Work'd not those heavenly charms e'en on a mind dull as thine?
Blame not thyself, unhappy one! Oft doth the bard an enigmaThus propose to the throng, skillfully hidden in words.
Each one enjoys the strange commingling of images graceful,Yet still is wanting the word which will discover the sense.
When at length it is found, the heart of each hearer is gladden'd,And in the poem he sees meaning of twofold delight.
Wherefore so late didst thou remove the bandage, oh Amor,Which thou hadst placed o'er mine eyes,--wherefore remove it so late?
Long did the vessel, when laden, lie waiting for favouring breezes,'Till in kindness the wind blew from the land o'er the sea.
Vacant times of youth! and vacant dreams of the future!
Ye all vanish, and nought, saving the moment, remains.
Yes! it remains,--my joy still remains! I hold thee; my Dora,And thine image alone, Dora, by hope is disclos'd.
Oft have I seen thee go, with modesty clad, to the temple,While thy mother so dear solemnly went by thy side.
Eager and nimble thou wert, in bearing thy fruit to the market,Boldly the pail from the well didst thou sustain on thy head.
Then was reveal'd thy neck, then seen thy shoulders so beauteous,Then, before all things, the grace filling thy motions was seen.
Oft have I fear'd that the pitcher perchance was in danger of falling,Yet it ever remain'd firm on the circular cloth.
Thus, fair neighbour, yes, thus I oft was wont to observe thee,As on the stars I might gaze, as I might gaze on the moon, Glad indeed at the sight, yet feeling within my calm bosomNot the remotest desire ever to call them mine own.
Years thus fleeted away! Although our houses were onlyTwenty paces apart, yet I thy threshold ne'er cross'd.
Now by the fearful flood are we parted! Thou liest to Heaven,Billow! thy beautiful blue seems to me dark as the night.
All were now in movement; a boy to the house of my fatherRan at full speed and exclaim'd: "Hasten thee quick to the strand Hoisted the sail is already, e'en now in the wind it is flutt'ring,While the anchor they weigh, heaving it up from the sand;Come, Alexis, oh come!"--My worthy stout-hearted fatherPress'd, with a blessing, his hand down on my curly-lock'd head, While my mother carefully reach'd me a newly-made bundle,"Happy mayst thou return!" cried they--" both happy and rich!"Then I sprang away, and under my arm held the bundle,Running along by the wall.Standing I found thee hard by, At the door of thy garden.Thou smilingly saidst then "Alexis!
Say, are yon boisterous crew going thy comrades to be?
Foreign coasts will thou visit, and precious merchandise purchase,Ornaments meet for the rich matrons who dwell in the town.
Bring me, also, I praythee, a light chain; gladly I'll pay thee,Oft have I wish'd to possess some stich a trinket as that."There I remain'd, and ask'd, as merchants are wont, with precisionAfter the form and the weight which thy commission should have.
Modest, indeed, was the price thou didst name! I meanwhile was gazingOn thy neck which deserv'd ornaments worn but by queens.
Loudly now rose the cry from the ship; then kindly thou spakest"Take, I entreat thee, some fruit out of the garden, my friend Take the ripest oranges, figs of the whitest; the oceanBeareth no fruit, and, in truth, 'tis not produced by each land."So I entered in.Thou pluckedst the fruit from the branches,And the burden of gold was in thine apron upheld.
Oft did I cry, Enough! But fairer fruits were still fallingInto the hand as I spake, ever obeying thy touch.
Presently didst thou reached the arbour; there lay there a basket,Sweet blooming myrtle trees wav'd, as we drew nigh, o'er our heads.
Then thou began'st to arrange the fruit with skill and in silence:
First the orange, which lay heavy as though 'twere of gold, Then the yielding fig, by the slightest pressure disfigur'd,And with myrtle the gift soon was both cover'd and grac'd.
But I raised it not up.I stood.Our eyes met together,And my eyesight grew dim, seeming obscured by a film, Soon I felt thy bosom on mine! Mine arm was soon twiningRound thy beautiful form; thousand times kiss'd I thy neck.
On my shoulder sank thy head; thy fair arms, encircling,Soon rendered perfect the ring knitting the rapturous pair.
Amor's hands I felt: he press'd us together with ardour,And, from the firmament clear, thrice did it thunder; then tears Stream'd from mine eyes in torrents, thou weptest, I wept, both were weeping,And, 'mid our sorrow and bliss, even the world seem'd to die.
Louder and louder they calI'd from the strand; my feet would no longerBear my weight, and I cried:--"Dora! and art thou not mine?""Thine forever!" thou gently didst say.Then the tears we were sheddingSeem'd to be wiped from our eyes, as by the breath of a god.
Nearer was heard the cry "Alexis!" The stripling who sought meSuddenly peep'd through the door.How he the basket snatch'd up!
How he urged me away! how press'd I thy hand! Wouldst thou ask meHow the vessel I reach'd? Drunken I seem'd, well I know.
Drunken my shipmates believed me, and so had pity upon me;And as the breeze drove us on, distance the town soon obscur'd.
"Thine for ever!" thou, Dora, didst murmur; it fell on my sensesWith the thunder of Zeus! while by the thunderer's throne Stood his daughter, the Goddess of Love; the Graces were standingClose by her side! so the bond beareth an impress divine!
Oh then hasten, thou ship, with every favouring zephyr!
Onward, thou powerful keel, cleaving the waves as they foam!
Bring me unto the foreign harbour, so that the goldsmithMay in his workshop prepare straightway the heavenly pledge!
Ay, of a truth, the chain shall indeed be a chain, oh my Dora!
Nine times encircling thy neck, loosely around it entwin'd Other and manifold trinkets I'll buy thee; gold-mounted bracelets,Richly and skillfully wrought, also shall grace thy fair hand.
