Poor　lovers　lay　at　rest　from　joys　and　woes。…
  The　stranger　from　the　mountains；　breathless；　trac'd
  Such　thousands　of　shut　eyes　in　order　plac'd；
  Such　ranges　of　white　feet；　and　patient　lips
  All　ruddy；…　for　here　death　no　blossom　nips。
  He　mark'd　their　brows　and　foreheads；　saw　their　hair
  Put　sleekly　on　one　side　with　nicest　care；
  And　each　one's　gentle　wrists；　with　reverence；
  Put　cross…wise　to　its　heart。
  〃Let　us　commence；〃
  Whisper'd　the　guide；　stuttering　with　joy；　〃even　now。〃
  He　spake；　and；　trembling　like　an　aspen…bough；
  Began　to　tear　his　scroll　in　pieces　small；
  Uttering　the　while　some　mumblings　funeral。
  He　tore　it　into　pieces　small　as　snow
  That　drifts　unfeather'd　when　bleak　northerns　blow；
  And　having　done　it；　took　his　dark　blue　cloak
  And　bound　it　round　Endymion：　then　struck
  His　wand　against　the　empty　air　times　nine。…
  〃What　more　there　is　to　do；　young　man；　is　thine：
  But　first　a　little　patience；　first　undo
  This　tangled　thread；　and　wind　it　to　a　clue。
  Ah；　gentle！　'tis　as　weak　as　spider's　skein；
  And　shouldst　thou　break　it…　What；　is　it　done　so　clean？
  A　power　overshadows　thee！　O；　brave！
  The　spite　of　hell　is　tumbling　to　its　grave。
  Here　is　a　shell；　'tis　pearly　blank　to　me；
  Nor　mark'd　with　any　sign　or　charactery…
  Canst　thou　read　aught？　O　read　for　pity's　sake！
  Olympus！　we　are　safe！　Now；　Carian；　break
  This　wand　against　yon　lyre　on　the　pedestal。〃
  'Twas　done：　and　straight　with　sudden　swell　and　fall
  Sweet　music　breath'd　her　soul　away；　and　sigh'd
  A　lullaby　to　silence。…　〃Youth！　now　strew
  These　minced　leaves　on　me；　and　passing　through
  Those　files　of　dead；　scatter　the　same　around；
  And　thou　wilt　see　the　issue。〃…　'Mid　the　sound
  Of　flutes　and　viols；　ravishing　his　heart；
  Endymion　from　Glaucus　stood　apart；
  And　scatter'd　in　his　face　some　fragments　light。
  How　lightning…swift　the　change！　a　youthful　wight
  Smiling　beneath　a　coral　diadem；
  Out…sparkling　sudden　like　an　upturn'd　gem；
  Appear'd；　and；　stepping　to　a　beauteous　corse；
  Kneel'd　down　beside　it；　and　with　tenderest　force
  Press'd　its　cold　hand；　and　wept；…　and　Scylla　sigh'd！
  Endymion；　with　quick　hand；　the　charm　applied…
  The　nymph　arose：　he　left　them　to　their　joy；
  And　onward　went　upon　his　high　employ；
  Showering　those　powerful　fragments　on　the　dead。
  And；　as　he　pass'd；　each　lifted　up　its　head；
  As　doth　a　flower　at　Apollo's　touch。
  Death　felt　it　to　his　inwards：　'twas　too　much：
  Death　fell　a　weeping　in　his　charnel…house。
  The　Latmian　persever'd　along；　and　thus
  All　were　re…animated。　There　arose
  A　noise　of　harmony；　pulses　and　throes
  Of　gladness　in　the　air…　while　many；　who
  Had　died　in　mutual　arms　devout　and　true；
  Sprang　to　each　other　madly；　and　the　rest
  Felt　a　high　certainty　of　being　blest。
  They　gaz'd　upon　Endymion。　Enchantment
  Grew　drunken；　and　would　have　its　head　and　bent。
  Delicious　symphonies；　like　airy　flowers；
  Budded；　and　swell'd；　and；　full…blown；　shed　full　showers
  Of　light；　soft；　unseen　leaves　of　sounds　divine。
  The　two　deliverers　tasted　a　pure　wine
  Of　happiness；　from　fairy…press　ooz'd　out。
  Speechless　they　eyed　each　other；　and　about
  The　fair　assembly　wander'd　to　and　fro；
  Distracted　with　the　richest　overflow
  Of　joy　that　ever　pour'd　from　heaven。
  …〃Away！〃
  Shouted　the　new　born　god；　〃Follow；　and　pay
  Our　piety　to　Neptunus　supreme！〃…
  Then　Scylla；　blushing　sweetly　from　her　dream；
  They　led　on　first；　bent　to　her　meek　surprise；
  Through　portal　columns　of　a　giant　size；
  Into　the　vaulted；　boundless　emerald。
  Joyous　all　follow'd　as　the　leader　call'd；
  Down　marble　steps；　pouring　as　easily
  As　hour…glass　sand；…　and　fast；　as　you　might　see
  Swallows　obeying　the　south　summer's　call；
  Or　swans　upon　a　gentle　waterfall。
  Thus　went　that　beautiful　multitude；　nor　far；
  Ere　from　among　some　rocks　of　glittering　spar；
  Just　within　ken；　they　saw　descending　thick
  Another　multitude。　Whereat　more　quick
