Part 20 (1/2)

MARRIAGE OF PELEUS AND THETIS.

(Fragment of an Epos.)

Pine-trees gendered whilme upon soaring Peliac summit Swam (as the tale is told) through liquid surges of Neptune Far as the Phasis-flood and frontier-land aeetean; Whenas the youths elect, of Argive vigour the oak-heart, Longing the Golden Fleece of the Colchis-region to harry, 5 Dared in a p.o.o.p swift-paced to span salt seas and their shallows, Sweeping the deep blue seas with sweeps a-carven of fir-wood.

She, that governing G.o.ddess of citadels crowning the cities, Builded herself their car fast-flitting with lightest of breezes, Weaving plants of the pine conjoined in curve of the kelson; 10 Foremost of all to imbue rude Amphitrite with s.h.i.+p-lore.

Soon as her beak had burst through wind-rackt s.p.a.ces of ocean, While th'oar-tortured wave with spumy whiteness was blanching, Surged from the deep abyss and h.o.a.r-capped billows the faces Seaborn, Nereids eyeing the prodigy wonder-smitten. 15 There too mortal orbs through softened spendours regarded Ocean-nymphs who exposed bodies denuded of raiment Bare to the breast upthrust from h.o.a.r froth capping the sea-depths.

Then Thetis Peleus fired (men say) a-sudden with love-lowe, Then Thetis nowise spurned to mate and marry wi' mortal, 20 Then Thetis' Sire himself her yoke with Peleus sanctioned.

Oh, in those happier days now fondly yearned-for, ye heroes Born; (all hail!) of the G.o.ds begotten, and excellent issue Bred by your mothers, all hail! and placid deal me your favour.

Oft wi' the sound of me, in strains and spells I'll invoke you; Thee too by wedding-torch so happily, highly augmented, 25 Peleus, Thessaly's ward, whomunto Jupiter's self deigned Yield of the freest gree his loves though gotten of G.o.dheads.

Thee Thetis, fairest of maids Nereian, vouchsafed to marry?

Thee did Tethys empower to woo and wed with her grandchild; Nor less Ocea.n.u.s, with water compa.s.sing th' Earth-globe? 30 But when ended the term, and wisht-for light of the day-tide Uprose, flocks to the house in concourse mighty convened, Thessaly all, with glad a.s.sembly the Palace fulfilling: Presents afore they bring, and joy in faces declare they.

Scyros desert abides: they quit Phthiotican Tempe, 35 Homesteads of Crannon-town, eke bulwarkt walls of Larissa; Meeting at Pharsalus, and roof Pharsalian seeking.

None will the fields now till; soft wax all necks of the oxen, Never the humble vine is purged by curve of the rake-tooth, Never a pruner's hook thins out the shade of the tree-tufts, 41 Never a bull up-plows broad glebe with bend of the coulter, 40 Over whose point unuse displays the squalor of rust-stain.

But in the homestead's heart, where'er that opulent palace Hides a retreat, all s.h.i.+nes with splendour of gold and of silver.

Ivory blanches the seats, bright gleam the flagons a-table, 45 All of the mansion joys in royal riches and grandeur.

But for the Diva's use bestrewn is the genial bedstead, Hidden in midmost stead, and its polisht framework of Indian Tusk underlies its cloth empurpled by juice of the dye-sh.e.l.l.

This be a figured cloth with forms of manhood primeval 50 Showing by marvel-art the gifts and graces of heroes.

Here upon Dia's strand wave-resonant, ever-regarding Theseus borne from sight outside by fleet of the fleetest, Stands Ariadne with heart full-filled with furies unbated, Nor can her sense as yet believe she 'spies the espied, 55 When like one that awakes new roused from slumber deceptive, Sees she her hapless self lone left on loneliest sandbank: While as the mindless youth with oars disturbeth the shallows, Casts to the windy storms what vows he vainly had vowed.

Him through the sedges afar the sad-eyed maiden of Minos, 60 Likest a Bacchant-girl stone-carven, (O her sorrow!) 'Spies, a-tossing the while on sorest billows of love-care.

Now no more on her blood-hued hair fine fillets retains she, No more now light veil conceals her bosom erst hidden, Now no more smooth zone contains her milky-hued paplets: 65 All gear dropping adown from every part of her person Thrown, lie fronting her feet to the briny wavelets a sea-toy.

But at such now no more of her veil or her fillet a-floating Had she regard: on thee, O Theseus! all of her heart-strength, All of her sprite, her mind, forlorn, were evermore hanging. 70 Ah, sad soul, by grief and grievance driven beside thee, Sowed Erycina first those brambly cares in thy bosom, What while issuing fierce with will enstarkened, Theseus Forth from the bow-bent sh.o.r.e Piraean putting a-seawards Reacht the Gortynian roofs where dwelt th' injurious Monarch. 75 For 'twas told of yore how forced by pestilence cruel, Eke as a blood rite due for th' Androgeonian murthur, Many a chosen youth and the bloom of damsels unmarried Food for the Minotaur, Cecropia was wont to befurnish.

