Had banish'd all offence: Time's golden thigh 60 Upholds the flowery body of the earth In sacred harmony, and every birth Of men and actions[49] makes legitimate; Being us'd aright, the use of time is fate. Yet did the gentle flood transfer once more This prize of love home to his father's shore; Where he unlades himself on that false wealth That makes few rich,--treasures compos'd by stealth; And to his sister, kind Hermione (Who on the shore kneel'd, praying to the sea 70 For his return), he all love's goods did show, In Hero seis'd for him, in him for Hero. His most kind sister all his secrets knew, And to her, singing, like a shower, he flew, Sprinkling the earth, that to their tombs took in Streams dead for love, to leave his ivory shin, Which yet a snowy foam did leave above, As soul to the dead water that did love; And from hence did the first white roses spring (For love is sweet and fair in everything), 80 And all the sweeten'd shore, as he did go, Was crown'd with odorous roses, white as snow. Love-blest Leander was with love so fill'd, That love to all that touch'd him he instill'd; And as the colours of all things we see, To our sight's powers communicated be, So to all objects that in compass came Of any sense he had, his senses' flame Flow'd from his parts with force so virtual, It fir'd with sense things mere[50] insensual. 90 Now, with warm baths and odours comforted, When he lay down, he kindly kiss'd his bed, As consecrating it to Hero's right, And vow'd thereafter, that whatever sight Put him in mind of Hero or her bliss, Should be her altar to prefer a kiss. Then laid he forth his late-enrichËd arms, In whose white circle Love writ all his charms, And made his characters sweet Hero's limbs, When on his breast's warm sea she sideling swims; 100 And as those arms, held up in circle, met, He said, "See, sister, Hero's carquenet! Which she had rather wear about her neck, Than all the jewels that do Juno deck." But, as he shook with passionate desire To put in flame his other secret fire, A music so divine did pierce his ear, As never yet his ravish'd sense did hear; When suddenly a light of twenty hues Brake through the roof, and, like the rainbow, views, 110 Amaz'd Leander: in whose beams came down The goddess Ceremony, with a crown Of all the stars; and Heaven with her descended: Her flaming hair to her bright feet extended, By which hung all the bench of deities; And in a chain, compact of ears and eyes, She led Religion: all her body was Clear and transparent as the purest glass, For she was all[51] presented to the sense: