s: The other he touched with a beam of the sun;


s: So that all which delighted the eye in one side,


s: The same, point to point, in the other replied.


s: "In thee, friend, that Tyrian chamber is found;


s: Thine the star-pointing roof, and the base on the ground:


s: Is one half depicted with colours less bright?


s: Beware that the counterpart blazes with light!"


s: Then quarry thy stones from the crystal All,


s: And build the dome that shall not fall.'"


s: They had cleaned themselves from the dust,


s: The Simorg emerged, the Simorg vanished,


s: That ye may find yourselves on my throne;


s: _With a Frontispiece in Colours from a Painting by_


s: _Frontispiece in Colour specially designed by_


s: Pott 8vo. Cloth elegant 2s. 6d. net each; also


s: _Edited, with an Introduction and Notes, by_


s: Sing of the end of Troy, and of that flood


s: Of godhead blown upon thee stretch thy song


s: Albeit long years laid up in tilth. Most meet


s: Wrought all the woe, and held her to his cost


s: Perforce; for who could look on her or feel


s: One hour of her, or hope to hold in bars


s: Undimmed? As soon expect to cage the rose


s: Fitful, or leash the shadows of the hills,


s: Yet by the oath thou swearedst, standing high


s: The holy dust, and from Therapnai's hold


s: Didst look upon Amyklai's, where sunrise


s: Take up thy tale, good poet, strain thine art


s: Given last to him who loved her first, nor swerved


s: To see through years of robbery and shame


s: Eloquent of her birthright. Tell his peace,


s: To wife gave Kypris. Helen, and Thee sing


s: Where Simoeis and Xanthos, holy streams,


s: Flow brimming on the level, and chance gleams


s: And hint the awful home of Zeus, whose shroud


s: Behold gray Ilios, Priam's fee, the plain


s: About her like a carpet; from whose height


s: The watchman, ten years watching, every night


s: Counteth the beacon fires and sees no less


s: Their number as the years wax and duress


s: Of hunger thins the townsmen day by day--


s: More than the Greeks kill plague and famine slay.


s: Here in their wind-swept city, ten long years


s: Beset and in this tenth in blood and tears


s: Guard still their gods, their wives and little ones,


s: Guard Helen still, for whose fair womanhood


s: The sin was done, woe wrought, and all the blood


s: Shed; nor yet so the end, for Heré cried


s: Shrill on the heights more vengeance on wrong done,


s: And Greek or Trojan paid it. Late or soon


s: By sword or bitter arrow they went hence,


s: Each with their goodliest paying one man's offence.


s: Goodliest in Troy fell Hector; back to Greek


s: Then swung the doomstroke, and to Dis the bleak


s: Must pass great Hector's slayer. Zeus on high,


s: Hidden from men, held up the scales; the sky


s: Told Thetis that her son must go the way


s: He sent Queen Hecuba's--himself must pay,


s: Himself though young, splendid Achilles' self,


s: The price of manslaying, with blood for pelf.


s: A grief immortal took her, and she grieved


s: Deep in sea-cave, whereover restless heaved


s: The wine-dark ocean--silently, not moving,


s: Tearless, a god. O Gods, however loving,


s: And knows too much to doubt if death ends all


s: Pleasure in strength of limb, joy musical,


s: Mother-love, maiden-love, which never more


s: Must the dead look for on the further shore


s: Achilles, that his end was near at hand,


s: Darkling he heard the news, and on the strand


s: Beyond the ships he stood awhile, then cried


s: The Sea-God that high-hearted and clear-eyed


s: He might go down; and this for utmost grace


s: He asked, that not by battle might his face


s: Be marred, nor fighting might some Dardan best


s: Him who had conquered ever. For the rest,


s: Fate, which had given, might take, as fate should be.


