And as [4861]Lucian, in his images, confesses of himself, that he was at his mistress’s presence void of all sense, immovable, as if he had seen a Gorgon’s head:  which was no such cruel monster (as [4862]Coelius interprets it, lib. 3. cap. 9.), “but the very quintessence of beauty,” some fair creature, as without doubt the poet understood in the first fiction of it, at which the spectators were amazed. [4863]_Miseri quibus intentata nites_, poor wretches are compelled at the very sight of her ravishing looks to run mad, or make away with themselves.

[4864] “They wait the sentence of her scornful eyes;
        And whom she favours lives, the other dies.”

4865]Heliodorus, lib. 1. brings in Thyamis almost besides himself, when he saw Chariclia first, and not daring to look upon her a second time, “for he thought it impossible for any man living to see her and contain himself.”  The very fame of beauty will fetch them to it many miles off (such an attractive power this loadstone hath), and they will seem but short, they will undertake any toil or trouble, [4866]long journeys.  Penia or Atalanta shall not overgo them, through seas, deserts, mountains, and dangerous places, as they did to gaze on Psyche:  “many mortal men came far and near to see that glorious object of her age,” Paris for Helena, Corebus to Troja.

------“Illis Trojam qui forte diebus
Venerat insano Cassandrae insensus amore.”

“who inflamed with a violent passion for Cassandra, happened then to be in Troy.”  King John of France, once prisoner in England, came to visit his old friends again, crossing the seas; but the truth is, his coming was to see the Countess of Salisbury, the nonpareil of those times, and his dear mistress.  That infernal God Pluto came from hell itself, to steal Proserpine; Achilles left all his friends for Polixena’s sake, his enemy’s daughter; and all the [4867]Graecian gods forsook their heavenly mansions for that fair lady, Philo Dioneus daughter’s sake, the paragon of Greece in those days; ea enim venustate fuit, ut eam certatim omnes dii conjugem expeterent:  “for she was of such surpassing beauty, that all the gods contended for her love.” [4868]_Formosa divis imperat puella_.  “The beautiful maid commands the gods.”  They will not only come to see, but as a falcon makes a hungry hawk hover about, follow, give attendance and service, spend goods, lives, and all their fortunes to attain;

       “Were beauty under twenty locks kept fast,
        Yet love breaks through, and picks them all at last.”

When fair [4869]Hero came abroad, the eyes, hearts, and affections of her spectators were still attendant on her.

[4870] “Et medios inter vultus supereminet omnes,
        Perque urbem aspiciunt venientem numinis instar.”

[4871] “So far above the rest fair Hero shined. 
        And stole away the enchanted gazer’s mind.”