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Salmacis
and Hermaphroditus
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Thinking at first she was of heauenly
birth,
Some goddesse that did liue vpon
the earth,
Virgin Diana that so liuely
shone,
When she did court her sweet Endimion:
But he a god, at last did plainely
see,
She had no marke of immortalitie.
Vnto the Nymph went the yong god
of wine,
Whose head was chaf'd so with
the bleeding vine,
That now, or feare or terrour
had he none,
But 'gan to court her as she sate
alone:
Fayrer then fayrest (thus began
his speech)
Would but your radiant eye please
to inrich
My eye with looking, or one glaunce
to giue,
Whereby my other parts might feede
and liue,
Or with one sight my sences to
inspire,
Far liuelier then the stole Promethean
fire;
Then might I liue, then by the
sunny light
That should proceed from thy thrise-radiant
sight,
I might suruiue to ages; but that
missing,
(At that same word he would haue
faine bin kissing)
I pine, fayre Nymph: O neuer let
me dye
For one poore glaunce from thy
translucent eye,
Farre more transparent then the
clearest brooke.
The Nymph was taken with his golden
hooke:
Yet she turn'd backe, and would
haue tript away;
But Bacchus forc't the louely
mayd to stay,
Asking her why she struggled to
be gone,
Why such a Nymph should wish to
be alone?
Heauen neuer made her faire, that
she should vaunt
She kept all beautie, it would
neuer graunt |
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| © Twilight
Pictures,
September
2000. This text is freely available for educational, non-profit uses
only. Please report any errors or suggestions to
Drew Whitehead. |
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