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  22. Daphnis, therefore, knowing what it was, attended wholly to the sea, and was sweetly affected with the pinnace gliding by like a bird in the air, endeavouring the while to preserve to himself some of those tones to play afterwards upon his pipe. But Chloe, having then her first experience of that which is called echo, now cast her eyes towards the sea, minding the loud songs of the mariners, now to the woods, seeking for those who answered from thence with such a clamour. And when because the pinnace was passed away there was in the valley too a deep silence, she asked of Daphnis whether there were sea beyond the promontore and another ship did pass by there, and whether there were other mariners that had sung the same songs and all now were whist and kept silence together. At this, Daphnis laughed a sweet laugh, and giving her a sweeter kiss, put the violet chaplet upon her head, and began to tell her the tale of Echo, requiring first that when he had taught her that, he should have of her for his wages ten kisses more:

  23. “There are of the Nymphs, my dear girl, more kinds then one. There are the Meliae of the Ash, there are the Dryades of the Oak, there are the Heleae of the Fen. All are beautiful, all are musical. To one of these Echo was daughter, and she mortal because she came of a mortal father, but a rare beauty, deriving from a beauteous mother. She was educated by the Nymphs, and taught by the Muses to play on the hautboy and the pipe, to strike the lyre, to touch the lute, and in sum, all music. And therefore when she was grown up and in the flower of her virgin beauty, she danced together with the Nymphs and sung in consort with the Muses; but fled from all males, whether men or Gods, because she loved virginity. Pan sees that, and takes occasion to be angry at the maid, and to envy her music because he could not come at her beauty. Therefore he sends a madness among the shepherds and goatherds, and they in a desperate fury, like so many dogs and wolves, tore her all to pieces and flung about them all over the earth her yet singing limbs. The Earth in observance of the Nymphs buried them all, preserving to them still their music property, and they by an everlasting sentence and decree of the Muses breathe out a voice. And they imitate all things now as the maid did before, the Gods, men, organs, beasts. Pan himself they imitate too when he plays on the pipe; which when he hears he bounces out and begins to post over the mountains, not so much to catch and hold as to know what clandestine imitator that is that he has got.” When Daphnis thus had told his tale, Chloe gave him not only ten more kisses but innumerable. For Echo said almost the same, as if to bear him witness that he did not lie.

  24. But now, when the Sun grew every day more burning, the spring going out and summer coming in, they were invited to new and summer pleasure. Daphnis he sworn in the rivers, Chloe she bathed in the springs; he with his pipe contended with the pines, she with her voice strove with the nightingales. Sometimes they hunted the prattling locusts, sometimes they catched the chirping grasshoppers.

  They gathered flowers together, together they shaked the trees for mellow fruits. And now and then they lay side by side with a goatskin to their common coverlet; Et mulier Chloe facile esset facta nisi Daphnim sanguinis illius cogitatio terruisset. Certe veritus ne ratio aliquando sua dimoveretur sede, crebro ut nudaretur Chloae non permisit, quod quidem mirabatur Chloe, sed causam eius sciscitari verebatur.

  25. That summer Chloe had many suitors, and many came from many places, and came often, to Dryas, to get his goodwill to have her. Some brought their gifts along with them, others promised great matters if they should get her. Nape was tempted by her hope, and began to persuade him that the girl should be bestowed, and to urge that a maid of her age should not longer be kept at home; for who knows whether one time or other she may not for an apple or a rose, as she keeps the field, make some unworthy shepherd a man; and therefore it was better she should now be made the dame of a house, and that they getting much by her, it should be laid up for their own son, for of late they had born a jolly boy.

  But Dryas was variously affected with what was said. Sometimes he was ready to give way; for greater gifts were named to him by everyone then suited with a rural girl, a shepherdess. Sometimes again be thought the maid deserved better then to be married to a clown, and that if ever she should find her true parents she might make him and his family happy. Then he defers his answer to the wooers and puts them off from day to day, and in the interim has many presents.

