This Nymph compress’d by him who rules the day, A lake there was, with shelving banks around, 15 25 And I myself the same rash act had done : But lo! I saw (as near her side I stood) The violated blossoms drop with blood. 20 Oechalidum Dryope: quam virginitate carentem, 20 Upon the tree I cast a frightful look ; 30 This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight 35 My trembling sister strove to urge her flight: And first the pardon of the nymphs implord, And those offended fylvan pow'rs ador'd : But when she backward would have fed, the found Her stiff’ning feet were rooted in the ground: 40 In vain to free her fasten'd feet she strove, And as the struggles, only moves above; She feels th'encroaching bark around her grow By quick degrees, and cover all below: Surpriz'd at this, her trembling hand the heaves 45 To rend her hair; her hand is fill'd with leaves : Where late was hair, the shooting leaves are seen To rife, and shade her with a sudden green. Decidere ; et tremulo ramos horrore moveri. 30 Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agrestes, Lotis in hanc Nymphe, fugiens obscoena Priapi, Contulerat versos, fervato nomine, vultus. Nefcierat soror hoc; quae cum perterrita retro 35 Ire, et adoratis vellet discedere Nymphis, Haeserunt radice pedes. convellere pugnat : 40 Nec quidquam, nisi summa, movet. succrescit ab imo. Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex. Ut vidit, conata manu laniare capillos, Fronde manum implevit: frondes caput omne tenebant, 45 At puer Amphissos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi Addiderat nomen) materna rigescere fentic 55 The child Amphissus, to her bosom press’d, 50 Behold Andræmon, and th'unhappy fire Appear, and for their Dryope enquire ; A springing tree for Dryope they find, And print warm kisses on the panting rind. to Proftrate, with tears their kindred plant bedew, And close embrace as to the roots they grew. The face was all that now remain'd of thee, No more a woman, nor yet quite a tree; Thy branches hung with humid pearls appear, From ev'ry leaf distills a trickling tear, And strait a voice, while yet a voice remains, Thus thro' the trembling boughs in fighs complains : 65 Ubera : nec fequitur ducentem lacteas humor. 50 60 } If to the wretched any faith be giv'n, I swear by all th' unpitying pow'rs of Heav'n, 70 No wilful crime this heavy vengeance bred; In mutual innocence our lives we led : If this be false, let these new greens decay, Let sounding axes lop my limbs away, And crackling flames on all my honours prey. 75 But from my branching arms this infant bear, Let some kind nurse supply a mother's care : And to his mother let him oft be led, Sport in her shades, and in her shades be fed ; Teach him, when his first infant voice shall frame 8m Imperfect words, and lisp his mother's name, To hail this tree; and say with weeping eyes, Within this plant my hapless parent lies : And when in youth he seeks the shady woods, Oh, let him fly the crystal lakes and floods, 85 Nor touch the fatal flow'rs; but, warn'd by me, Believe a Goddess fhrin'd in ev'ry tree. My fire, my fifter, and my spouse, farewell! If in your breasts or love, or pity dwell, -75 Si qua fides miseris, hoc me per numina juro Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel 90 The browzing cattle, or the piercing steel. Farewell! and since I cannot bend to join My lips to yours, advance at least to mine. My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive, While yet thy mother has a kiss to give. 95 I can no more; the creeping rind invades My closing lips, and hides my head in shades : Remove your hands; the bark shall foon fuffice Without their aid to seal these dying eyes. She ccas'd at once to speak, and ceas'd to be; 100 And all the nymph was lost within the tree; Yet latent life thro' her new branches reign’d, And long the plant a human heat retain'd. go 95 Quîs fi qua est pietas, ab acutae vulnere falcis, 100 |