Men foolishly do call it virtuous: What virtue is it, that is born with us? Much less can honour be ascrib'd thereto: Honour is purchas'd by the deeds we do Believe me, Hero, honour is not won, Until some honourable deed be done. Seek you, for chastity, immortal fame, And know that some have wrong'd Diana's name? Whose name is it, if she be false or not, So she be fair, but some vile tongues will blot? But you are fair, ay me! so wondrous fair, So young, so gentle, and so debonair, As Greece will think, if thus you live alone, Some one or other keeps you as his own. Then, Hero, hate me not, nor from me fly, To follow swiftly blasting imfamy. Perhaps thy sacred priesthood makes thee loath: Tell me, to whom mad'st thou that heedless oath?" "To Venus," answer'd she; and, as she spake, Forth from those two tralucent cisterns brake A stream of liquid pearl, which down her face Made milk-white paths, whereon the gods might trace To Jove's high court. He thus replied: "The rites In which love's beauteous empress most delights, Are banquets, Doric music, midnight revel, Plays, masks, and all that stern age counteth evil. Thee as a holy idiot doth she scorn; For thou, in vowing chastity, hast sworn To rob her name and honour, and thereby Committ'st a sin far worse than perjury, Even sacrilege against her deity, Through regular and formal purity. To expiate which sin, kiss and shake hands: Such sacrifice as this Venus demands." Thereat she smil'd, and did deny him so, As put thereby, yet might he hope for mo; Which makes him quickly reinforce his speech, And her in humble manner thus beseech: "Though neither gods nor men may thee deserve, Yet for her sake, whom you have vow'd to serve, Abandon fruitless cold virginity. The gentle queen of love's sole enemy. Then shall you most resemble Venus' nun, When Venus' sweet rites are perform'd and done. Flint breasted Pallas joys in single life; But Pallas and your mistress are at strife. Love, Hero, then, and be not tyrannous; But heal the heart that thou hast wounded thus; Nor stain thy youthful years with avarice: Fair fools delight to be accounted nice. The richest corn dies, if it be not reapt; Beauty alone is lost, too warily kept." These arguments he us'd, and many more; Wherewith she yielded, that was won before. Hero's looks yielded, but her words made war: Women are won when they begin to jar. Thus, having swallow'd Cupid's golden hook, The more she striv'd, the deeper was she strook: Yet, evilly feigning anger, strove she still, And would be thought to grant against her will. So having paus'd a while, at last she said, "Who taught thee rhetoric to deceive a maid? Ay me! such words as these should I abhor, And yet I like them for the orator." With that, Leander stoop'd to have embrac'd her, But from his spreading arms away she cast her, And thus bespake him: "Gentle youth, forbear To touch the sacred garments which I wear. Upon a rock, and underneath a hill,