s: So prayed he, and Poseidon out of the sea,


s: There where the deep blue into sand doth fade


s: And the long wave rolls in, a bar of jade,


s: Sent him a portent in that sea-blue bird


s: Swifter than light, the halcyon; and men heard


s: The trumpet of his praise: "Shaker of Earth,


s: Hail to thee! Now I fare to death in mirth,


s: Lightly arose the prince to meet his doom,


s: And never more by hers might rest his head:


s: "Farewell, my dear, farewell, my joy," said he;


s: "Farewell to all delights 'twixt thee and me!


s: For now I take a road whose harsh alarms


s: Then his clean limbs his weeping squires bedight


s: In all the mail Hephaistos served his might


s: Withal, of breastplate shining like the sun


s: Upon flood-water, three-topped helm whereon


s: Gleamed the gold basilisk, and goodly greaves.


s: These bore he without word; but when from sheaves


s: Of spears they picked the great ash Pelian


s: For no man's manège else--than all men's fear:


s: "Dry and cold fighting for thee this day, my spear,"


s: Quoth he. And so when one the golden shield


s: Immortal, daedal, for no one else to wield,


s: Cast o'er his head, he frowned: "On thy bright face


s: Let me see who shall dare a dint," he says,


s: And stood in thought full-armed; thereafter poured


s: Of earth and sky, and prayed, saying: "O Thou


s: Since that the shadowing arm of Time is flung


s: Far over me, but cloudeth me full young.


s: Scatheless I vow them. Let one Trojan cast


s: His spear and loose my spirit. Rage is past


s: Adventure: 'tis not I that seek. Receive


s: Lord of the Ægis, wonderful, most great!"


s: Which done, he took his stand, and bid his mate


s: Urge on the steeds; and all the Achaian host


s: Followed him, not with outcry or loud boast


s: Of deeds to do or done, but silent, grim


s: Eyeing that nodding crest and swaying spear


s: Shake with the chariot. Solemn thus they near


s: The Trojan walls, slow-moving, as by a Fate


s: Stands he in pomp of dreadful calm, to die,


s: The walls were thick with men, and in the towers


s: Women stood gazing, clustered close as flowers


s: That blur the rocks in some high mountain pass


s: With delicate hues; but like the gray hill-grass


s: Which the wind sweepeth, till in waves of light


s: It tideth backwards--so all gray or white


s: Showed they, as sudden surges moved them cloak


s: Their heads, or bare their faces. And none spoke


s: Among them, for there stood not woman there


s: But mourned her dead, or sensed not in the air


s: Her pendent doom of death, or worse than death.


s: Frail as flowers were their faces, and all breath


s: Came short and quick, as on this dreadful show


s: Staring, they pondered it done far below


s: As on a stage where the thin players seem


s: Unkith to them who watch, the stuff of dream.


s: Nor else about the plain showed living thing


s: Save high in the blue where sailed on outspread wing


s: Hollow-voiced, terrible: "Ye tribes of Troy,


s: Here stand I out for death, and ye for joy


s: Of killing as ye will, by cast of spear,


s: Which they both tried aforetime let him out


s: With speed, and bring his many against one,


s: Fearing no treachery, for there shall be none


s: Stir finger in the business, but will die


s: Of his high house, where snug he sat aloof,


s: Drew taut the bowstring home, and notched a shaft,


s: Soft whistling to himself, what time with craft


s: Came burning Helen then, in her blue eyes


s: That scorcheth ere it strike a mortal chill


s: The terror of her eyes, but drew and sped


s: A screaming arrow, deadly, swerving not--


s: Then stood to watch the ruin he had wrought.


s: He heard the sob of breath o'er all the host


s: Of hushing men; he marked, but then he lost,


s: The blood-spurt at the shaft-head; for the crest


s: Upheaved, the shoulders stiffen'd, ere to the breast


s: Bent down the head, as though the glazing sight


s: Curious would mark the death-spot. Still upright


s: Stood he; but as a tree that on the side


s: And lightlier waves her leafy crown, and swings


s: From side to side--so on his crest the wings


s: Erect seemed shaking upwards, and to sag


s: The spear's point, and the burden'd head to wag


s: Before the stricken body felt the stroke,


s: Or the strong knees grew lax, or the heart broke.


