下载辰思小说免费APP
’Butourfemaleguests……’
’Loveatoper！DidnotAriadnedoteuponBacchus？’
Thefeastproceeded；theguestsgrewmoretalkativeandnoisy；thedessertorlastcoursewasalreadyonthetable；andtheslavesboreroundwaterwithmyrrhandhyssopforthefinishinglavation。Atthesametime，asmallcirculartablethathadbeenplacedinthespaceoppositetheguestssuddenly，andasbymagic，seemedtoopeninthecentre，andcastupafragrantshower，sprinklingthetableandtheguests；whileasitceasedtheawningabovethemwasdrawnaside，andtheguestsperceivedthataropehadbeenstretchedacrosstheceiling，andthatoneofthosenimbledancersforwhichPompeiiwassocelebrated，andwhosedescendantsaddsocharmingagracetothefestivitiesofAstley’sorVauxhall，wasnowtreadinghisairymeasuresrightovertheirheads。
Thisapparition，removedbutbyacordfromone’spericranium，andindulgingthemostvehementleaps，apparentlywiththeintentionofalightinguponthatcerebralregion，wouldprobablyberegardedwithsometerrorbyapartyinMayFair；butourPompeianrevellersseemedtobeholdthespectaclewithdelightedcuriosity，andapplaudedinproportionasthedancerappearedwiththemostdifficultytomissfallingupontheheadofwhateverguestheparticularlyselectedtodanceabove。Hepaidthesenator，indeed，thepeculiarcomplimentofliterallyfallingfromtherope，andcatchingitagainwithhishand，justasthewholepartyimaginedtheskulloftheRomanwasasmuchfracturedaseverthatofthepoetwhomtheeagletookforatortoise。Atlength，tothegreatreliefofatleastIone，whohadnotmuchaccustomedherselftothisentertainment，thedancersuddenlypausedasastrainofmusicwasheardfromwithout。Hedancedagainstillmorewildly；
theairchanged，thedancerpausedagain；no，itcouldnotdissolvethecharmwhichwassupposedtopossesshim！Herepresentedonewhobyastrangedisorderiscompelledtodance，andwhomonlyacertainairofmusiccancure。Atlengththemusicianseemedtohitontherighttune；thedancergaveoneleap，swunghimselfdownfromtherope，alightedonthefloor，andvanished。
Oneartnowyieldedtoanother；andthemusicianswhowerestationedwithoutontheterracestruckupasoftandmellowair，towhichweresungthefollowingwords，madealmostindistinctbythebarrierbetweenandtheexceedinglownessoftheminstrelsy：—
FESTIVEMUSICSHOULDBELOW
I
Hark！throughtheseflowersourmusicsendsitsgreetingToyourlovedhalls，wherePsilasshunstheday；
WhentheyounggodhisCretannymphwasmeetingHetaughtPan’srusticpipethisglidinglay：
SoftasthedewsofwineShedinthisbanquethour，TherichlibationofSound’sstreamdivine，Oreverentharp，toAphroditepour！
II
Wildringsthetrumpo’errankstoglorymarching；
Music’ssublimerburstsforwararemeet；
Butsweetlipsmurmuringunderwreathso’er—arching，Findthelowwhispersliketheirownmostsweet。
Steal，mylull’dmusic，stealLikewomans’shalf—heardtone，Sothatwhoe’ershallhear，shallthinktofeelIntheethevoiceoflipsthatlovehisown。
AttheendofthatsongIone’scheekblushedmoredeeplythanbefore，andGlaucushadcontrived，undercoverofthetable，tostealherhand。
’Itisaprettysong，’saidFulvius，patronizingly。
’Ah！ifyouwouldobligeus！’murmuredthewifeofPansa。
’DoyouwishFulviustosing？’askedthekingofthefeast，whohadjustcalledontheassemblytodrinkthehealthoftheRomansenator，acuptoeachletterofhisname。
’Canyouask？’saidthematron，withacomplimentaryglanceatthepoet。
Sallustsnappedhisfingers，andwhisperingtheslavewhocametolearnhisorders，thelatterdisappeared，andreturnedinafewmomentswithasmallharpinonehand，andabranchofmyrtleintheother。Theslaveapproachedthepoet，andwithalowreverencepresentedtohimtheharp。
’Alas！Icannotplay，’saidthepoet。
’Thenyoumustsingtothemyrtle。ItisaGreekfashion：DiomedlovestheGreeks——IlovetheGreeks——youlovetheGreeks——wealllovetheGreeks——andbetweenyouandmethisisnottheonlythingwehavestolenfromthem。
However，Iintroducethiscustom——I，theking：sing，subject，sing！’Thepoet，withabashfulsmile，tookthemyrtleinhishands，andafterashortpreludesangasfollows，inapleasantandwell—tunedvoice：——
THECORONATIONOFTHELOVES
