies, to stay the frame

      Of the true lovers' deaths, and all world's tears:

      But Death before had stopp'd their cruel ears.

      All the celestials parted mourning then,

      Pierc'd with our human miseries more than men:

      Ah, nothing doth the world with mischief fill,

      But want of feeling one another's ill!

      With their descent the day grew something fair,

      And cast a brighter robe upon the air.

      Hero, to shorten time with merriment,

      For young Alcmane93 and bright Mya sent,

      Two lovers that had long crav'd marriage-dues

      At Hero's hands: but she did still refuse;

      For lovely Mya was her consort vow'd

      In her maid state, and therefore not allow'd

      To amorous nuptials: yet fair Hero now

      Intended to dispense with her cold vow,

      Since hers was broken, and to marry her:

      The rites would pleasing matter minister

      To her conceits, and shorten tedious day.

      They came; sweet Music usher'd th' odorous way,

      And wanton Air in twenty sweet forms danced

      After her fingers; Beauty and Love advanced

      Their ensigns in the downless rosy faces

      Of youths and maids led after by the Graces.

      For all these Hero made a friendly feast,

      Welcom'd them kindly, did much love protest,

      Winning their hearts with all the means she might.

      That, when her fault should chance t' abide the light

      Their loves might cover or extenuate it,

      And high in her worst fate make pity sit.

      She married them; and in the banquet came,

      Borne by the virgins. Hero striv'd to frame

      Her thoughts to mirth:

91

"A compound, probably, from ερως and νοσος or νουσος Ionice." Ed. 1821.

92

Some modern editors read "sat."

93

Singer suggested "Alcmaeon."