s: Breathless they waited; then the failing man


s: Stiffened anew his neck, and changed and wan


s: Looked for the last time in the face of day,


s: And seemed to dare the Gods such might to slay


s: As this, the sanguine splendid thing he was,


s: Withal now gray of face and pinched. Alas,


s: For pride of life! Now he had heard his knell.


s: His spirit passed, and crashing down he fell,


s: Mighty Achilles, and struck the earth, and lay


s: A huddled mass, a bulk of bronze and clay


s: Bestuck with gilt and glitter, like a toy.


s: There dropt a forest hush on watching Troy,


s: Upon the plain and watching ranks of men;


s: And from a tower some woman keened him then


s: With long thin cry that wavered in the air--


s: As once before one wailed her Hector there.


s: About his brows went the dark way of death;


s: Which being done, that deed of ruth and doom


s: Gave breath to Troy; but on the Achaians gloom


s: That swoons beneath it. Desperate they scanned


s: Each other, saying: "Now we are left by God,"


s: Nor keen Odysseus, nor that friend of Zeus


s: Mykenai's king, nor that robbed Menelaus,


s: Nor bowman Teukros, Nestor wise, nor Aias--


s: Huge Aias, cursed in death! Peleides bare


s: Himself with pride, but he went raving there.


s: In peace to Hades' house, after the fire


s: Twice a man's height for him who did suspire


s: Twice a man's heart and render it to Heaven


s: Who gave it, after offerings paid and given,


s: And games of men and horses, she brought forth


s: In the broad Danaan host, who was adjudged


s: The vote and wandered brooding, drawn apart


s: From his room-fellows, seeding in his heart


s: His mettle, and his ill blood plied the goad


s: Upon his brain, until the wretch made mad


s: Went muttering his wrongs, ill-trimmed, ill-clad,


s: Sightless and careless, with slack mouth awry,


s: And working tongue, and danger in the eye;


s: And oft would stare at Heaven and laugh his scorn:


s: "O fools, think not to trick me!" then forlorn


s: Would gaze about green earth or out to sea:


s: "This is the end of man in his degree"--


s: Thus would he moralise in those bare lands


s: With hopeless brows and tossing up of hands--


s: Then, pitying himself, he'd fall to weep


s: Slighted; but in a flash he'd rage again


s: And shake his naked sword at unseen foes,


s: And dare them bring Odysseus to his blows:


s: Or let the man but flaunt himself in arms...!


s: So threatening God knows what of savage harms,


s: Knee-deep in rushes, gazed to hear his harsh


s: Outcry; and them his madness taught for Greeks,


s: His vengeance, driving in the press with shout


s: A way with mighty swordstroke, cut and thrust,


s: And makes a shambles in his witless lust;


s: And in the midst, bloodshot, with blank wild eyes


s: Stands frothing at the lips, and after lies


s: All reeking in his madman's battlefield,


s: And sleeps nightlong. But with the dawn's revealed


s: Himself at his fool's work. With shaking knees


s: He stands amid his slaughter, and his own


s: Adds to the wreck, plunging without a groan


s: Removed, had shared his fame, the Lokrian,


s: But think not on the dead, who die and leave


s: A memory more fragrant than their deeds,


s: But to the remnant rather and their needs


s: Give thought with me. What comfort in their swords


s: Have they, robbed of the might of two such lords


s: Can drive the blood back to the stricken heart?


s: Like huddled sheep cowed obstinate, as dull


s: Out of a rut, which, failing at first lunge,


s: Answer not voice nor goad, but sideways plunge


s: Or backward urge with lowered heads, or stand


s: The Achaians brooded, nor their chiefs had care


s: To drive them forth, since they too knew despair,


s: Again with living green; the spring o' the year


s: Came in with flush of flower and bird-call clear;


s: And Nature, for whom nothing wrought is vain,


s: Out of shed blood caused grass to spring amain,


s: Man's folly and pain when twixt dead spears sprang out


s: The crocus-point and pied the plain with fires


s: More gracious than his beacons; and from pyres


s: Like fleecy clouds flushed with the morning rose,


s: Thus upon earth hope fell like a new rain,


s: And by and by the pent folk within walls


s: Took heart and ploughed the glebe and from the stalls


s: Led out their kine to pasture. Goats and sheep


s: Cropt at their ease, and herd-boys now did keep


s: Watch, where before stood armèd sentinels;


s: And battle-grounds were musical with bells


s: Of feeding beasts. Afar, high-beacht, the ships


s: Loomed through the tender mist, their prows--like lips


s: Of thirsty birds which, lacking water, cry


s: Which marking, Ilios deemed her worst of road


s: Who winged the shaft that brought them all this peace.


s: He in their love went sunning, took his ease


s: In house and hall, at council or at feast,


s: Careless of what was greatest or what least


s: She lay, the blush-rose Helen, stolen bride,


s: The lovely harbour of his arms. But she,


s: A thrall, now her own thralldom plain could see,


s: And sick of dalliance, loathed herself, and him


s: Who had beguiled her. Now through eyes made dim


s: With tears she looked towards the salt sea-beach


s: Where stood the ships, and sought for sign in each


s: If it might be her people's, and so hers,


s: Poor alien!--Argive now herself she avers


s: Minion she calls herself; and when to strife


s: Of love he claims her, secret her heart surges


s: Back to her lord; and when to kiss he urges,


s: And when to play he woos her with soft words,


s: Secret her fond heart calleth, like a bird's,


s: Towards that honoured mate who honoured her,


s: Mother, and sharer of his hearth and all


s: His gear. Thus every night: and on the wall


s: She watches every dawn for what dawn brings.


s: And the strong spirit of her took new wings


s: Of him who doted, conning o'er her charms,


s: And witless held a shell; but forth as light


s: As the first sigh of dawn her spirit took flight


s: Across the dusky plain to where fires gleamed


s: And muffled guards stood sentry; and it streamed


s: Within the hut, and hovered like a wraith,


s: A presence felt, not seen, as when gray Death


s: So hovered Helen in a dream, and yearned


s: Over the sleeper as he moaned and turned,


s: Renewing his day's torment in his sleep;


s: Who presently starts up and sighing deep,


s: Searches the entry, if haply in the skies


s: The day begin to stir. Lo there, her eyes


s: Like waning stars! Lo there, her pale sad face


s: Becurtained in loose hair! Now he can trace


s: Athwart that gleaming moon her mouth's droopt bow


s: To tell all truth about her, and her woe


s: And dreadful store of knowledge. As one shockt


s: To worse than death lookt she, with horror lockt


s: Behind her tremulous tragic-moving lips:


s: "O love, O love," saith he, and saying, slips


s: Out of the bed: "Who hath dared do thee wrong?"


s: No answer hath she, but she looks him long


s: And deep, and looking, fades. He sleeps no more,


s: But up and down he pads the beaten floor,


s: And all that day his heart's wild crying hears,


s: And can thank God for gracious dew of tears


s: And tender thoughts of her, not thoughts of shame.


s: So came the next night, and with night she came,


s: Dream-Helen; and he knew then he must go


s: Whence she had come. His need would have it so--


s: And her need. Never must she call in vain.


s: And all life swoons, and only dead thing walk,


s: That shudder as they flit from place to place,


s: Like bats of flaggy wing that make night blink


s: With endless quest: so do those dead, men think,


s: Who fall and are unserved by funeral rite.


s: These passes he, and nears the walls of might


s: And knows the house of Paris built thereon,


s: Terraced and set with gadding vines and trees


s: Of that sweet indweller he held in store.


