And fiercely knock'st thy breast that open lies? His heart consists of flint and hardest steel, That seeing thy tears can any joy then feel. 60 Fear not: to thee our court stands open wide, There shalt be loved: Ilia, lay fear aside. Thou o'er a hundred nymphs or more shalt reign, For five score nymphs or more our floods contain. Nor, Roman stock, scorn me so much I crave, Gifts than my promise greater thou shalt have."[376] This said he: she her modest eyes held down. Her woful bosom a warm shower did drown. Thrice she prepared to fly, thrice she did stay, By fear deprived of strength to run away. 70 Yet rending with enragËd thumb her tresses, Her trembling mouth these unmeet sounds expresses: "O would in my forefathers' tomb deep laid, My bones had been while yet I was a maid: Why being a vestal am I wooed to wed, Deflowered and stainËd in unlawful bed. Why stay I? men point at me for a whore, Shame, that should make me blush, I have no more." This said; her coat hoodwinked her fearful eyes, And into water desperately she flies. 80 'Tis said the slippery stream held up her breast, And kindly gave her what she likËd best. And I believe some wench thou hast affected, But woods and groves keep your faults undetected. While thus I speak the waters more abounded, And from the channel all abroad surrounded. Mad stream, why dost our mutual joys defer? Clown, from my journey why dost me deter? How would'st thou flow wert thou a noble flood? If thy great fame in every region stood? 90 Thou hast no name, but com'st from snowy mountains; No certain house thou hast, nor any fountains; Thy springs are nought but rain and melted snow, Which wealth cold winter doth on thee bestow. Either thou art muddy in mid-winter tide, Or full of dust dost on the dry earth slide. What thirsty traveller ever drunk of thee? Who said with grateful voice, "Perpetual be!" Harmful to beasts, and to the fields thou proves, Perchance these[377] others, me mine own loss moves. 100 To this I fondly[378] loves of floods told plainly, I shame so great names to have used so vainly. I know not what expecting, I ere while, Named Achelˆus, Inachus, and Nile.[379] But for thy merits I wish thee, white stream,[380] Dry winters aye, and suns in heat extreme. FOOTNOTES: [368] Not in Isham copy or ed. A.--In the old copies this elegy is marked "Elegia v." The fifth elegy (beginning "Nox erat et somnus," &c.) was not contained in Marlowe's copy. [369] Old eds. "redde-growne." [370] So Dyce for "rushest" of the old eds. [371] So Dyce for "arrowes" of the old eds.