The Heliades

Women into Trees

 

Graphically, this too is similar to the story of Daphne. After Phaëthon’s death, his sisters mourn at his gravesite

 

Sudden plain'd

Fair Phaëthusa, eldest of the three,

Of stiffen'd feet; as on the tomb she strove

To cast her body prone. Lampetie bright,

Rushing in hope to aid, a shooting root

Abruptly held. With lifted hands the third

Her locks to tear attempted; but green leaves

Tore off instead. Now this laments her legs,

Bound with thin bark; that mourns to see her arms

Shoot in long branches. While they wonder thus,

Th' increasing bark their bodies upward veils,

Their breasts, their arms, and hands, with gradual growth:

Their mouths alone remain; which loudly call

Their mother. What a mother could, she did:

What could she do? save, here and there to fly,

Where blind affection dragg'd her; and while yet,

'Twas given to join, join with them mouth to mouth.

Nor this contents; she strives to tear the rind,

Their limbs enwrapping; and the tender boughs

Pluck from their hands: but from the rended spot

The sanguine drops flow swift. Each suffering nymph

Cries,—“Spare me, mother!—spare your wounded child;

“I suffer in the tree.—farewell!—farewell!”—

For as they spoke the rind their mouths inclos'd.

From these new branches tears were dropp'd, and shap'd

By solar heat, bright amber straight compos'd.

Dropt in the lucid stream, the prize was borne

To Latium, and its gayest nymphs adorn'd.