LAMENTING PHILOMEL. 125 



doubt, in the old fable which tells us of the transformation 

 of Philomela, daughter of Pandion, King of Athens, into 

 a nightingale, when Progne, her sister, was changed to a 

 swallow.* 



Hence also the name Philomel, which is often applied 

 by the poets to this bird. 



" Philomel, with melody, 

 Sing your sweet lullaby." 

 Song — Midsummer Night' s "Dream, Act ii. Sc. 2. 



" By this, lamenting Philomel had ended 

 The well-tun'd warble of her nightly sorrow." 



Lucrece. 



" His Philomel must lose her tongue to-day." 



Titus Andronicus, Act ii. Sc. 3. 



The nightingale is again thus designated by Shake- 

 speare in Cymbeline, Act ii. Sc. 2, and elsewhere ; and 

 " the tragic tale of Philomel " is prettily referred to in 

 Titus Andronicus, Act iv. Sc. 1. 



In one, if not more, of his poems he has noticed the odd 

 belief which formerly existed to the effect that the mourn- 

 ful notes of the nightingale are caused by the bird's leaning 

 against a thorn to sing ! 



" Every thing did banish moan, 

 Save the nightingale alone. 



* " Ovid. Metamorph." Book vi. Fab. 6. 



