the means to awaken his comrade, until he finds a clue in the magic
fountain of Geron, husband to old Dipsas, but banished by her wicked
power. With this clue, which is interpreted as requiring the moon to
kiss the sleeper, Eumenides hastens to Cynthia. Meanwhile Tellus,
finding that her beauty has taken Corsites captive, and wishing to be
rid of his attentions, sets him, as a trial of his affection, the
impossible, though apparently easy, task of removing Endymion from the
bank of lunary. Corsites fails, and fairies send him to sleep, dancing
around him with a song and pinching his unresisting body black and blue.
A chance visit of Cynthia and her train fortunately arouses him, but
Endymion still sleeps his forty years of manhood away undisturbed. At
last Eumenides returns with his oracular clue and persuades Cynthia to
attempt the cure. Very graciously the queen kisses the pale forehead. At
once consciousness returns, and as a white-haired old man the once
handsome young courtier arises. He has two dreams to tell (shown in Dumb
Show in an earlier scene) but can offer no explanation of his
bewitchment. Then Bagoa, the servant of Dipsas, betrays the secret of
her mistress's crime. Dipsas and Tellus are summoned before Cynthia, who
now hears for the first time the story of Endymion's devotion to her.
The fact is pleasing. So far from visiting the presumption with
displeasure she bids him love on, not in any hope of marriage, since
that is impossible, but in the assurance of her special favour. With
that she smiles kindly upon him; like mists before the sunrise his white
hairs and wrinkles vanish, his pristine beauty being restored by her
genial condescension. Matters hasten to a close. Tellus is willing to
marry Corsites, Eumenides wins the consent of sharp-tongued Semele to be
his bride, Dipsas and Geron agree to reconciliation, and Bagoa, saved
from the blasting curse of her angry mistress, weds Sir Tophas, the
eccentric and ludicrous knight whose folly is thrust into the play
whenever there is a danger of the main plot becoming tedious.