ELICIO. 13. Let us upon the song silence impose. They who heard Elicio and Erastro agreed (bien tomáran porpartido) that they should extend the journey to enjoy more the agreeable song of the two love-invested shepherds. But night was closing in, and their nearness to the village obliged a cessation, and that Aurelio, Galatea, Rosaura, and Florisa, should go home. Elicio and Erastro did the same, but with an intention to go immediately where Thirsis and Damon and the other shepherds were, and so it was arranged between them and Galatea's father, that they only waited till the silver moon should dislodge the obscurity of the night, and as she displayed her charming phasis they all went to seek Aurelio, and unitedly met at the turn leading to the hermitage; and what happened the next book will reveal. 216 BOOK V. Solicitation to Timbrio to recount his story, which was further stopped by a shepherd's voice emanating from some trees, and recognised for Lauso. His song. He goes with Damon to the hermitage.-Lauso, at the instance of Damon, renews his song.-Followed by another to his mistress Silena.-Reach the hermitage without finding Silerio, but he shortly poured forth some genial poetry.-At the hermitage Nisida chants, awakening admiration.-Tumult in Silerio's breast, which Damon tries to repress by some feeling lines, and Timbrio adds an appendix.-Timbrio and Silerio interchange mutual solace. -Recapitulation of Timbrio's story, with thoughts by him in rhyme. -Prosecution of the sad narrative, disaster and shipwreck.-Concluding accidents and passages of his life, and the swains rejoice at the events being so favourable.-Timbrio discloses to Silerio Blanca's love for him, and that Darintho had been his rival.-Lauso reiterates his strain.-Aurelio addresses Timbrio.-Notice of Darintho's love malady.-Unexpected sighs from a pair of shepherds, who prove to be Elicio and Erastro.-Explanation of their situation. Exchanges between Damon and Elicio; the latter was to ask Galatea if she heartily acquiesced in the parti proposed for her by her father.They meet eight shepherds with javelins, and a swain riding on a mare.-Faces all muffled.-Galatea sings to the dulcet pipe of Florisa, which confirmed in Damon the praises which had been accorded to Galatea.—The fact of her father betrothing her to Lusitano against her will. Her moralising on free choice.-Damon's solace to her with Elicio's remarks on the projected union.-The master swains fall violently on Damon and Elicio; then on horseback advance; one seizes Rosaura, and seats her on the saddle, crying out that Artandro had abducted Rosaura by reason of her treachery.-Assault on the shepherds.-Grief of Galatea on the catastrophe, who with her companions go to the village, and there they heard some touching verses, outflowings of Erastro's heart, followed by reflections on love in a rhapsodical strain.-Galatea's colloquy.-Florisa recounts the abduction by Artandro.-Congratulations about betrothals, and Timbrio ends a sonnet which he had begun when he was recognised by Silerio. At the conclusion Nisida annexed some captivating lines, and Blanca's voice swelled the numbers.-The enamoured Lauso again appears furiously traversing the briars in a grove.-Conver sational interchanges with the shepherds, and Lauso bursts forth into song, evincing a change of love, temperament and conviction, on which Thirsis gratulates him, and they all pass on their road.Meet Arsindo and Maurisa, Galercio's sister, who springs forward to embrace Galatea.-Addressed by Arsindo about the disenchanted Lenio.-Lauso replies, and Maurisa speaks at some length in explanation about Rosaura's abduction.-A cornet's sound awakens attention, and two venerable swains are seen, and between them a priest, recognised for Telesio.-Other swains ́ arrive. — Aurelio addresses Telesio, who replies, signifying why he had convoked them, which was to render homage to the memory of Meliso, and to propitiate his manes.-Advancing towards the village they encounter Lenio, who indicating great disorder of mind, vented it in a strain of some length. -Upon his recognition of Thirsis he threw himself at his feet, and addressed him.-The latter rejoins in consolatory remarks.-Lenio adverts to the insensibleness of Gelasia.-The company wend towards the village. They all unite to go to the valley of cypresses to celebrate the rites due to Meliso, where they hoped to find Timbrio, Silerio, Nisida and Blanca. So excessive was the desire which the enamoured Timbrio and the two graceful sisters Nisida and Blanca entertained to reach Silerio's hermitage, that the lightness of their steps, which was remarkable, did not coincide with their volition; and to know this, neither Thirsis nor Damon troubled Timbrio to fulfil his promise to recount all that had fallen out on the road since he quitted Silerio; nevertheless, animated with the desire to know it, they had ventured on inquiry, had not, at that precise moment, a shepherd's voice fallen on their ears, which emanated from one singing amidst some verdant trees by the side of the road, which quickly-by the sound of a no well-measured voice in the singer-was recognised by Damon, the friend, for that of the pastor Lauso, who, to the sound of his rebeck, was reciting some verses. So being a well-known pastor, and the change which had come over his opinions being current, all stopped to learn what Lauso was singing, and the purport of it was this :— LAUSO. 1. Who my free thought Came to subject? Who can, with a soft cement, Without a venture, build The lofty tower, exposed to the blast? Satisfied with my life, Who opened and burst my breast, 2. Where is the fancy Of my condition coy? Where is the soul which I once called mine, Abiding not where it was wont to abide? Whence come I and where go? Fortunately myself I yet do know. I Yet never have been who I truly am. 3. A straitened account I require, No verification asked, For doubtless am I to such point arrived, That what in myself I find Is but a shadow of what I have been. No understanding do I understand, Nor am I worth an estimation In this confusion blind. And on perdition only meditate. 4. Of my diligence the force, In this myself die, I see, Which I can ne'er attain. 5. In this extraordinary agony, The feelings entertained go but for dumb, Seeing that love defies, And I am cast in midst of the fierce fire. Cold water I abhor Were it not for my eyes, Which fire augments and spoils In this amorous forge. I wish not or seek water, Or from annoyance supplicate relief. 6. Begin would all my good, My ills would finish all, If fate should so ordain, That my sincere trust in life, Silenca would assure, Sighs assure it. My eyes do thoroughly me inform Me weeping in this truth. Pen, tongue, will In this inflexible reason me confirm. 219 The hasty Timbrio nor could nor would wait for the shepherd Lauso to pursue his strain, because he asked the pastors to show him the way to the hermitage if they wished to stop, and gave proofs of advancing onwards, and so all followed, and passed so near to where the lovestricken Lauso was, that he needs must perceive it, and came out to meet them as he did, in whose company all were delighted, particularly Damon, his fast friend, with whom he went all the way to the hermitage, discoursing on the divers accidents which had befallen them since their mutual separation, which was when the valorous and renowned pastor Astraliano had quitted the Cisalpine shepherds to go and bring home those of the famous Hermano, who had revolted from the true religion. And finally, they came to reduce their reasonings to the treating of the lover of Lauso, Damon asking him pressingly to say who that shepherdess was who, with so much facility of free will, had caused a surrender, and when he could not extort this from Lauso, he asked, with considerable earnestness, that at least he would say in what state she was, whether in fear or hope, if ingratitude oppressed him, or if the woe was jealousy. To all this Lauso gave satisfactory replies, recounting many things which had passed with the shepherdess, and among the rest, he said that finding himself one day jealous and out of grace, he was driven to desperation, and to give some evidence redounding to the damage of her person, as well as credit and honour; but all this was rectified by a |
