Delphi Complete Works of Longus Page 9

  17. Astylus, a generous youth and one that was not to learn that love was a tormentous fire, could not endure to see him weep in such a manner and kiss his feet again and again; but promised him to beg Daphnis of his father to wait upon him at Mytilene. And to hearten up Gnatho, as he before had bin heartened up himself, he smiled upon him and asked him whether he were not ashamed to be in love with a son of Lamo’s, nay, with a boy that kept goats. And while he said that, he made as if to show how abominable to him was the strong perfume of goats.

  Gnatho on the other side, like one that had learnt the wanton discourse among good fellows in the drinking schools, was ready to answer him pat concerning himself and Daphnis thus: “We lovers, Sir, are never curious about such things as those. But wheresoever we meet with beauty, there undoubtedly we are catched. And hence it is that some have fallen in love with a tree, some with a river, some with a beast. And who would not pity that miserable lover whom we know fatally bound to live in fear of that that’s loved? But I, as I love the body of a servant, so in that the beauty of the most ingenuous. Do you not see his locks are like the hyacinths? and his eyes under the brows like diamonds burning in their golden sockets? how sweetly ruddy are his cheeks, and his mouth rowed with elephant-pearl? And what lover would not be fond to take from thence the sweetest kisses? But if I love a keeper of flocks, in that I imitate the Gods. Anchises was a herdsman, and Venus had him; Branchus was a goatherd, and Apollo loved him; Ganymedes was but a shepherd, and yet he was the rape of the king of all. We ought not then to contemn a youth to whom we see even the goats, for very love of one so fair, every way obedient. Nay rather, that they let such a beauty as that continue here upon the earth, we owe our thanks to Jupiter’s eagles.”

  18. At that word Astylus had a sweet laugh, and saying, “O what mighty sophisters this Love can make,” began to cast about him for a fit time to speak to his father about Daphnis.

  Eudromus hearkened in secret what was said, and because he both loved Daphnis as an honest youth and detested in himself that such a flower of beauty should be put into the hands of a filthy sot, he presently told both Daphnis and Lamo all that happened. Daphnis was struck to the heart with this, and soon resolved either to run away with Chloe or to die with her. But Lamo, getting Myrtale out of doors, “What shall we do?” quoth he; “we are all undone. Now or never is our time to open all that hitherto has bin concealed. Gone is my herd of goats, and gone all else too. But by Pan and all the Nymphs, though I should be left alone to myself like an ox forgotten in a stall, I will not longer hide his story, but declare I found him an exposed child, make it known how he was nursed, and shew the significations found exposed together with him. And let that rotten rascal Gnatho know himself, and what it is he dares to love. Only make ready the tokens for me.”

  19. This agreed, they went again into the house. But Astylus, his father being at leisure, went quickly to him and asked his leave to take Daphnis from the country to serve him at Mytilene; for he was a fine boy, far above the clownish life, and one that Gnatho soon could teach the city garb. His father grants it willingly, and presently sending for Lamo and Myrtale, lets them know the joyful news that Daphnis should hereafter wait upon Astylus in the city, and leave his keeping goats; and instead of him he promised to give them two goatherds.

  And now, when Lamo saw the servants running together and hug one another for joy they were to have so sweet a fellow-servant in the house, he asked leave to speak to his lord, and thus began: “Hear me, Sir, a true story that an old man is about to tell you. And I swear by Pan and the Nymphs that I will not lie a jot. I am not the father of Daphnis, nor was Myrtale so happy as to be the mother of so sweet a youth. Other parents exposed that child, having enow before. And I found him where he was laid and suckled by a goat of mine; which goat, when she died, I buried in yonder skirt of the garden, to use her kindly because she had played the part of a mother. Together with him I found habiliments exposed and signs, methought, of what he was. I confess them to you, Sir, and have kept them to this day. For they make him of higher fortune then we have any claim to. Wherefore, although I think not much he should become the servant of the noble Astylus, a good servant of a good and honest lord, yet I cannot endure to have him now exposed to the drunken glutton Gnatho, and as it were be made a slave to such a drivel.”

