Daphnis and Chloe. Longus
of the ancient Shepherds. The Stock-dove ( Chloe) was once a very fair Maid, as thou thy self now art; and in the flower of her age, kept her herds, as thou dost thine. She was skilfull in Musick, and her herds were so taken with her voice and pipe, that they needed not the discipline of the staffe, or goad: but sitting under a pine, and wearing, a coronet of the same, she would sing of Pan and Pitys, and her cowes, would never wander out of her voyce. There was a Youth that kept his herd not far off; and he was fair, and Musical, and not inferiour to the maid: but, as he tryed with all his skill, to emulate her notes and tones; he played a higher strain, as a male, and yet sweet, as being a boy; and so allured, from the maids Herd, eight of her best Cowes, to his own. She took it ill that her herd was so diminisht, and in very deep disdain, that she was his inferiour at the art; and presently prayed to the gods, that she might be transformed to a Bird, before she did return home. The gods consent, and turn her into a mountain-bird, because the Maid did haunt there; and Musicall, as she had been: And singing still, to this day, she publishes her heavy chance, and demands her Cowes again. Such delights and pleasures as these, the Summer time entertained them withall. But when Autumme was come in, and the grapes were ripe, the Tyrian Pyrats, in a Carian Vessel, lest perchance they should seem to be Barbarrians, sailed up to the fields; and coming ashore, armed with swords, and half-corslets, fell to rifle, plunder, and carry away the best of all that came to hand; the fragrant wines, great store of grain, the most pretious of the honey-combs. Some oxen too they drove away from Dorco's herd, and took Daphnis as he wandered near the Sea. For Chloe, as a Maid, was fearfull of the fierce and surly Shepherds; and therefore, till it was somewhat later, drove not out the flocks of Dryas. And when they saw the young man was proper and handsome, and of a higher price than any of their other prey, they thought it not worth their staying longer about the Goats, or other fields, and hall'd him aboard, lamenting, and not knowing what to do, and calling loud and often, on the name of Chloe. But they, when they had loosed from the shore, and cast in their Oars, when Chloe had brought out her sheep, and with her, a new pipe, that was sent to Daphnis, made in haste away to Sea. When Chloe saw the Goats in a hurry, and heard Daphnis louder and louder call Chloe, she presently casts off all care of her flocks, flings the pipe on the ground, and runs amain for help to Dorco But he being cruelly wounded by the theeves, and breathing yet a little, his blood gushing out, was laid along upon the ground. Yet seeing Chloe, and a little spark of his former love being awakened in him; Chloe, (said he) I shall now presently dye: for, alas, those cursed Theeves, as I fought for my Herd, have kill'd me, like an Oxe. But do thou preserve our Daphnis, and in their sudden destruction, take vengeance for me, on the Rogues. I have accustomed my Herd to follow the sound of this Pipe, and to obey the charm of it, although they feed a good way off me. Come hither then, and take the pipe, and blow that tune, which I heretofore taught Daphnis, and Daphnis thee, and call'd it Dorco. Leave the care of what shall follow, to the pipe, and Cowes alone. And to thee, Chloe, I give this Pipe; this Pipe, by which I have often conquered many Herdsmen, many Goatherds. But, for this, come, and kisse me, (sweet Chloe) while I am yet awhile alive; and when I am dead, weep a tear or two o're me: and if thou seest some other tending my Herd, upon these Hills, I pray thee, then remember Dorco.
Thus spake Dorco, and received his last Kisse; and together with the Kisse, and his voyce, breathed out his Soul. But Chloe taking the pipe, and putting it to her lips, began to play and whistle, as loud as possibly she could: The Cowes aboard the Pyrats presently hear, and acknowledge the Musick; and with one bounce, and a huge bellowing, shoot themselves impetuously into the Sea. By that violent bounding on one of her sides, the Pinnace toppled, and the Sea gaping from the bottom, by the fall of the Cowes in, the Surges on a suddain return, and sink her down, and all that were in her, but with unequal hope of escape. For the Theeves. had their Swords on, with their sealed, and nailed Corslets, and were booted up to the middle of their thighs. But Daphnis was barefoot, as he was wont to go in the fields, it being yet the heat of Summer. Wherefore they when they had swom a little while, were carried by their arms to the bottom. Daphnis on the other side, easily got off his clothes; and yet was much puzzled to swim, because he had been used before onely to the brooks and Rivers. But at length, being taught by Necessity what was best for him to do, he rushes into the midst of the Cowes, and on his right, and left, laid hold on two of their horns; and so without trouble or pain, was carried between them to the Land, as if he had driven a falcked Chariot. And thus poor Daphnis was preserved, escaping beyond hope, two dangers at once, ship-wrack, and latrociny. When he was out, he found Chloe laughing, and crying; and, casting himself into her arms, askt her what she meant, when she piped and whistled so loud. Then she told him all that had happened; how she scutled up to Dorco; how the Cowes, had been accustomed; how she was bidden to play on the pipe; and that their friend Dorco was dead; onely for shame she told him not of that Kisse. They thought then that it was their duty to honour their great benefactor, who so highly had obliged them; and there-fore they lamented, and buried the unfortunate Dorco, with all the Rites and Ceremonies of the ancient Shepherds. By the name Dorco, thrice they call'd upon his Ghost; then laid good store of Earth upon the Coarse. On his Grave they set abundance of the most fragrant, lasting, sative plants, and flowers; and vowed an Anniversary suspension to him of some of the first fruits of the year. Besides, they poured on the ground a libation of milk, and pressed with their hands the fairest bunches of the grapes, and then with eyes cast on the ground, broke many shepherds pipes o're him. There were heard miserable groans, and bellowings of the Cowes, and Oxen; and together with them, certain incomposed cursations, and freques, were seen. The Cattel of the Herd amongst themselves, as well as the Goatherds, and the Shepherds, had a kind of lamentation, for the death, and losse of their keeper. When the Funeral of Dorco was done, Chloe brought Daphnis to the Cave of the Nymphs, and washed him stark naked with her own hands; and she her self, Daphnis then first of all, looking and gazing on her, washed her naked limbs before him; her limbs, which for their perfect and most excellent beauty, needed neither wash nor dresse: and when they had done, they gathered flowers, to crown the Statues of the Nymphs, and hang'd up Dorco's charming pipe, for an Anathema in the phane. Then coming away, they looked what became of their Sheep and Goats; and found, that they neither fed, nor blated, but were all laid upon the ground, as wanting Daphnis and Chloe, that had been so long out of their sight. When they saw this, and had call'd, and whistled, as they were wont; they rose up presently, and fell to feed; and the mantling Goats skipt and leapt, as rejoycing at the safety of their familiar Goat-herd. But Daphnis for his life could not be merry, because he had seen Chloe naked, and that Venus of her beauty, which before was not unvailed. His heart was gnawed, as with a secret poyson; and had deep sentiments of grief and anguish: insomuch, that sometimes he puffed and blowed thick and short, as if some body had been in a close pursuit of him: sometimes again, he breathed so faintly, as if he had been quite spent in running. That washing seemed to him more dangerous and formidable, then the Sea: And he thought his life was still in the hands, and at the dispose of the Tyrian Pyrats, as being but a young Rustick, and yet unskill'd in the Assassinations and Robberies of Love.
The end of the First Book.
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