Daphnis and Chloe. Longus

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СКАЧАТЬ to hold while he washt. But it happened that in an Agonie that one kisse had cast him into, he fell to mutter with himself, such fancies as these. Whither, in the name of the Nymphs, will that kisse of Chloe drive me? Her lips are softer than Roses, and sweeter than the honeycombs of the Launs, and Meadowes; but her kisse stings like a Bee. I have often kist the young kids; I have kist a pretty whippet, the whelp of Melampo; and that Calf which Dorco gave me; but this kisse is a new thing. My heart leaps up to my lips; my spirit sparckles, and my soul melts; and yet I am mad to kisse her again. Oh what a mischievous Victory is this! Oh what a disease, whose name I know not! Did Chloe take poyson before she kist me? How then is she not dead? How sweetly sing the Nightingales, while my pipe hangs on yonder pine? How wantonly the Kids skip, and I lie still upon the ground? How sweetly do the flowers grow, and I neglect to make garlands? So it is, the Violet, Hyacinth, and the Cowslips flourish; but alas, Daphnis, Daphnis withers! And will it come at length to this, that Dorco shall appear hereafter handsomer then I to Chloe? These Passions and Complaints the good Daphnis felt, and murmured to himself, as now first beginning to taste of the works and language of Love. But Dorco the Herdsman observing when Dryas planted his Scyons near the palmits or spreading branches of the Vines, came to him with certain cheeses, and his wooing and wedding Pipes about him: the Cheeses he presented him withall, as one who had long been his acquaintance and friend, when he himself tended Cattel. And taking his rise from thence, he cast in words about the marrying of Chloe, and if he might have her to his Wife, promised many and great Gifts, according to the Estate of Herdsmen; a yoake of Oxen for the plough, four hives of Bees; fifty choyse young Appletrees; a good Bull-Hide to make Shooes; every year a weaned Calf: so that it wanted but a little, that, allured by these Gifts, Dryas did not promise Chloe. But when he had recollected himself, and found the Maid deserved a better husband; and likewise, that he had reason to fear, lest at any time being deprehended to have taken away the exposed Child, he should fall into a mischief, from which he could no way then escape; he desires to be excused, denyes the Marriage, rejects the Gifts. But Dorco falling from his hope, and losing his Cheeses, resolves with himself to lay his clutches upon Chloe, if ever he could catch her alone. And having observed, that every day, sometimes Daphnis, sometimes the Girle, drove the flocks to watering; he practised a Trick not unbecoming one that tended a herd of Cattel. He took the skin of a huge Wolf, which formerly the Bull, fighting for the herd, had killed with his horns, and flung it o're his back, and it dangled down to his feet; so that the fore-feet were drawn on his hands, the hinder, over his thighs to his heels; and the Gaping of the mouth covered his head, like the helmet of an armed man. When he was got into this Lycanthropy, as well as possibly he could; he makes to the Fountain where the flocks, after their feeding, used to drink. But that Fountain lay in a Bottom, and about it all the place, was rough with bushes, thorns, brakes, thistles, and the brush Juniper; so that indeed, a true Wolf might very well lye lurking there. Therefore when he had hid himself, he waited the time when the Cattel were driven thither to drink, and conceived no small hope, that in the habit of a Wolf (a beast that scares our voice away;) he should snap the poor Chloe. After a while she left Daphnis shaking down green leaves for the Goats, and drove her flocks down to the Fountain. But the flock- dogs following Chloe, and barking at Dorco, who had moved himself and rusled in the brakes, because he perceived they were hot on the Sent; fell on him furiously as on a Wolf; and before he could wholly rise from the lurk, because of the suddain consternation, all-to-towsed the Wolf-Dorco, and gave him many a sharp nip. However, fearing lest he should be manifestly discovered, blamed, and shamed, guarding himself as he could, with the skin, he lay close and still in the thicket. But when Chloe was feared at the first sight of she knew not what, and cryed out to Daphnis for help; the doggs soon tore his vizard off, tattered the skin, and bit him soundly. Then he roared and cried out amain, and begged for help of Daphnis and Chloe. They rated off the doggs with their usual known recalls; and lead Dorco, who was torn in the shoulder and the Thigh to the Fountain, &c., where they found the doggs had left the print of their teeth. There sweet Chloe gently washt, and chewing in her mouth, the green ryne of the Elme, applyed it softly to his wounds. Now, because of their unskilfulnesse in amorous adventures, they thought Dorco's disguising, and hiding of himself, was nothing else but a Pastoral pranck, and were not at all moved at it; but endeavouring first, to cheer and erect him with the gentle language of pitty, and leading him by the hand some part of his way, they bid him farewell, and dismist him.

