Classical Theology.—Lxxviii.

CLASSICAL THEOLOGY . —LXXVIII .

LONDON , SATURDAY , JULY 30 , 1881 :

JUNO AND JANUARY . Quid uon sentit amor ? says Ovid . What is there that love cannot find out ? But to follow him , he says first , What was Pyraraus to do ? How could Thysbe bear the woe of her separation

from him ? Their mansions were divided by a . partition not easily to be scaled , and scarcely observed . In this wall , however , there was a crack , a very strange crack , a recent little crack , as though but then occasioned , for it had never

been discovered by the servants . Had the goddess Venus , or the goddess Socigena , the Jugarius Juno , otherwise the Goddess of Marriage , assisted them ? The lovers soon found out this small

crevice . " For so many ages tindescried , ( What cannot love find out ?) the lovers spied . " Of course they soon met there . —" partique dedere Oscula quisque sua non pervenientia contra , "

to quote from Ovidius . lease ' s great work on Transformations , ivhich lines have been thus translated : — " Their kisses greet The senseless stones with lips that cannot meet . "

For , as the story goes , that when they parted they mutually pressed their lips on each side of the wall . Their words and their sia-lis each other heard , but they could not feel each other ' s kisses , neither conlcl they see each other .

The rapture of their hearts began to give ] 3 lace to sadness . Such love ivas never meant to be circumscribed by narrow bounds . Ifc was not long , however , before it occurred to Tlrysbe , who is described ashavingbeenenchantingly sweet

and innocent , as well as lovely , that they might appoint aplaceof meeting somewhere in the country where it would not be likely for any of their kinsfolk to find them .

This suggestion so prospectively happy , was fervently responded to by Pyramus aud arranged . The ensuing night they resolved to evade all prying vigilence by an escape into a nei ghbouring wood , and there met , under the shadow of a large

and notable nmlbeiry tree . The ties flourished near a magnificent fountain of puiiinowaters . When the sun went down and the eveningdarkened in the moonli ght , Thysbe , having managed to elude the observationof her attendants ,

arrived first in the wood , and hastened towards the place of her appointment . Lions were common then , and as dangerous to meet at large as in our days . A lioness returning from its quarry came to slack its thirst at the fountain . What was fair

and helpless Thysbe to do ? She had never heard , or if she had , she was too frightened to heed

that" 'Tis said a lion will turn and flee JFrom a maid in the pride of her purity . " Terrified she fled , and in her flight her veil flew off . Her speed had the wings of a dove , but they bore her not homeward , but to hide herself in a

cavern . . Meanwhile the lioness , with paws still smeared with the blood of its prey , on leaving the fountain had trampled upon the veil and stained and rent it . Not long afterwards Pyramus having reached the trysting * place , looking for Thysbefonnd prints of some lion's feet in the ground and the rent and stained veil which he knew to be one

belonging to his beloved . Distracted ivith the idea of Thysbe being- torn to pieces by the wild , beast , he ran , he sprang , he flew to the mulberry tree . There was no trace of Thysbe . Without Thysbe he had no wish to live . His anguish

became too great for him to bear . The thought of her death possessed his reason—it maddened him . He drew his sword ; he placed its point , against his heart , and to still its agony fell uponit . At this moment , Thysbe—having conquered

her fear , and no longer able to endure the suspense of being parted from her lover—came with as much speed to the tree as erewhile she had used in leaving it . Here a man was expiring . Thysbe again was much alarmed . But this time she felt

spell-bound ; her eyes were fast fixed upon the dying man . Through the disguise that he wore , she was not long in perceiving him to be Pyranius ; as says the poet : —

" Sed postqnam remorafca suos cognovit araores . " "But when a nearer view confirmed her fear That 'twas her Pyramus lay weltering there . " She sprang forward to embrace him ; she enfolded him in her arms ; she kissed his cold lips , she mingled on his bosom her tears with his blood ; or

as says the poet : — " Pyramc , responde , tua te clarissima Tbisbo -Nominal ;; exaudi , vultusqtie nttolle jaccntes , Ad nomen Thisbes , occulos in moi-fco gravatos ; Pyramus ercxifc , visaquo recondidit ilia . " " She kissed his lips , and when sho found them cold No longer could she her wild love withhold "What horrid chance , what dreadful destiny , Thus rends my darling Pvramus from mo ?