V

Ah, ah, Cytherea! Adonis is dead:

      Fair Adonis is dead—Echo answers, Adonis!

Who weeps not for Cypris, when, bowing her head,

      She stares at the wound where it gapes and astonies?

—When, ah, ah!—she saw how the blood ran away

      And empurpled the thigh; and, with wild hands flung out,

Said with sobs, "Stay, Adonis! unhappy one, stay,—

      Let me feel thee once more—let me ring thee about

With the clasp of my arms, and press kiss into kiss!

      Wait a little, Adonis, and kiss me again,

For the last time, beloved; and but so much of this,

      That the kiss may learn life from the warmth of the strain!

—Till thy breath shall exude from thy soul to my mouth;

      To my heart; and, the love-charm I once more receiving,

May drink thy love in it, and keep, of a truth,

      That one kiss in the place of Adonis the living.

Thou fliest me, mournful one, fliest me far,

      My Adonis; and seekest the Acheron portal—

To Hell's cruel King, goest down with a scar,

      While I weep, and live on like a wretched immortal,

And follow no step;—O Persephone, take him,

      My husband!—thou'rt better and brighter than I;

So all beauty flows down to thee! I cannot make him

      Look up at my grief; there's despair in my cry,

Since I wail for Adonis, who died to me.. died to me..

      —Then, I fear thee!—Art thou dead, my Adored?

Passion ends like a dream in the sleep that's denied to me.—

      Cypris is widowed; the Loves seek their lord

All the house through in vain! Charm of cestus has ceased

      With thy clasp!—O too bold in the hunt, past preventing;

Ay, mad: thou so fair... to have strife with a beast!"—

      Thus did Cypris wail on—and the Loves are lamenting.