Fair Cloris in a pigsty lay, | |
Her tender herd lay by her. | |
She slept; in murmuring gruntlings they, | |
Complaining of the scorching day, | |
| 5 | Her slumbers thus inspire. |
She dreamt, while she with careful pains | |
Her snowy arms employed | |
In ivory pails to fill out grains, | |
One of her love-convicted swains | |
| 10 | Thus hasting to her cried: |
’Fly, nymph! Oh fly! ere ’tis too late | |
A dear loved life to save, | |
Rescue your bosom pig from fate, | |
Who now expires, hung in the gate | |
| 15 | That leads to Flora’s cave. |
’Myself had tried to set him free | |
Rather than brought the news, | |
But I am so abhorred by thee | |
That ev’n thy darling’s life from me | |
| 20 | I know thou wouldst refuse.’ |
Struck with the news, as quick she flies | |
As blushes to her face; | |
Not the bright lightning from the skies | |
Nor love, shot from her brighter eyes, | |
| 25 | Move half so swift a pace. |
This plot, it seems, the lustful slave | |
Had laid against her honour, | |
Which not one god took care to save, | |
For he pursues her to the cave | |
| 30 | And throws himself upon her. |
Now pierced is her virgin zone, | |
She feels the foe within it; | |
She hears a broken, amorous groan, | |
The panting lover’s fainting moan, | |
| 35 | Just in the happy minute. |
Nature thus kindly eased | |
In dreams raised by her murmuring pigs | |
And her own thumb between her legs, | |
| 40 | She’s innocent and pleased. |