Part 20 (2/2)
Whither can wend I now? What hope lends help to the lost one?
Idomenean mounts shall I scale? Ah, parted by whirlpools Widest, yon truculent main where yields it power of pa.s.sage?
Aid of my sire can I crave? Whom I willing abandoned, 180 Treading in tracks of a youth bewrayed with blood of a brother!
Can I console my soul wi' the helpful love of a helpmate Who flies me with pliant oars, flies overbounding the sea-depths?
Nay, an this Coast I quit, this lone isle lends me no roof-tree, Nor aught issue allows begirt by billows of Ocean: 185 Nowhere is path for flight: none hope shows: all things are silent: All be a desolate waste: all makes display of destruction.
Yet never close these eyne in latest languor of dying, Ne'er from my wearied frame go forth slow-ebbing my senses, Ere from the G.o.ds just doom implore I, treason-betrayed, 190 And with my breath supreme firm faith of Celestials invoke I.
Therefore, O ye who 'venge man's deed with penalties direful, Eumenides! aye wont to bind with viperous hair-locks Foreheads,--Oh, deign outspeak fierce wrath from bosom outbreathing, Hither, Oh hither, speed, and lend ye all ear to my grievance, 195 Which now sad I (alas!) outpour from innermost vitals Maugre my will, sans help, blind, fired with furious madness.
And, as indeed all spring from veriest core of my bosom, Suffer ye not the cause of grief and woe to evanish; But wi' the Will wherewith could Theseus leave me in loneness, 200 G.o.ddesses! bid that Will lead him, lead his, to destruction.”
E'en as she thus poured forth these words from anguish of bosom, And for this cruel deed, distracted, sued she for vengeance, Nodded the Ruler of G.o.ds Celestial, matchless of All-might, When at the gest earth-plain and horrid s.p.a.ces of ocean 205 Trembled, and every sphere rockt stars and planets resplendent.
Meanwhile Theseus himself, obscured in blindness of darkness As to his mind, dismiss'd from breast oblivious all things Erewhile enjoined and held hereto in memory constant, Nor for his saddened sire the gladness-signals uphoisting 210 Heralded safe return within sight of the Erechthean harbour.
For 'twas told of yore, when from walls of the Virginal Deess aegeus speeding his son, to the care of breezes committed, Thus with a last embrace to the youth spake words of commandment: ”Son! far nearer my heart (sole thou) than life of the longest, 215 Son, I perforce dismiss to doubtful, dangerous chances, Lately restored to me when eld draws nearest his ending, Sithence such fortune in me, and in thee such boiling of valour Tear thee away from me so loath, whose eyne in their languor Never are sated with sight of my son, all-dearest of figures. 220 Nor will I send thee forth with joy that gladdens my bosom, Nor will I suffer thee show boon signs of favouring Fortune, But fro' my soul I'll first express an issue of sorrow, Soiling my h.o.a.ry hairs with dust and ashes commingled; Then will I hang stained sails fast-made to the wavering yard-arms, 225 So shall our mourning thought and burning torture of spirit Show by the dark sombre-dye of Iberian canvas spread.
But, an grant me the grace Who dwells in Sacred Itone, (And our issue to guard and ward the seats of Erechtheus Sware She) that be thy right besprent with blood of the Man-Bull, 230 Then do thou so-wise act, and stored in memory's heart-core Dwell these mandates of me, no time their traces untracing.
Dip, when first shall arise our hills to gladden thy eye-glance, Down from thine every mast th'ill-omened vestments of mourning, Then let the twisten ropes upheave the whitest of canvas, 235 Wherewith splendid shall gleam the tallest spars of the top-mast, 235b These seeing sans delay with joy exalting my spirit Well shall I wot boon Time sets thee returning before me.”
Such were the mandates which stored at first in memory constant Faded from Theseus' mind like mists, compelled by the whirlwind, Fleet from aerial crests of mountains h.o.a.ry with snow-drifts. 240 But as the sire had sought the citadel's summit for outlook, Wasting his anxious eyes with tear-floods evermore flowing, Forthright e'en as he saw the sail-gear darkened with dye-stain, Headlong himself flung he from the sea-cliff's pinnacled summit Holding his Theseus lost by doom of pitiless Fortune. 245 Thus as he came to the home funest, his roof-tree paternal, Theseus (vaunting the death), what dule to the maiden of Minos Dealt with unminding mind so dree'd he similar dolour.
She too gazing in grief at the kelson vanis.h.i.+ng slowly, Self-wrapt, manifold cares revolved, in spirit perturbed. 250
ON ANOTHER PART OF THE COVERLET.
But fro' the further side came flitting bright-faced Iacchus Girded by Satyr-crew and Nysa-reared Sileni Burning wi' love unto thee (Ariadne!) and greeting thy presence.
