s: one meditating some deadly injury to another, in ignorance of his


s: the ordinary man, we in our way should follow the example of good


s: the story demands. This, therefore, is not far removed from the


s: At the time when he is constructing his Plots, and engaged on the


s: The Diction viewed as a whole is made up of the following parts:


s: (6) A Verb is a composite significant sound involving the idea of


s: Nouns are of two kinds, either (1) simple, i.e. made up of


s: non-significant parts, like the word ge, or (2) double; in the


s: latter case the word may be made up either of a significant and a


s: _phagedaina he mon sarkas hesthiei podos_


s: Euripides has merely altered the hesthiei here into thoinatai. Or


s: _nun de m' heon holigos te kai outidanos kai haeikos_


s: to be altered by the substitution of the ordinary words into


s: _nun de m' heon mikros te kai hasthenikos kai haeidos_


s: _diphron haeikelion katatheis olingen te trapexan_


s: _diphron moxtheron katatheis mikran te trapexan_


s: Of the kinds of words we have enumerated it may be observed that


s: As for the poetry which merely narrates, or imitates by means of


s: the narrative form of poetry goes beyond all others. The iambic


s: and trochaic, on the other hand, are metres of movement, the one


s: A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing


s: The objections, then, of critics start with faults of five kinds:


s: Will Hector leave me for the fatal plain,


s: Where, fierce with vengeance for Patroclus slain,


s: Who, when thou glid'st amid the dark abodes,


s: To hurl the spear and to revere the gods,


s: Woman and wife beloved--cease thy tears;


s: My soul is nerved--the war-clang in my ears!


s: Troy's bulwark!--fighting for our hearths, to go


s: In death, exulting to the streams below,


s: No more I hear thy martial footsteps fall--


s: Thine arms shall hang, dull trophies, on the wall--


s: Thou goest where slow Cocytus wanders--where


s: Love sinks in Lethe, and the sunless air


s: Longing and thought--yes, all I feel and think


s: Hark, the wild swarm is at the walls!--I hear!


s: Gird on my sword--Beloved one, dry the tear--


s: Angel-fair, Walhalla's charms displaying,


s: Mild his look, as May-day sunbeams straying


s: Like the harp's soft tones together stealing


s: Soul and soul embraced, commingled, blended,


s: Lips and cheeks with trembling passion burned,


s: Heaven and earth, in pristine chaos ended,


s: He is gone--and, ah! with bitter anguish


s: He is gone--in hopeless grief I languish


s: Pauses above the death-still wood--the moon;


s: The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs;


s: Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres!


s: Dark with the pomp of death, and moving slow,


s: Towards that sad lair the pale procession come


s: Where the grave closes on the night below.


s: Crutched on his staff, who trembles tottering by?


s: As wrung from out the shattered heart, one groan


s: Crushed by the iron fate, he seems to gather


s: All life's last strength to stagger to the bier,


s: And hearken--Do these cold lips murmur "Father?"


s: The sharp rain, drizzling through that place of fear,


s: Pierces the bones gnawed fleshless by despair,


s: And the heart's horror stirs the silver hair.


s: Through all that agonizing heart undone--


s: Still on the voiceless lips "my Father" sounds,


s: And still the childless Father murmurs "Son!"


s: Ice-cold--ice-cold, in that white shroud he lies--


s: Thy sweet and golden dreams all vanished there--


s: The sweet and golden name of "Father" dies


s: Into thy curse,--ice-cold--ice-cold--he lies!


s: Dead, what thy life's delight and Eden were!


s: Mild, as when, fresh from the arms of Aurora,


s: While the air like Elysium is smiling above,


s: Steeped in rose-breathing odors, the darling of Flora


s: Wantons over the blooms on his winglets of love.


s: So gay, o'er the meads, went his footsteps in bliss,


s: The silver wave mirrored the smile of his face;


s: Delight, like a flame, kindled up at his kiss,


s: And the heart of the maid was the prey of his chase.


s: Boldly he sprang to the strife of the world,


s: As a deer to the mountain-top carelessly springs;


s: As an eagle whose plumes to the sun are unfurled,


s: Swept his hope round the heaven on its limitless wings.


s: Proud as a war-horse that chafes at the rein,


s: That, kingly, exults in the storm of the brave;


s: That throws to the wind the wild stream of its mane,


s: Strode he forth by the prince and the slave!


s: Life like a spring day, serene and divine,


s: In the star of the morning went by as a trance;


s: His murmurs he drowned in the gold of the wine,


s: And his sorrows were borne on the wave of the dance.


s: Worlds lay concealed in the hopes of his youth!--


s: When once he shall ripen to manhood and fame!


s: Fond father exult!--In the germs of his youth


s: What harvests are destined for manhood and fame!


s: Not to be was that manhood!--The death-bell is knelling,


s: The hinge of the death-vault creaks harsh on the ears--


s: How dismal, O Death, is the place of thy dwelling!


s: Not to be was that manhood!--Flow on, bitter tears!


s: Rise, world upon world, with the perfect to rest;


s: Go--quaff the delight which thy spirit has won,


s: And escape from our grief in the Halls of the Blest.


s: Again (in that thought what a healing is found!)


s: To meet in the Eden to which thou art fled!--


s: Hark, the coffin sinks down with a dull, sullen sound,


s: And the ropes rattle over the sleep of the dead.


s: And we cling to each other!--O Grave, he is thine!


s: The eye tells the woe that is mute to the ears--


s: And we dare to resent what we grudge to resign,


s: Till the heart's sinful murmur is choked in its tears.


s: Pauses above the death-still wood--the moon!


s: The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs:


s: Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres.


s: The dull clods swell into the sullen mound;


s: Earth, one look yet upon the prey we gave!


s: The grave locks up the treasure it has found;


s: Higher and higher swells the sullen mound--


s: Name, my Laura, name the whirl-compelling


s: And as children play around their mother,


s: Checkered circles round the orb to trace.


s: Every rolling star, by thirst tormented,


s: Drinks with joy its bright and golden rain--


s: Drinks refreshment from its fiery chalice,


s: As the limbs are nourished by the brain.


s: 'Tis through Love that atom pairs with atom,


s: And 'tis Love that links the spheres together--


s: Were she but effaced from Nature's clockwork,


s: O'er thy systems thou wouldst weep, great Newton,


s: It would sink in death, and ne'er arise.


s: Were love absent, spring would glad us never;


s: Were love absent, none their God would prize!


s: What is that, which, when my Laura kisses,


s: Dyes my cheek with flames of purple hue,


s: Bids my bosom bound with swifter motion,


s: Like a fever wild my veins runs through?


s: Every nerve from out its barriers rises,


s: O'er its banks, the blood begins to flow;


s: Lo, the eye pours forth its radiance bright!


s: E'en the realms that Evil calls its own?


s: For 'tis Hell our crimes are ever wooing,


s: While they bear a grudge 'gainst Heaven alone!


s: Weave round sin their fearful serpent-coils:


s: While around the eagle-wings of Greatness


s: Treach'rous danger winds its dreaded toils.


s: On her brother, Death, with arms extended,


s: Lust, his sister, oft is wont to spring.


s: Soon Saturnus will his bride discover,--


s: Blazing worlds will turn to marriage torches


s: Then a fairer, far more beauteous morning,


s: Long as their blest bridal-night enduring:--


s: 'Tis for thy strains they worship thee,--


s: Soul-breathing notes with rapturous speed,


s: The strains pour forth their magic might,


s: As glittering suns burst through the night,


s: Now pealing more loudly, as when from yon height


s: Descends the mad mountain-stream, foaming and bright;


s: Now heavier and more mournful seems the strain,


s: As when across the desert, death-like plain,


s: Whence whispers dread and yells despairing rise,


s: Cocytus' sluggish, wailing current sighs.


s: Hark! like the sea in wrath the heavens assailing,


s: Or like a brook through rocky basin wailing,


s: Their faces marks of bitter torture wear,


s: While from their lips burst curses of despair;


s: Seek Cocytus' stream that runs wailing below,


s: For the bridge o'er its waters they languish.


s: And they say to each other in accents of fear,


s: "Oh, when will the time of fulfilment appear?"


s: High over them boundless eternity quivers,


s: And the scythe of Saturnus all-ruthlessly, shivers!


s: Young Loves around thee fan their wings--


s: The poles whirl round with swifter motion,


s: When in the dance, like waves o'er Ocean,


s: Who and what gave to me the wish to woo thee--


s: Still, lip to lip, to cling for aye unto thee?


s: Who made thy glances to my soul the link--


s: Who bade me burn thy very breath to drink--


s: As from the conqueror's unresisted glaive,


s: Flies, without strife subdued, the ready slave--


s: So, when to life's unguarded fort, I see


s: Thy gaze draw near and near triumphantly--


s: Why from its lord doth thus my soul depart?--


s: Or were they brothers in the days of yore,


s: Twin-bound both souls, and in the link they bore


s: Were once our beings blent and intertwining,


s: And therefore still my heart for thine is pining?


s: Knew we the light of some extinguished sun--


s: The joys remote of some bright realm undone,


s: Yes, it is so!--And thou wert bound to me


s: In the dark troubled tablets which enroll


s: The Past--my Muse beheld this blessed scroll--


s: Oh yes, I learned in awe, when gazing there,


s: How once one bright inseparate life we were,


s: How once, one glorious essence as a God,


s: Unmeasured space our chainless footsteps trod--


s: Voluptuous flowed the heavenly Nectar river;


s: We were the master of the seal of things,


s: And where the sunshine bathed Truth's mountain-springs


s: Weep for the godlike life we lost afar--


s: Weep!--thou and I its scattered fragments are;


s: And still the unconquered yearning we retain--


s: Sigh to restore the rapture and the reign,


s: And therefore came to me the wish to woo thee--


s: Still, lip to lip, to cling for aye unto thee;


s: This made thy glances to my soul the link--


s: This made me burn thy very breath to drink--


s: And therefore, as before the conqueror's glaive,


s: Flies, without strife subdued, the ready slave,


s: So, when to life's unguarded fort, I see


s: Thy gaze draw near and near triumphantly--


s: Therefore my soul doth from its lord depart,


s: Because, beloved, its native home thou art;


s: Because the twins recall the links they bore,


s: And soul with soul, in the sweet kiss of yore,


s: Thou, too--Ah, there thy gaze upon me dwells,


s: And thy young blush the tender answer tells;


s: Yes! with the dear relation still we thrill,


s: Both lives--though exiles from the homeward hill--


s: Blest youth to whom those tears are given--


s: The tears that change his earth to heaven;


s: Springs yon clove-pink's fragrant bloom;


s: Death thy bright smiles rends and scatters,


s: Creation ebbs and flows--and worlds arise and merge!


s: Through Nature steers the poet's thought to find


s: No fear but this--one barrier to the mind?


s: But breaks the harp-string with the sound;


s: The spirits I raised against myself conspire!


s: Let--yes, I feel it two short springs away


s: And life's faint spark shall, fleeting from the clay,


s: And weep'st thou, Laura?--be thy tears forbid;


s: Would'st thou my lot, life's dreariest years amid,


s: Protract and doom?--No: sinner, dry thy tears:


s: Would'st thou, whose eyes beheld the eagle wing


s: Of my bold youth through air's dominion spring,


s: Mark my sad age (life's tale of glory done)--


s: Crawl on the sod and tremble in the sun?


s: Hear the dull frozen heart condemn the flame


s: That as from heaven to youth's blithe bosom came;


s: And see the blind eyes loathing turn from all


s: Let me die young!--sweet sinner, dry thy tears!


s: Yes, let the flower be gathered in its bloom!


s: And thou, young genius, with the brows of gloom,


s: Quench thou life's torch, while yet the flame is strong!