  20. Lamo, when he had thus said, held his peace and wept amain. But Gnatho beginning to bluster and threatening to cudgel Lamo, Dionysophanes was wholly amazed at what was said, and commanded him silence, bending his brows and looking stern and grim upon him; then again questioned Lamo, charging him to speak the truth and tell him no such tales as those to keep Daphnis his son. But when he stood to what he said and swore to it by all the Gods, and would submit it to torture if he did deceive him, he examined every passage over again, Clearista sitting judge to him: “What cause is there that Lamo should lie, when for one he is to have two goatherds? And how should a simple country-fellow feign and forge such things as these? No, sure; it had been straightway incredible that of such an old churl and such an urchin as his wife there should come a child so fair.”

  21. And now it seemed best to insist no longer upon conjectures, but to view the tokens and try if they reported anything of a more noble and splendid fortune. Myrtale therefore went and brought them all to them, laid up safe in an old scrip. Dionysophanes looked first, and seeing there the purple mantle, the gold brooch, the dagger with the ivory heft, he cried out loud “Great Jupiter the governor!” and called his wife that she might see. She too, when she saw them, cried out amain, “O dear, dear Fates! are not these those very things we exposed with a son of our own? Did we not send Sophrone to lay him here in these fields? They are no other, but the same, my dear! This is our child without doubt. Daphnis is thy son, and he kept his fathers goats.”

  22. While Clearista was yet speaking, and Dionysophanes was kissing those sweet revelations of his child and weeping over them for joy, Astylus hearing it was his brother, flings off his cloak, and o’er the green away he flies in an earnest desire to be the first to entertain him with a kiss. Daphnis, seeing him make towards him so fast with such a company, and hearing his own name in the noise, thinking he came to apprehend him, flung away his scrip and his pipe, and in the scare set a running towards the sea to cast himself from the high crag. And peradventure the new-found Daphnis, strange to tell, had then bin lost, but that Astylus perceiving it cried out to him more clearly, “Stay, Daphnis; be not afraid; I am thy brother, and they thy parents that were hitherto thy lords. Now Lamo has told }is all concerning the goat, and shewed the tokens thou hadst about thee. Turn thee and see with what a rejoicing, cheerful face they come along. But do thou kiss me first of all. By the Nymphs I do not lie.” 23. After that oath he ventured to stand, and stayed till Astylus came at him, and then offered him a kiss.

  While they were kissing and embracing, the rest of the company came in, the men-servants, the maids, the father, and with him the mother. Everyone kissed him and hugged him in their arms, rejoicing and weeping. But Daphnis embraced his father and his mother the most familiarly of all the rest, and dinged to them as if he had known them long before, and would not part out of their arms. So quickly comes belief to join with nature. And he forgot even Chloe for a little while.

  24. And when they got back to the cottage, they turned him out of his old clothes and put him in a gallant habit; and then seated near his own father he heard him speak to this purpose: “I married a wife, my dear sons, when I was yet very young, and after a while it was my happiness (so I thought it) to be a father. For first I had a son born, the second a daughter, and then Astylus the third. I thought there was enow of the breed; and therefore I exposed this boy, who was born after the rest, and set hint out with those toys, not for the tokens of his stock but for sepulchral ornaments. But Fortune had other thoughts and counsels about him. For so it was that my eldest son and my daughter died on the same disease upon one and the same day. But thou, by the providence of the
Gods, art kept alive and saved for us, in design to make us happy by more helps and manuductors to our age. So do not thou, when it comes in thy mind that thou wast exposed, take it unkindly or think evil of me; for it was not with a willing mind. Neither do thou, good Astylus, take it ill that now thou art to have but a part for the whole inheritance; for to any man that’s wise there is no possession more precious then a brother is. Therefore esteem and love one another, and for your riches compare and vie yourselves with kings. For I shall leave you large lands, servants industrious and true, gold and silver, all the fortunate possess. Only in special I give to Daphnis this manor, with Lamo and Myrtale, and the goats that he has kept.”

  25. While he was still going on in speech, Daphnis starting, “’Tis well remembered, father,” quoth he; “’tis time to go and lead my goats to watering. They are now dry and now expecting my pipe, and I am loitering and lolling here.” They all laughed sweetly at this, to see him that was now a lord turning into a goatherd again; and so another was sent away to rid his mind of that care.