  When Chloe came to the knowledge of this, she was very sad, and hid it long from Daphnis because she would not give him a cause of grief. But when he was importunate and urged her to tell him what the matter was, and seemed to be more troubled when he knew it not, than he should be when he knew it, then, poor girl, she told him all, as well of the wooers that were so many and so rich, as of the words by which Nape incited Dry as to marry her speedily, and how Dryas had not denied it but only had put it off to the vintage. 26. Daphnis with this is at his wit’s end, and sitting down he wept bitterly, and said that if Chloe were no longer to tend sheep with him he would die, and not only he, but all the flocks that lost so sweet a shepherdess.

  After this passion Daphnis came to himself again and took courage, thinking he should persuade Dryas in his own behalf, and resolved to put himself among the wooers with hope that his desert would say for him, “Room for your betters.” There was one thing troubled him worst of all, and that was, his father Lamo was not rich. That disheartened him, that allayed his hope much. Nevertheless it seemed best that he should come in for a suitor, and that was Chloe’s sentence too. To Lamo he durst not venture to speak, but put on a good face and spoke to Myrtale, and did not only shew her his love, but talked to her of marrying the girl. And in the night, when they were in bed, she acquainted Lamo with it. But Lamo entertaining what she said in that case very harshly, and chiding her that she should offer to make a match between a shepherd’s daughter and such a youth as he, whose tokens did declare him a great fortune and of high extraction, and one that “if his true parents were found would not only make them free but possessors of larger lands, Myrtale, considering the power of love, and therefore fearing, if he should altogether despair of the marriage, lest he should attempt something upon his life, returned him other causes then Lamo had, to contradict:

  “My son, we are but poor, and have more need to take a bride that does bring us something then one that will have much from us. They, on the other side, are rich and such as look for rich husbands. Go thou and persuade Chloe, and let her persuade her father, that he shall ask no great matter, and give you his consent to marry. For, on my life, she loves thee dearly, and had rather a thousand times lie with a poor and handsome man then a rich monkey.” 27. And now Myrtale, who expected that Dryas would never consent to these things because there were rich wooers, thought she had finely excused to him their refusing of the marriage.

  Daphnis knew not what to say against this, and so finding himself far enough off from what he desired, that which is usual with lovers who are beggars, that he did. With tears he lamented his condition, and again implored the help of the Nymphs. They appeared to him in the night in his sleep, in the same form and habit as before, and she that was eldest spoke again: “Some other of the Gods takes the care about the marrying of Chloe, but we shall furnish thee with gifts which will easily make her father Dryas. That ship of the Methymnaeans, when thy goats had ‘eaten her cable, that very day was carried off by the winds far from the shore. But that night there arose a tempestuous sea-wind that blew to the land and dashed her against the rocks of the promontore; there she perished with much of that which was in her. But the waves cast up a purse in which there are three thousand drachmas, and that thou shalt find covered with ouse hard by a dead dolphin, near which no passenger comes, but turns another way as fast as he can, detesting the stench of the rotting fish. But do thou make haste thither, take it, and give it to Dry as. And let it suffice that now thou art not poor, and hereafter in time thou shalt be rich.” 28. This spoken, they passed away together with the night.

  It was now day, and Daphnis leapt out of bed as full of joy as his h
eart could hold, and hurried his goats, with much whistling, to the field; and after he had kissed Chloe and adored the Nymphs, to the sea he goes, making as if that morning he had a mind to bedew himself with sea-water. And walking there upon the gravel, near the line of the excursion and breaking of the waves, he looked for his three thousand drachmas. But soon he found he should not be put to much labour. For the stench of the dolphin had reached him as he lay cast up and was rotting upon the slabby sand. When he had got that scent for his guide, he came up presently to the place, and removing the ouse, found the purse full of silver. He took it up and put it into his scrip; yet went not away till with joyful devotion he had blest the Nymphs and the very sea; for though he was a keeper of goats, yet he was now obliged to the sea, and had a sweeter sense of that then the land, because it had promoted him to marry Chloe.