I
ThemerryLovesoneholidayWereallatgambolsmadly；ButLovestoolongcanseldomplayWithoutbehavingsadly。
Theylaugh’d，theytoy’d，theyromp’dabout，Andthenforchangetheyallfellout。
Fie，fie！howcantheyquarrelso？
MyLesbia——ah，forshame，loveMethinks’tisscarceanhouragoWhenwedidjustthesame，love。
II
TheLoves，’tisthought，werefreetillthen，Theyhadnokingorlaws，dear；
Butgods，likemen，shouldsubjectbe，Sayalltheancientsaws，dear。
Andsoourcrewresolved，forquiet，Tochooseakingtocurbtheirriot。
Akiss：ah！whatagrievousthingForboth，methinks，’twouldbe，child，IfIshouldtakesomeprudishking，Andceasetobesofree，child！
III
AmongtheirtoysaCasquetheyfound，ItwasthehelmofAres；
Withhorrentplumesthecrestwascrown’d，ItfrightenedalltheLares。
Sofineakingwasneverknown——
Theyplacedthehelmetonthethrone。
Mygirl，sinceValorwinstheworld，Theychoseamightymaster；
ButthysweetflagofsmilesunfurledWouldwintheworldmuchfaster！
IV
TheCasquesoonfoundtheLovestoowildAtroopforhimtoschoolthem；
ForwarriorsknowhowonesuchchildHasayecontrivedtofoolthem。
Theyplaguedhimso，thatindespairHetookawifetheplaguetoshare。
IfkingsthemselvesthusfindthestrifeOfearth，unshared，severe，girl；
Whyjusttohalvetheillsoflife，Come，takeyourpartnerhere，girl。
V
WithinthatroomtheBirdofLoveThewholeaffairhadeyedthen；
Themonarchhail’dtheroyaldove，Andplacedherbyhissidethen：
WhatmirthamidsttheLoveswasseen！
’Longlive，’theycried，’ourKingandQueen。’
Ah！Lesbia，wouldthatthronesweremine，Andcrownstodeckthatbrow，love！
AndyetIknowthatheartofthineFormeisthroneenow，love！
VI
TheurchinshopedtoteasethemateAstheyhadteasedthehero；
ButwhentheDoveinjudgmentsateTheyfoundherworsethanNero！
Eachlookafrown，eachwordalaw；
Thelittlesubjectsshookwithawe。
IntheeIfindthesamedeceit——
Toolate，alas！alearner！
Forwhereamienmoregentlysweet？
Andwhereatyrantsterner？
Thissong，whichgreatlysuitedthegayandlivelyfancyofthePompeians，wasreceivedwithconsiderableapplause，andthewidowinsistedoncrowninghernamesakewiththeverybranchofmyrtletowhichhehadsung。Itwaseasilytwistedintoagarland，andtheimmortalFulviuswascrownedamidsttheclappingofhandsandshoutsofIotriumphe！Thesongandtheharpnowcirculatedroundtheparty，anewmyrtlebranchbeinghandedabout，stoppingateachpersonwhocouldbeprevailedupontosing。
Thesunbegannowtodecline，thoughtherevellers，whohadwornawayseveralhours，perceiveditnotintheirdarkenedchamber；andthesenator，whowastired，andthewarrior，whohadtoreturntoHerculaneum，risingtodepart，gavethesignalforthegeneraldispersion。’Tarryyetamoment，myfriends，’saidDiomed；’ifyouwillgososoon，youmustatleasttakeashareinourconcludinggame。’
Sosaying，hemotionedtooneoftheministri，andwhisperinghim，theslavewentout，andpresentlyreturnedwithasmallbowlcontainingvarioustabletscarefullysealed，and，apparently，exactlysimilar。Eachguestwastopurchaseoneoftheseatthenominalpriceofthelowestpieceofsilver：
andthesportofthislottery（whichwasthefavoritediversionofAugustus，whointroducedit）consistedintheinequality，andsometimestheincongruity，oftheprizes，thenatureandamountofwhichwerespecifiedwithinthetablets。Forinstance，thepoet，withawryface，drewoneofhisownpoems（nophysicianeverlesswillinglyswallowedhisowndraught）；
thewarriordrewacaseofbodkins，whichgaverisetocertainnovelwitticismsrelativetoHerculesandthedistaff；thewidowFulviaobtainedalargedrinking—cup；Julia，agentleman’sbuckle；andLepidus，alady’spatch—box。ThemostappropriatelotwasdrawnbythegamblerClodius，whoreddenedwithangeronbeingpresentedtoasetofcoggeddice。Acertaindampwasthrownuponthegaietywhichthesevariouslotscreatedbyanaccidentthatwasconsideredominous；Glaucusdrewthemostvaluableofalltheprizes，asmallmarblestatueofFortune，ofGrecianworkmanship：onhandingittohimtheslavesufferedittodrop，anditbrokeinpieces。
Ashiverwentroundtheassembly，andeachvoicecriedspontaneouslyonthegodstoaverttheomen。
Glaucusalone，thoughp