s: Thither he turns him quaking, but before


s: Him dares not look, lest he should see her there


s: And deeply there enshrined and glorified,


s: Laid up with bygone bliss. Yet on he hied,


s: Being called, and ever closer on he came


s: Could harder be than not to see her--Nay,


s: Even if within that smooth thief's arms she lay


s: Had he stood stabbed to see, than on to go


s: Beneath her house, and on his spear his hands


s: Rest, and upon his hands he grounds his chin,


s: Pure of his vice, that he might ease her woe,


s: Not brand her with his own. Not yet the glow


s: Of false dawn throbbed, nor yet the silent town


s: Stood washt in light, clear-printed to the crown


s: In the cold upper air. Dark loomed the walls,


s: Ghostly the trees, and still shuddered the calls


s: A dog barked. High and hidden in the haar


s: Which blew in from the sea a heron cried


s: Honk! and he heard his wings, but not espied


s: The heavy flight. Slow, slow the orb was filled


s: With light, and with the light his heart was thrilled


s: With opening music, faint, expectant, sharp


s: As the first chords one picks out from the harp


s: To prelude paean. Venturing all, he lift


s: His eyes, and there encurtained in a drift


s: Of sea-blue mantle close-drawn, he espies


s: Helen above him watching, her grave eyes


s: In that still hour stood those two face to face.


s: But when he had her there, sharp root of ill


s: To him and his, safeguarded from him still,


s: Too sweet to be forgotten, too much marred


s: By usage to be what she seemed, bescarred,


s: Behandled, too much lost and too much won,


s: That once had shown her pure for his demesne,


s: And still revealed her lovely, and unclean--


s: Despair turned into stone what had been kind,


s: And bitter surged his griefs, to flood his mind.


s: "O ruinous face," said he, "O evil head,


s: So prompt to slough the snugness of thy vice?


s: Become, and dalliest?" Low her head she hung


s: And moved her lips. As when the night is young


s: The hollow wind presages storm, his moan


s: Came wailing at her. "Ten years here, alone,


s: And in that time to have seen thee thrice!"


s: "At this time my house sleepeth, but I wake;


s: So gleamed his eyes; so fierce and quick said he:


s: Beside thee there, breathing thy breath, thy thought


s: Gathering!" Silent stood she, memory-fraught,


s: Nor looked his way. But he must know her soul,


s: So harpt upon her heart. "Is this the whole


s: That thou wouldst have me think, that thou com'st here


s: Downward. "Is it so wonderful," she said,


s: Of passion stript all vesture from his tones


s: And showed the King man naked to the bones,


s: She turned her head, but felt his burning glance


s: Scorch, and his words leap up. "Dost thou desire


s: Not so." And he: "Bid me to stay while sleeps


s: Thy house," he said, "so stay I." Her eyes' deeps


s: Flooded his soul and drowned him in despair,


s: Despair and rage. "Behold now, ten years' wear


s: My spear and rove the snow-mound of thy breast,


s: Pondering his face and searching. "Not so brave


s: My lord as that would prove him. Nay, and I know


s: He would not do it." And the truth was so;


s: And well he knew the reason: better she.


s: Of silence and unshadowing light they stood,


s: Those long-divided, speechless. His first mood


s: With bitter grudge was choked, but hers was mild,


s: As fearing his. At last she named the child,


s: Asking, Was all well? Short he told her, Yes,


s: The child was well. She fingered in her dress


s: "There is no child," and sighed. Into his dead


s: And wasted heart there leaped a flame and caught


s: His hollow eyes. "Rememberest thou naught,


s: Nothing regrettest, nothing holdst in grief


s: Came rifling in?" For all her answer she


s: Lookt long upon him, long and earnestly;


s: And misty grew her eyes, and slowly filled.