s: Even as the curtain falls; while still the scene


s: Most thrills the hearts which have its audience been;


s: As fleet the shadows from the stage--and long


s: When all is o'er, lingers the breathless throng!


s: Hark where the bells toll, chiming, dull and steady,


s: The clock's slow hand hath reached the appointed time.


s: Well, be it so--prepare, my soul is ready,


s: Companions of the grave--the rest for crime!


s: Now take, O world! my last farewell--receiving


s: My parting kisses--in these tears they dwell!


s: Sweet are thy poisons while we taste believing,


s: Now we are quits--heart-poisoner, fare-thee-well!


s: Farewell, ye suns that once to joy invited,


s: Changed for the mould beneath the funeral shade;


s: Farewell, farewell, thou rosy time delighted,


s: Luring to soft desire the careless maid,


s: Pale gossamers of gold, farewell, sweet dreaming


s: Fancies--the children that an Eden bore!


s: Blossoms that died while dawn itself was gleaming,


s: Swanlike the robe which innocence bestowing,


s: Decked with the virgin favors, rosy fair,


s: In the gay time when many a young rose glowing,


s: Blushed through the loose train of the amber hair.


s: Woe, woe! as white the robe that decks me now--


s: The shroud-like robe hell's destined victim wears;


s: Still shall the fillet bind this burning brow--


s: That sable braid the Doomsman's hand prepares!


s: Weep ye, who never fell-for whom, unerring,


s: The soul's white lilies keep their virgin hue,


s: Ye who when thoughts so danger-sweet are stirring,


s: Take the stern strength that Nature gives the few!


s: Woe, for too human was this fond heart's feeling--


s: Feeling!--my sin's avenger  doomed to be;


s: Woe--for the false man's arm around me stealing,


s: Stole the lulled virtue, charmed to sleep, from me.


s: Ah, he perhaps shall, round another sighing


s: (Forgot the serpents stinging at my breast),


s: Pour the warm wish or speed the wanton jest,


s: Or play, perchance, with his new maiden's tresses,


s: Answer the kiss her lip enamored brings,


s: When the dread block the head he cradled presses,


s: And high the blood his kiss once fevered springs.


s: Thee, Francis, Francis , league on league, shall follow


s: The death-dirge of the Lucy once so dear;


s: From yonder steeple dismal, dull, and hollow,


s: Shall knell the warning horror on thy ear.


s: On thy fresh leman's lips when love is dawning,


s: And the lisped music glides from that sweet well--


s: Lo, in that breast a red wound shall be yawning,


s: And, in the midst of rapture, warn of hell!


s: Betrayer, what! thy soul relentless closing


s: To grief--the woman-shame no art can heal--


s: To that small life beneath my heart reposing!


s: Man, man, the wild beast for its young can feel!


s: Proud flew the sails--receding from the land,


s: I watched them waning from the wistful eye,


s: Round the gay maids on Seine's voluptuous strand,


s: Breathes the false incense of his fatal sigh.


s: And there the babe! there, on the mother's bosom,


s: Lulled in its sweet and golden rest it lay,


s: Fresh in life's morning as a rosy blossom,


s: It smiled, poor harmless one, my tears away.


s: Deathlike yet lovely, every feature speaking


s: In such dear calm and beauty to my sadness,


s: And cradled still the mother's heart, in breaking,


s: The softening love and the despairing madness.


s: "Woman, where is my father?" freezing through me,


s: Lisped the mute innocence with thunder-sound;


s: "Woman, where is thy husband?"--called unto me,


s: In every look, word, whisper, busying round!


s: Alas, for thee, there is no father's kiss;--


s: How thou wilt curse our momentary bliss,


s: Thy mother--oh, a hell her heart concealeth,


s: Lone-sitting, lone in social nature's all!


s: Thirsting for that glad fount thy love revealeth,


s: While still thy look the glad fount turns to gall.


s: In every infant cry my soul is hearkening,


s: And all the bitterness of death is darkening


s: The heavenly looks that smiled mine eyes before.


s: Hell, if my sight those looks a moment misses--


s: Hell, when my sight upon those looks is turned--


s: The avenging furies madden in thy kisses,


s: That slept in his what time my lips they burned.


s: Out from their graves his oaths spoke back in thunder!


s: The perjury stalked like murder in the sun--


s: Forever--God!--sense, reason, soul, sunk under--


s: Francis, O Francis! league on league shall chase thee


s: The shadows hurrying grimly on thy flight--


s: Still with their icy arms they shall embrace thee,


s: And mutter thunder in thy dream's delight!


s: Down from the soft stars, in their tranquil glory,


s: Shall look thy dead child with a ghastly stare;


s: That shape shall haunt thee in its cerements gory,


s: And scourge thee back from heaven--its home is there!


s: Lifeless--how lifeless!--see, oh see, before me


s: It lies cold--stiff--O God!--and with that blood


s: I feel, as swoops the dizzy darkness o'er me


s: Mine own life mingled--ebbing in the flood--


s: Hark, at the door they knock--more loud within me--


s: More awful still--its sound the dread heart gave!


s: Gladly I welcome the cold arms that win me--


s: Fire, quench thy tortures in the icy grave!


s: Francis--a God that pardons dwells in heaven--


s: Francis, the sinner--yes--she pardons thee--


s: So let my wrongs unto the earth be given


s: Flame seize the wood!--it burns--it kindles--see!


s: There--there his letters cast--behold are ashes--


s: His vows--the conquering fire consumes them here


s: His kisses--see--see--all are only ashes--


s: All, all--the all that once on earth were dear!


s: Trust not the roses which your youth enjoyeth,


s: Sisters, to man's faith, changeful as the moon!


s: Beauty to me brought guilt--its bloom destroyeth


s: Lo, in the judgment court I curse the boon


s: Tears in the headsman's gaze--what tears?--'tis spoken!


s: Quick, bind mine eyes--all soon shall be forgot--


s: Doomsman--the lily hast thou never broken?


s: Through the world which the Spirit creative and kind


s: First formed out of chaos, I fly like the wind,


s: My anchor cast forth where the breeze blows no more,


s: And Creation's last boundary stands on the shore.


s: For thousands of years to roll on through the skies;


s: For a moment my fugitive gaze wandered on,--


s: I looked round me, and lo!--all those bright stars had flown!


s: Madly yearning to reach the dark kingdom of night.


s: I boldly steer on with the speed of the light;


s: While embryo systems and seas at their source


s: Are whirling around the sun-wanderer's course.


s: When sudden a pilgrim I see drawing near


s: Along the lone path,--"Stay! What seekest thou here?"


s: I sail toward the land where the breeze blows no more,


s: And Creation's last boundary stands on the shore."


s: "Stay, thou sailest in vain! 'Tis INFINITY yonder!"--


s: "'Tis INFINITY, too, where thou, pilgrim, wouldst wander!


s: For 'tis here that sweet phantasy, bold to the last,


s: Her anchor in hopeless dejection must cast!"


s: Sage wisdom laughed,--the prudent elf!--


s: "There runs thy friend to hang himself,--


s: Mournful groans, as when a tempest lowers,


s: Death-notes rise from yonder minster's towers!


s: Gathered in the spring-time of his days,


s: Thrilling yet with pulses strong and clear,


s: With the flame that in his bright eye plays--


s: (Oh, her mournful sigh shows that too well!)


s: Yes! my bosom-friend,--alas my brother!--


s: Storms to brave, with thunderbolts to sport?


s: And, ye hills, that ye the heavens uphold?


s: And, ye heavens, that ye the suns support!


s: Boasts the graybeard, who on haughty deeds


s: As on billows, seeks perfection's height?


s: If the gnawing worms the floweret blast,


s: If the young man's life thus fleets away?


s: And the world, the world was then so sweet!


s: Smiled the future,--with what golden eye


s: While the tear his mother's eye escaped,


s: And the fates his thread began to sever,--


s: Earth and Heaven then vanished from his sight.


s: From the grave-thought shrank he in affright--


s: All thy hopes their circuit cease to run!


s: Sunbeams oft thy native hill still lave,


s: But their glow thou never more canst feel;


s: O'er its flowers the zephyr's pinions wave,


s: O'er thine ear its murmur ne'er can steal;


s: Love will never tinge thine eye with gold,


s: Never wilt thou embrace thy blooming bride,


s: Not e'en though our tears in torrents rolled--


s: Yet 'tis well!--for precious is the rest,


s: There, with rapture sorrow leaves the breast,--


s: As it were with dice, with mankind here,


s: Man now totter on his staggering throne,


s: To these fortune-waves that madly swell,


s: Brother!--to this heaven with devils--fraught,


s: Fare thee well, oh, thou to memory dear,


s: By our blessings lulled to slumbers sweet!


s: Echoing through these corpse-encumbered hills,


s: Till God's storm-wind, bursting through the bounds


s: Placed by death, with life those corpses fills--


s: Graves bring forth, and at His menace dread,


s: Once again the tombs give up their dead!


s: Not in worlds, as dreamed of by the wise,


s: Yet we shall o'ertake thee, and ere long.


s: Is that true which cheered the pilgrim's gloom?


s: True, that virtue guides us o'er the tomb?


s: Dark and silent bearers draw, then, nigh!


s: To the slayer serve the feast the while!


s: Cease, ye mourners, cease your wailing cry!


s: Where's the man who God to tempt presumes?


s: Where the eye that through the gulf can see?


s: Holy, holy, holy art thou, God of tombs!


s: From its crumbling house the spirit fly,


s: Through the green plain they marching came!


s: Measure less spread, like a table dread,


s: For the wild grim dice of the iron game.


s: The looks are bent on the shaking ground,


s: And the heart beats loud with a knelling sound;


s: Swift by the breasts that must bear the brunt,


s: And fettered they stand at the stark command,


s: Hark to the music--the trump and the fife,


s: How they ring through the ranks which they rouse to the strife!


s: Thrilling they sound with their glorious tone,


s: Thrilling they go through the marrow and bone!


s: Brothers, God grant when this life is o'er,


s: In the life to come that we meet once more!


s: See the smoke how the lightning is cleaving asunder!


s: Hark the guns, peal on peal, how they boom in their thunder!


s: "Ready!"--From square to square it goes,


s: And fire comes sharp from the foremost rank.


s: O'er the corpse before springs the hinder man,


s: That the line may not fail to the fearless van,


s: To the right, to the left, and around and around,


s: Death whirls in its dance on the bloody ground.


s: God's sunlight is quenched in the fiery fight,


s: Brothers, God grant when this life is o'er


s: The dead men lie bathed in the weltering blood


s: And the living are blent in the slippery flood,


s: And the feet, as they reeling and sliding go,


s: Stumble still on the corpses that sleep below.


s: "What, Francis!" "Give Charlotte my last farewell."


s: As the dying man murmurs, the thunders swell--


s: "I'll give--Oh God! are their guns so near?


s: Ho! comrades!--yon volley!--look sharp to the rear!--


s: I'll give thy Charlotte thy last farewell,


s: Sleep soft! where death thickest descendeth in rain,


s: The friend thou forsakest thy side shall regain!"


s: Hitherward--thitherward reels the fight,


s: Dark and more darkly day glooms into night--


s: In the life to come that we meet once more!


s: The horsemen press hard on the panting foe,


s: Closed is the brunt of the glorious fight


s: And the day, like a conqueror, bursts on the night,


s: The triumph already sweeps marching in song.


s: Farewell, fallen brothers, though this life be o'er,


s: There's another, in which we shall meet you once more!


s: Rousseau's grave, how dear thou art to me


s: In thy life thou vainly sought'st for rest,


s: But at length 'twas here obtained by thee!


s: When will ancient wounds be covered o'er?


s: Rousseau meets his death through Christians' wile,--


s: Rousseau--who would fain make Christians men!


