Longus

“ Then she told him every thing one after another, how the fresh and berried Ivie appeared on the horns of all the Goats; how her sheep howl'd like Wolves, how a pine sprung up upon her head; how all the Land seem'd on a fire; what horrible fragons and clashings were heard from the Sea, with the two tones of that pipe from the Crag of the Promontore, the one to War, the other to Peace; the terrible Spectres of the night how she was ravisht away; and how she not knowing her way, had for her Companion and Guide, the sweet musick of that strange invisible Pipe. ”

“ He has power over the elements and over the stars: and has greater control over the other Gods that are his equals than you have over your sheep and goats. The flowers are all the work of Love; the plants are his creation. He makes the rivers to run, and the winds to blow. I have seen a bull smitten with love, and it bellowed as if stung by a gadfly: I have seen a he-goat kissing its mate, and following it everywhere. I myself have been young, and was in love with Amaryllis: then I thought neither of eating nor drinking, and I took no rest. ”

“ Dorcon was the first to speak.
"I," he said, "am taller than Daphnis. I keep oxen, whilst he keeps goats; and just as an ox is more valuable than a goat, so is a herdsman, like myself, superior to a goat-herd. My skin is as white as milk, my hair as golden as ripe wheat; I am as fresh as the leaves in spring. And no wonder, for it was my own mother, not an animal, that suckled me when I was a babe. Daphnis is short and puny, with no more beard than a woman, whilst his body is as tawny as a wolf's skin. By living, too, among his goats, he has contracted a goatish smell. ”

“ And a man would have thought, that all this had not bin, as indeed it was, the wild of Nature, but rather the work of curious Art. Nor were there wanting to these borders and banks of various flowers; some the Earth's own Voluntiers; some the structure of the Artist's hand. The Roses, Hyacinths, and Lillies, were set, and planted by the hand: The Violet, the Daffodill, and Anagall the Earth gave up of her own good will. In the Summer there was shade; in the Spring, the beauty and fragrancy of flowers; in the Autumne, the pleasantnesse of the grapes; and every season had its fruits. ”

“ Cast thy eyes round about, and look whether there be any one stem of a flower, any twig of a Tree broken; whether any of thy fruits be pull'd, or any flower trodden down; whether any fountain be troubled, and mudded; and thou (Philetas) of all mortals, rejoyce alone in thy old age. This said, the sweet boy sprung into the myrtle grove, and like a Nightingale, from bough to bough, under the green leaves, skipt to the top, and highest story of the Myrtles. ”

“ He took it up, and put it into his Scrip, yet went not away till with joyfull devotion he had blest the Nymphs and the Sea. For though he was a keeper of Goats, yet he was now obliged to the Sea: and had a sweeter sense of that, then the Land, because it had promoted him to marry Chloe. Thus having got his three thousand Drachma's, he made no longer stay; but, as if now, he were not onely richer than any of the Colones that dwelt there, but then any man that trod on the ground, he hastens to Chloe, tells her his dream, shews her the purse, and bids her look to his flocks till he comes again. ”

“ After no little hesitation, Daphnis was induced by this last solemn assertion to stop, and, waiting for Astylus, he received him with a kiss. While they were yet embracing, his father and mother came up together with Lamon and Myrtale and all the men and maid servants, and threw their arms around him, and kissed him with tears of joy. Daphnis saluted his father and mother before all the rest, and as if he had long known them, he clasped his arms around them to press them to his breast. It seemed as though he wished never to part from their embrace: thus do the ties of Nature assert themselves. ”

“ But Lycaenium stopped him, and said: "There is something else you must know, Daphnis: I am a woman, and you have not hurt me: for, long ago, another man taught me what I have just taught you, and took my maidenhead as his reward. But Chloe, when she enters upon this struggle with you for the first time, will weep and cry out, and will bleed as if she had been wounded. But you need not be afraid at the sight of the blood: when you have persuaded her to yield to your desire, bring her here, where, if she cries, no one can hear her; if she weeps, no one can see her ”

“ I remember thee by the Nymphs, by whom heretofore I have sworn in yonder Cave, whither we will go as soon as ever the Snow melts. But it lies very deep, Chloe, and I fear I shall melt first. Courage man, the Sun burns hot. I would it burnt like that fire which now burns my very heart. You do but gibe and cousen me! I do not, by the Goats, by which thou didst once bid me to swear to thee. While Chloe was holding on her Antiphona to Daphnis, Nape call'd, and in they ran, with more birds then had been taken the day before. ”

“ I am not the child you take me to be. I look like a child; but I am older than Saturn, aye, older than Time himself. I knew you well, Philetas, when you were in the flower of your youth, and when you tended your wide-spread herds in yonder marsh. I was near you, when you sat beneath those beech-trees, and piped and sang the praises of your sweetheart Amaryllis: I was close to the damsel, but you could not discern me. I gave her to you, and some brave boys, who are now excellent husbandmen and herdsmen, are the pledges of your love. At the present time I have taken charge of Daphnis and Chloe ”

“ Men have been known to become enamoured of a plant, a river, or a wild beast: and yet who would not pity a lover who has to fear what he loves? No doubt the form that I love is that of a slave, but its beauty is free. Do you see how like his hair is to the hyacinth, how his eyes glitter beneath his brows, like a jewel in a setting of gold? His face is ruddy, his teeth are white as ivory. Who would not long for a tender kiss from his lips? ”

“ But Daphnis considering with himself what had been said, remitted much of that impetuous heat he had to Chloe. For he durst not venture to presse her beyond his former kissing and embracing: because he could not endure that she should make an outcry, as against an Enemy, or shed tears for any grief or anguish from him, and much lesse that she should bleed, as if she had bin slain by Daphnis. ”

“ While Daphnis was engaged in these rites, this is what happened to Chloe, as she sat watching her flock, weeping and complaining: "Daphnis has forgotten me. He is dreaming of marrying some wealthy maiden. Ah! Why did I make him swear by his goats instead of by the Nymphs! He has forgotten them as he has forgotten me; he has been sacrificing to the Nymphs and to Pan, and yet he has never come to see his Chloe. Perhaps he has seen some other girl whom he deems preferable to me among his mother's maids. Farewell Daphnis! May you be happy; as for myself I cannot survive it." ”

“ The rams chased the sheep which had not yet borne young, and mounted them. The he-goats also chased the she-goats with even greater heat, leaped amorously upon them, and fought for them. Each had his own mate, and jealously guarded her against the attacks of a wanton rival. At this sight even old men would have felt the fire of love rekindled within them: the more so Daphnis and Chloe, who were young and tortured by desire, and had long been in quest of the delights of love. ”