Page:Virgil's Pastorals, Georgics and Aeneis - Dryden (1709) - volume 2.djvu/144

How this may be perform'd, now take my mind: 950
Ascanius, by his Father is design'd
To come, with Presents, laden from the Port,
To gratifie the Queen, and gain the Court.
I mean to plunge the Boy in pleasing Sleep,
And, ravish'd, in Idalian Bow'rs to keep; 955
Or high Cythæra: That the sweet Deceit
May pass unseen, and none prevent the Cheat,
$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \\\\\ \ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$Take thou his Form and Shape. I beg the Grace
But only for a Night's revolving Space;
Thy self a Boy, assume a Boy's dissembled Face. 960
That when amidst the fervour of the Feast,
The Tyrian hugs, and fonds thee on her Breast,
And with sweet Kisses in her Arms constrains,
Thou may'st infuse thy Venom in her Veins.
The God of Love obeys, and sets aside 965
His Bow, and Quiver, and his plumy Pride:
He walks Iulus in his Mother's Sight:
And in the sweet Resemblance takes Delight.
The Goddess then to young Ascanius flies,
And in a pleasing Slumber seals his Eyes; 970
Lull'd in her Lap, amidst a Train of Loves,
She gently bears him to her blissful Groves:
Then with a Wreath of Myrtle crowns his Head,
And softly lays him on a flow'ry Bed.
Cupid mean time assum'd his Form and Face, 975
Foll'wing Achates with a shorter Pace;