s: Slowly the great tears brimmed, and slowly rilled


s: Those wells of grief, and hung her lovely head;


s: And he had no more words, but only a cry


s: At heart too deep for utterance, and too high


s: As when the sun himself from the sea-rim


s: Lifteth, and gloweth on the earth grown dim


s: With waiting; and he piped a low clear call


s: Of day from some near thicket. At whose sound


s: Rose up caught Helen and blushing turned her round


s: She trailed, palm out, for sign to who below


s: Rent at himself, nor had the wit to know


s: Therein beyond his sick heart's utmost scope.


s: Throbbing he stood as when a quick-blown peat,


s: Now white, now red, burns inly--O wild heat,


s: O ravenous race of men, who'd barter Space


s: And Time for one short snatch of instant grace!


s: Withal, next day, drawn by his dear desire,


s: When as the young green burned like emerald fire


s: In the cold light, back to the tryst he came;


s: But she was sooner there, and called his name


s: And showed her eyes to him, which half sedate


s: To be so sought revealed her, half in doubt


s: Lest he should deem her bold to meet the bout


s: With too much readiness. But high he flaunted


s: Her name towards the sky. "Thou God-enchanted,


s: Thou miracle of dawn, thou Heart of the Rose,


s: Hail thou!" On his own eloquence he grows


s: The lover he proclaims. "O love," he saith,


s: "I would not leave thee for a moment's breath,


s: Nor once these ten long years had left thy side


s: She wondered o'er his face, she looked her fill,


s: Museful, still doubting, smiling half, athrill,


s: All virgin to his praise. "O wonderful,"


s: She said, "Such store of love for one so foul


s: O love, whose iris wings not long can hold


s: The upper air! Sudden her thought smote hot


s: On him. "Thou sayest! True it is, God wot!


s: Warm from his bed, and tears for thy unworth;


s: Warm from his bed, and tears to meet my mirth;


s: Then back to his bed ere yet thy tears be dry!"


s: Of burning vision, and kept back her tears


s: Towards herself. But he from thunderous brows


s: Frowned on. "No more I see thee by this house,


s: Except to slay thee when the hour decree


s: And holy vows made hateful, save thou speak


s: To each my question sooth. Keep dry thy cheek


s: From tears, hide up thy beauty with thy grief--


s: Or let him have his joy of them, thy thief,


s: What time he may. Answer me thou, or vain


s: Till thine hour strike to look for me again."


s: With hanging head and quiet hanging hands,


s: With lip atremble, as caught in fault she stands,


s: Scarce might he hear her whispered message:


s: "Tell me now all," he said, "from that far day


s: And poured forth wine unto the thirsty earth


s: Lie sea and land; to Gaia next, their spouse,


s: Traitress, and thine, for grace upon my faring:


s: For thou wert by to hear me, false arm bearing


s: Next unto mine. Ay, and thou prayedst, with meek


s: Fair seeming, prosperous send-off and return.


s: Tell me what then, tell all, and let me learn


s: With what pretence that dog-souled slaked his thirst


s: In thy sweet liquor. Tell me that the first."


s: Then Helen lifted up her head, and beamed


s: Clear light upon him from her eyes, which seemed


s: That blue which, lying on the white sea-bed


s: Would show, with green entinctured, and the warp


s: Inwoven of golden shafts, blended yet sharp;


s: That lovely light, while in her cheeks the hue


s: Of throbbing dawn came sudden. So he knew


s: Her best before she spoke; for when she spoke


s: It was as if the nightingale should croak


s: In April midst the first young leaves, so bleak,


s: So harsh she schooled her throat, that it should speak


s: Were careful lest self-pity urged a plea


s: Which was not hers to make; or as one faint


s: And desperate lays down all his argument


s: Like bricks upon a field, let who will make


s: With a flat voice. "Thou hadst been nine days gone,


s: And hailed me in the hall whereas I sat,


s: And claimed his guest-right, which not wondering at


s: I gave as fitting was. Then came the day


s: I was beguiled. What more is there to say?"


s: Her eyes were. But the King said: "Tell me all.


