Dialogues of the Sea-gods: (1.1-1.5)

Doris A handsome lover, Galatea, this Sicilian shepherd who they say is so mad for you!

Galatea Don’t be sarcastic, Doris; he is Posidon’s son, after all.

Doris Well, and if he were Zeus’s, and still such a wild shaggy creature, with only one eye (there is nothing uglier than to have only one eye), do you think his birth would improve his beauty?

Galatea Shagginess and wildness, as you call them, are not ugly in a man; and his eye looks very well in the middle of his forehead, and sees just as well as if it were two.

Doris Why, my dear, from your raptures about him one would think it was you that were in love, not he.

Galatea Oh no, I am not in love; but it is too bad, your all running him down as you do. It is my belief you are jealous. Do you remember? we were playing on the shore at the foot of Etna, where the long strip of beach comes between the mountain and the sea; he was feeding his sheep, and spied us from above; yes, but he never so much as glanced at the rest of you; I was the pretty one; he was all eyes—eye, I mean— for me. That is what makes you spiteful, because it showed I was better than you, good enough to be loved, while you were taken no notice of.

Doris Hoity-toity! jealous indeed! because a one-eyed shepherd thinks you pretty! Why, what could he see in you but your white skin? and he only cared for that because it reminded him of cheese and milk; he thinks everything pretty that is like them.

If you want to know any more than that about your

Galatea Well, if I am all white, I have got a lover of some sort; there is not a-shepherd or a sailor or a boatman to care for any of you. Besides, Polyphemus is very musical.

Doris Take care, dear; we heard him singing the other day when he serenaded you. Heavens! one would have taken him for an ass braying. And his lyre! what a thing! A stag’s skull, with its horns for the uprights; he put a bar across, and fastened on the strings without any tuning-pegs! then came the performance, all harsh and out of tune; he shouted something himself, and the lyre played something else, and the love ditty sent us into fits of laughter. Why, Echo, chatterbox that she is, would not answer him; she was ashamed to be caught mimicking such a rough ridiculous song.

Oh, and the pet that your beau brought you in his arms!—a bear cub nearly as shaggy as himself. Now then, Galatea, do you still think we envy you your lover?

Galatea Well, Doris, only show us your own; no doubt he is much handsomer, and sings and plays far better.

Doris Oh, I have not got one; I do not set up to be lovely. But one like the Cyclops—faugh, he might be one of his own goats!—he eats raw meat, they say, and feeds on travellers— one like him, dear, you may keep; I wish you nothing worse than to return his love.