s: Friend!--the Great Ruler, easily content,


s: Needs not the laws it has laborious been


s: Matter and spirit;--yea, that simple law,


s: This taught the spheres, slaves to one golden rein,


s: Their radiant labyrinths to weave around


s: Creation's mighty hearts: this made the chain,


s: All spirits streaming to the spiritual sun


s: Did not the same strong mainspring urge and guide


s: Our hearts to meet in love's eternal bond?


s: Linked to thine arm, O Raphael, by thy side


s: Our earth, and bid the bright ambition go


s: To that perfection which the angels know!


s: Have out of millions found thee, and embraced;


s: Thou, out of millions, mine!--Let earth and sky


s: Return to darkness, and the antique waste--


s: Still shall each heart unto the other flee!


s: Fairer reflections of all joys most fair?


s: Of lovely earth seem lovelier painted there,


s: And in the bright looks of the friend is given


s: Sadness casts off its load, and gayly goes


s: From the intolerant storm to rest awhile,


s: In love's true heart, sure haven of repose;


s: Does not pain's veriest transports learn to smile


s: From that bright eloquence affection gave


s: To friendly looks?--there, finds not pain a grave?


s: Still to the rocks my dreams a soul should find,


s: Mine arms should wreathe themselves around the stone,


s: My griefs should feel a listener in the wind;


s: My joy--its echo in the caves should be!


s: Fool, if ye will--Fool, for sweet sympathy!


s: We are dead groups of matter when we hate;


s: The gentle fetters yearning, through each state


s: And shade of being multiform, and through


s: All countless spirits (save of all the sire)--


s: Moves, breathes, and blends, the one divine desire.


s: Lo! arm in arm, through every upward grade,


s: From the rude mongrel to the starry Greek,


s: Who the fine link between the mortal made,


s: And heaven's last seraph--everywhere we seek


s: Of love be merged all measure and all time!


s: He felt the want, and therefore souls were made,


s: The blessed mirrors of his bliss!--His eye


s: No equal in His loftiest works surveyed;


s: And from the source whence souls are quickened, He


s: And the bright banquets of the Elysian vale


s: Delight, that breathes and moves forever,


s: Glides through sweet fields like some sweet river!


s: There, fresh with youth, o'er jocund meads,


s: Through gold-woven dreams goes the dance of the hours,


s: In space without bounds swell the soul and its powers,


s: And truth, with no veil, gives her face to the day.


s: And pain is rapture tuned more exquisitely soft.


s: Here the pilgrim reposes the world-weary limb,


s: And forgets in the shadow, cool-breathing and dim,


s: Here the mower, his sickle at rest, by the streams,


s: Lulled with harp-strings, reviews, in the calm of his dreams,


s: Here, he, whose ears drank in the battle roar,


s: Whose banners streamed upon the startled wind


s: A thunder-storm,--before whose thunder tread


s: The mountains trembled,--in soft sleep reclined,


s: By the sweet brook that o'er its pebbly bed


s: In silver plays, and murmurs to the shore,


s: Hears the stern clangor of wild spears no more!


s: Here the true spouse the lost-beloved regains,


s: And on the enamelled couch of summer-plains


s: Mingles sweet kisses with the zephyr's breath.


s: Here, crowned at last, love never knows decay,


s: The air is perfumed with the morning's fresh breeze,


s: From the bush peer the sunbeams all purple and bright,


s: While they gleam through the clefts of the dark-waving trees,


s: And the cloud-crested mountains are golden with light.


s: With joyful, melodious, ravishing, strain,


s: The lark, as he wakens, salutes the glad sun,


s: And blissfully smiling, his race 'gins to run.


s: Pours down its soft warmth over pasture and field;


s: And numberless suns in the dewdrop revealed.


s: How high from yon city the smoke-clouds ascend!


s: Their neighing, and snorting, and bellowing blend


s: As down to the valley they take their mad way;


s: And even the forest where life seems to move,


s: The eagle, and falcon, and hawk soar above,


s: And flutter their pinions, in heaven's bright ray.


s: Arise, then, thou sunlight of morning, and fling


s: O'er plain and o'er forest thy purple-dyed beams!


s: Thou twilight of evening, all noiselessly sing


s: In melody soft to the world as it dreams!


s: Ah, sunlight of morning, to me thou but flingest


s: Thy purple-dyed beams o'er the grave of the past!


s: Ah, twilight of evening, thy strains thou but singest


s: To one whose deep slumbers forever must last!


s: In the gifts of my love she was dressed,


s: Still as fresh is the leaf of each blossom,


s: Go and take, then, the incense they tender;


s: Go, thy charms to the feigner surrender,


s: That has strength yet to strive with the grief


s: To have worshipped the trifler thou art!


s: 'Mid the wrecks of the charms in December,


s: And each spring shall but bid thee remember


s: With hues of bright and godlike splendor


s: Sweet Flora graced your forms so tender,


s: Spring's gentle children, mourn forever,


s: Life, language, hearts and souls divine;


s: The sorrowing springs fled toward the sky,


s: The charms of air, sea, heaven, and earth.


s: The path her footstep treads are filling.


s: And fills, disguised as earth's frail son,


s: In hell were heard, with heavenly sound,


s: While down his cheeks the tears coursed fast


s: Not stars, not sun, not moonbeams sweet,


s: With streams from Nature's lute so fair.


s: Are the sports of our youth so displeasing?


s: And Oh! when the waltz you were wreathing,


s: Sure time with the pulse,--quick or slow


s: As the blood from the heyday retreats,--


s: In the warm blood of mirth now and then,


s: They drew the sword from out the sheath,


s: Now, rascals, quake!--This grieved him sore,


s: Ere long the feud raged fierce and loud,--


s: While joy inspired the youngster proud,--


s: While groans and howlings filled the place


s: The count cheered thus his knights again--


s: JUNO. (Descending from her chariot, enveloped in a cloud.)


s: Upon Cithaeron's cloud-capped summit wait!


s: Hail, hail, thou house of my undying anger!


s: A fearful hail to thee, thou hostile roof,


s: Ye hated walls!--This, this, then, is the place


s: 'Tis here, then, that a woman, a frail mortal,


s: The mighty Thunderer from out mine arms,


s: To humble, alas, each too-haughty emotion


s: That swelled my proud breast, from the foam of the ocean


s: Fair Venus arose, to enchant gods and men!


s: And the Fates my still deeper abasement decreeing,


s: Her offspring Hermione brought into being,


s: And the bliss once mine own can ne'er glad me again!


s: Amongst the gods do I not reign the queen?


s: Groans not the mighty axis of the heavens


s: At my command? Gleams not Olympus' crown


s: Right royally now swells my godlike heart.


s: Unpunished, discord roll amongst the gods,


s: The joyous courts of heaven? Vain, thoughtless one!


s: Perish, and learn upon the Stygian stream


s: The difference 'twixt divine and earthly dust!


s: The giant-armor, may it weigh thee down--


s: Thy passion for a god to atoms crush thee!


s: Armed with revenge, as with a coat of mail,


s: Devising sweet, ensnaring, flattering words;


s: But in those words, death and destruction lurk.


s: Hark! 'tis her footstep! she approaches now--


s: Veil thyself, goddess, in a mortal form!   [Exit.


s: The sun is fast declining! Maidens, haste,


s: Scatter ambrosial fragrance through the hall,


s: Strew roses and narcissus flowers around,


s: Forgetting not the gold-embroidered pillow.


s: He comes not yet--the sun is fast declining--


s: JUNO. (hastily entering in the form of an old woman.)


s: Praised be the deities, my dearest daughter!


s: Ha! Do I dream? Am I awake? Gods! Beroe!


s: Oh, let thy daughter clasp thee to her heart!


s: Thou livest still? What can have brought thee here


s: And wilt remain so, till I drink full deep


s: Will drink oblivion from the waves of Lethe;


s: But Cadmus' daughter ne'er will taste that draught.


s: How, my good nurse? Thy language ne'er was wont


s: The spirit of gray hairs 'tis speaks in thee;


s: Thou sayest I ne'er shall taste of Lethe's draught?


s: Gray hairs? 'Tis true that they, unlike fair tresses,


s: Pardon poor thoughtless me! What cause have I


s: That mine forever fair will grace my neck?


s: But what was that I heard thee muttering


s: 'Tis good for earth's frail children to implore them.


s: The gods are found where thou art--Semele!


s: SEMELE.         Malicious heart! But say


s: What brings thee to this spot from Epidaurus?


s: 'Tis not because the gods delight to dwell


s: What fire was that which mounted to thy cheeks


s: Naught else, my daughter! Fearfully the plague


s: Is deadly poison, every breath destroys;


s: The son his mother burns, his bride the bridegroom;


s: The funeral piles rear up their flaming heads,


s: While howls of anguish ceaseless rend the air;


s: Full to overflowing is the cup of woe!--


s: In anger, Zeus looks down on our poor nation;


s: In vain the victim's blood is shed, in vain


s: Before the altar bows the priest his knee;


s: Deaf is his ear to all our supplications--


s: Therefore my sorrow-stricken country now


s: Has sent me here to Cadmus' regal daughter,


s: Has influence," thus they said, "with Semele,


s: And understand still less what means the saying,


s: That Semele such influence has with Zeus.


s: The plague shall cease to-morrow! Tell them so


s: Zeus loves me! Say so! It shall cease to-day!


s: Ha! Is it true what fame with thousand tongues


s: Has spread abroad from Ida to Mount Haemus?


s: Zeus loves thee? Zeus salutes thee in the glory


s: Wherein the denizens of heaven regard him,


s: When in Saturnia's arms he sinks to rest?


s: Let, O ye gods, my gray hairs now descend


s: To Orcus' shades, for I have lived enough!


s: Comes down to her,--to her, who on this breast


s: In youthful form he came, in lovelier guise


s: Fairer than Hesper, breathing incense dim,--


s: In floods of ether steeped appeared each limb;


s: He moved with graceful and majestic motion,


s: Like silvery billows heaving o'er the ocean,


s: Or as Hyperion, whose bright shoulders ever


s: His bow and arrow bear, and clanging quiver;


s: Danced in the breeze, his voice breathed melody,


s: Like crystal streams with silvery murmur falling,


s: More ravishing than Orpheus' strains enthralling.


s: Raising thy heart to flights of Helicon!


s: Of his bright charms,--Oh, how divine must be


s: His own sweet voice,--his look how heavenly!


s: That proves thy right to beauty's crown.


s: What sayest thou? What are thunder-bolts to me?


s: As is my Zeus--of thunder naught I know.


s: JUNO. (Shrieking.)             Thou swearest?


s: SEMELE. (In alarm.) What meanest thou, Beroe?


s: Repeat the word that dooms thee to become


s: the wretchedest of all on earth's wide face!--


s: Robbed thee of honor, shame, and innocence!--


s: Well mayest thou fall! Ne'er mayest thou rise again!


s: May endless night enshroud thine eyes in darkness,


s: May endless silence round thine ears encamp!


s: Back into Hecate's gloomy arms once more!


s: Finds Cadmus' daughter, after sixteen years


s: Despair I take with me. Alas, my people!


s: E'en to the second Deluge now the plague


s: May rage at will, may pile mount Oeta high


s: All Greece into one mighty charnel-house,


s: I, thou, and Greece, and all, have been betrayed!


s: Perchance 'tis Zeus! although it scarce can be!


s: Perchance 'tis really Zeus! This we must learn!


s: He must disclose himself to thee, or thou


s: The monster to the death-revenge of Thebes.


s: Look up, dear daughter--look upon the face


s: Perchance less wretched, if thou pinest on


s: In mournful doubt?--and if 'tis really he,--


s: SEMELE. (Hiding her face in Juno's lap.)


s: Wouldst thou repent thee then of having tried him?


s: Thou must not let him sink into thine arms.


