With Asian elephants: Onward these myriads-with song and dance, With zebras striped, and sleek Arabians' prance, 245 Web-footed alligators, crocodiles, 250 Bearing upon their scaly backs, in files, Plump infant laughers mimicking the coil Of seamen, and stout galley-rowers' toil: With toying oars and silken sails they glide, Nor care for wind and tide. And all his priesthood moans; Before young Bacchus' eye-wink turning pale. Into these regions came I following him, And I have told thee all thou mayest hear. "Young stranger! I've been a ranger 275 In search of pleasure throughout every clime: Alas, 'tis not for me! 280 285 Bewitch'd I sure must be, To lose in grieving all my maiden prime. "Come then, Sorrow! Sweetest Sorrow! Like an own babe I nurse thee on my breast: I ought to leave thee And deceive thee, But now of all the world I love thee best. "There is not one, No, no, not one But thee to comfort a poor lonely maid; Thou art her mother, And her brother, 290 Her playmate, and her wooer in the shade."' 295 300 And listened to the wind that now did stir I cannot choose but kneel here and adore. Alas, I must not think-by Phoebe, no! Let me not think, soft Angel! shall it be so? 305 Say, beautifullest, shall I never think? O thou could'st foster me beyond the brink Of recollection! make my watchful care Close up its bloodshot eyes, nor see despair! Do gently murder half my soul, and I 310 Shall feel the other half so utterly!I'm giddy at that cheek so fair and smooth; O let it blush so ever! let it soothe My madness! let it mantle rosy-warm 1 lower With the tinge of love, panting in safe 355 This is the giddy air, and I must spread Like one repenting in his latest moan; 325 And while it died away a shade pass'd by, As of a thundercloud. When arrows fly Through the thick branches, poor ringdoves sleek forth Their timid necks and tremble; so these both Leant to each other trembling, and sat so 330 Waiting for some destruction-when lo! Wide pinions to keep here; nor do I dread Could I thus sail, and see, and thus await There is a sleepy dusk, an odorous shade From some approaching wonder, and behold Those winged steeds, with snorting nostrils bold 365 Snuff at its faint extreme, and seem to tire, Foot-feather'd Mercury appear'd sublime Towards the ground; but rested not, nor 335 One moment from his home: only the sward He with his wand light touch'd, and heavenward Swifter than sight was gone-even before The teeming earth a sudden witness bore Of his swift magic. Diving swans appear 340 Above the crystal circlings white and clear; And catch the cheated eye in wide surprise, How they can dive in sight and unseen rise So from the turf outsprang two steeds jetblack, Dying to embers from their native fire! There curl'd a purple mist around them; soon, It seem'd as when around the pale new moon Sad Zephyr droops the clouds like weeping willow: 'Twas Sleep slow journeying with head on pillow. For the first time, since he came nigh deadborn From the old womb of night, his cave forlorn Had he left more forlorn; for the first time, He felt aloof the day and morning's 375 Because into his depth Cimmerian Each with large dark-blue wings upon his 380 back. 345 The youth of Caria plac'd the lovely dame High as the eagles. Like two drops of dew 385 390 Those two on winged steeds, with all the 430 She rises crescented!" He looks, 'tis she, He tries the nerve of Phoebus' golden bow, 420 He blows a bugle,-an ethereal band den store In Autumn's sickle, Winter frosty hoar, Join dance with shadowy Hours; while still the blast, 425 In swells unmitigated, still doth last To sway their floating morris." "Whose is this? spring Towards her, and awakes-and, strange, o'erhead, Of those same fragrant exhalations bred, And Phoebe bends towards him crescented. Felt not more tongue-tied than Endymion. Search my most hidden breast! By truth's own tongue, I have no dædale2 heart: why is it wrung 460 To desperation? Is there nought for me, Upon the bourne of bliss, but misery 'i Whose bugle?" he inquires; they smile- 465 "O Dis! Why is this mortal here? Dost thou not know Its mistress' lips? Not thou? These words awoke the stranger of dark tresses: Her dawning love-look rapt Endymion blesses With "havior soft. Sleep yawn'd from underneath. "Thou swan of Ganges, let us no more breathe This murky phantasm! thou contented seem'st Pillow'd in lovely idleness, nor dream'st What horrors may discomfort thee and me. 2 cunning; deceptive 'Tis 1 Icarus. Ah, shouldst thou die from my hearttreachery! 470 Yet did she merely weep-her gentle soul Came it? It does not seem my own, and I Some fearful end must be: where, where By Nemesis, I see my spirit flit 480 Alone about the dark-Forgive me, sweet: Shall we away?" He rous'd the steeds: they beat Their wings chivalrous into the clear air, Leaving old Sleep within his vapory lair. The good-night blush of eve was waning slow, 485 And Vesper, risen star, began to throe In the dusk heavens silverly, when they Thus sprang direct towards the Galaxy. Nor did speed hinder converse soft and strange Eternal oaths and vows they interchange, 490 In such wise, in such temper, so aloof Up in the winds, beneath a starry roof, So witless of their doom, that verily 'Tis well-nigh past man's search their hearts to see; Whether they wept, or laugh'd, or griev'd, or toy'd 495 Most like with joy gone mad, with sorrow cloy'd. Full facing their swift flight, from ebon streak, The moon put forth a little diamond peak, No bigger than an unobserved star, Or tiny point of fairy scimitar; 500 Bright signal that she only stoop'd to tie Her silver sandals, ere deliciously She bow'd into the heavens her timid head. Slowly she rose, as though she would have fled, For, never since thy griefs and woes began. Hast thou felt so content: a grievous feud Hath led thee to this Cave of Quietude Aye, his lull'd soul was there, although upborne With dangerous speed: and so he did not mourn Because he knew not whither he was going. So happy was he, not the aerial blowing Of trumpets at clear parley from the east Could rouse from that fine relish, that high feast. They stung the feather'd horse: with fierce alarm "Who, who from Dian's feast would be For all the golden bowers of the day His first touch of the earth went nigh to kill. 565 Are empty left? Who, who away would be 615 "Alas!" said he, "were I but always From Cynthia's wedding and festivity? borne Through dangerous winds, had but my A path in hell, forever would I bless is dim, Sorrow is but a shadow: now I see The grass; I feel the solid ground-Ah, me! It is thy voice-divinest! Where?-who? Left thee so quiet on this bed of dew? Two fan-like fountains,-thine illuminings 630 Dissolve the frozen purity of air; Let thy white shoulders silvery and bare more bright The Star-Queen's1 crescent on her marriage night: Haste, haste away! Castor has tamed the planet Lion, see! A third is in the race! who is the third The ramping Centaur! Forever: let our fate stop here—a kid The Lion's mane's on end: the Bear how 640 The Centaur's arrow ready seems to pierce When he shall hear the wedding lutes a playing. Andromeda! sweet woman! why delaying They all are going. 1 Diana's. 2 put to shame or confusion To nothing, lov'd a nothing, nothing seen Against all elements, against the tie Of mortals each to each, against the blooms There never liv'd a mortal man, who bent Here will I kneel, for thou redeemed hast 1 Perseus, who rescued Andromeda from the seamonster. |