Seeing his narrow walls in such wise vexed with evils, 80 Theseus of freest will for dear-loved Athens his body Offered a victim so that no more to Crete be deported Lives by Cecropia doomed to burials burying nowise; Then with a swifty s.h.i.+p and soft breathed breezes a-stirring, Sought he Minos the Haughty where homed in proudest of Mansions. 85 Him as with yearning glance forthright espied the royal Maiden, whom pure chaste couch aspiring delicate odours Cherisht, in soft embrace of a mother comforted all-whiles, (E'en as the myrtles begot by the flowing floods of Eurotas, Or as the tincts distinct brought forth by breath of the springtide) 90 Never the burning lights of her eyes from gazing upon him Turned she, before fierce flame in all her body conceived she Down in its deepest depths and burning amiddle her marrow.

Ah, with unmitigate heart exciting wretchedmost furies, Thou, Boy sacrosanct! man's grief and gladness commingling, 95 Thou too of Golgos Queen and Lady of leafy Idalium, Whelm'd ye in what manner waves that maiden phantasy-fired, All for a blond-haired youth suspiring many a singulf!

Whiles how dire was the dread she dreed in languis.h.i.+ng heart-strings; How yet more, ever more, with golden splendour she paled! 100 Whenas yearning to mate his might wi' the furious monster Theseus braved his death or sought the prizes of praises.

Then of her gifts to G.o.ds not ingrate, nor profiting naught, Promise with silent lip, addressed she timidly vowing.

For as an oak that shakes on topmost summit of Taurus 105 Its boughs, or cone-growing pine from bole bark resin exuding, Whirlwind of pa.s.sing might that twists the stems with its storm-blasts, Uproots, deracinates, forthright its trunk to the farthest, p.r.o.ne falls, shattering wide what lies in line of its downfall,-- Thus was that wildling flung by Theseus and vanquisht of body, 110 Vainly tossing its horns and goring the wind to no purpose.

Thence with abounding praise returned he, guiding his footsteps, Whiles did a fine drawn thread check steps in wander abounding, Lest when issuing forth of the winding maze labyrinthine Baffled become his track by in.o.bservable error. 115 But for what cause should I, from early subject digressing, Tell of the daughter who the face of her sire unseeing, Eke her sister's embrace nor less her mother's endearments, Who in despair bewept her hapless child that so gladly Chose before every and each the lively wooing of Theseus? 120 Or how borne by the s.h.i.+p to the yeasting sh.o.r.e-line of Dia Came she? or how when bound her eyes in bondage of slumber Left her that chosen mate with mind unmindful departing?

Often (they tell) with heart inflamed by fiery fury Poured she shrilling of shrieks from deepest depths of her bosom; 125 Now she would sadly scale the broken faces of mountains, Whence she might overglance the boundless boiling of billows, Then she would rush to bestem the salt-plain's quivering wavelet And from her ankles bare the dainty garment uplifting, Spake she these words ('tis said) from sorrow's deepest abysses, 130 Whiles from her tear-drencht face outburst cold s.h.i.+vering singulfs.

”Thus fro' my patrial sh.o.r.e, O traitor, hurried to exile, Me on a lonely strand hast left, perfidious Theseus?

Thus wise farest, despite the G.o.dhead of Deities spurned, (Reckless, alas!) to thy home convoying perjury-curses? 135 Naught, then, ever availed that mind of cruelest counsel Alter? No saving grace in thee was evermore ready, That to have pity on me vouchsafed thy pitiless bosom?

Natheless not in past time such were the promises wordy Lavished; nor such hopes to me the hapless were bidden; 140 But the glad married joys, the longed-for pleasures of wedlock.

All now empty and vain, by breath of the breezes bescattered!

Now, let woman no more trust her to man when he sweareth, Ne'er let her hope to find or truth or faith in his pleadings, Who whenas l.u.s.tful thought forelooks to somewhat attaining, 145 Never an oath they fear, shall spare no promise to promise.

Yet no sooner they sate all lewdness and lecherous fancy, Nothing remember of words and reck they naught of fore-swearing.

Certes, thee did I s.n.a.t.c.h from midmost whirlpool of ruin Deadly, and held it cheap loss of a brother to suffer 150 Rather than fail thy need (O false!) at hour the supremest.

Therefor my limbs are doomed to be torn of birds, and of ferals Prey, nor shall upheapt Earth afford a grave to my body.

Say me, what lioness bare thee 'neath lone rock of the desert?

What sea spued thee conceived from out the spume of his surges! 155 What manner Syrt, what ravening Scylla, what vasty Charybdis?

Thou who for sweet life saved such meeds art lief of returning!

If never willed thy breast with me to mate thee in marriage, Hating the savage law decreed by primitive parent, Still of your competence 'twas within your household to home me, 160 Where I might serve as slave in gladsome service familiar, Laving thy snow-white feet in clearest chrystalline waters Or with its purpling gear thy couch in company strewing.

Yet for what cause should I 'plain in vain to the winds that unknow me, (I so beside me with grief!) which ne'er of senses endued 165 Hear not the words sent forth nor aught avail they to answer?

Now be his course well-nigh engaged in midway of ocean, Nor any mortal shape appears in barrens of seawrack.

Thus at the latest hour with insults over-sufficient E'en to my plaints fere Fate begrudges ears that would hear me. 170 Jupiter! Lord of All-might, Oh would in days that are bygone Ne'er had Cecropian p.o.o.ps toucht ground at Gnossian foresh.o.r.e, Nor to th' unconquered Bull that tribute direful conveying Had the false Seaman bound to Cretan island his hawser, Nor had yon evil wight, 'neath shape the softest hard purpose 175 Hiding, enjoyed repose within our mansion beguested!