58 TOUCHING UBIQUITY
Reading edition
“Voulant faire un cadeau digne de la plus belle”
—Charles Garnier.
I
The gods in honor of my Sylvia’s worth Bore gifts to her:—and Jove, Olympus’ lord, Co-rule of Earth and Heaven did accord, And Hermes brought that lyre he framed at birth, And Venus her famed girdle (to engirth A fairer beauty now), and Mars his sword, And wrinkled Plutus half the secret hoard And immemorial treasure of mid-earth;— And while the careful gods were pondering Which of these goodly gifts the goodliest was, Young Cupid came among them carolling And proffered unto her a looking-glass, Wherein she gazed and saw the goodliest thing That Earth had borne, and Heaven might not surpass.
II
Cupid invaded Hell, and boldly drove Before him all the hosts of Erebus, Till he had conquered; and grim Cerberus Sang madrigals, the Furies rhymed of love, Old Charon sighed, and sonnets rang above The gloomy Styx; and even as Tantalus Was Prosperine discrowned in Tartarus, And Cupid regnant in the place thereof. Thus Love is monarch throughout Hell to-day; In Heaven we know his power was always great; And Earth acclaimed Love’s mastery straightway When Sylvia came to gladden Earth’s estate:— Thus Hell and Heaven and Earth his rule obey, And Sylvia’s heart alone is obdurate.