  And now, when they had sacrificed to Jupiter Soter, the saviour of the exposed child, they made ready a jovial, rejoicing feast. And only Gnatho was not there; for he was in a mighty fear, and took sanctuary in Bacchus his fane, and there he was a sneaking suppliant night and day. But the fame flying abroad that Dionysophanes had found a son, and that Daphnis the goatherd proved the lord both of the goats and the fields they fed in, the rurals came in with the early day, some from one place, some another, there to congratulate the youth and bring their presents to his father. And amongst these Dryas was first, Dryas to whom Chloe was nursling.

  26. And Dionysophanes made them all stay as partakers of his joy and exultation, and to celebrate also the great feast of the Invention of Daphnis. Therefore great store of wine and bread was furnished out, water-fowl of all sorts, sucking-pigs, various curiosities of sweet cakes, wafers, simnels, and pies. And many victims that day were slain and offered to the Gods of Lesbos. Daphnis then, having got all his pastoral furniture about him, cast it into several offerings, his thankful donaries to the Gods. To Bacchus he dedicates his scrip and mantle, to Pan his whistle and his oblique pipe, his goat-hook to the holy Nymphs, and milking-pails that he himself had made. But so it is, that those things we have long bin acquainted withal and used ourselves to, are more acceptable and pleasing to us then a new and insolent felicity; and therefore tears fell from his eyes at every valediction to this and that, nor did he offer the pails to the Nymphs till he had milked into them first, nor his mantle till he had lapped himself in it, nor his pipe till he had piped a tune or two; but he looked wistly upon all the things and would not let them go without a kiss. Then he spoke to the she-goats, and called the he-goats by their names. Out of the fountain too he needs must drink before he goes, because he had drank there many a time, and with his sweetest, dearest Chloe. But as yet he did not openly profess to his love, because he waited a season to it.

  27. And therefore in the mean time, while he was keeping holy-day, it was thus with poor Chloe: By the flocks she sate and wept, and complained to herself and them, as it was like, in this manner: “Daphnis has forgot me. Now he dreams of a great marriage. To what purpose is it now, that instead of the Nymphs I would make him swear to me by the goats? He has forsaken them and me. And when he sacrificed to Pan and to the Nymphs, he would not so much as see Chloe. Perchance he has found a prettier wench then I amongst his mother’s maids. Fare him well! But I must die, and will not live.”

  28. While thus she was maundering and afflicting herself, Lampis the herdsman, coming upon her with a band of rustics, ravished her away, presuming Daphnis had cast off all thoughts of Chloe and Dryas too would be content to let him have her. And so she was carried away, crying out most piteously. But one that saw it told it Nape, she Dryas, and Dryas Daphnis. This put Daphnis almost quite out of his wits, and to his father he durst not speak, nor was he able to endure in that condition; and therefore slinking away into the circuit-walks of the garden, broke forth into lamentations: “O the bitter invention of Daphnis! How much better was it for me to keep a flock! And how much happier was I when I was a servant! Then I fed my eyes with the sight of Chloe and my lips with her kisses; but now she is the rape of Lampis, and with him she lies to-night. And I stay here and melt myself away in wine and soft delights, and so in vain have sworn to her by Pan and by the goats.”

  29. These heavy complaints of Daphnis it was Gnatho’s fortune to hear as he was skulking in the garden. And presently apprehending the happy hour to appease Daphnis and make him propitious, he takes some of A stylus his servants, makes after Dryas, bids them shew him to Lampis his cottage, and plucks up his heels to get thither. And lighting on him in the nick as he was hauling Chloe in, he took her from him and banged his band of clowns. And Lampis himself he endeavoured to take and bring him bound as a captive from some war; but he prevented that by flight. This undertaking happily performed, he returned with the night, and found Dionysophanes at his rest, but Daphnis yet watching, weeping, and waiting in the walks. There he presents his Chloe to him, gives her into his hands, and tells the story of the action; then beseeches him to bear him no grudge, but take him as a servant not altogether unuseful, and not interdict him the table to make him die for want. Daphnis, seeing Chloe and having her now in his own hands, was reconciled by that service, and received him into favour; then excused himself to Chloe for his seeming to neglect her.

