NOW to Aurora borne by dappled steeds, The sacred gate of orient pearl and gold, Smitten with Lucifer’s light silver wand, Expanded slow to strains of harmony: The waves beneath in purpling rows, like doves Glancing with wanton coyness tow’rd their queen, Heaved softly; thus the damsel’s bosom heaves When from her sleeping lover’s downy cheek, To which so warily her own she brings Each moment nearer, she perceives the warmth Of coming kisses fanned by playful dreams. Ocean and earth and heaven was jubilee. For ’twas the morning pointed out by Fate When an immortal maid and mortal man Should share each other’s nature knit in bliss. The brave Iberians far the beach o’erspread Ere dawn with distant awe; none hear the mew, None mark the curlew flapping o’er the field; Silence held all, and fond expectancy. Now suddenly the conch above the sea Sounds, and goes sounding through the woods profound. They, where they hear the echo, turn their eyes, But nothing see they, save a purple mist Roll from the distant mountain down the shore: It rolls, it sails, it settles, it dissolves— Now shines the nymph to human eye revealed, And leads her Tamar timorous o’er the waves. Immortals crowding round congratulate The shepherd; he shrinks back, of breath bereft: His vesture clinging closely round his limbs Unfelt, while they the whole fair form admire, He fears that he has lost it, then he fears The wave has moved it, most to look he fears. Scarce the sweet-flowing music he imbibes, Or sees the peopled ocean; scarce he sees Spio with sparkling eyes, and Beroe Demure, and young Ione, less renowned, Not less divine, mild-natured; Beauty formed Her face, her heart Fidelity; for gods Designed, a mortal too Ione loved. These were the nymphs elected for the hour Of Hesperus and Hymen; these had strewn The bridal bed, these tuned afresh the shells, Wiping the green that hoarsened them within: These wove the chaplets, and at night resolved To drive the dolphins from the wreathéd door. Gebir surveyed the concourse from the tents, The Egyptian men around him; ’twas observed By those below how wistfully he looked, From what attention with what earnestness Now to his city, now to theirs, he waved His hand, and held it, while they spake, outspread. They tarried with him, and they shared the feast. They stooped with trembling hand from heavy jars The wines of Gades gurgling in the bowl; Nor bent they homeward till the moon appeared To hang midway betwixt the earth and skies. ’Twas then that leaning o’er the boy beloved, In Ocean’s grot where Ocean was unheard, “Tamar!” the nymph said gently, “come awake! Enough to love, enough to sleep, is given, Haste we away.” This Tamar deemed deceit, Spoken so fondly, and he kissed her lips, Nor blushed he then, for he was then unseen.