Here the curtains draw: there is discovered Jupiter dandling Ganymede upon his knee, and Hermes lying asleep.
Jup. Come, gentle Ganymede, and play with me; I love thee well, say Juno what she will.
Gan. I am much better for your worthless love, That will not shield me from her shrewish blows! To-day, whenas I filled into your cups, And held the cloth of pleasance whiles you drank, She reached me such a rap for that I spilled, As made the blood run down about mine ears.
Jup. What? dares she strike the darling of my thoughts? By Saturn's soul, and this earth-threatening hair, [433]10 That, shaken thrice, makes nature's buildings quake, I vow, if she but once frown on thee more, To hang her, meteor-like, 'twixt heaven and earth, And bind her, hand and foot, with golden cords, As once I did for harming Hercules!
Gan. Might I but see that pretty sport a-foot, O, how would I with Helen's brother laugh, And bring the gods to wonder at the game! Sweet Jupiter, if e'er I pleased thine eye, Or seemèd fair, wall'd-in with eagle's wings, [434]20 Grace my immortal beauty with this boon, And I will spend my time in thy bright arms.
Jup. What is't, sweet wag, I should deny thy youth? Whose face reflects such pleasure to mine eyes, As I, exhaled with thy fire-darting beams, Have oft driven back the horses of the Night, Whenas they would have haled thee from my sight. Sit on my knee, and call for thy content, Control proud Fate, and cut the thread of Time: Why, are not all the gods at thy command,30 And heaven and earth the bounds of thy delight? Vulcan [435] shall dance to make thee laughing-sport, And my nine daughters sing when thou art sad; From Juno's bird I'll pluck her spotted pride, To make thee fans wherewith to cool thy face; And Venus' swans shall shed their silver down, To sweeten out the slumbers of thy bed; Hermes no more shall show the world his wings, If that thy fancy in his feathers dwell, But, as this one, I'll tear them all from him,40 [Plucks a feather from Hermes' wings. Do thou but say, "their colour pleaseth me." Hold here, my little love; these linked gems, [Gives jewels. My Juno ware upon her marriage-day, Put thou about thy neck, my own sweet heart, And trick thy arms and shoulders with my theft.
Gan. I would have a jewel for mine ear, And a fine brooch to put in[to] my hat, And then I'll hug with you an hundred times.
Jup. And shall have, Ganymede, if thou wilt be my love.
Enter Venus.
Ven. I, this is it: you can sit toying there,50 And playing with that female wanton boy, Whiles my Æneas wanders on the seas, And rests a prey to every billow's pride. Juno, false Juno, in her chariot's pomp, Drawn through the heavens by steeds of Boreas' brood, Made Hebe to direct her airy wheels; Into the windy country of the clouds; Where, finding Æolus entrenched with storms, And guarded with a thousand grisly ghosts, She humbly did beseech him for our bane,60 And charged him drown my son with all his train. Then gan the winds break ope their brazen doors, And all Æolia to be up in arms; Poor Troy must now be sacked upon the sea, And Neptune's waves be envious men of war; Epeus' horse, to Ætna's hill transform'd, Preparèd stands to wreck their wooden walls; And Æolus, like Agamemnon, sounds The surges, his fierce soldiers, to the spoil: See how the night, Ulysses-like, comes forth,70 And intercepts the day, as Dolon erst! Ay me! the stars supprised, [436] like Rhesus' steeds, Are drawn by darkness forth Astræus' tents. [437] What shall I do to save thee, my sweet boy? Whenas the waves do threat our crystal world, And Proteus, raising hills of floods on high, Intends, ere long, to sport him in the sky. [438] False Jupiter, reward'st thou virtue so? What, is not piety exempt from woe? Then die, Æneas, in thine innocence,80 Since that religion hath no recompense.