  29. Thus having got his three thousand drachmas, he made no longer stay, but as if now he were not only richer then any of the clowns that dwelt there but then any man that trod on the ground, he hastens to Chloe, tells her his dream, shews her the purse, and bids her look to his flocks till he comes again. Then stretching and stritting along, he bustles in like a lord upon Dryas, whom he then found with Nape at the threshing-floor, and on a sudden talked very boldly about the marrying of Chloe: “Give me Chloe to my wife. For I can play finely on the pipe, I can cut the vines, and I can plant them. Nor am I ignorant how and when the ground is to be ploughed, or how the corn is to be winnowed and fanned by the wind. But how I keep and govern flocks, Chloe can tell. Fifty she-goats I had of my father Lamo; I have made them as many more and doubled the number. Besides, I have brought up goodly, proper he-goats; whereas before, we went for leaps to other men’s. Moreover, I am a young man, your neighbour too, and one that you cannot twit in the teeth with anything. And, further, I had a goat to my nurse as your Chloe had a sheep. Since in these I have got the start and outgone others, neither in gifts shall I be any whit behind them. They may give you the scrag-end of a small flock of sheep and goats, a rascal pair of oxen, and so much com as scant will serve to keep the hens. But from me, look you here, three thousand drachmas. Only let nobody know of this, no, not so much as my father Lamo.” With that, he gave it into his hand, embraced Dryas, and kissed him.

  30. They, when they saw such an unexpected sum of money, without delay promised him Chloe and to procure Lamo’s consent. Nape therefore stayed there with Daphnis and drove her oxen about the floor to break the ears very small and slip out the grain, with her hurdle set with sharp stones. But Dryas, having carefully laid up the purse of silver in that place where the tokens of Chloe were kept, makes away presently to Lamo and Myrtale on a strange errand, to woo them for a bridegroom. Them he found a measuring barley newly fanned, and much dejected because that year the ground had scarcely restored them their seed. Dryas put in to comfort them concerning that, affirming it was a common cause, and that everywhere he met with the same cry; and then asks their good will that Daphnis should marry Chloe, and told them withal that although others did offer him great matters, yet of them he would take nothing, nay, rather he would give them somewhat for him: “For,” quoth he, “they have bin bred up together, and by keeping their flocks together in the fields are grown to so dear a love as is not easy to be dissolved, and now they are of such an age as says they may go to bed together.” This said Dryas and much more, because for the fee of his oratory to the marriage he had at home three thousand drachmas.

  And now Lamo could no longer obtend poverty (for Chloe’s parents themselves did not disdain his lowness), nor yet Daphnis his age (for he was come to his flowery youth). That indeed which troubled him, and yet he would not say so, was this, namely that Daphnis was of higher merit then such a match could suit withal. But after a short silence, he returned him this answer: 31. “You do well to prefer your neighbours to strangers, and not to esteem riches better then honest poverty. Pan and the Nymphs be good to you for this. And I for my part do not at all hinder this marriage. It were madness in me who am now ancient and want many hands to my daily work, if I should not think it a great and desirable good to join to me the friendship and alliance of your family. Besides, Chloe is sought after by very many, a fair maid and altogether of honest manners and behaviour. But because I am only a servant, and not the lord of anything I have, it is necessary my lord and master should be acquainted with this, that he may give his consent to it. Go to, then, let us agree to put off the wedding till the next autumn. Those that use to come from the city to us, tell us that he will then be here. Then they shall be man and wife, and in the mean time let them love like sister and brother. Yet know this, Dryas; the young man thou art in such haste and earnest about is far better then us.” And Lamo having thus spoke embraced Dryas and kissed him, and made him sit and drink with him when now it was hot at high noon, and going along with him part of his way treated him altogether kindly.

  32. But Dryas had not heard the last words of Lamo only as a chat; and therefore as he walked along he anxiously enquired of himself who Daphnis should be: “He was suckled indeed and nursed up by a goat, as if the providence of the Gods had appointed it so. But he’s of a sweet and beautiful aspect, and no whit like either that flat-nosed old fellow or the baldpate old woman. He has besides three thousand drachmas, and one would scarcely believe that a goatherd should have so many pears in his possession. And has somebody exposed him too as well as Chloe? and was it Lamo’s fortune to find him as it was mine to find her? And was he trimmed up with such like tokens as were found by me? If this be so, O mighty Pan, O ye beloved Nymphs, it may be that he having found his own parents may find out something of Chloe’s secret too!”

