And ftrait a voice, while yet a voice remains,

Thus thro' the trembling boughs in fighs complains.
If to the wretched any faith be giv❜n,

I fwear by all th' unpitying pow'rs of heav'n,
No wilful crime this heavy vengeance bred;

In mutual innocence our lives we led:
If this be falfe, let thefe new greens decay,
Let founding axes lop my limbs away,

And crackling flames on all my honours prey. 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 fhades, and in her shades be fed

;

70

85

Teach him, when first his infant voice fhall frame 80
Imperfect words, and lifp his mother's name,
To hail this tree; and fay with weeping eyes,
Within this plant my hapless parent lies:
And when in youth he seeks the shady woods,
Oh, let him fly the crystal lakes and floods,
Nor touch the fatal flow'rs; but, warn'd by me,
Believe a Goddefs fhrin'd in ev'ry tree.
My fire, my fifter, and my spouse farewell!
If in your breasts or love, or pity dwell,
Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel
The browzing cattle or the piercing steel.
Farewell! and fince I cannot bend to join
My lips to yours, advance at least to mine.

99

Si qua fides miferis, hot me per numina juro
Non meruiffe nefas, patior fine crimine poenam. 70
Viximus innocuae: fi mentior, arida perdam,

Quas habeo, frondes; et caefa fecuribus urar.
Hunc tamen infantem maternis demite ramis ;
Et date nutrici: noftraque fub arbore faepe
Lac facitote bibat; noftraque fub arbore ludat.
Cumque loqui poterit, matrem facitote falutet,
Et triftis dicat, Latet hoc fub ftipite mater.
Stagna tamen timeat; nec carpat ab arbore flores;
Et frutices omnes corpus putet effe Dearum.
Care, vale, conjux, et tu germana, paterque.
Quis fi qua eft pietas, ab acutae vulnere falcis,
A pecoris morfu frondes defendite noftras.
Et quoniam mihi fas ad vos incumbere non eft;

75

80

90

And strait a voice, while yet a voice remains,
Thus thro' the trembling boughs in fighs complains.
If to the wretched any faith be giv'n,

I fwear by all th' unpitying pow'rs of heav'n, 70
No wilful crime this heavy vengeance bred;

In mutual innocence our lives we led:

If this be falfe, let these new greens decay,
Let founding axes lop my limbs away,

And crackling flames on all my honours prey. 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 fhades, and in her fhades be fed ;

85

Teach him, when first his infant voice shall frame 80
Imperfect words, and lifp his mother's name,
To hail this tree; and fay with weeping eyes,
Within this plant my hapless parent lies:
And when in youth he seeks the shady woods,
Oh, let him fly the crystal lakes and floods,
Nor touch the fatal flow'rs; but, warn'd by me,
Believe a Goddess shrin'd in ev'ry tree.
My fire, my fister, and my spouse farewell!
If in your breasts or love, or pity dwell,
Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel
The browzing cattle or the piercing steel.
Farewell! and fince I cannot bend to join
My lips to yours, advance at least to mine.

90

Erigite huc artus, et ad ofcula noftra venite,
Dum tangi poffunt, parvumque attollite natum.
Plura loqui nequeo. nam jam per candida mollis
Colla liber ferpit: fummoque cacumine condor.
Ex oculis removete manus. fine munere veftro
Contegat inductus morientia lumina cortex.
Defierant fimul ora loqui, fimul effe: diuque
Corpore mutato rami caluere recentes,

My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive,
While yet thy mother has a kiss to give.
I can no more; the creeping rind invades
My clofing lips, and hides my head in fhades:
Remove your hands, the bark shall soon suffice
Without their aid to seal these dying eyes.

95

She ceas'd at once to speak, and ceas'd to be; 100 And all the nymph was lost within the tree; Yet latent life thro' her new branches reign'd, And long the plant a human heat retain'd.