Play as ye please: soon prove ye deftAt babying babes,—'twere ill design'dA name thus ancient should be leftHeirless, but issue like of kindEngendered aye should be.A wee Torquaitus fain I'd seeEncradled on his mother's breastPut forth his tender puds while heSmiles to his sire with sweetest gestAnd liplets half apart.Let son like father's semblance show(Manlius!) so with easy guessAll know him where his sire they know,And still his face and form expressHis mother's honest love.Approve shall fair approof his birthFrom mother's seed-stock generous,As rarest fame of mother's worthUnique exalts TelemachusPenelope's own son.Fast close the door-leaves, virgin band:Enow we've played. But ye the fairNew-wedded twain live happy, andFunctions of lusty married pairExercise sans surcease.

Nuptial Song By Youths And DamselsEpithalamium

YouthsVesper is here, O youths, rise all; for Vesper OlympusScales and in fine enfires what lights so long were expected!Time 'tis now to arise, now leave we tables rich laden,Now shall the Virgin come; now chaunt we the Hymenaeus.Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

DamselsView ye the Youths, O Maids unwed? Then rise to withstand them:Doubtless the night-fraught Star displays his splendour Oetean.Sooth 'tis so; d'ye sight how Speedily sprang they to warfare?Nor for a naught up-sprang: they'll Sing what need we to conquer.Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

YouthsNowise easy the palm for us (Companions!) be proffer'd,Lo! now the maidens muse and meditate matter of forethoughtNor meditate they in vain; they muse a humorous something.Yet naught wonder it is, their sprites be wholly in labour.We bear divided thought one way and hearing in other:Vanquish't by right we must be, since Victory loveth the heedful.Therefore at least d'ye turn your minds the task to consider,Soon shall begin their say whose countersay shall befit you.Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

DamselsHesperus! say what flame more cruel in Heaven be fanned?Thou who the girl perforce canst tear from a mother's embraces,Tear from a parent's clasp her child despite of her clingingAnd upon love-hot youth bestowest her chastest of maidenhoods!What shall the foeman deal more cruel to city becaptured?Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

YouthsHesperus! say what flame more gladsome in Heavens be shining?Thou whose light makes sure long-pledged connubial promisePlighted erewhile by men and erstwhile plighted by parents.Yet to be ne'er fulfilled before thy fire's ardours have risen!What better boon can the gods bestow than hour so desirèd?Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

DamselsHesperus! one of ourselves (Companions!) carried elsewhither>Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

YouthsFor at thy coming in sight a guard is constantly watching.Hidden o'nights lurk thieves and these as oft as returnest,Hesper! thou seizest them with title changed to Eous.Pleases the bevy unwed with feigned complaints to accuse thee.What if assail they whom their souls in secrecy cherish?Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

DamselsE'en as a flow'ret born secluded in garden enclosed,Unto the flock unknown and ne'er uptorn by the ploughshare,Soothed by the zephyrs and strengthened by suns and nourish't by showersLoves her many a youth and longs for her many a maiden:Yet from her lissome stalk when cropt that flower deflowered,Loves her never a youth nor longs for her ever a maiden: