There wished to grow, and mingle shade with shade. Behold Andræmon and th' unhappy sire Appear, and for their Dryope inquire: A springing tree for Dryope they find, And print warm kisses on the panting rind; 60 Prostrate, with tears their kindred plant bedew, And close embrace, as[8] to the roots they grew. The face was all that now remained of thee, No more a woman, nor yet quite a tree;[9] Thy branches hung with humid pearls appear,[10] 65 From ev'ry leaf distils a trickling tear, And straight a voice, while yet a voice remains, Thus through the trembling boughs in sighs complains. If to the wretched any faith be giv'n, I swear by all th' unpitying pow'rs of heav'n,[11] 70 No wilful crime this heavy vengeance bred; In mutual innocence[12] our lives we led: If this be false, let these new greens decay, } Let sounding axes lop my limbs away, } And crackling flames on all my honours prey.[13] } 75 But from my branching arms this infant bear, Let some kind nurse supply a mother's care: And to his mother let him oft be led, Sport in her shades, and in her shades be fed; Teach him, when first his infant voice shall frame 80 Imperfect words, and lisp his mother's name, To hail this tree, and say with weeping eyes, Within this plant my helpless parent lies; And when in youth he seeks the shady woods, Oh! let him fly the crystal lakes and floods, 85 Nor touch the fatal flow'rs; but, warned by me, Believe a goddess shrined in ev'ry tree. My sire, my sister, and my spouse, farewell![14] If in your breasts or love or pity dwell, Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel 90 The browzing cattle or the piercing steel. Farewell! and since I cannot bend to join My lips to yours, advance at least to mine. My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive, While yet thy mother has a kiss to give. 95 I can no more; the creeping rind invades My closing lips,[15] and hides my head in shades; Remove your hands, the bark shall soon suffice Without their aid to seal these dying eyes. She ceased at once to speak, and ceased to be; 100 And all the nymph was lost within the tree; Yet latent life through her new branches reigned, And long the plant a human heat retained. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 1: Upon occasion of the death of Hercules, his mother Alcmena recounts her misfortunes to Iole, who answers with a relation of those of her own family, in particular the transformation of her sister Dryope, which is the subject of the ensuing fable.--POPE.] [Footnote 2: Alcmena. Galanthis was one of her female servants.]