No More Learning

_Youths_.

E'en as an unmated vine which born in field of the barest
Never upraises head nor breeds the mellowy grape-bunch, 50
But under weight prone-bowed that tender body a-bending
Makes she her root anon to touch her topmost of tendrils;
Tends her never a hind nor tends her ever a herdsman:
Yet if haply conjoined the same with elm as a husband,
Tends her many a hind and tends her many a herdsman: 55
Thus is the maid when whole, uncultured waxes she aged;
But whenas union meet she wins her at ripest of seasons,
More to her spouse she is dear and less she's irk to her parents.
_Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen here, O Hymenaeus! _

_Youths and Damsels_.

But do thou cease to resist (O Maid! ) such bridegroom opposing,
Right it is not to resist whereto consigned thee a father,
Father and mother of thee unto whom obedience is owing.
Not is that maidenhood all thine own, but partly thy parents!
Owneth thy sire one third, one third is right of thy mother,
Only the third is thine: stint thee to strive with the others,
Who to the stranger son have yielded their dues with a dower! 65
Hymen O Hymenaeus: Hymen here, O Hymenaeus!

YOUTHS.

Vesper is here, arise ye youths: Vesper at last has just borne aloft in the
heavens his long-looked-for light. Now 'tis time to arise, now to leave the
fattened tables, now comes the virgin, now is said the Hymenaeus. Hymen O
Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

Discern ye, O unwedded girls, the youths?
Arise in response: forsooth the
Star of Eve displays its Oetaean fires. Thus 'tis; see how fleetly have
they leapt forth? Nor without intent have they leapt forth, they will sing
what 'tis meet we surpass. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Youths_.

Nor easily is for us, O comrades, the palm prepared; see ye how they talk
together in deep thought. Nor in vain do they muse, they have what may be
worthy of memory. Nor be wonder: for inwardly toil they with whole of their
minds. Our minds one way, our ears another, we have divided: wherefore by
right are we conquered, for victory loveth solicitude. So now your minds at
the least turn ye hither, now their chant they begin, anon ye will have to
respond. Hymen O Hymenaeus, Hymen hither O Hymenaeus!

_Maidens_.

Hesperus! what crueler light is borne aloft in the heavens? Thou who canst
pluck the maid from her mother's enfolding, pluck from her mother's
enfolding the firm-clinging maid, and canst give the chaste girl to the
burning youngster. What more cruel could victors in vanquished city
contrive?