Then Hermes thus;--A nymph of late there was, Whose heavenly form her fellows did surpass; The pride and joy of fair Arcadia's plains, Beloved by deities, adored by swains; Syrinx her name, by Sylvans oft pursued, As oft she did the lustful gods delude: The rural and the woodland powers disdained; With Cynthia hunted, and her rites maintained; Like Phœbe clad, even Phœbe's self she seems, So tall, so straight, such well-proportioned limbs: The nicest eye did no distinction know, } But that the goddess bore a golden bow; } Distinguished thus, the sight she cheated too. } Descending from Lycæus, Pan admires The matchless nymph, and burns with new desires. A crown of pine upon his head he wore; And thus began her pity to implore. But ere he thus began, she took her flight So swift, she was already out of sight; Nor stayed to hear the courtship of the god, But bent her course to Ladon's gentle flood; There by the river stopt, and, tired before, Relief from water-nymphs her prayers implore. Now while the lustful god, with speedy pace, } Just thought to strain her in a strict embrace, } He fills his arms with reeds, new rising on the place. } And while he sighs his ill success to find, The tender canes were shaken by the wind; And breathed a mournful air, unheard before, That, much surprising Pan, yet pleased him more. Admiring this new music, thou, he said, Who canst not be the partner of my bed, At least shall be the consort of my mind, And often, often, to my lips be joined. He formed the reeds, proportioned as they are; } Unequal in their length, and waxed with care, } They still retain the name of his ungrateful fair. } While Hermes piped, and sung, and told his tale, The keeper's winking eyes began to fail, And drowsy slumber on the lids to creep, Till all the watchman was at length asleep. Then soon the god his voice and song supprest, And with his powerful rod confirmed his rest; Without delay his crooked falchion drew, And at one fatal stroke the keeper slew. Down from the rock fell the dissevered head, Opening its eyes in death, and falling bled; And marked the passage with a crimson trail: Thus Argus lies in pieces, cold and pale; And all his hundred eyes, with all their light, Are closed at once, in one perpetual night. These Juno takes, that they no more may fail, And spreads them in her peacock's gaudy tail. Impatient to revenge her injured bed, She wreaks her anger on her rival's head; With furies frights her from her native home, And drives her gadding round the world to roam: Nor ceased her madness and her flight, before She touched the limits of the Pharian shore.