s: Thou wert beguiled: by his desire beguiled,


s: Or by thine own?" She shook her head and smiled


s: Most sadly, pitying herself. "Who knoweth


s: The ways of Love, whence cometh, whither goeth


s: The heart's low whimper? This I know, he loved


s: Me then, and pleasured only where I moved


s: The day at hand when he must take the road


s: And leave me; and its eve we close abode


s: Within the house, and spake not. But I wept."


s: She stayed, and whispering down her next word crept:


s: "I was beguiled, beguiled." And then her lip


s: She bit, and rueful showed her partnership


s: Bleeding and raw, urged on. "To Kranai's deme


s: Towards her tender breasts whereon, soft shed


s: As upon low quiet hills, the dawn light played,


s: And limned their gentle curves or sank in shade.


s: So gazing, stood she silent, but the King


s: Urged on. "From thence to Ilios, thou willing,


s: She said; and he, who felt a worthier strain


s: Him out of knowledge, saw a blessed rift


s: The low clouds break and shafted shows the light.


s: "Ten years beguiled!" he said, "but now it seems


s: Thou art----" She shook her head. "Nay, now come dreams;


s: "What callest thou to mind?" "Hermione,"


s: She said, "our child, and Sparta my own land,


s: Her courage ebbed in grief, all hardness drowned


s: They wept together, she for loss; for grace


s: Of gain wept he. "No more," he said, "my sweet,


s: Before my hour is gone," she cried. But he


s: Groaning, "I dare not stay here lest I see


s: She shook her head; like as the sun through mist


s: Shone triumph in her eyes. "Have no more fear


s: Within the house, her finger toucht her lip,


s: And one fixt look she gave of fellowship


s: Assured--then turned and quickly went her way;


s: And his light vanisht with her for that day.


s: O singing heart, O twice-undaunted lover!


s: O ever to be blest, twice blest moreover!


s: Twice over win the world in one girl's eyes,


s: Twice over lift her name up to the skies;


s: Twice to hope all things, so to be twice born--


s: For he lives not who cannot front the morn


s: Lived striving man on earth!" What if the fret


s: Thy hairs or leave their tracery on thy brow,


s: Hunting thee down o' nights? Laugh at thy wounds,


s: Laugh at thy eld, strong lover, whose blood flows


s: Clear from the fountain, singing as it goes,


s: "She loves, and so I live and shall not die!


s: Once more before the sun he greeted her:


s: She glowed her joy; her mood was calm and clear


s: As mellow evening's whenas, like a priest,


s: Rain has absolved the world, and golden mist


s: In her proud eyes sat triumph on a throne,


s: She dallied with the moment when, all wife,


s: Upon his breast she'd lie and cast her life,


s: Supreme of giving. Glorying in his quest


s: Of her, now let her hide what he must glean,


s: But not know yet. Ah, sweet to feel his keen


s: Long eye-search, like the touch of eager fingers,


s: And sweet to thrill beneath such hot blush-bringers;


s: To fence with such a swordsman hazardous


s: And sweet. "Belov'd, thou art glad of me!" Then thus


s: Antiphonal to him she breathes, "Thou sayest!"


s: Look in my eyes. Would thine were open book!"


s: "Palimpsest I," she said, and would not look.


s: But he was grappling now with truth, would have it,


s: What though it cost him all his gain. She gave it,


s: Looking him along. "O lady mine," he said,


s: "Now are my clouds disperséd every shred;


s: For thou art mine; I think thou lovest me.


s: She would not hold her gaze, but let it fall,


s: And watched her fingers idling on the wall,


s: And so remained; but urged to it by the spell


s: He cast, she whispered down, "I cannot tell


s: Thee here, and thus apart"--which when he had


s: In its full import drove him well-nigh mad


s: Flamed in her eyes: "No, no, 'tis death! He's here


s: At hand. 'Tis death for thee, and worse than death--"


s: Failed him, for well he knew now what she meant,


s: And sighed his thanks to Gods beneficent.