      But Daphnis and Chloe had much ado to get together, before it was late in the evening, their scattered, straggling Sheep and Goats. For they were terrified with the wolfs-skin, and the fierce barking, and baying of the dogs; and some ran up the steeps craggs; some ran on rucks, and hurried down to the Sea-shore: although they were taught, not only to obey the voice, and be quieted by the pipe, but to be driven up together, even by the clapping of the hands. But fear had cast in an oblivion of all: so that at length with much stirre, following their steps, like Hares by the foot; they drave them home to their own folds. That night alone Daphnis and Chloe slept soundly, and found, that weariness was some kind of remedy for the passion of Love. But as soon as the day appeared, they fell again to these fits. When they saw one another, they were passing joyful; and sad, if it chanced, that they were parted; in their grief they were voluntiers, and yet they knew not what they would have. Only this one thing they knew, that kissing had destroyed Daphnis, and bathing had undone Chloe. Now besides this, the season of the year inflamed and burnt them. For now the cooler spring was ended, and the Summer was ended, and the Autumn was come on, and all things were got to their highest flourishing akme and, vigour; the tree with their fruits, the fields with standing Corn. Sweet then, was the singing of the Grasshoppers; sweet was the odour of the fruits; and not unpleasant, the very bleating of the sheep. A man would have thought that the very rivers by their gentle gliding away, did sing; and that the softer gales of wind, did play, and whistle on the pines; that the Cattel, as languishing with love, lay down and slumbered on the ground; and that the Sun, as a lover of beauty, unvailed, did strive to undresse, and turn the ruralls all naked. By all these was Daphnis inflamed; and therefore often he goes to the Rivers and Brooks, there to bathe and cool himself, and often he drinks of the clear purls, as thinking by that, to quench his inward Caum, and scorching. When Chloe had spent much time, because the flyes were importune, and vexatious, to milk the Sheep, and the Goats, and to curdle, and presse it into smaller Cheeses; she washt her self, and crowned her head with pineboughes; and when she had girt her Kidskin about her, she took a piggin, and with wine and milk, she made a Sillibub for her dear Daphnis and herself. When it grew towards noon, they fell to their fascination, or catching of one another, by their eyes. For Chloe seeing Daphnis naked, thought she had fallen on the most sweet and florid beauty, and therefore could not choose but melt, as being not able to find in him the least moment to dislike or blame. Daphnis again if he saw Chloe in her Kidskin, and her Pine coronet, give him the Sillibub to drink, thought he saw one of the Nymphs, the fairest of the holy Cave. Therefore taking off her pine, he would put it on his own head; and when he had kist it o're and o're, set it upon hers again. And Chloe, when he was naked and bathing, would take up his vest, and when she kist it, put it on upon her self. Sometimes they flung apples at one another, sometimes they drest, and distinguisht one anothers hair, into curious trammels, and locks. And Chloe likened Daphnis his hair, to the Myrtle, because it was black: Daphnis again, because her face was white and ruddy, compared it to the fairest Apple. He taught her too, to play on the pipe, and always when she began to blow, would catch the pipe away from her lips, and run it presently o're with his: he seemed to teach her when she was out, but with that specious pretext, by the pipe, he kist Chloe. But it happened, when he played on his pipe at noon, and the Cattel took shade, that Chloe fell unawares asleep. Daphnis observed it, and laid down his Pipe; and without any shame or fear, was bold to view her all over, and every limb, insatiably; and withall, spoke softly thus:

      What sweet Eyes are those that sleep? How sweetly breathes that rosie mouth? The Apples smell not like to it, nor the flowery launes, and thickets. But I am afraid to kisse her. For her Kisse stings to my heart, and makes me mad, like new honey. Besides, I fear, lest a Kisse should chance to wake her. O ye prating Grasshoppers, ye make a noyse to break her sleep! And the Goats beside are fighting, and they clatter with their hornes. Yee Wolves, worse dastards then the Foxes, come and ravish them away. While he was muttering this passion, a Grasshopper that fled from a Swallow, took Sanctuary in Chloe's bosome, and the pursuer could not take her; but her wing, by reason of her close pursuit, flapt the girle upon СКАЧАТЬ