s: Till he unveils himself--so hearken, child,


s: To what thy faithful nurse now counsels thee,--


s: And will accomplish!--Say! will he soon come?


s: JUNO. (Forgetting herself hastily.) Is't so, indeed?


s: He promised? Ha! To-day? (Recovering herself.) Let him approach,


s: And when he would attempt, inflamed with love,


s: To clasp his arms around thee, then do thou,--


s: Observe me well,--as if by lightning struck,


s: Start back in haste. Ha! picture his surprise!


s: Leave him not long in wonderment, my child;


s: As cold as ice--more wildly, with more ardor


s: He'll press thee then--the coyness of the fair


s: Is but a dam, that for awhile keeps back


s: 'Gainst giants he might stand,--look calmly on


s: When Typheus, hundred-armed, in fury hurled


s: Mount Ossa and Olympus 'gainst his throne:


s: But Zeus is soon subdued by beauty's tears.


s: Thou smilest?--Be it so! Is, then, the scholar


s: Wiser, perchance, than she who teaches her?--


s: Then thou must pray the god one little, little


s: Most innocent request to grant to thee--


s: One that may seal his love and godhead too.


s: He'll swear by Styx. The Styx he must obey!


s: That oath he dares not break! Then speak these words:


s: "Thou shalt not touch this body, till thou comest


s: To Cadmus' daughter clothed in all the might


s: Wherein thou art embraced by Kronos' daughter!"


s: As bugbears paints the horrors of his presence--


s: Describes the flames that round about him roar,


s: The thunder round him rolling when he comes:


s: These, Semele, are naught but empty fears--


s: The gods dislike to show to us frail mortals


s: These the most glorious of their attributes;


s: And Juno's self will gaze on thee with envy.


s: Complains, in the blest moments of our love,


s: Of her tormenting him with her black gall--


s: JUNO. (Aside, furiously, but with embarrassment.)


s: Ha! creature! Thou shalt die for this contempt!


s: My Beroe! What art thou murmuring there?


s: With lovers often passes as black gall--


s: Yet ox-eyes, after all, are not so ugly.


s: Oh, Beroe, for shame! they're quite the worst


s: And then her cheeks of green and yellow hues,


s: Zeus oft complains to me that that same shrew


s: Each night torments him with her nauseous love,


s: And with her jealous whims,--enough, I'm sure,


s: JUNO. (Raving up and down in extreme confusion.)


s: Have I said more than what is true? Said more


s: JUNO.        Thou hast said more, young woman,


s: Than what is true--said more than what is wise!


s: Deem thyself truly blest, if thy blue eyes


s: Smile thee not into Charon's bark too soon!


s: Saturnia has her altars and her temples,


s: And wanders amongst mortals--that great goddess


s: Here let her wander, and give birth to scorn!


s: Zeus must appear to-day in all his glory;


s: If but Kronion's lightning hits the mark!--


s: Yes, Semele, she well may burst with envy


s: When Cadmus' daughter, in the sight of Greece,


s: Ascends in triumph to Olympus' heights!--


s: Thinkest thou they'll hear in Greece of Cadmus' daughter?


s: JUNO. From Sidon to Athens the trumpet of fame


s: Shall ring with no other but Semele's name!


s: The gods from the heavens shall even descend,


s: And before thee their knees in deep homage shall bend,


s: While mortals in silent submission abide


s: The will of the giant-destroyer's loved bride;


s: SEMELE. (Springing up, and falling on her neck.)


s: And when fame on her thousand wings bears it around,


s: The echo from valley and hill shall resound.


s: Quench with my tears the lightning of great Jove,


s: Poor thing! that wilt thou ne'er have power to do. (Meditating.)


s: Ere long will melt . . . yet--yet--she called me ugly!--


s: Fly now, my love! Make haste to leave this spot,


s: That Zeus may not observe thee--Let him wait


s: Long for thy coming, that he with more fire


s: Have chosen thee their mouthpiece! Happy I!


s: The gods from Olympus shall even descend,


s: And before me their knees in deep homage shall bend,


s: While mortals in silent submission abide--


s: But hold!--'tis time for me to haste away!


s: JUNO. (Looking after her with exultation.)


s: His tender looks shall be consuming fire--


s: Are powerless to endure the dreaded presence


s: Of him who wields the thunderbolt on high!


s: Within the arms of him, the fire-distilling,


s: As melts the fleecy snow before the heat


s: Of the bright sun--and when the perjured one


s: In place of his soft tender bride, embraces


s: Shall I gaze downwards from Cithaeron's height,


s: Exclaiming, so that in his hand the bolt


s: Shall quake: "For shame, Saturnius! Fie, for shame!


s: What need is there for thee to clasp so roughly?"


s: ZEUS in the shape of a youth.--MERCURY in the distance.


s: MERCURY. (Kneeling, with his head bowed reverentially.)


s: Thy pinions' flight toward far Scamander's bank!


s: A shepherd there is weeping o'er the grave


s: Of his loved shepherdess. No one shall weep


s: When Zeus is loving: Call the dead to life!


s: Was flying, from my temples curling rose


s: To Ceres, to my sister,--thus speaks Zeus:


s: "Ten-thousandfold for fifty years to come


s: Let her reward the Argive husbandmen!"--


s: With trembling haste I execute thy wrath,--


s: With joyous speed thy messages of grace,


s: 'Tis bliss to make man happy; to destroy him


s: Is anguish to the gods. Thy will be done!


s: Where shall I pour into thine ears their thanks,--


s: Below in dust, or at thy throne on high?


s: Here at my throne on earth--within the palace,


s: To clasp against her rapture-swelling breast?


s: A vacant, deathlike, fearful silence reigns


s: So wont to ring with wild bacchantic shouts--


s: No breath is stirring--on Cithaeron's height


s: Never again make haste to meet her Zeus?


s: Ha! Can yon impious one perchance have dared


s: To set her foot in my love's sanctuary?--


s: Take courage!--I'm thy Zeus! the scattered heavens


s: Shall learn, my Semele, that I'm thy Zeus!


s: Where is the breath of air that dares presume


s: Roughly to blow on her whom Zeus calls His?


s: I scoff at all her malice.--Where art thou,


s: My world-tormented head upon thy breast,--


s: From the wild storm of earthly joys and woes,--


s: My reins, my tiller, and my chariot bright,


s: And live for naught beyond the joys of love!


s: The golden sceptre of the starry skies--


s: What e'en a god, oh love, if reft of thee?


s: The shepherd who, beside the murmuring brooks,


s: Leans on his true love's breast, nor cares to look


s: After his straying lambs, in that sweet hour


s: She comes--she hastens nigh! Pearl of my works,


s: Should be adored. 'Twas I--myself I worship


s: Zeus worships Zeus, for Zeus created thee.


s: Ha! Who will now, in all the being-realm,


s: Condemn me? How unseen, yes, how despised


s: Dwindle away my worlds, my constellations


s: So ray-diffusing, all my dancing systems,


s: What wise men call the music of my spheres!--


s: How dead are all when weighed against a soul!


s: (Semele approaches, without looking up.)


s: My pride! my throne on earth! Oh Semele!


s: (He rushes towards her; she seeks to fly.)


s: Thou flyest?--art mute?--Ha! Semele! thou flyest?


s: Rush to her fall?--Can Semele speak thus?


s: Toward thee are stretched--my bosom never throbbed


s: Throbbed against Leda's breast,--my lips ne'er burned


s: ZEUS. (With displeasure, but tenderly.) My Semele!


s: Will soon demand again the stolen charms


s: That thou hast robbed him of--thou art not Zeus!


s: How, my divine one? Wherefore such a tone?


s: What reptile dares to steal thine heart from me?


s: My heart was vowed to him whose ape thou art!


s: Men ofttimes come beneath a godlike form


s: To snare a woman. Hence! thou art not Zeus!


s: Thou doubtest? What! Can Semele still doubt


s: Of morrow-nothingness shall touch this mouth;


s: This heart is vowed to Zeus! Would thou wert he!


s: ZEUS. Thou weepest? Zeus is here,--weeps Semele?


s: Speak! But command! and then shall slavish nature


s: Lie trembling at the feet of Cadmus' daughter!


s: Command! and streams shall instantly make halt--


s: Shall burst their bonds when I order it so,


s: And dance in the breeze like flakes of snow.


s: Command! and the winds from the east and the north,


s: And the fierce tornado shall sally forth,


s: While Poseidon's trident their power shall own,


s: When they shake to its base his watery throne;


s: The lightning shall gleam through the firmament black


s: While the poles of earth and of heaven shall crack,


s: The ocean the heights of Olympus explore,


s: From thousandfold jaws with wild deafening roar


s: The thunder shall howl, while with mad jubilee


s: The hurricane fierce sings in triumph to thee.


s: How can the artist kneel before his statue?


s: Pygmalion bowed before his masterpiece--


s: Zeus has my heart, gods only can I love,


s: Zeus reigns on high, above the thunderbolts,


s: And, clasped in Juno's arms, a reptile scorns.


s: Ha! Semele and Juno!--which the reptile!


s: How blessed beyond all utterance would be


s: (He extends his hand, and a rainbow fills the hall; music


s: Strong is that mortal's arm whom gods protect,--


s: Saturnius loves thee--none can I e'er love


s: In charity oft lend their strength to man;


s: Ne'er do the deities their terrors lend--


s: Death and destruction is the godhead's seal--


s: Bearer of death to thee were Zeus unveiled!


s: (He extends his hand. Thunder, fire, smoke, and earthquake.


s: Music accompanies the spell here and subsequently.)


s: Withdraw, withdraw thy hand!--Oh, mercy, mercy,


s: For the poor nation! Yes, thou art the child


s: Shall Zeus, to please a woman's stubbornness,


s: Bid planets whirl, and bid the suns stand still?


s: Zeus will do so!--oft has a god's descendant


s: Ripped up the fire-impregnate womb of rocks,


s: And yet his might's confined to Tellus' bounds


s: (He extends his hand--the sun vanishes, and it becomes


s: Couldst thou but love!         [Day reappears.


s: ZEUS.          Ha! Cadmus' daughter asks


s: Is flesh and blood, and dies, and is beloved!


s: To be a man 'mongst men--a sign from thee,


s: Because, though by the Thunderer beloved,


s: And by the dreaded Styx--whose boundless might


s: Binds e'en the gods like slaves--if Zeus deny thee,


s: Then shall the gods, e'en in that self-same moment,


s: Thou swearest--and the Styx has heard thine oath!


s: Let me embrace thee, then, in the same guise


s: Too late! The sound escaped!--The Styx!--'Tis death


s: All heaven I would have given, had I only


s: Loved thee but less! (Gazing at her with cold


s: Has blinded thee! Accursed be my greatness,


s: That must destroy thee! Cursed be I myself


s: For having built my bliss on crumbling dust!


s: These are but empty terrors, Zeus! In truth


s: Of all thy friends beloved--naught, naught has power


s: Think not that thou'lt be able to escape me.  [Exit.


s: No! Juno shall not triumph.--She shall tremble--


s: That makes the earth and makes the heavens my footstool,


s: Upon the sharpest rock in Thracia's land


s: With adamantine chains I'll bind her fast.


s: I bring the fiery, winged, and weeping thanks


s: ZEUS. None shall now be blessed! She dies--


s: The allusion in the original is to the seemingly magical power


s: "Und Empfindung soll mein Richtschwert seyn."  A line of great


s: The youth's name was John Christian Weckherlin.


s: Originally Laura, this having been one of the "Laura-Poems," as


s: She comes, she comes--the burden of the deeps!


s: With clanking chains and a new god, she sweeps,


s: And with a thousand thunders, unto thee!


