Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
John Milton. 16081674315. From’ Comus’ iii. Sabrina
The Spirit sings: | SABRINA fair | |
Listen where thou art sitting | ||
Under the glassie, cool, translucent wave, | ||
In twisted braids of Lillies knitting | ||
The loose train of thy amber-dropping hair, | 5 | |
Listen for dear honour’s sake, | ||
Goddess of the silver lake, | ||
Listen and save! | ||
Listen and appear to us, | ||
In name of great Oceanus, | 10 | |
By the earth-shaking Neptune’s mace, | ||
And Tethys grave majestick pace, | ||
By hoary Nereus wrincled look, | ||
And the Carpathian wisards hook, | ||
By scaly Tritons winding shell, | 15 | |
And old sooth-saying Glaucus spell, | ||
By Leucothea’s lovely hands, | ||
And her son that rules the strands, | ||
By Thetis tinsel-slipper’d feet, | ||
And the Songs of Sirens sweet, | 20 | |
By dead Parthenope’s dear tomb, | ||
And fair Ligea’s golden comb, | ||
Wherwith she sits on diamond rocks | ||
Sleeking her soft alluring locks, | ||
By all the Nymphs that nightly dance | 25 | |
Upon thy streams with wily glance, | ||
Rise, rise, and heave thy rosie head | ||
From thy coral-pav’n bed, | ||
And bridle in thy headlong wave, | ||
Till thou our summons answered have. | 30 | |
Listen and save! | ||
Sabrina replies: | By the rushy-fringèd bank, | |
Where grows the Willow and the Osier dank, | ||
My sliding Chariot stayes, | ||
Thick set with Agat, and the azurn sheen | 35 | |
Of Turkis blew, and Emrauld green | ||
That in the channell strayes, | ||
Whilst from off the waters fleet | ||
Thus I set my printless feet | ||
O’re the Cowslips Velvet head, | 40 | |
That bends not as I tread, | ||
Gentle swain at thy request | ||
I am here. |