Young　companies　nimbly　began　dancing
  To　the　swift　treble　pipe；　and　humming　string。
  Aye；　those　fair　living　forms　swam　heavenly
  To　tunes　forgotten…　out　of　memory：
  Fair　creatures！　whose　young　children's　children　bred
  Thermopylae　its　heroes…　not　yet　dead；
  But　in　old　marbles　ever　beautiful。
  High　genitors；　unconscious　did　they　cull
  Time's　sweet　first…fruits…　they　danc'd　to　weariness；
  And　then　in　quiet　circles　did　they　press
  The　hillock　turf；　and　caught　the　latter　end
  Of　some　strange　history；　potent　to　send
  A　young　mind　from　its　bodily　tenement。
  Or　they　might　watch　the　quoit…pitchers；　intent
  On　either　side；　pitying　the　sad　death
  Of　Hyacinthus；　when　the　cruel　breath
  Of　Zephyr　slew　him；…　Zephyr　penitent；
  Who　now；　ere　Phoebus　mounts　the　firmament；
  Fondles　the　flower　amid　the　sobbing　rain。
  The　archers　too；　upon　a　wider　plain；
  Beside　the　feathery　whizzing　of　the　shaft；
  And　the　dull　twanging　bowstring；　and　the　raft
  Branch　down　sweeping　from　a　tall　ash　top；
  Call'd　up　a　thousand　thoughts　to　envelope
  Those　who　would　watch。　Perhaps；　the　trembling　knee
  And　frantic　gape　of　lonely　Niobe；
  Poor；　lonely　Niobe！　when　her　lovely　young
  Were　dead　and　gone；　and　her　caressing　tongue
  Lay　a　lost　thing　upon　her　paly　lip；
  And　very；　very　deadliness　did　nip
  Her　motherly　cheeks。　Arous'd　from　this　sad　mood
  By　one；　who　at　a　distance　loud　halloo'd；
  Uplifting　his　strong　bow　into　the　air；
  Many　might　after　brighter　visions　stare：
  After　the　Argonauts；　in　blind　amaze
  Tossing　about　on　Neptune's　restless　ways；
  Until；　from　the　horizon's　vaulted　side；
  There　shot　a　golden　splendour　far　and　wide；
  Spangling　those　million　poutings　of　the　brine
  With　quivering　ore：　'twas　even　an　awful　shine
  From　the　exaltation　of　Apollo's　bow；
  A　heavenly　beacon　in　their　dreary　woe。
  Who　thus　were　ripe　for　high　contemplating；
  Might　turn　their　steps　towards　the　sober　ring
  Where　sat　Endymion　and　the　aged　priest
  'Mong　shepherds　gone　in　eld；　whose　looks　increas'd
  The　silvery　setting　of　their　mortal　star。
  There　they　discours'd　upon　the　fragile　bar
  That　keeps　us　from　our　homes　ethereal；
  And　what　our　duties　there：　to　nightly　call
  Vesper；　the　beauty…crest　of　summer　weather；
  To　summon　all　the　downiest　clouds　together
  For　the　sun's　purple　couch；　to　emulate
  In　ministring　the　potent　rule　of　fate
  With　speed　of　fire…tail'd　exhalations；
  To　tint　her　pallid　cheek　with　bloom；　who　cons
  Sweet　poesy　by　moonlight：　besides　these；
  A　world　of　other　unguess'd　offices。
  Anon　they　wander'd；　by　divine　converse；
  Into　Elysium；　vieing　to　rehearse
  Each　one　his　own　anticipated　bliss。
  One　felt　heart…certain　that　he　could　not　miss
  His　quick　gone　love；　among　fair　blossom'd　boughs；
  Where　every　zephyr…sigh　pouts；　and　endows
  Her　lips　with　music　for　the　welcoming。
  Another　wish'd；　mid　that　eternal　spring；
  To　meet　his　rosy　child；　with　feathery　sails；
  Sweeping；　eye…earnestly；　through　almond　vales：
  Who；　suddenly；　should　stoop　through　the　smooth　wind；
  And　with　the　balmiest　leaves　his　temples　bind；
  And；　ever　after；　through　those　regions　be
  His　messenger；　his　little　Mercury。
  Some　were　athirst　in　soul　to　see　again
  Their　fellow　huntsmen　o'er　the　wide　champaign
  In　times　long　past；　to　sit　with　them；　and　talk
  Of　all　the　chances　in　their　earthly　walk；
  Comparing；　joyfully；　their　plenteous　stores
  Of　happiness；　to　when　upon　the　moors；
  Benighted；　close　they　huddled　from　the　cold；
  And　shar'd　their　famish'd　scrips。　Thus　all　out…told
  Their　fond　imaginations；…　saving　him
  Whose　eyelids　curtain'd　up　their　jewels　dim；
  Endymion：　yet　hourly　had　he　striven
  To　hide　the　cankering　venom；　that　had　riven
  His　fainting　recollections。　Now　indeed
  His　senses　had　swoon'd　off：　he　did　not　heed
  The　sudden　silence；　or　the　whispers　low；
  Or　the　old　eyes　dissolving　at　his　woe；
  Or　anxious　calls；　or　close　of　trembling　palms；
