The Beginning of the Story - Page 18 of 25

273   I answered nothing but the phrase
'My King and Lord,' and made to place
Lips to his feet, but then His Grace
Raised me – to his renewed embrace.

274   We sat us down, and as we sate,
Converesed on sundry themes of weight;
As I was starting to relate
My life before, in Athens state...

275   Behold! Appeared a radiant sight,
Venus' rival, starry bright,
As from the foam arising light,
Hair loosely hung, nape pearly white.

276   A joy heaven alone surpassed
Was, by her maiden glances, cast.
O budding Love! The bliss thou hast
When Cupid deigns to yield at last!

277   Her visage clear recalled the face
Of Phoebe rising to her place;
Her form evinced design and grace
To accord with her modest ways.

278   She seemed thus in her happy state
A flower dew-refresh'd of late;
Who looked and was not captivate,
Abnormal or inanimate.

279   Laura is this, who sets awry
This recollecting mind, and aye!
The whence of every tear and sigh
That my entire speech underlie.

280   Child of ill starred Linceus she
On whom I'd lavished love so free!
O Heaven, why granted me to see
If undeserving I would be?

281   O King, did you not force her to
Join in discourse with me and you,
I had not now this life to rue,
Now that your daughter proves untrue.

282   But Laura faithless? She is not.
I know not why she has forgot,
'Tis Fate works ill: it is my lot
Not to know joy of love begot.

283   Can perfidy be to her assigned –
The fairest heaven has enshrined?
Beauty, why dost not thou unbind
Thy kinship with the false-inclined?

284   Would you not – if you paused to scan
All that doth tempt this mortal clan –
Cherish your honor dearer than
One who of loveliness had none?

285   Was not this thought sufficient rein
Upon your frail and wayward strain? –
That the higher the heights one may attain,
The deeper may he fall again?

286   O valiant, sorry for my plight,
When that new star arose – at sight
I loved her! and my heart, despite
Mother's first claim, became her right!

287   So that my every flowing tear
For Mother, shed in grief sincere,
Went out to her – to which I did fear
Was worthless of such lovely dear!

288   I could not grasp the words I heard;
In my excitement, sense was blurred;
And when among us he conferred,
For all my care, I floundered, erred.