s: The ocean-castles and the floating hosts--


s: Ne'er on their like looked the wild water!--Well


s: O'er shuddering waves she gathers to thy coasts!


s: The doom of worlds in those dark sails;--


s: Near and more near they sweep! and slumber all the storms!


s: Woe to thy people, of their freedom proud--


s: She rests, a thunder heavy in its cloud!


s: Who, to thy hand the orb and sceptre gave,


s: That thou should'st be the sovereign of the nations?


s: To tyrant kings thou wert thyself the slave,


s: Till freedom dug from law its deep foundations;


s: The mighty Chart the citizens made kings,


s: And thou thyself, upon thy realm of water,


s: Hast thou not rendered millions up to slaughter,


s: When thy ships brought upon their sailing wings


s: What should'st thou thank?--Blush, earth, to hear and feel


s: What should'st thou thank?--Thy genius and thy steel!


s: Thy coming doom the round earth shall appal,


s: And all the hearts of freemen beat for thee,


s: And all free souls their fate in thine foresee--


s: Where streamed the lion-flags of thy proud foe;


s: And near and wider yawned the horrent grave.


s: "And who," saith He, "shall lay mine England low--


s: The rock when man from wrong a refuge needs--


s: The stronghold where the tyrant comes in vain?


s: Who shall bid England vanish from the main?


s: Man's stout defence from power, to fate consigned."


s: Who ruled the world--a world how lovely then!--


s: In the light leading-strings of careless joy!


s: Ah, flourished then your service of delight!


s: How different, oh, how different, in the day


s: When thy sweet fanes with many a wreath were bright,


s: Woven by song, truth's youthful beauty glowed,


s: And life's redundant and rejoicing streams


s: Gave to the soulless, soul--where'r they flowed


s: To lift and link her to the breast of love;


s: A flaming ball to our dull sense is given,


s: In silent glory swept the fields of heaven!


s: And from her urn the gentle Naiad poured


s: Yon stone was mournful Niobe's mute cell,


s: Low through yon sedges pastoral Syrinx breathed,


s: And through those groves wailed the sweet Philomel,


s: The tears of Ceres swelled in yonder rill--


s: Tears shed for Proserpine to Hades borne;


s: Came down, in shepherd-guise, Latona's son


s: Between men, heroes, gods, harmonious then


s: Love wove sweet links and sympathies divine;


s: Stern self-denial, or sharp penance wan!


s: Well might each heart be happy in that day--


s: For gods, the happy ones, were kin to man!


s: No pleasure shamed the gods of that young race;


s: So that the chaste Camoenae favoring were,


s: As rushed the chariots thundering to renown.


s: Fair round the altar where the incense breathed,


s: Moved your melodious dance inspired; and fair


s: Above victorious brows, the garland wreathed


s: And the wild car the exulting panthers bore,


s: Announced the presence of the rapture-bringer--


s: Bounded the Satyr and blithe Faun before;


s: And Maenads, as the frenzy stung the soul,


s: Hymned in their maddening dance, the glorious wine--


s: No ghastly spectre stood--but from the porch


s: Of life, the lip--one kiss inhaled the breath,


s: And the mute graceful genius lowered a torch.


s: The judgment-balance of the realms below,


s: A judge, himself of mortal lineage, held;


s: The shades renewed the pleasures life held dear:


s: The faithful spouse rejoined remembered love,


s: And rushed along the meads the charioteer;


s: There Linus poured the old accustomed strain;


s: Admetus there Alcestis still could greet; his


s: Friend there once more Orestes could regain,


s: That in their strife with labor nerved the brave,


s: The Hebe and the heaven the Thunderer gave.


s: Before the rescued rescuer  of the dead,


s: Bowed down the silent and immortal host;


s: And the twain stars  their guiding lustre shed,


s: Return, thou virgin-bloom on Nature's face;


s: Can we the footstep of sweet fable trace!


s: The meadows mourn for the old hallowing life;


s: Vainly we search the earth of gods bereft;


s: Where once the warm and living shapes were rife,


s: Over the flowers the blast that killed their May;


s: Mourning, I search on yonder starry steeps,


s: And through the woods I call, and o'er the deeps,


s: Blind to the pomp of which she is possessed--


s: Unconscious of the spiritual power that lives


s: Around, and rules her--by our bliss unblessed--


s: Like the dead timepiece, godless nature creeps


s: Her plodding round, and, by the leaden weights,


s: New life, she digs her proper grave to-day;


s: From their own light their fulness and decay.


s: Home to the poet's land the gods are flown,


s: Light use in them that later world discerns,


s: Which, the diviner leading-strings outgrown,


s: The hues they gazed on and the tones they heard;


s: Broods o'er the desolate void, the lifeless word;


s: Yet rescued from time's deluge, still they throng


s: Unseen the Pindus they were wont to cherish:


s: All, that which gains immortal life in song,


s: And yet my short spring gave me only--tears!


s: Once blooms, and only once, life's youthful May;


s: The silent God--O brethren, weep to-day--


s: The silent God hath quenched my torch's ray,


s: Take, then, these joy-credentials back from me!


s: Before Thy throne my mournful cries I vent,


s: With judgment's scales to rule us thou art sent,


s: Here,--say they,--terrors on the bad alight,


s: The bosom's windings thou'lt expose to sight,


s: Here end the meek man's thorny path of strife!


s: A godlike child, whose name was Truth, they said,


s: Known but to few, from whom the many fled,


s: Restrained the ardent bridle of my life.


s: "It shall be thine another life to live,--


s: And gave to her each youthful joy so tender.


s: "Give me the woman precious to thy heart,


s: Beyond the grave will usury pay the smart."--


s: I wept aloud, and from my bleeding heart


s: "The lying one, in league with despots dread,


s: For truth, a phantom palmed on thee instead,


s: Thou'lt be no more, when once this dream has gone!"


s: Shamelessly scoffed the mockers' serpent-band


s: "A dream that but prescription can admit


s: Dost dread? Where now thy God's protecting hand,


s: (The sick world's Saviour with such cunning planned),


s: "What future is't that graves to us reveal?


s: Honored because dark veils its form conceal,


s: Viewed in the hollow mirror of remorse!"


s: "An image false of shapes of living mould,


s: Whom only Hope's sweet balm hath power to hold


s: Within the chambers of the grave so cold,--


s: "For empty hopes,--corruption gives the lie--


s: Didst thou exchange what thou hadst surely done?


s: Six thousand years sped death in silence by,--


s: His corpse from out the grave e'er mounted high,


s: That mention made of the Requiting One?"


s: I saw time fly to reach thy distant shore,


s: A shrivelled corpse behind him evermore,--


s: No dead from out the grave then sought to soar


s: Yet in that Oath divine still trusted I.


s: I throw me now before thy judgment-throne;


s: The many's scorn with boldness I've despised,--


s: Only--thy gifts by me were ever prized,--


s: "With equal love I love each child of mine!"


s: "Two flowers," he cried, "ye mortals, mark the sign,--


s: Two flowers to greet the Searcher wise entwine,--


s: "Who of these flowers plucks one, let him ne'er yearn


s: As earth, this truth!--Abstain, who faith can learn!


s: The world's long story is the world's own doom."


s: "Hope thou hast felt,--thy wages, then, are paid;


s: Thy faith 'twas formed the rapture pledged to thee.


s: Thou might'st have of the wise inquiry made,--


s: The minutes thou neglectest, as they fade,


s: No! I this conflict longer will not wage,


s: The conflict duty claims--the giant task;--


s: The heart's wild fire--this offering do not ask


s: True, I have sworn--a solemn vow have sworn,


s: That I myself will curb the self within;


s: Yet take thy wreath, no more it shall be worn--


s: Take back thy wreath, and leave me free to sin.


s: Rent be the contract I with thee once made;--


s: She loves me, loves me--forfeit be the crown!


s: Blessed he who, lulled in rapture's dreamy shade,


s: Glides, as I glide, the deep fall gladly down.


s: She sees the worm that my youth's bloom decays,


s: She sees my spring-time wasted as it flees;


s: And, marvelling at the rigor that gainsays


s: The heart's sweet impulse, my reward decrees.


s: Could being lavish its unmeasured whole,


s: It ne'er could give a gift to rival thee!


s: Thee--the dear guilt I ever seek to shun,


s: In that last breath--when virtue's self expires!


s: How gracefully, O man, with thy palm-bough,


s: With unlocked senses, with a spirit freed,


s: Of firmness mild,--though silent, rich in deed,


s: Through meekness great, through precepts strong,


s: Through treasures rich, that time had long


s: Hid in thy bosom, and through reason free,--


s: Master of Nature, who thy fetters loves,


s: And who thy strength in thousand conflicts proves,


s: And from the desert soared in pride with thee!


s: Thy youthful heart watched over silently,


s: Each thought that might have stained its purity;


s: That kind one ne'er forget who, as in sport,


s: The secret how each virtue might be gained;


s: Who, to receive him back more perfect still,


s: E'en into strangers' arms her favorite gave--


s: Oh, may'st thou never with degenerate will,


s: With spirits blest thy knowledge thou dost share,


s: What thrilled thee through with trembling blessed,


s: When first was seen by doting reason's ken,


s: When many a thousand years had passed away,


s: A symbol of the fair and great e'en then,


s: Before the childlike mind uncovered lay.


s: Its blessed form bade us honor virtue's cause,--


s: The honest sense 'gainst vice put forth its powers,


s: That slowly bring to light their languid flowers.


s: Around her brow, and who is seen by none


s: Save purest spirits, when, in splendor shrined,


s: While, with the Graces' girdle round her cast,


s: She seems a child, by children understood;


s: For we shall recognize as truth at last,


s: What here as beauty only we have viewed.


s: When the Creator banished from his sight


s: Only by treading reason's arduous road,--


s: When each immortal turned his face away,


s: Took up her dwelling in that house of clay,


s: Around her darling, near the senses' land,


s: Elysium paints with fond deceptive hand.


s: No flame was stirred by bigots' murderous zest,


s: The heart that she in gentle fetters binds,


s: Her path of light, though fairer far it winds,


s: Those who in her chaste service still remain,


s: No grovelling thought can tempt, no fate affright;


s: Freedom's sweet birthright, they receive again,


s: Whose mouths the mighty one's commands convey,


s: Within whose breasts she deigneth to abide;


s: Whose eyes alone her unveiled graces meet,


s: And whom she gathers round in union sweet


s: Ere to the world proportion ye revealed,


s: A boundless structure, in night's veil concealed,


s: Illumed by naught but faint and languid rays,


s: A band of phantoms, struggling ceaselessly,


s: Holding his mind in slavish fetters bound,


s: Thus seemed to man creation in that day!


s: By the blind chains the passions had put on,


s: Whilst Nature's beauteous spirit fled away


s: And, as it hovered o'er with parting ray,


s: The gaze, light-soaring, felt uplifted then,


s: When first the cedar's slender trunk it viewed;


s: And pleasingly the ocean's crystal flood


s: Could ye mistake the look, with beauty fraught,


s: That Nature gave to help ye on your way?


s: The image floating on the billows taught


s: Creative power soon in your breast unfolded;


s: The shadow's form in sand, in clay ye moulded,


s: And made it in the sketch its being leave.


s: The longing thirst for action then awoke,--


s: And from your breast the first creation broke.


s: To blend together 'neath your forming hand.


s: The Hermes stood, the column sprang on high,


s: The reed poured forth the woodland melody,


s: Immortal song on victor's deeds attended.


s: The fairest flowers that decked the earth,


s: Into a nosegay, with wise choice combined,


s: Thus the first art from Nature had its birth;


s: Into a garland then were nosegays twined,


s: And from the works that mortal hands had made,


s: The child of beauty, self-sufficient now,


s: That issued from your hands to perfect day,


s: Loses the chaplet that adorned its brow,


s: The column, yielding to proportion's chains,


s: Must with its sisters join in friendly link,


s: The Muses' harp peals forth its tuneful strains.


