Like her she deals combustion round; and foreigners
By scores have perish'd in her conflagrations.
One only 'scaped the fair incendiary,
And that by virtue of his nimble steed.
He back'd his baggage, and turn'd tail upon her.—
Have commerce with Sinope, and you'll find
That Lerna's monster was no tale; for like
The hydra she can multiply her members,
And fair Gnathæna is the present offshoot:
Her morning charms for beauties in the wane
Compensate—but—the dupe pays doubly for't.
There's Nanno too:—Nanno and Scylla's pool
Bear close similitude: two swains have made
Already shipwreck in that gulf; a third
Had shared their fortunes, but the wiser boy
Plied well his oars, and boldly stood to sea-ward.
If Nanno's Scylla, Phryne is Charybdis:
Woe to the wretch who comes within her tide!
Engulf'd in whelming waves, both bark and mariner
Are suck'd into th' abyss of quick perdition!
And what's Theano? bald, and bare, and peel'd,
With whom but close-pluck'd sirens ranks she? woman
In face and voice; but in her feet—a blackbird.
But why enlarge my nomenclature? Sphinx is
A common name for all: on her enigma
Is moulded all their speech: love, fealty,
Affection,—these are terms drop clear enough
From them, but at their heels comes a request,
Wrapt up in tortuous phrase of nice perplexity.
(Mimics.)—"A four-foot couch perchance would grace their chamber!
Their needs forsooth require a chair—three-footed,
Or, for the nonce, two-footed—'twould content them."
He that is versed in points and tricks, like Œdipus,
Hears, and escapes perchance with purse uninjured;
The easy fool gapes, gazes, and—hey! presto!
Both purse and person's gone!—Mitchell.
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