  Moved　either　host。　On　a　wide　sand　they　met；
  And　of　those　numbers　every　eye　was　wet；
  For　each　their　old　love　found。　A　murmuring　rose；
  Like　what　was　never　heard　in　all　the　throes
  Of　wind　and　waters：　'tis　past　human　wit
  To　tell；　'tis　dizziness　to　think　of　it。
  This　mighty　consummation　made；　the　host
  Mov'd　on　for　many　a　league；　and　gain'd；　and　lost
  Huge　sea…marks；　vanward　swelling　in　array；
  And　from　the　rear　diminishing　away；…
  Till　a　faint　dawn　surpris'd　them。　Glaucus　cried；
  〃Behold！　behold；　the　palace　of　his　pride！
  God　Neptune's　palaces！〃　With　noise　increas'd；
  They　shoulder'd　on　towards　that　brightening　east。
  At　every　onward　step　proud　domes　arose
  In　prospect；…　diamond　gleams；　and　golden　glows
  Of　amber　'gainst　their　faces　levelling。
  Joyous；　and　many　as　the　leaves　in　spring；
  Still　onward；　still　the　splendour　gradual　swell'd。
  Rich　opal　domes　were　seen；　on　high　upheld
  By　jasper　pillars；　letting　through　their　shafts
  A　blush　of　coral。　Copious　wonder…draughts
  Each　gazer　drank；　and　deeper　drank　more　near。
  For　what　poor　mortals　fragment　up；　as　mere
  As　marble　was　there　lavish；　to　the　vast
  Of　one　fair　palace；　that　far　far　surpass'd；
  Even　for　common　bulk；　those　olden　three；
  Memphis；　and　Babylon；　and　Nineveh。
  As　large；　as　bright；　as　colour'd　as　the　bow
  Of　Iris；　when　unfading　it　doth　show
  Beyond　a　silvery　shower；　was　the　arch
  Through　which　this　Paphian　army　took　its　march；
  Into　the　outer　courts　of　Neptune's　state：
  Whence　could　be　seen；　direct；　a　golden　gate；
  To　which　the　leaders　sped；　but　not　half　raught
  Ere　it　burst　open　swift　as　fairy　thought；
  And　made　those　dazzled　thousands　veil　their　eyes
  Like　callow　eagles　at　the　first　sunrise。
  Soon　with　an　eagle　nativeness　their　gaze
  Ripe　from　hue…golden　swoons　took　all　the　blaze；
  And　then；　behold！　large　Neptune　on　his　throne
  Of　emerald　deep：　yet　not　exalt　alone；
  At　his　right　hand　stood　winged　Love；　and　on
  His　left　sat　smiling　Beauty's　paragon。
  Far　as　the　mariner　on　highest　mast
  Can　see　all　round　upon　the　calmed　vast；
  So　wide　was　Neptune's　hall：　and　as　the　blue
  Doth　vault　the　waters；　so　the　waters　drew
  Their　doming　curtains；　high；　magnificent；
  Aw'd　from　the　throne　aloof；…　and　when　storm…rent
  Disclos'd　the　thunder…gloomings　in　Jove's　air；
  But　sooth'd　as　now；　flash'd　sudden　everywhere；
  Noiseless；　sub…marine　cloudlets；　glittering
  Death　to　a　human　eye：　for　there　did　spring
  From　natural　west；　and　east；　and　south；　and　north；
  A　light　as　of　four　sunsets；　blazing　forth
  A　gold…green　zenith　'bove　the　Sea…God's　head。
  Of　lucid　depth　the　floor；　and　far　outspread
  As　breezeless　lake；　on　which　the　slim　canoe
  Of　feather'd　Indian　darts　about；　as　through
  The　delicatest　air：　air　verily；
  But　for　the　portraiture　of　clouds　and　sky：
  This　palace　floor　breath…air；…　but　for　the　amaze
  Of　deep…seen　wonders　motionless；…　and　blaze
  Of　the　dome　pomp；　reflected　in　extremes；
  Globing　a　golden　sphere。
  They　stood　in　dreams
  Till　Triton　blew　his　horn。　The　palace　rang；
  The　Nereids　danc'd；　the　Syrens　faintly　sang；
  And　the　great　Sea…King　bow'd　his　dripping　head。
  Then　Love　took　wing；　and　from　his　pinions　shed
  On　all　the　multitude　a　nectarous　dew。
  The　ooze…born　Goddess　beckoned　and　drew
  Fair　Scylla　and　her　guides　to　conference；
  And　when　they　reach'd　the　throned　eminence
  She　kist　the　sea…nymph's　cheek；…　who　sat　her　down
  A　toying　with　the　doves。　Then；…　〃Mighty　crown
  And　sceptre　of　this　kingdom！〃　Venus　said；
  〃Thy　vows　were　on　a　time　to　Nais　paid：
  Behold！〃…　Two　copious　tear…drops　instant　fell
  From　the　God's　large　eyes；　he　smil'd　delectable；
  And　over　Glaucus　held　his　blessing　hands。…
  〃Endymion！　Ah！　still　wandering　in　the　bands
  Of　love？　Now　this　is　cruel。　Since　the　hour
  I　met　thee　in　earth's　bosom；　all　my　power
  Have　I　put　forth　to　serve　thee。　What；　not　yet
  Escap'd　from