By so distinguishing a judgment awed, The Thebans tremble, and confess the god. BOOK IV. THE STORY OF SALMACIS AND HERMAPHRODITES. How Salmacis, with weak enfeebling streams Softens the body, and unnerves the limbs, And what the secret cause, shall here be shown; The cause is secret, but the effect is known. The Naïads nursed an infant heretofore, That Cytherea once to Hermes bore: From both the illustrious authors of his race The child was named; nor was it hard to trace Both the bright parents through the infant's face. When fifteen years, in Ida's cool retreat, _10 The boy had told, he left his native seat, And sought fresh fountains in a foreign soil; The pleasure lessened the attending toil. With eager steps the Lycian fields he crossed, And fields that border on the Lycian coast; A river here he viewed so lovely bright, It showed the bottom in a fairer light, Nor kept a sand concealed from human sight. The stream produced nor slimy ooze, nor weeds, Nor miry rushes, nor the spiky reeds; _20 But dealt enriching moisture all around, The fruitful banks with cheerful verdure crowned, And kept the spring eternal on the ground. A nymph presides, nor practised in the chase, Nor skilful at the bow, nor at the race; Of all the blue-eyed daughters of the main, The only stranger to Diana's train: Her sisters often, as 'tis said, would cry, 'Fie, Salmacis, what always idle! fie, Or take thy quiver, or thy arrows seize, _30 And mix the toils of hunting with thy ease.' Nor quiver she nor arrows e'er would seize, Nor mix the toils of hunting with her ease. But oft would bathe her in the crystal tide, Oft with a comb her dewy locks divide; Now in the limpid streams she viewed her face, And dressed her image in the floating glass: On beds of leaves she now reposed her limbs, Now gathered flowers that grew about her streams: And then by chance was gathering, as she stood _40 To view the boy, and longed for what she viewed. Fain would she meet the youth with hasty feet, She fain would meet him, but refused to meet Before her looks were set with nicest care, And well deserved to be reputed fair. 'Bright youth,' she cries, 'whom all thy features prove A god, and, if a god, the god of love; But if a mortal, bless'd thy nurse's breast, Bless'd are thy parents, and thy sisters bless'd: But, oh! how bless'd! how more than bless'd thy bride, _50 Allied in bliss, if any yet allied. If so, let mine the stolen enjoyments be; If not, behold a willing bride in me.' The boy knew nought of love, and, touched with shame, He strove, and blushed, but still the blush became: In rising blushes still fresh beauties rose; The sunny side of fruit such blushes shows, And such the moon, when all her silver white Turns in eclipses to a ruddy light. The nymph still begs, if not a nobler bliss, _60 A cold salute at least, a sister's kiss: