Book I, Elegy 20

Take this my warning, Gallus, in return for thine unfailing love: let it not slip from thy thoughtless mind: "Fortune oft proves adverse to the heedless lover"; so might Ascanius tell thee, that wreaked his spite upon the Minyae.

Thou hast a love most like to Hylas, child of Theodamas, one not less fair nor of humbler birth. Beware then, whether thou wanderest by the holy streams of Umbrian forests, or Anio's waters lave thy feet, or walk'st thou on the marge of the Giant's strand, or wheresoe'er a river's wandering waters welcome thee, beware and from thy love ward off the hands of nymphs that burn to steal (the Ausonian Dryads love as warmly as their sisters loved), lest it be thy fate ever to visit cruel mountain and icy crag and lakes, that thou hast tried to thy cost. Such woes the ill-starred wanderer Hercules suffered in a far land and bewailed by the shores of the relentless Ascanius. For they say that of old Argos set sail from the dockyards of Pagasa and went forth on the long way to Phasis, and at last, the waves of Helle past, moored his bark on Mysia's rockbound coast. Here the band of heroes went forth upon the peaceful shore and carpeted the ground with a soft coverlet of leaves. But the comrade of the young unvanquished hero ranged afar to seek the scarce waters of some distant spring. Him the two brothers followed, Zetes and Calais, the North Wind's sons, and, bowing o'er him, both pressed on to embrace him with hovering hands and snatch a kiss and bear it from his upturned face, each as in turn they fled. But the boy, swept off his feet, hides clinging to one by his pinion's backmost edge, and with a branch wards off the other's winged wiles. At last the children of Orithyia, Pandion's daughter, retired discomfited, and Hylas, alas! went upon his way, went to be the wood-nymphs' prey.

Here beneath the peak of Arganthus' mount lay the well of Pege, the watery haunt so dear to Bithynia's nymphs, o'er which from lonely trees there hung dewy apples that owed naught to the hand of man, and round about in a water-meadow sprang snowy lilies mingled with purple poppies. And there, in boyish delight, he gently plucked them with soft finger-tips, preferring the flowers to his chosen task; and now in artless wonder bent over the fair waters and prolonged his truancy with gazing at their mirrored charms. At length he made ready to stretch forth his hands to the waves and draw water therefrom, leaning on his right shoulder and raising a plenteous draught. But, smitten with passion at the sight of that snowy shoulder, the Hamadryads in wonder ceased their wonted dance. Easily from where he lay reclined they dragged him through the yielding flood. Then Hylas as they seized his body uttered a cry, whereto in answer Alcides shouted again, again, and yet again; but the breezes bore him back from the fountain's edge naught save the echo of the name.

Warned by this tale, my Gallus, thou shalt keep thy love secure, thou that aforetime didst seem to entrust thy Hylas to the nymphs.