s: Even into heroes those who heard his lays.


s: Each brutish barrier soon was set at naught,


s: Humanity first graced the cloudless brow,


s: And the majestic, noble stranger, thought,


s: From out the wondering brain sprang boldly now.


s: His speaking glance the sun's bright light


s: And from the mouth, with spirit teeming o'er,


s: Jest, sweetly linked with grace, began to pour.


s: The longing that, though quenched, still yearned,


s: The wisest's wisdom, and the strongest's vigor,--


s: The meekest's meekness, and the noblest's grace,


s: By you were knit together in one figure,


s: Wreathing a radiant glory round the place.


s: Man at the Unknown's sight must tremble,


s: The prototype of beauty's earliest strain


s: Ye made resound through Nature's wide domain.


s: The doom of death from their wild sound.


s: Long e'er the wise to give a verdict dared,


s: Yet into that world's current so sublime


s: Your symmetry was borne before its time,


s: Then ye with bold and self-sufficient might


s: Led the arch further through the future's night:


s: A blooming Pollux-form appeared now soon,


s: On Castor leaning, and enshrined in light--


s: Ere she has filled her silvery circle bright!


s: Yet higher,--higher still above the earth


s: Creations from creations had their birth,


s: What here alone enchants the ravished sight,


s: The graceful charms that in the nymph unite,


s: The strength with which the wrestler is endowed,


s: The wonder of his time--Jove's image proud--


s: The world, transformed by industry's bold hand,


s: The human heart, by new-born instincts moved,


s: That have in burning fights been fully proved,


s: Advancing man bears on his soaring pinions,


s: In gratitude, art with him in his flight,


s: And out of Nature's now-enriched dominions


s: New worlds of beauty issue forth to light.


s: The barriers upon knowledge are o'erthrown;


s: The spirit that, with pleasure soon matured,


s: To hasten through an artist-whole of graces,


s: Nature's more distant columns duly places.


s: He weighs her now with weights that human are,


s: Metes her with measures that she lent of old;


s: While in her beauty's rites more practised far,


s: She now must let his eye her form behold.


s: With mildness round his path through life;


s: Gentle as beauty's lines together linking,


s: In tender outline in each other sinking,


s: The soft breath of his life thus fleets away.


s: That, rich in rapture, round his senses flows,


s: The shaft that soon against him will be flying


s: Welcome attendants on life's dreary road,


s: The noblest and the dearest far that she,


s: Who gave us life, to bless that life bestowed!


s: That unyoked man his duties bears in mind,


s: And loves the fetters that his motions bind,


s: That Chance with brazen sceptre rules him not,--


s: Your heart has won a bright reward for this.


s: The beauteous dream its fragrance throws,


s: Who round necessity the graces trains,--


s: Who bids his ether and his starry plains


s: Who, 'mid his terrors, by his majesty gives joy,


s: And who is beauteous e'en when seeking to destroy,--


s: Thus gleams, life's barren pathway over,


s: When, vanquished by Time's silent flight,


s: Twice, from the seeds that ye had strewed.


s: When chased by fierce barbarian hordes away,


s: From Orient's altars, now pollution's prey,


s: And to these western lands in safety bore.


s: The youthful day, the West her dwelling made;


s: And on Hesperia's plains sprang up once more


s: Ionia's flowers, in pristine bloom arrayed.


s: With soft refulgence, a reflection bright,


s: And through the graceful soul with stately tread


s: Millions of chains were burst asunder then,


s: And to the slave then human laws applied,


s: And mildly rose the younger race of men,


s: As brethren, gently wandering side by side,


s: If on the paths of thought, so freely given,


s: The searcher now with daring fortune stands,


s: And, by triumphant Paeans onward driven,


s: Would seize upon the crown with dauntless hands--


s: Art near the throne his dream supplied--


s: The art creative, that all-modestly arose


s: From clay and stone, with silent triumph throws


s: Its arms around the spirit's vast domain.


s: What in the land of knowledge the discoverer knows,


s: The treasures that the thinker has amassed,


s: Soon as his knowledge, beauty-ripe at last.


s: Soon as with you he scales a mountain-height,


s: And there, illumined by the setting sun,


s: The smiling valley bursts upon his sight.


s: The wider thoughts and feelings open lie


s: To beauty's richer, more majestic stream,--


s: The fair members of the world's vast scheme,


s: That, maimed, disgrace on his creation bring,


s: He sees the lofty forms then perfecting--


s: The fairer riddles come from out the night--


s: The richer is the world his arms enclose,


s: The broader stream the sea with which he flows--


s: The weaker, too, is destiny's blind might--


s: The smaller he himself, the greater grows his love.


s: Thus is he led, in still and hidden race,


s: By poetry, who strews his path with flowers,


s: Through ever-purer forms, and purer powers,


s: Through ever higher heights, and fairer grace.


s: At length, arrived at the ripe goal of time,--


s: And--he will glide into the arms of truth!


s: When the sage mentor who his youth beguiled;


s: Herself transfigured as Jove's glorious child!


s: It sinks with you! with you it will expand!


s: More dread, when veiled her charms appear,


s: And vengeance take, with strains victorious,


s: Thou weep'st because thy spouse has flown


s: Sail to the Baltic--there you'll find her;


s: Lounge on the Boulevards--kind and kinder:


s: To all whose praise can glory lend her;--


s: And brave--nay, court it as a flattery--


s: Whate'er they cost, they well requite her--


s: 'Twere worth my life to spare her slumber;


s: (Sweet eyes!) fall straight--on the Review!


s: While those cursed columns are inspected;


s: Claims from her couch the restless fair;


s: Now roll the coach-wheels to the muster--


s: The English Lord, who don't know German,--


s: While every fop with flattery fires her,


s: Swears with what passion he admires her.--


s: Lord bless your soul, the worst's to come:--


s: And hope--the rogue will stay to dinner!


s: And now to wash these learned throttles,


s: The fate which legends more than hint;--


s: That such a pearl should fall to swine--


s: Spring comes;--behold, sweet mead and lea


s: Nature's green splendor tapestries o'er;


s: Fresh blooms the flower, and buds the tree;


s: Larks sing--the woodland wakes once more.


s: And, oh! how dull the grove's soft shade,


s: Where once--(as lovers then)--we strayed!


s: Dull creatures--how can they inspire her?


s: Well turned)--there may be worse in Martial!


s: But, hark! the goddess stoops to reason:--


s: But Carlsbad's quite the rage this year!"


s: Those pleasant spas--our reigning passion--


s: Where learned Dons meet folks of fashion;


s: Pearls in that string--the table d'hote!


s: To heal their wounds or to efface, them;


s: A course of flirting,--just to brace them!


s: Compared with mine--thou need'st must see!)


s: And leaves the orphans (seven!!!) to me!


s: Eyes whence--sweet words--"I love thee!" broke!


s: More wide, and widening more, were given


s: She leaves that throne, her sex, to crawl,


s: Sweet friend, the world, like some fair infant blessed,


s: Radiant with sportive grace, around thee plays;


s: Yet 'tis not as depicted in thy breast--


s: Not as within thy soul's fair glass, its rays


s: That my heart's nobleness hath won for thee,


s: The charms thy being to this life first lent,--


s: To it, mere charms to reckon thou'rt content,


s: The witchery sweet of ne'er-polluted youth,


s: Him I would see, who these to scorn can dare!


s: The blooming flowers that round thy path are strown,--


s: The glad, whom thou hast made so evermore,--


s: The souls that thou hast conquered for thine own.


s: Hurl thee despairing from thy dream's proud flight!


s: Like the fair flowerets that thy beds perfume,


s: Observe them, but ne'er touch them as they bloom,--


s: Plant them, but only for the distant sight.


s: In faded beauty at thy feet they'll lie,


s: The nearer thee, the nearer their long night!


s: Hercules who recovered from the Shades Alcestis, after she had


s: Carlyle's Miscellanies, vol. iii, p. 47.


s: Literally "Nierensteiner,"--a wine not much known in England,


s: Verses written in the Album of a Learned Friend


s: I see her still--by her fair train surrounded,


s: The fairest of them all, she took her place;


s: Afar I stood, by her bright charms confounded,


s: For, oh! they dazzled with their heavenly grace.


s: With awe my soul was filled--with bliss unbounded,


s: While gazing on her softly radiant face;


s: But soon, as if up-borne on wings of fire,


s: My fingers 'gan to sweep the sounding lyre.


s: The thoughts that rushed across me in that hour,


s: The words I sang, I'd fain once more invoke;


s: My soul, long time enchained in sloth's dull bower,


s: Through all its fetters now triumphant broke,


s: And brought to light unknown, harmonious numbers,


s: Which in its deepest depths, had lived in slumbers.


s: And when the chords had ceased their gentle sighing,


s: And when my soul rejoined its mortal frame,


s: I looked upon her face and saw love vieing,


s: In every feature, with her maiden shame.


s: And soon my ravished heart seemed heavenward flying,


s: When her soft whisper o'er my senses came.


s: The blissful seraphs' choral strains alone


s: Can glad mine ear again with that sweet tone,


s: Of that fond heart, which, pining silently,


s: Ne'er ventures to express its feelings lowly,


s: The real and modest worth is known to me--


s: 'Gainst cruel fate I'll guard its cause so holy.


s: Most blest of all, the meek one's lot shall be--


s: Love's flowers by love's own hand are gathered solely--


s: The fairest prize to that fond heart is due,


s: That feels it, and that beats responsive, too!


s: She sought to breathe one word, but vainly;


s: 'Tis thus that man, with toil ne'er ending


s: How true love fills with bliss our hearts


s: Thou ne'er wilt from the world obtain it--


s: Thou needs must strain each nerve to gain it,


s: The hours of night and stillness loving,


s: Thou gentle stream, soft circlets weaving,


s: No--'twas the wind that, whirring, rose,


s: Adorn thyself, thou green leaf-bowering roof,


s: Destined the bright one's presence to receive,


s: With holy night, thy boughs familiar weave.


s: And ye sweet flatteries of the delicate air,


s: When their light weight the tender feet shall bear,


s: When beauty comes to passion's trysting-ground.


s: Day, quench thy torch! come, ghostlike, from on high,


s: With thy loved silence, come, thou haunting Eve,


s: Which lulled boughs mysterious round us weave.


s: For love's delight, enduring listeners none,


s: The froward witness of the light will flee;


s: Down-glancing may our sweet familiar be!


s: Soft to my ear there comes a music-flow;


s: In gleesome murmur glides the waterfall;


s: To zephyr's kiss the flowers are bending low;


s: Through life goes joy, exchanging joy with all.


s: Tempt to the touch the grapes--the blushing fruit,


s: Voluptuous swelling from the leaves that bide;


s: And, drinking fever from my cheek, the mute


s: No,--'twas the fruit slid from the bough,


s: Day's lustrous eyes grow heavy in sweet death,


s: And pale and paler wane his jocund hues,


s: The flowers too gentle for his glowing breath,


s: Ope their frank beauty to the twilight dews.


s: The bright face of the moon is still and lone,


s: Melts in vast masses the world silently;


s: Slides from each charm the slowly-loosening zone;


s: And round all beauty, veilless, roves the eye.


s: O, longing heart, no more delight-upbuoyed


s: The arms that would embrace her clasp the void


s: This feverish breast no phantom-bliss can cool,


s: O, waft her here, the true, the living one!


s: Let but my hand her hand, the tender, feel--


s: So into life the idle dream shall steal!


s: As glide from heaven, when least we ween,


s: Oh! thou bright-beaming god, the plains are thirsting,


s: Thirsting for freshening dew, and man is pining;


s: Seest thou her who, from ocean's crystal billows,


s: Lovingly nods and smiles?--Thy heart must know her!


