Hero and Leander. A tale of love / Translated from ... Musaeus. With other poems [by the translator] By Francis Adam [i.e. Adams].

  • Musaeus, Grammaticus
Date:
1821
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Hero and Leander. A tale of love / Translated from ... Musaeus. With other poems [by the translator] By Francis Adam [i.e. Adams]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Thus while she spoke, the fond enamour’d boy Unbound her zone, and sought the nuptial joy. Ill-omen’d match ! no sportive youths advance. With bounding steps, to fly along the dance; No playful maids the choral notes prolong, No poet chaunts the hymeneal song; Nor mother dear, nor joyous sire, was there. No blazing torches vex’d the troubled air; No lulling pipes in gentle measure play’d. But all was silence round the bridal bed. Gay pass’d the night; but when the morning shone On Hero’s couch, the lovely youth was gone. With weary’d arms he stems the well-known stream. And long the way, and rough the billows seem. She from her kinsmen seeks her joys to hide — By day a maiden, and at night a bride. The faithful lovers hate th’ unwelcome morn. And long till evening’s friendly shades return. Thus, in gay dalliance pass’d their hours away; Yet worldly pleasures last but for a day; And ruthless fate’s consuming hand destroys The sweets of love, and hymen’s tender joys. Now wintry winds, with sable pinions, swjcep The trembling earth, and howl along the deep : Hous’d from their beds, the hoary waves arise, Swell their broad backs, and mount unto the skies. The feeble bark that owns their dread command, With shatter’d keel is dash’d upon the strand: