Hero and Leander

Christopher Marlowe

• Publisher: Vintage Books
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9780599899391
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Littérature
• Subtopic: Collections littéraires européennes

Hero and Leander is a poem by Christopher Marlowe that retells the Greek myth of Hero and Leander. After Marlowe's untimely death it was completed by George Chapman. The minor poet Henry Petowe published an alternative completion to the poem.

Hero and Leander

Christopher Marlowe

To the Right Worshipful Sir Thomas Walsingham, Knight.

Sir, we think not ourselves discharged of the duty we owe to our friend when we have brought the breathless body to the earth; for, albeit the eye there taketh his ever-farewell of that beloved object, yet the impression of the man that hath been dear unto us, living an after-life in our memory, there putteth us in mind of farther obsequies due unto the deceased; and namely of the performance of whatsoever we may judge shall make to his living credit and to the effecting of his determinations prevented by the stroke of death. By these meditations (as by an intellectual will) I suppose myself executor to the unhappily deceased author of this poem; upon whom knowing that in his lifetime you bestowed many kind favours, entertaining the parts of reckoning and worth which you found in him with good countenance and liberal affection, I cannot but see so far into the will of him dead, that whatsoever issue of his brain should chance to come abroad, that the first breath it should take might be the gentle air of your liking; for, since his self had been accustomed thereunto, it would prove more agreeable and thriving to his right children than any other foster countenance whatsoever. At this time seeing that this unfinished tragedy happens under my hands to be imprinted, of a double duty, the one to yourself, the other to the deceased, I present the same to your most favourable allowance, offering my utmost self now and ever to be ready at your worship’s disposing.

Edward Blunt.

Note: The first two Sestiads were written by Marlowe; the last four by Chapman, who supplied also the Arguments for the six Sestiads.

The First Sestiad

The Argument of the first Sestiad

Hero’s description and her love’s;

The fane of Venus where he moves

His worthy love-suit, and attains;

Whose bliss the wrath of Fates restrains

For Cupid’s grace to Mercury:

Which tale the author doth imply.

On Hellespont, guilty of true love’s blood,

In view and opposite two cities stood,

Sea-borderers, disjoin’d by Neptune’s might;

The one Abydos, the other Sestos hight.

At Sestos Hero dwelt; Hero the fair,

Whom young Apollo courted for her hair,

And offer’d as a dower his burning throne,

Where she should sit, for men to gaze upon.

The outside of her garments were of lawn,

The lining purple silk, with gilt stars drawn;

Her wide sleeves green, and border’d with a grove,

Where Venus in her naked glory strove

To please the careless and disdainful eyes

Of proud Adonis, that before her lies;

Her kirtle blue, whereon was many a stain,

Made with the blood of wretched lovers slain.

Upon her head she ware a myrtle wreath,

From whence her veil reach’d to the ground beneath:

Her veil was artificial flowers and leaves,

Whose workmanship both man and beast deceives:

Many would praise the sweet smell as she past,

When ’twas the odour which her breath forth cast;

And there for honey bees have sought in vain,

And, beat from thence, have lighted there again.

About her neck hung chains of pebble-stone,

Which, lighten’d by her neck, like diamonds shone.

She ware no gloves; for neither sun nor wind

Would burn or parch her hands, but, to her mind,

Or warm or cool them, for they took delight

To play upon those hands, they were so white.

Buskins of shell, all silver’d, used she,

And branch’d with blushing coral to the knee;

Where sparrows perch’d, of hollow pearl and gold,

Such as the world would wonder to behold:

Those with sweet water oft her handmaid fills,

Which, as she went, would cherup through the bills.

Some say, for her the fairest Cupid pin’d,

And, looking in her face, was strooken blind.

But this is true; so like was one the other,

As he imagin’d Hero was his mother;

And oftentimes into her bosom flew,

About her naked neck his bare arms threw,

And laid his childish head upon her breast,

And, with still panting rock, there took his rest.

So lovely-fair was Hero, Venus’ nun,

As Nature wept, thinking she was undone,

Because she took more from her than she left,

And of such wondrous beauty her bereft:

Therefore, in sign her treasure suffer’d wrack,

Since Hero’s time hath half the world been black.

Amorous Leander, beautiful and young,

(Whose tragedy divine Musæus sung,)

Dwelt at Abydos; since him dwelt there none

For whom succeeding times make greater moan.

His dangling tresses, that were never shorn,

Had they been cut, and unto Colchos borne,

Would have allur’d the venturous youth of Greece

To hazard more than for the golden fleece.

Fair Cynthia wish’d his arms might be her sphere;

Grief makes her pale, because she moves not there.

His body was as straight as Circe’s wand;

Jove might have sipt out nectar from his hand.

Even as delicious meat is to the tast,

So was his neck in touching, and surpast

The white of Pelops’ shoulder: I could tell ye,

How smooth his breast was, and how white his belly;

And whose immortal fingers did imprint

That heavenly path with many a curious dint

That runs along his back; but my rude pen

Can hardly blazon forth the loves of men,

Much less of powerful gods: let it suffice

That my slack Muse sings of Leander’s eyes;

Those orient cheeks and lips, exceeding his

That leapt into the water for a kiss

Of his own shadow, and, despising many,

Died ere he could enjoy the love of any.

Had wild Hippolytus Leande...