s: Swiftly from out his flaming chariot leaping,


s: Into her arms he springs,--the reins takes Cupid,--


s: Now from the heavens with gentle step descending,


s: Balmy night appears, by sweet love followed;


s: And wilt thou, faithless one, then, leave me,


s: With all the thoughts that joy or grieve me,


s: The offspring of my dream hath perished,


s: Till the cold marble's cheeks were burning,


s: Though mute, her tale she soon could tell,


s: Then living seemed each tree, each flower,


s: In deed, word, shape, and sound as well.


s: This world, how wondrous great I deemed it,


s: The youth life's mazy path first pressed--


s: How danced they round life's radiant car!


s: Soft love was there, her guerdon bearing,


s: Impatience of their task came o'er them,


s: Then Wisdom's thirst remained unstilled,


s: While heavy storms of doubt were beating


s: Of all that train, so bright with gladness,


s: Thou, Friendship, of all guides the fairest,


s: And ne'er destroys, though slow she forms;


s: Who, though but grains of sand she places


s: "Come forth, fair friend, come forth below,


s: Clear glides the brook in silver rolled,


s: To the solemn abyss leads the terrible path,


s: The life and death winding dizzy between;


s: In thy desolate way, grim with menace and wrath,


s: To daunt thee the spectres of giants are seen;


s: That thou wake not the wild one , all silently tread--


s: Let thy lip breathe no breath in the pathway of dread!


s: High over the marge of the horrible deep


s: Hangs and hovers a bridge with its phantom-like span,


s: Not by man was it built, o'er the vastness to sweep;


s: Such thought never came to the daring of man!


s: The stream roars beneath--late and early it raves--


s: But the bridge, which it threatens, is safe from the waves.


s: Black-yawning a portal, thy soul to affright,


s: Like the gate to the kingdom, the fiend for the king--


s: Yet beyond it there smiles but a land of delight,


s: Where the autumn in marriage is met with the spring.


s: From a lot which the care and the trouble assail,


s: Could I fly to the bliss of that balm-breathing vale!


s: Through that field, from a fount ever hidden their birth,


s: Four rivers in tumult rush roaringly forth;


s: They fly to the fourfold divisions of earth--


s: The sunrise, the sunset, the south, and the north.


s: And, true to the mystical mother that bore,


s: Forth they rush to their goal, and are lost evermore.


s: Of the ether, the mount in twin summits is riven;


s: There, veiled in the gold-woven webs of the dew,


s: Moves the dance of the clouds--the pale daughters of heaven!


s: There, in solitude, circles their mystical maze,


s: Where no witness can hearken, no earthborn surveys.


s: August on a throne which no ages can move,


s: Sits a queen, in her beauty serene and sublime,


s: The glory of brows, never darkened by time,


s: His arrows of light on that form shoots the sun--


s: And he gilds them with all, but he warms them with none!


s: Than comes up fair Eros, the laugh-loving boy,


s: Pour out to me--pour the full life that ye live!


s: What to ye, O ye gods! can the mortal one give?


s: Steep his eyes--steep his eyes in the bath of the dew,


s: Let him dream, while the Styx is concealed from his view,


s: The goblet is sparkling with purpled-tinged wine,


s: When into the hall comes the Minstrel divine,


s: For when from Elysium is absent the lyre,


s: No joy can the banquet of nectar inspire.


s: He is blessed by the gods, with an intellect clear,


s: He has seen all that ever has taken place here,


s: He sat in the god's secret councils of old


s: And heard the command for each thing to unfold.


s: He opens in splendor, with gladness and mirth,


s: Adorns as a temple the dwelling of earth,


s: That the Muse has bestowed as his prize,


s: But he with divinities bids it o'erflow.


s: And as the inventive descendant of Zeus,


s: With knowledge divine could, reflected, produce


s: Earth, sea, and the star's shining field,--


s: So he, on the moments, as onward they roll,


s: The image can stamp of the infinite whole.


s: From the earliest age of the world he has come,


s: A wanderer glad, he has still found a home


s: Four ages of man in his lifetime have died,


s: And the place they once held by the fifth is supplied.


s: Saturnus first governed, with fatherly smile,


s: Then flourished the shepherds, a race without guile


s: They loved,--and no other employment they had,


s: And earth gave her treasures with willingness glad.


s: Then labor came next, and the conflict began


s: And the weak sought the aid of the strong.


s: And strife o'er the field of Scamander now reigned,


s: But beauty the god of the world still remained.


s: At length from the conflict bright victory sprang,


s: The age that acknowledged sweet phantasy's sway


s: The gods from their seats in the heavens were hurled,


s: And the Son of the Virgin appeared in the world


s: The fugitive lusts of the sense were suppressed,


s: And man now first grappled with thought in his breast.


s: Each vain and voluptuous charm vanished now,


s: The monk and the nun made of penance a vow,


s: And the tourney was sought by the knight.


s: Though the aspect of life was now dreary and wild,


s: Yet love remained ever both lovely and mild.


s: An altar of holiness, free from all stain,


s: And all that was noble and worthy, again


s: The bright flame of song was soon kindled anew


s: By the minstrel's soft lays, and his love pure and true.


s: And so, in a gentle and ne'er-changing band,


s: They weave and they fashion, with hand joined to hand,


s: When love blends with music, in unison sweet,


s: The lustre of life's youthful days ne'er can fleet.


s: The billows are breaking with might, with might,


s: And she sighs aloud in the darkling night,


s: I have tasted the fulness of bliss below


s: I have lived, I have loved,--Thy child, oh take now,


s: Yet if aught can pour comfort and balm in thy heart,


s: Now that love its sweet pleasures no more can impart,


s: Speak thy wish, and thou granted shalt find it!"


s: Yet no balm is so sweet to the desolate heart,


s: When love its soft pleasures no more can impart,


s: As the torments that love leaves behind it!"


s: Yes, my friends!--that happier times have been


s: Countless stones in witness forth would come


s: Brighter zones, my friends, no doubt excel


s: This, the land wherein we're doomed to dwell,


s: Yet the vine, to crown us, year by year,


s: Where four worlds their wealth to barter seek,


s: On the world's great market, Thames' broad stream;


s: Ships in thousands go there and depart--


s: There are seen the costliest works of art,


s: And the earth-god, Mammon, reigns supreme


s: Far more blessed than we, in northern states


s: Beauty's glorious charms around him lie,


s: Mounts St. Peter's proud and wondrous dome.


s: But, with all the charms that splendor grants,


s: Life but smiles upon the blooming plants


s: But beneath the sun there's naught that's new;


s: Pass before us on the world's wide stage


s: What has happened nowhere,--happened never,--


s: Sweet suns green hills are shining o'er;


s: Sighs, "Lo! thy flowers come back to thee--


s: The realms where midnight wraps the dead,


s: Can share at least their children's doom;


s: Where sits the dark king's joyless bride,


s: I see her eyes, that search through tears,


s: Yet half with life they share the beams;


s: Yet spring sends forth their tender blooms


s: To your sweet cups the heaven shall yield


s: Steeped in the light's resplendent streams,


s: Shall trim your blooms as with the beams


s: Wreathe in a garland the corn's golden ear!


s: Rapture must render each glance bright and clear,


s: For the great queen is approaching her shrine,--


s: She who compels lawless passions to cease,


s: Who to link man with his fellow has come,


s: Changed the rude tents' ever-wandering home.


s: Soon at the feet of their mistress are kneeling,


s: Filled with emotion, the rapturous throng;


s: Melt their rude spirits, untutored and strong.


s: Each bloody weapon behind them they leave,


s: Rays on their senses beclouded soon shine,


s: And from the mouth of the queen they receive,


s: She who our homesteads so blissful has given,


s: She who has man to his fellow-man bound:


s: Let our glad numbers extol then to heaven,


s: Her who the earth's kindly mother is found!


s: While to these words the king gave vent,


s: Thou well may'st crown thy festive hair!"


s: Thy fleet with doubtful fate swims now--


s: The guest then speaks with startled mind:


s: The Cretan hordes, well skilled, in arms,


s: "Wouldst thou from sorrow, then, be free.


s: "Lord, I this fish just now have caught,


s: I've found, great lord, thy ring of gold!


s: The gods have willed that thou shouldst die:


s: Both pray for some kind sheltering place;--


s: When, lo! the cranes' wings rustle past.


s: He speaks, and dies, too, with the word.


s: But where's the trace that from the throng


s: Perchance, with shameless step and proud,


s: On close-packed benches sit they there,--


s: The torch, that with a dull red glows,--


s: While in their cheek no life-blood flows;


s: Sense-robbing, of heart-maddening power,


s: That reads the bosom's depths full well,


s: What mean those words that from him went?


s: What means this cranes' advancing band?"


s: Through every heart, with speed of light--


s: When neath the vengeance-stroke they fall.


s: Play on thy mother's bosom, babe, for in that holy isle


s: The error cannot find thee yet, the grieving, nor the guile;


s: Held in thy mother's arms above life's dark and troubled wave,


s: Thou lookest with thy fearless smile upon the floating grave.


s: Play, loveliest innocence!--Thee yet Arcadia circles round,


s: A charmed power for thee has set the lists of fairy ground;


s: Each gleesome impulse Nature now can sanction and befriend,


s: Nor to that willing heart as yet the duty and the end.


s: Play, for the haggard labor soon will come to seize its prey.


s: Alas! when duty grows thy law, enjoyment fades away!


s: Frown through the sunlight's liquid gold,


s: Oh, safely thrown from strand to strand,


s: That love, which could the labyrinth pierce--


s: Which nerves the weak, and curbs the fierce,


s: Bowed--tame beneath young Jason's hand--


s: Still when the day, with fainter glimmer,


s: Wanes pale--he leaps, the daring swimmer,


s: The leaves that withering droop and fall,


s: That watch the sun-steeds down the skies,


s: Nor bridge may span, nor boat may glide,


s: How stirred the waves she wandered o'er,


s: And still she smooths thine angry tides,


s: Tames thy wild heart, and favoring guides


s: Hark! sounds moan threatening from afar--


s: From heaven the blessed stars are gone--


s: The stoutest ship the storms have proved,


s: "Ah, still that heart, which oft has braved


s: That naught but death should bar return,


s: Your might is here, your rights ye claim--


s: Roused from his throne beneath the waste,


s: Pleased with his prey, he glides along--


s: Through the streets, with frantic measure,


s: The grim king marked his changeless cheek:


s: "What wouldst thou with thy poniard? Speak!"


s: The tyrant mused,--and smiled,--and said


s: Thy guilt atoned, my wrath shall cease."


s: He sought his friend--"The king's decree


s: And back, with anxious heart unquailing,


s: Down from the hills the torrents rushed,


s: In one broad stream the brooklets gushed.


s: No boat will leave the sheltering strand,


s: Then raised his arms to Jove, and cried,


s: My friend's last anguish--slain for me!"


s: More fierce it runs, more broad it flows,


s: "What," cried he, pale with generous fear;


s: He snatched the club from him most near:


s: And thrice he smote, and thrice his blows


s: "Thou hast saved me from the robbers' hand,


s: Through wild floods given the blessed land;


s: And the sweet waves his strength restore.


s: Through the green boughs the sun gleams dying,


s: "Now--now the cross has claimed its prey!"


s: "Back--thou canst aid thy friend no more,


s: Steal from that faith one thought confiding!"


s: "Too late! what horror hast thou spoken!


s: No boast the tyrant's scorn shall make--


s: His friend is bound the cross unto. . . .


s: Crowd--guards--all bursts he breathless through:


s: His breast man's heart at last hath known,


s: And the friends stand before his throne.


s: Truth is no dream!--its power is strong.