  30. And now advising together about their intended wedding, it was, they thought, the best way still to conceal it, and to hide Chloe in some hole or other, then to acquaint his mother only with their love. But Dryas was not of that opinion. He would have the father know the whole business as it was, and himself undertakes to bring him on. In the morning betimes, with Chloe’s tokens in his scrip, he goes to Dionysophanes and Clearista who were sitting in the garden. And Astylus was there present, and Daphnis himself. And silence made, the old goatherd thus begun: “Such a necessity as Lamo had, compels me now to speak those things that hitherto have bin concealed. This Chloe I neither begot nor had anything to do in her nursing up. But some others were her parents, and a sheep gave her suck in the Nymphaeum where she lay. I myself saw it done and wondered at it; wondering at it, took her home and brought her up. And the excessive sweetness of her face bears me witness to what I say; for she is nothing like to us. The fine accoutrements she had about her make it more apparent too; for they are richer then becomes a shepherd’s coat. Here they are; view them well, seek out her kin, and so try whether at length she may not be found not unworthy to marry Daphnis.”

  31. These words, as they were not unadvisedly cast in by Dryas, so neither were they heard by Dionysophanes without regard. But casting his eyes upon Daphnis, and seeing him look pale upon it and his tears stealing down his face, presently deprehended it was love. Then, as one that was solicitous rather about his own son then another man’s daughter, he falls with all accurateness to reprehend what Dryas had said. But when he saw the monitory ornaments, her girdle, her ankle-bands, and her gilded shoes, he called her to him, bid her be of good cheer, as one that now had a husband and ere long should find her father and her mother. So Clearista took her to her care, and tricked her up and made her fine, as from that time her son’s wife. And Dionysophanes, taking Daphnis aside, asked him if Chloe were a maid; and he swearing that nothing had passed betwixt them but only kissing, embracing, and oaths, his father was much delighted to hear of that pretty conjuration by which they had bound themselves to one another, and made them sit down together to a banquet brought in.

  32. And then one might presently see what beauty was when it had got its proper dress. For Chloe being so clothed, washed, and dressed in her hair, did so outshine to every eye her former beauty, that her own Daphnis now could scarce know her. And any man, without the faith of tokens, might now have sworn that Dryas was not the father of so fair a maid. But he was there, and Nape, and Lamo and Myrtale, feasting at a private table. />
  And again for some days after, upon this invention of Chloe, were immolations to the Gods, and the settings up of bowls of wine. And Chloe consecrated her trinkets, that skin she used to wear, her scrip, her pipe, her milking-pails. She mingled wine, too, with that fountain in the cave, because close by it she was nursed, and had often washed in it. The grave of her nurse, shown to her by Dryas, she adorned with many garlands; and to her flock, as Daphnis had done, played a little on her pipe. Then she prays to the Goddesses that she might find them, that exposed her, to be such as would not misbecome her marriage with Daphnis.

  33. And now they had enough of feasting and holy-days in the fields, and would return to Mytilene, look out Chloe’s parents there, and speedily have a wedding on’t. In the morning betime when they were ready to go, to Dryas they gave other three thousand drachmas; to Lamo half of that land, to sow and mow and find him wine, and the goats together with the goatherds, four pair of oxen for the plough, winter clothes, and made his wife free. Then anon with a great pomp and a brave shew of horses and waggons, on they moved towards Mytilene.

  And because it was night before they could come in, they escaped the citizens’ gaping upon them. But the next day there was a throng of men and women at the door, these to give joys and rejoice with Dionysophanes who had found a son (and their joy was much augmented when they saw the excessive sweetness of the youth), those to exult with Clearista who had brought home not only a son but a bride too. For Chloe’s beauty had struck the eyes of them, a beauty for its lustre beyond estimation, beyond excess by any other. In fine, the whole city was with child to see the young man and the maid, and now with loud ingeminations cried “A happy marriage, a blessed marriage.” They prayed, too, the maid might find her birth as great as she was fair, and many of the richer ladies prayed the Gods they might be taken for mothers of so sweet a girl.