And crave the help of shepherds that were nigh. Herewith he stay'd his fury, and began To give her leave to rise: away she ran; After went Mercury, who us'd such cunning, As she, to hear his tale, left off her running; (Maids are not won by brutish force and might But speeches full of pleasure, and delight;) And, knowing Hermes courted her, was glad That she such loveliness and beauty had As could provoke his liking; yet was mute, And neither would deny nor grant his suit. Still vow'd he love: she, wanting no excuse To feed him with delays, as women use, Or thirsting after immortality, (All women are ambitious naturally,) Impos'd upon her lover such a task, As he ought not perform, nor yet she ask; A draught of flowing nectar she requested, Wherewith the king of gods and men is feasted. He, ready to accomplish what she will'd, Stole some from Hebe (Hebe Jove's cup fill'd), And gave it to his simple rustic love: Which being known,--as what is hid from Jove?-- He inly storm'd, and wax'd more furious Than for the fire filch'd by Prometheus; And thrusts him down from heaven. He, wandering here, In mournful terms, with sad and heavy cheer, Complain'd to Cupid: Cupid, for his sake, To be reveng'd on Jove did undertake; And those on whom heaven, earth, and hell relies, I mean the adamantine Destinies, He wounds with love, and forc'd them equally To dote upon deceitful Mercury. They offer'd him the deadly fatal knife That shears the slender threads of human life; At his fair feather'd feet the engines laid, Which th' earth from ugly Chaos' den upweigh'd. These he regarded not; but did entreat That Jove, usurper of his father's seat, Might presently be banish'd into hell, And aged Saturn in Olympus dwell. They granted what he crav'd; and once again Saturn and Ops began their golden reign: Murder, rape, war, and lust, and treachery, Were with Jove clos'd in Stygian empery. But long this blessed time continu'd not: As soon as he his wished purpose got, He, reckless of his promise, did despise The love of th' everlasting Destinies. They, seeing it, both Love and him abhorr'd, And Jupiter unto his place restor'd: And, but that learning, in despite of Fate, Will amount aloft, and enter heaven-gate, And to the seat of Jove itself advance, Hermes had slept in hell with Ignorance. Yet, as a punishment, they added this, That he and Poverty should always kiss And to this day is every scholar poor: Gross gold from them runs headlong to the boor. Likewise the angry Sisters, thus deluded, To venge themselves on Hermes, have concluded That Midas' brood shall sit in Honour's chair, To which the Muses' sons are only heir; And fruitful wits, that inaspiring are, Shall discontent run into regions far; And few great lords in virtuous deeds shall joy But be surpris'd with every garish toy, And still enrich the lofty servile clown, Who with encroaching guile keeps learning down. Then muse not Cupid's suit no better sped, Seeing in their loves the Fates were injured.