NISIDA.
Though my soul is satisfied
With the bliss which is my own,
'Tis in part racked and undone
By another's bliss denied;
Fortune scant and Love bestow—
Enemies unto my pleasure—
On me bliss in niggard measure,
And unmeasured endless woe.
In the state by Love befriended
Although merit may abound,
Pleasure is as lonely found,
E'en as evil comes attended;
Evils aye in unity
Walk, nor for a moment sever,
Blisses are divided ever
That their end may sooner be.
What it costeth to attain
Any joy of love so fair,
Let our love and hope declare,
And our patience make it plain;
One bliss untold agony
Costeth, one joy untold sighs—
Ah! they know it well, my sighs
And my wearied memory.
Which forever hath in mind
That which power to help it hath
Yet to find it, road or path
Nowhere doth the memory find;
Ah! sweet friend of that fair youth
Who did call thee friend, when he
Claimed the name of friend from thee,
E'en as I am his in truth!
Our unthought-of happiness
Groweth better when thou'rt near,
Let not thy cruel absence drear
Turn it to unhappiness;
Anguish sore the memory
Rouseth, that reminds me how
I was wise, and foolish thou,
Thou art wise, and foolish I.
More he lost in losing thee—
He to whom, fortune thy guide,
Thou didst give me as his bride—
Than he won in winning me;
Half his soul in thee he had,
Thou wert he, by whom my soul
Could attain the happy goal
That thine absence maketh sad.
If the exquisite grace with which the fair Nisida was singing, caused admiration in those who were with her, what would it cause in the breast of Silerio, who, without missing anything, noted and listened to all the details of her song? And as he retained Nisida's voice so well in his soul, its accents scarce began to resound in his ears when he came to be perturbed, and amazed and to be beside himself, enraptured by what he heard. And though truly it seemed to him that it was Nisida's voice, he had so lost the hope of seeing her, and above all in such a place, that in no way could he make sure of his suspicion. In this manner all came to where he was; and Thyrsis, greeting him, said to him:
'You left us, friend Silerio, so attracted by your disposition and converse, that Damon and I, drawn by experience of them, and all this company by their fame, leaving the way we were taking, have come to seek you in your hermitage, and when we did not find you there, as we did not, our desire would have remained unfulfilled, had not the sound of your harp and of your admirable song guided us here.'