thus he desperate cries;--
"Now with my blood be also bath'd!--drink deep!
"And in his body plung'd the sword, that round
"His loins hung ready girt: then as he dy'd,
"Hasty withdrew, hot reeking from the wound,
"The steel; and backwards falling, press'd the earth.
"High spouts the sanguine flood! thus forth a pipe,
"(The lead decay'd, or damag'd) sends a stream
"Contracted from the breach; upspringing high,
"And loudly hissing, as the air it breaks
"With jets repeated. Sprinkled with the blood,
"The tree's white fruit a purple tinge receiv'd;
"Deep soak'd with blood the roots convey the stain
"Inly, and tinge each bough with Tyrian dye.

"Now Thisbe comes, with terror trembling still,
"Fearful, she Pyramus expecting waits:
"Him seek her beating bosom, and her eyes;
"Anxious the peril she escap'd to tell.
"Well mark'd her eyes the place,--and well the tree;
"The berries chang'd in color, long she doubts
"The same or no. While hesitating thus,
"The panting members quivering she beholds,
"Upon the sanguin'd turf; and back recoils!
"Paler than box her features grow; her limbs
"More tremble than when ocean fretful sounds,
"Its surface briskly by the breezes swept.
"Nor long the pause, her lover soon is known;
"And now her harmless breast with furious blows
"She punishes; her tresses wild she rends;
"Clasps the lov'd body; and the gaping wound
"Fills with her tears,--their droppings with the blood
"Immingling. On his clay-cold face she press'd
"Her kisses, crying;--Pyramus! what chance
"Has torn thee from me thus? My Pyramus!
"Answer me,--'tis thy dearest Thisbe speaks!
"She calls thee,--hear me,--raise that dying face!
"At Thisbe's name, his lids, with death hard weigh'd,
"He rais'd--beheld her,--and forever clos'd.

"Him dying thus,--her lacerated veil;
"The ivory scabbard empty'd of its sword;
"She saw,--at once the truth upon her mind
"Flash'd quick. Alas! thy hand, by love impell'd,
"Has wrought thy ruin: but to me the hand,
"In this, at least, shall equal force display,
"For equal was my love; and love will grant
"Sufficient strength the deadly wound to give.
"In death I'll follow thee; with justice call'd
"Thy ruin's wretched cause,--but comrade too.
"Thou whom, but death seem'd capable to part
"From me, shalt find ev'n death too weak will prove.
"Ye wretched mourning parents, his and mine!
"The dy