And cast her fire in either heart, Which wildly loves to never part; And one thing more I beg of thee! If any one enamoured be, And in my aid his love hath placed, Unto his call I'll come in haste. So it came to pass that the fair goddess made love with Endamone as if they had been awake (yet communing in dreams). And so it is tothis day, that whoever would make love with him or her who sleeps, should have recourse to the beautiful Tana, and so doing there will besuccess. This legend, while agreeing in many details with the classical myth,is strangely intermingled with practices of witchcraft, but even these,if investigated, would all prove to be as ancient as the rest of the text. Thus the sheep's intestine - used instead of the red woolen bag which is employed in beneficent magic - the red and black ribbon, which minglesthreads of joy and woe, the (peacock) feather, pepper and salt, occur inmany other incantations, but always to bring evil and cause suffering. I have never seen it observed, but it is true, that KEATS in hisexquisite poem of Endymion completely departs from or ignores the wholespirit and meaning of the ancient myth, while in this rude witch-song itis minutely developed. The conception is that of a beautiful youth furtively kissed in his slumber by Diana of reputed chastity. The ancient myth is, to begin with, one of darkness and light, or dayand night, from which are born the fifty-one (now fifty-two) weeks ofthe year. This is Diana, the night, and Apollo, the sun, or light in another form. It is expressed as love-making during sleep, which, whenit occurs in real life, generally has for active agent someone who, without being absolutely modest, wishes to preserve appearances. The established character of Diana among the Initiated (for whichshe was bitterly reviled by the Fathers of the Church) was that of a beautiful hypocrite who pursued a...
