Iris. Is Hermes grown a Lover? by what power
Unknown to us, calls he the [Naiades]?
Merc. Presumptuous Iris, I could make thee dance,
Till thou forgetst thy Ladies messages,
And rann'st back crying to her; thou shalt know
My power is more, only my breath, and this
Shall move fix'd Stars, and force the Firmament
To yield the Hyades, who govern showers,
And dewy clouds, in whose dispersed drops
Thou form'st the shape of thy deceitful Bow.
Y[ou] Maids, who yearly at appointed times
Advance with kindly tears, the gentle floods
Discend, and pour your blessing on these streams,
Which rolling down from Heaven-aspiring hills,
And now united in the fruitful vales,
Bear all before them, ravish'd with their joy,
And swell in glory, till they know no bounds.
[The Cloud discends with the Hyades, at which the Maids seem to be rejoyced; they all dance a while together, then make another stand, as if they wanted something.
Iris. Great Wit and Power hath Hermes to contrive
A livel[esse] dance, which of one sex consists.
Merc. Alas poor Iris! Venus hath in store
A secret ambush of her winged boys,
Who lurking long within these pleasant groves,
First stuck these Lovers with their equal darts;
Those Cupids shall come forth, and joyn with these,
To honor that which they themselves began.
[The Cupids come forth and dance, they are weary with their blind pursuing the Nymphs, and th[e] Nymphs weary with flying them.
Iris. Behold the Statues which wild Vulcan plac'd
Under the Altar of Olympian Jove,
And gave to them an artificial life:
[Shall daunce for joy of these great Nuptialls:]
See how they move, drawn by this Heavenly joy,
Like the wild Trees, which followed Orpheus Harp.
[The Statues come down, and they all dance, till the Nymphs out-run them, and lose them, then the Cupids go off, and last the Statues.
Merc. And what will Juno's Iris do for her?