  Or　maiden's　sigh；　that　grief　itself　embalms：
  But　in　the　self…same　fixed　trance　he　kept；
  Like　one　who　on　the　earth　had　never　stept。
  Aye；　even　as　dead　still　as　a　marble　man；
  Frozen　in　that　old　tale　Arabian。
  Who　whispers　him　so　pantingly　and　close？
  Peona；　his　sweet　sister：　of　all　those；
  His　friends；　the　dearest。　Hushing　signs　she　made；
  And　breath'd　a　sister's　sorrow　to　persuade
  A　yielding　up；　a　cradling　on　her　care。
  Her　eloquence　did　breathe　away　the　curse：
  She　led　him；　like　some　midnight　spirit　nurse
  Of　happy　changes　in　emphatic　dreams；
  Along　a　path　between　two　little　streams；…
  Guarding　his　forehead；　with　her　round　elbow；
  From　low…grown　branches；　and　his　footsteps　slow
  From　stumbling　over　stumps　and　hillocks　small；
  Until　they　came　to　where　these　streamlets　fall；
  With　mingled　bubblings　and　a　gentle　rush；
  Into　a　river；　clear；　brimful；　and　flush
  With　crystal　mocking　of　the　trees　and　sky。
  A　little　shallop；　floating　there　hard　by；
  Pointed　its　beak　over　the　fringed　bank；
  And　soon　it　lightly　dipt；　and　rose；　and　sank；
  And　dipt　again；　with　the　young　couple's　weight；…
  Peona　guiding；　through　the　water　straight；
  Towards　a　bowery　island　opposite；
  Which　gaining　presently；　she　steered　light
  Into　a　shady；　fresh；　and　ripply　cove；
  Where　nested　was　an　arbour；　overwove
  By　many　a　summer's　silent　fingering；
  To　whose　cool　bosom　she　was　used　to　bring
  Her　playmates；　with　their　needle　broidery；
  And　minstrel　memories　of　times　gone　by。
  So　she　was　gently　glad　to　see　him　laid
  Under　her　favourite　bower's　quiet　shade；
  On　her　own　couch；　new　made　of　flower　leaves；
  Dried　carefully　on　the　cooler　side　of　sheaves
  When　last　the　sun　his　autumn　tresses　shook；
  And　the　tann'd　harvesters　rich　armfuls　took。
  Soon　was　he　quieted　to　slumbrous　rest：
  But；　ere　it　crept　upon　him；　he　had　prest
  Peona's　busy　hand　against　his　lips；
  And　still；　a　sleeping；　held　her　finger…tips
  In　tender　pressure。　And　as　a　willow　keeps
  A　patient　watch　over　the　stream　that　creeps
  Windingly　by　it；　so　the　quiet　maid
  Held　her　in　peace：　so　that　a　whispering　blade
  Of　grass；　a　wailful　gnat；　a　bee　bustling
  Down　in　the　blue…bells；　or　a　wren　light　rustling
  Among　sere　leaves　and　twigs；　might　all　be　heard。
  O　magic　sleep！　O　comfortable　bird；
  That　broodest　o'er　the　troubled　sea　of　the　mind
  Till　it　is　hush'd　and　smooth！　O　unconfin'd
  Restraint！　imprisoned　liberty！　great　key
  To　golden　palaces；　strange　minstrelsy；
  Fountains　grotesque；　new　trees；　bespangled　caves；
  Echoing　grottos；　full　of　tumbling　waves
  And　moonlight；　aye；　to　all　the　mazy　world
  Of　silvery　enchantment！…　who；　upfurl'd
  Beneath　thy　drowsy　wing　a　triple　hour；
  But　renovates　and　lives？…　Thus；　in　the　bower；
  Endymion　was　calm'd　to　life　again。
  Opening　his　eyelids　with　a　healthier　brain；
  He　said：　〃I　feel　this　thine　endearing　love
  All　through　my　bosom：　thou　art　as　a　dove
  Trembling　its　closed　eyes　and　sleeked　wings
  About　me；　and　the　pearliest　dew　not　brings
  Such　morning　incense　from　the　fields　of　May；
  As　do　those　brighter　drops　that　twinkling　stray
  From　those　kind　eyes；…　the　very　home　and　haunt
  Of　sisterly　affection。　Can　I　want
  Aught　else；　aught　nearer　heaven；　than　such　tears？
  Yet　dry　them　up；　in　bidding　hence　all　fears
  That；　any　longer；　I　will　pass　my　days
  Alone　and　sad。　No；　I　will　once　more　raise
  My　voice　upon　the　mountain…heights；　once　more
  Make　my　horn　parley　from　their　foreheads　hoar：
  Again　my　trooping　hounds　their　tongues　shall　loll
  Around　the　breathed　boar：　again　I'll　poll
  The　fair…grown　yew　tree；　for　a　chosen　bow：
  And；　when　the　pleasant　sun　is　setting　low；
  Again　I'll　linger　in　a　sloping　mead
  To　hear　the　speckled　thrushes；　and　see　feed
  Our　idle　sheep。　So　be　thou　cheered；　sweet；
  And；　if　thy　lute　is　here；　softly　intreat
  My　soul　to　keep　in　its　resolved　course。〃
  Hereat　Peona；　in　their　silver　source；
  Shut　her　pure　sorrow　drops　with　glad　exclaim；