s: Scarce has the fever so chilly of Gallomania departed,


s: When a more burning attack in Grecomania breaks out.


s: "What knight or what vassal will be so bold


s: See! I hurl in its depths a goblet of gold,


s: The man who can bring back the goblet to me,


s: May keep it henceforward,--his own it shall be."


s: Thus speaks the king, and he hurls from the height


s: Hang over the boundless sea, with strong might,


s: "And who'll be so daring,--I ask it once more,--


s: As to plunge in these billows that wildly roar?"


s: And the vassals and knights of high degree


s: And none will attempt the goblet to gain.


s: And a third time the question is asked by the king:


s: "Is there none that will dare in the gulf now to spring?"


s: Steps out of the timorous squirely band,


s: And his girdle and mantle soon throws aside,


s: And all the knights, and the ladies too,


s: The noble stripling with wonderment view.


s: And when he draws nigh to the rocky brow,


s: The waters that she had swallowed but now,


s: And, with the distant thunder's dull sound.


s: From her gloomy womb they all-foaming rebound.


s: And it boils and it roars, and it hisses and seethes,


s: To the sky spurts the foam in steam-laden wreaths,


s: And wave presses hard upon wave without end.


s: As if striving to bring forth another sea.


s: But at length the wild tumult seems pacified,


s: As if leading down to the depths of hell:


s: And the howling billows are seen by each eye


s: Down the whirling funnel all madly to fly.


s: Then quickly, before the breakers rebound,


s: And--a scream of horror is heard around,--


s: And now by the whirlpool away he is driven,


s: Close the jaws, and he vanishes 'neath the dark wave.


s: O'er the watery gulf dread silence now lies,


s: And from mouth to mouth thus trembling it flies:


s: "Courageous stripling, oh, fare thee well!"


s: And duller and duller the howls recommence,


s: While they pause in anxious and fearful suspense.


s: "If even thy crown in the gulf thou shouldst fling,


s: And shouldst say, 'He who brings it to me


s: Shall wear it henceforward, and be the king,'


s: Thou couldst tempt me not e'en with that precious foe;


s: What under the howling deep is concealed


s: Full many a ship, by the whirlpool held fast,


s: Shoots straightway beneath the mad wave,


s: And, dashed to pieces, the hull and the mast


s: And the roaring approaches still nearer and nearer,


s: Like the howl of the tempest, still clearer and clearer.


s: And it boils and it roars, and it hisses and seethes,


s: To the sky spurts the foam in steam-laden wreaths,


s: And wave passes hard upon wave without end.


s: And, with the distant thunder's dull sound,


s: From the ocean-womb they all-bellowing bound.


s: And an arm and a glistening neck are descried,


s: With might and with active zeal steering on;


s: And 'tis he, and behold! his left hand on high


s: Waves the goblet, while beaming with joy is his eye.


s: Then breathes he deeply, then breathes he long,


s: While gladly exclaim to each other the throng:


s: "He lives! he is here! he is not the sea's prey!


s: From the tomb, from the eddying waters' control,


s: The brave one has rescued his living soul!"


s: And he comes, and they joyously round him stand;


s: The goblet he, kneeling, puts in his hand,


s: And the king to his beauteous daughter calls,


s: Who fills it with sparkling wine to the brim;


s: The youth turns to the monarch, and speaks thus to him:


s: "Long life to the king! Let all those be glad


s: For below all is fearful, of moment sad;


s: Let not man to tempt the immortals e'er try,


s: That with terror and night they veil graciously."


s: "I was torn below with the speed of light,


s: Rushed towards me a spring with furious might;


s: I was seized by the twofold torrent's wild shock,


s: And like a top, with a whirl and a bound,


s: Despite all resistance, was whirled around."


s: "Then God pointed out,--for to Him I cried


s: I seized it in haste, and from death was then freed.


s: And there, on sharp corals, was hanging the cup,--


s: The fathomless pit had else swallowed it up."


s: "For under me lay it, still mountain-deep,


s: And though to the ear all might seem then asleep


s: With shuddering awe 'twas seen by the eye


s: How the salamanders' and dragons' dread forms


s: Filled those terrible jaws of hell with their swarms."


s: "There crowded, in union fearful and black,


s: The rock-fish, the ray with the thorny back,


s: And the shark, the hyena dread of the sea,


s: With his angry teeth, grinned fiercely on me."


s: "There hung I, by fulness of terror possessed,


s: Amongst phantoms, the only sensitive breast,


s: Where the voice of mankind could not reach to mine ear,


s: 'Mid the monsters foul of that wilderness drear."


s: "Thus shuddering methought--when a something crawled near,


s: And at me it snapped;--in my mortal fear,


s: I left hold of the coral to which I had clung;


s: Then the whirlpool seized on me with maddened roar,


s: Yet 'twas well, for it brought me to light once more."


s: And I purpose also to give thee this ring,


s: Adorned with a costly, a priceless stone,


s: If thou'lt try once again, and bring word to me


s: What thou saw'st in the nethermost depths of the sea."


s: His daughter hears this with emotions soft,


s: "That fearful sport, father, attempt not too oft!


s: What none other would dare, he hath ventured for thee;


s: If thy heart's wild longings thou canst not tame,


s: Let the knights, if they can, put the squire to shame."


s: The king then seizes the goblet in haste,


s: "When the goblet once more in my hands thou hast placed,


s: Thou shalt rank at my court as the noblest knight,


s: And her as a bride thou shalt clasp e'en to-day,


s: Who for thee with tender compassion doth pray."


s: Then a force, as from Heaven, descends on him there,


s: And blushes he sees on her features so fair,


s: And he sees her turn pale, and swooning lie;


s: For life or for death, lo! he plunges him in!


s: The breakers they hear, and the breakers return,


s: They bend o'er the gulf with glances that yearn,


s: And the waters are pouring in fast around;


s: Though upwards and downwards they rush and they rave,


s: The youth is brought back by no kindly wave.


s: Other love, Sir Knight, would grieve me,


s: Cross on breast, their course directs he


s: But the knight's sad thoughts enchain him--


s: Twelve long months, with courage daring,


s: "She thou seek'st her troth hath plighted


s: Where o'er the lime-trees darkly waving,


s: Why run the crowd? What means the throng


s: Who hind and flock tore limb from limb!--


s: But sternly looked the prince, and said:


s: "Lord, judge when all to thee is known,"


s: And cunning must with strength contend.'


s: Thou, lord, didst grant my prayer to me,--


s: Its tongue was like a sharp-edged sword,


s: And lightning from its small eyes poured;


s: And round itself with fierceness rolled,


s: With their sharp teeth to seize it straight,


s: And, with their fangs, the part to tear.


s: "And though my steed reared high in pain,


s: And champed and foamed beneath the rein,


s: And since my foot these shores has pressed


s: Moist with the neighboring moorland's dew,


s: Where heaven's bright rays can ne'er pierce through.


s: My frightened horse soon reared on high,--


s: Straight at him rushed each nimble hound;


s: Yet thence they turned, dismayed and fast,


s: While I seemed doomed to certain death."


s: Black gushing forth, his blood was spilt.


s: While round me grouped my squires all stood."


s: Soon as the knight these words had spoken;


s: And ten times 'gainst the high vault broken,


s: And called for silence 'mongst the throng.


s: Laid waste, thou slew'st with daring hand;


s: While her fair mouth, in endless strain,


s: He sought the Count, whom, quick in deed,


s: "Happy art thou, great Count, in truth,"


s: The flatterer's mouth with ease may lure;


s: Yet, since with care from thee concealed,


s: "Confess!"--"And for an answering flame,--


s: Through pity, doubtless, feared to speak;


s: The mill-wheel, by the flood seized hold,


s: So go, my child, and when thou'rt there,


s: And knelt him left, and knelt him right,


s: While all knelt down, and beat the breast,


s: When toward the people turned the priest,


s: Blessed them,--and so the service ceased.


s: "Back from the foundry"--"Strange, I vow!


s: "Then," cried the Count, with awe-struck mien,


s: "Great God in heaven his judge hath been!"


s: God and His hosts watch o'er him still."


s: The meats were served up by the Palsgrave of Rhine,


s: The Bohemian poured out the bright sparkling wine,


s: Stood waiting around the world-governing one,


s: As the chorus of stars encircle the sun,


s: While loudly were blending the trumpets' glad sound,


s: For the monarchless period, with horror rife,


s: Has ended now, after long baneful strife,


s: And the earth had a lord to possess her.


s: No longer ruled blindly the iron-bound spear,


s: And the weak and the peaceful no longer need fear


s: And the emperor speaks with a smile in his eye,


s: "With this banquet in glory none other can vie,


s: Yet the minstrel, the bringer of joy, is not here,


s: Whose melodious strains to my heart are so dear,


s: And whose words heavenly wisdom inspire;


s: Since the days of my youth it hath been my delight,


s: And that which I ever have loved as a knight,


s: And behold! 'mongst the princes who stand round the throne


s: Steps the bard, in his robe long and streaming,


s: While, bleached by the years that have over him flown,


s: "Sweet harmony sleeps in the golden strings,


s: The minstrel of true love reward ever sings,


s: What the bosom may wish, what the senses hold dear;


s: But say, what is worthy the emperor's ear


s: At this, of all feasts the most splendid?"


s: "No restraint would I place on the minstrel's own choice,"


s: Speaks the monarch, a smile on each feature;


s: "He obeys the swift hour's imperious voice,


s: For, as through the air the storm-wind on-speeds,--


s: One knows not from whence its wild roaring proceeds--


s: As the spring from hid sources up-leaping,


s: So the lay of the bard from the inner heart breaks


s: While the might of sensations unknown it awakes,


s: That within us were wondrously sleeping."


s: Then the bard swept the cords with a finger of might,


s: "To the chase once rode forth a valorous knight,


s: His hunting-spear bearing, there came in his train


s: His squire; and when o'er a wide-spreading plain


s: He heard in the distance a bell tinkling clear,


s: And a priest, with the Host, he saw soon drawing near,


s: While before him the sexton was striding."


s: "And low to the earth the Count then inclined,


s: To honor, with trusting and Christian-like mind,


s: What had saved the whole world from perdition.


s: But a brook o'er the plain was pursuing its course,


s: That swelled by the mountain stream's headlong force,


s: Barred the wanderer's steps with its current;


s: So the priest on one side the blest sacrament put,


s: And his sandal with nimbleness drew from his foot,


s: That he safely might pass through the torrent."


s: "'What wouldst thou?' the Count to him thus began,


s: But when to the bridge o'er the brook I came nigh,


s: In the whirl of the stream, as it madly rushed by


s: And so, that the sick the salvation may find


s: That he pants for, I hasten with resolute mind


s: To wade through the waters barefooted.'"


s: "Then the Count made him mount on his stately steed,


s: That he duly might comfort the sick in his need,


s: And himself, on the back of the steed of his squire,


s: Went after the chase to his heart's full desire,


s: While the priest on his journey was speeding


s: And the following morning, with thankful look,


s: To the Count once again his charger he took,


s: "'God forbid that in chase or in battle,' then cried


s: 'The steed I henceforward should dare to bestride


s: And if, as a guerdon, he may not be thine,


s: He devoted shall be to the service divine,


s: Have received in fee, and my body and blood,


s: And my breath, and my life, and my spirit.'"


s: "'Then may God, the sure rock, whom no time can e'er move,


s: And who lists to the weak's supplication,


s: For the honor thou pay'st Him, permit thee to prove


s: Thou'rt a powerful Count, and thy knightly command


s: Hath blazoned thy fame through the Switzer's broad land;


s: Thou art blest with six daughters admired;


s: May they each in thy house introduce a bright crown,


s: Filling ages unborn with their glorious renown'--


s: And the emperor sat there all-thoughtfully,