DIXIT: et, admonitu veteris commota mi
Ingemuit; quam fic nurus eft adfata dolentem : Te tamen, o genitrix, alienae fanguine veftro Rapta movet facies. quid fi tibi mira fororis Fata meae referam? quamquam lacrymaeque dolor-
Impediunt, prohibentque loqui. fuit unica matri (Me pater ex alia genuit) notiffima forma Oechalidum Dryope: quam virginitate carentem, Vimque Dei paffam, Delphos Delonque tenentis, Excipit Andraemon; et habetur conjuge felix.
DRYOPE.] Upon occafion of the death of Hercules, his Mother Alcmena recounts her misfortunes to Iole, who anfwers with a relation of thofe of her own family, in par
HE faid, and for her loft Galanthis fighs,
When the fair Confort of her fon replies. Since you a fervant's ravifh'd form bemoan, And kindly figh for forrows not your own; Let me (if tears and grief permit) relate A nearer woe, a fifter's stranger fate.
No Nymph of all Echalia could compare For beauteous form with Dryope the fair, Her tender mother's only hope and pride, (Myself the offspring of a second bride.)
This Nymph comprefs'd by him who rules the day, Whom Delphi and the Delian ifle obey, Andræmon lov'd; and, blefs'd in all thofe charms That pleas'd a God, fucceeded to her arms.
ticular the Transformation of her fifter Dryope, which is the fubject of the enfuing Fable. P.
Eft lacus, acclivi devexo margine formam Littoris efficiens: fummum myrteta coronant. Venerat huc Dryope fatorum nefcia; quoque Indignere magis, Nymphis latura coronas.
Inque finu puerum, qui nondum impleverat annum, Dulce ferebat onus: tepidique ope lactis alebat. Haud procul a ftagno, Tyrios imitata colores, In fpem baccarum florebat aquatica lotos. Carpferat hinc Dryope, quos oblectamina nato Porrigeret flores: et idem factura videbar; Namque aderam. vidi guttas e flore cruentas Decidere; et tremulo ramos horrore moveri.
Scilicet, ut referunt tardi nunc denique agreftes,
Lotis in hanc Nymphe, fugiens obscoena Priapi, Contulerat verfos, fervato nomine, vultus.
Nefcierat foror hoc; quae cum perterrita retro 35 Ire et adoratis vellet difcedere Nymphis ;
Haeferunt radice pedes. convellere pugnat:
A lake there was, with fhelving banks around, 15 Whofe verdant fummit fragrant myrtles crown'd. Thefe fhades, unknowing of the fates, fhe fought, And to the Naiads flow'ry garlands brought; Her smiling babe (a pleasing charge) she prest Within her arms, and nourish'd at her breast. Not diftant far, a watry Lotos grows, The spring was new, and all the verdant boughs Adorn'd with bloffoms promis'd fruits that vie In glowing colours with the Tyrian die :
Of thefe fhe crop'd to please her infant fon, And I myself the fame rafh act had done: But lo! I faw (as near her fide I ftood) The violated bloffoms drop with blood; Upon the tree I caft a frightful look;
The trembling tree with fudden horror fhook. Lotis the nymph (if rural tales be true) As from Priapus' lawless luft she flew, Forfook her form; and fixing here became
A flow'ry plant, which ftill preferves her name. This change unknown, astonish'd at the fight 35 My trembling fifter ftrove to urge her flight, And first the pardon of the nymphs implor'd, And thofe offended fylvan pow'rs ador'd:
But when she backward would have fled, fhe found Her stiff'ning feet were rooted in the ground :
Nec quidquam, nifi fumma, movet. fuccrefcit ab imo, Totaque paulatim lentus premit inguina cortex. Ut vidit; conata manu laniare capillos,
Fronde manum implevit : frondes caput omne tene
At puer Amphiffos (namque hoc avus Eurytus illi Addiderat nomen) materna rigefcere sentit Ubera: nec fequitur ducentem lacteus humor. Spectatrix aderam fati crudelis; opemque.
Non poteram tibi ferre, foror: quantumque valebam, Crefcentem truncum ramofque amplexa, morabar: Et (fateor) volui fub eodem cortice condi.
Ecce vir Andraemon, genitorque miferrimus, adfunt: Et quaerunt Dryopen: Dryopen quaerentibus illis Oftendi loton. tepido dant ofcula ligno: Adfufique fuae radicibus arboris haerent.
Nil nifi jam faciem, quod non foret arbor, habebas, Cara foror. lacrymae verfo de corpore factis
Irrorant foliis: ac, dum licet, oraque praeftant 65 Vocis iter, tales effundit in aëra queftus:
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