Who flocking eager to fray did rave with infuriate spirit, ”Evoe” phrensying loud, with heads at ”Evoe” rolling. 255 Brandisht some of the maids their thyrsi sheathed of spear-point, Some s.n.a.t.c.ht limbs and joints of sturlings rended to pieces, These girt necks and waists with writhing bodies of vipers, Those wi' the gear enwombed in crates dark orgies ordained-- Orgies that ears prophane must vainly l.u.s.t for o'er hearing-- 260 Others with palms on high smote hurried strokes on the cymbal, Or from the polisht bra.s.s woke thin-toned tinkling music, While from the many there boomed and blared hoa.r.s.e blast of the horn-trump, And with its horrid skirl loud shrilled the barbarous bag-pipe, Showing such varied forms, that richly-decorate couch-cloth 265 Folded in strait embrace the bedding drapery-veiled.
This when the Thessalan youths had eyed with eager inspection Fulfilled, place they began to provide for venerate G.o.dheads, Even as Zephyrus' breath, seas couching placid at dawn-tide, Roughens, then stings and spurs the wavelets slantingly fretted-- 270 Rising Aurora the while 'neath Sol the wanderer's threshold-- Tardy at first they flow by the clement breathing of breezes Urged, and echo the sh.o.r.es with soft-toned ripples of laughter, But as the winds wax high so waves wax higher and higher, Flas.h.i.+ng and floating afar to outswim morn's purpurine splendours,-- 275 So did the crowd fare forth, the royal vestibule leaving, And to their house each wight with vaguing paces departed.
After their wending, the first, foremost from Pelion's summit, Chiron came to the front with woodland presents surcharged: Whatso of blooms and flowers bring forth Thessalian uplands 280 Mighty with mountain crests, whate'er of riverine lea flowers Reareth Favonius' air, bud-breeding, tepidly breathing, All in his hands brought he, unseparate in woven garlands, Whereat laughed the house as soothed by pleasure of perfume.
Presently Peneus appears, deserting verdurous Tempe-- 285 Tempe girt by her belts of greenwood ever impending, Left for the Mamonides with frequent dances to wors.h.i.+p-- Nor is he empty of hand, for bears he tallest of beeches Deracinate, and bays with straight boles lofty and stately, Not without nodding plane-tree nor less the flexible sister 290 Fire-slain Phaeton left, and not without cypresses airy.
These in a line wide-broke set he, the Mansion surrounding, So by the soft leaves screened, the porch might flourish in verdure.
Follows hard on his track with active spirit Prometheus, Bearing extenuate sign of penalties suffer'd in bygones. 295 Paid erewhiles what time fast-bound as to every member, Hung he in carkanet slung from the Scythian rock-tor.
Last did the Father of G.o.ds with his sacred spouse and his offspring, Proud from the Heavens proceed, thee leaving (Phoebus) in loneness, Lone wi' thy sister twin who haunteth mountains of Idrus: 300 For that the Virgin spurned as thou the person of Peleus, Nor Thetis' nuptial torch would greet by act of her presence.
When they had leaned their limbs upon snowy benches reposing, Tables largely arranged with various viands were garnisht.
But, ere opened the feast, with infirm gesture their semblance 305 Shaking, the Parcae fell to chaunting veridique verses.
Robed were their tremulous frames all o'er in m.u.f.fle of garments Bright-white, purple of hem enfolding heels in its edges; Snowy the fillets that bound heads aged by many a year-tide, And, as their wont aye was, their hands plied labour unceasing. 310 Each in her left upheld with soft fleece clothed a distaff, Then did the right that drew forth thread with upturn of fingers Gently fas.h.i.+on the yarn which deftly twisted by thumb-ball Speeded the spindle poised by thread-whorl perfect of polish; Thus as the work was wrought, the lengths were trimmed wi' the fore-teeth, 315 While to their thin, dry lips stuck wool-flecks severed by biting, Which at the first outstood from yarn-hanks evenly fine-drawn.
Still at their feet in front soft fleece-flecks white as the snow-flake Lay in the trusty guard of wickers woven in withies.
Always a-carding the wool, with clear-toned voices resounding 320 Told they such lots as these in song divinely directed, Chaunts which none after-time shall 'stablish falsehood-convicted.
1.
O who by virtues great all highmost honours enhancest, Guard of Emathia-land, most famous made by thine offspring, Take what the Sisters deign this gladsome day to disclose thee, 325 Oracles soothfast told,--And ye, by Destiny followed, Speed ye, the well-spun woof out-drawing, speed ye, O Spindles.
2.
Soon to thy sight shall rise, their fond hopes bringing to bridegrooms, Hesperus: soon shall come thy spouse with planet auspicious, Who shall thy mind enbathe with a love that softens the spirit, 330 And as thyself shall prepare for sinking in languorous slumber, Under thy neck robust, soft arms dispreading as pillow.
Speed ye, the well-spun woof out-drawing, speed ye, O Spindles.
3.
Never a house like this such loves as these hath united, Never did love conjoin by such-like covenant lovers, 335 As th'according tie Thetis deigned in concert wi' Peleus.
Speed ye, the well-spun woof out-drawing, speed ye, O Spindles.
4.
Born of yon twain shall come Achilles guiltless of fear-sense, Known by his forceful breast and ne'er by back to the foeman, Who shall at times full oft in doubtful contest of race-course 340 Conquer the fleet-foot doe with slot-tracks smoking and burning.
Speed ye, the well-spun woof out-drawing, speed ye, O Spindles.
5.
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