"
She making answer that she was no goddess, but a mortal maid, he
continued:
"If a woman, thrice blessed are both the authors of your birth, thrice
blessed are your brothers, who even to rapture must have joy in your
perfections, to see you grown so like a young tree, and so graceful. But
most blessed of all that breathe is he that has the gift to engage your
young neck in the yoke of marriage. I never saw that man that was worthy
of you. I never saw man or woman that at all parts equalled you. Lately at
Delos (where I touched) I saw a young palm which grew beside Apollo's
temple; it exceeded all the trees which ever I beheld for straightness and
beauty: I can compare you only to that. A stupor past admiration strikes
me, joined with fear, which keeps me back from approaching you, to embrace
your knees. Nor is it strange; for one of freshest and firmest spirit
would falter, approaching near to so bright an object: but I am one whom a
cruel habit of calamity has prepared to receive strong impressions. Twenty
days the unrelenting seas have tossed me up and down coming from Ogygia,
and at length cast me shipwrecked last night upon your coast. I have seen
no man or woman since I landed but yourself. All that I crave is clothes,
which you may spare me, and to be shown the way to some neighbouring town.
The gods, who have care of strangers, will requite you for these
courtesies."
She, admiring to hear such complimentary words proceed out of the mouth of
one whose outside looked so rough and unpromising, made answer: "Stranger,
I discern neither sloth nor folly in you, and yet I see that you are poor
and wretched: from which I gather that neither wisdom nor industry can
secure felicity; only Jove bestows it upon whomsoever he pleases.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73