  These moping thoughts he had in his mind, and was in a dream up to the floor. When he came there, he found Daphnis expecting and pricking up his ears for Lamo’s answer. “Hail, son,” quoth he, “Chloe’s husband,” and promised him they should be married in the autumn; then giving him his right hand, assured him on his faith that Chloe should be wife to nobody but Daphnis.

  33. Therefore without eating or drinking, swifter then thought he flies to Chloe, finds her at her milking and her cheese-making, and full of joy brings her the annunciation of the marriage, and presently began to kiss her, not as before by stealth in a corner of the twilight, but as his wife thenceforward, and took upon him part of her labour. He helped her about the milking-pail, he put her cheeses into the press, suckled the lambkins and the kids. And when all was done they washed themselves, eat and drank their fill, and went to look for mellow fruits.

  And at that time there was huge plenty because it was the season for almost all. There were abundance of pears, abundance of apples. Some were now fallen to the ground, some were hanging on the trees. Those on the ground had a sweeter scent, those on the boughs a sweeter blush. Those had the fragrancy of wine, these had the flagrancy of gold. There stood one apple-tree that had all its apples pulled; all the boughs were now bare, and they had neither fruit nor leaves, but only there was one apple that swung upon the very top of the spire of the tree; a great one it was and very beautiful, and such as by its rare and rich smell would alone outdo many together. It should seem that he that gathered the rest was afraid to climb so high, or cared not to come by it. And peradventure that excellent apple was reserved for a shepherd that was in love.

  34. When Daphnis saw it, he mantled to be at it, and was even wild to climb the tree, nor would he hear Chloe forbidding him. But she, perceiving her interdictions neglected, made in anger towards the flocks. Daphnis got up into the tree, and came to the place, and pulling it brought it to Chloe. To whom, as she shewed her anger against that adventure, he thus spoke: “Sweet maid, fair seasons begot this apple, and a goodly tree brought it up; it was ripened by the beams of the Sun and preserved by the care and kindness of Fortune. Nor might I let it alone so long as I had these eyes, lest either it should fall to the ground and some of the cattle as they feed should tread upon it or some creeping thing poison it, or else it should stay a
loft for time to spoil while we only look at and praise it. Venus, for the victory of her beauty, carried away no other prize; I give thee this the palmary of thine. For we are alike, I that witness thy beauty and he that witnessed hers. Paris was but a shepherd upon Ida, and I am a goatherd in the happy fields of Mytilene.” With that, he put it into her bosom, and Chloe pulling him to her kissed him. And so Daphnis repented him not of the boldness to climb so high a tree. For he received a kiss from her more precious then a golden apple.

  THE END OF THE THIRD BOOK

  A SUMMARY OF THE FOURTH BOOK

  A FELLOW-SERVANT of Lamos brings word that their lord would be there speedily. A pleasant garden is pleasantly described. Lamo, Daphnis, and Chloe make all things fine. Lampis the herdsman spoils the garden to provoke the lord against Lamo, who had denied Chloe in marriage. Lamo laments it the next day. Eudromus teaches him how he may escape the anger. — Astylus, their young master, comes first, with Gnatho, his parasite. Astylus promises to excuse them for the garden and procure their pardon from his father. Gnatho is taken with Daphnis. Dionysophanes the lord, with his wife Clearista, comes down. Amongst other things sees the goats, where he hears Daphnis his music, and all admire his art of piping. Gnatho begs of Astylus that he may carry Daphnis along with him to the city, and obtains it. Eudromus hears it, and tells Daphnis. Lamo, thinking it was now time, tells Dionysophanes the whole story, how Daphnis was found, how brought up. He and Clearista considering the thing carefully, they find that Daphnis is their son. Therefore they receive him with great joy, and Dionysophanes tells the reason why he exposed him. The country fellows come in to gratulate. Chloe in the interim complains that Daphnis has forgot her. She’s stolen and carried away by Lampis. Daphnis laments by himself. Gnatho hears him, rescues Chloe, and is received to favour. Dryas then tells Chloe’s story. Her they take to the city too. There at a banquet Megacles of Mytilene owns her for his daughter. And the wedding is kept in the country.