s: Thereafter in sweet use of lovers' talk,


s: In boon spring weather, whenas lovers walk


s: Handfasted through the meadows pied, and wet


s: With dew from flower and leaf, these lovers met--


s: Two bodies separate, one wild heart between,


s: Day after day, these two long-severed been;


s: And of this mating of the eye and tongue


s: Hearts' intimacy, perfect, full and free.


s: Saying, "Come you down, Mistress of sleek loves


s: And panting nights: your service of bought doves


s: And honey-hearted wine may cost too dear.


s: What hast thou done for me since first my ear


s: With thy sly music thou didst sign and seal


s: Apprentice to thy mystery, teach me feel


s: Thy fierce divinity in the trembling touch


s: Of open lips? Served I not thee too much


s: Too much in wide-wayed Ilios, Eastern Queen?


s: Yes, but it was too much a thousandfold,


s: For what was I but leman bought and sold?


s: "For woman craved what mercy hath man brought,


s: What mercy or what face? And what saith she,


s: The hunted, scornéd wretch? Boast that she be


s: Coveted, hankered, spat on? One to gloat,


s: The rest to snarl without! If man play goat,


s: What must she play? Her glory is it to draw


s: On greedy eye, sting greedy lip and paw,


s: And find the crown of her desire therein?


s: Hath she no rarer bliss than all this sin,


s: For hungry hands to stroke or lips to sup?


s: Hath she then nothing of her own, no mirth


s: Nor pride except in that which makes men dogs,


s: Nor loathing for the vice wherein, like logs


s: That float beneath the sun, lie fair women


s: Is this her all? Hath she no heart, nor care


s: Therefor? No womb, nor hope therein to bear


s: Fruit of her heart's insurgence? Is her face,


s: Are these her breasts for fondling, not to grace


s: Her heart's high honour, swell to nurture it,


s: That it too grow? Hath she no mother-wit,


s: Nor sense for living things and innocent,


s: Nor leap of joy for this good world's content


s: Of sun and wind, of flower and leaf, and song


s: Of bird, or shout of children as they throng


s: Evil hath been the lore which thou hast taught--


s: For many have loved my face, and many sought


s: My breast, and thought it joy supping thereat


s: Sweetness and dear delight; but out of that


s: What hath there come to them, to me and all


s: Mine but hot shame? Not milk, but bitter gall."


s: And rocked, or hid her face upon the shelf


s: Of the grim wall, lest he should see the whole


s: Can e'er withstand the way she wills them to,


s: Kypris the forceful Goddess? Nay, dear child,


s: And clung to him until the day-dawn broke


s: When I could read as in the roll of a book


s: His open heart. And then my own heart reeled


s: To know him craven, dog, not man, revealed


s: A panting drudge of lust, who held me here


s: Caged vessel. Nay, come close. I loved him dear,


s: Too dear, I know; but never till he came


s: Had known the leap of joy, the fire of flame


s: Upon the heart he gave me, Paris the bright,


s: Fragrance, whose nearness made my footfall dance,


s: Whose touch was fever, and his burning glance


s: Faintness and blindness; in whose light my life


s: Centred; who was the sun, and I, false wife,


s: The foolish flower that turns whereso he wheels


s: Over the broad earth's canopy, and steals


s: Colour from his strong beam, but at the last


s: Whenas the night comes and the day is past


s: Droops, burnt at the heart. So loved I him, and so


s: Waxed bold to dare the deed that brought this woe."


s: And there she changed, and bitter was her cry:


s: "Ah, lord, far better had it been to die


s: Ere I had cast this pain on thee, and shame


s: On me, and wrought such outrage on our name.


s: "Yet this thing more I'd have thee tell--what led


s: Thy thought to me? From him, what turned thy troth--


s: The oath ye sware before the Lords of Heaven,


s: The sacrifice, the pledges taken and given


s: And all the host sat down to watch you twain


s: Do battle, which should have me. For my part,


s: They took me forth to watch; as in the mart


s: Pinch in her flank, and hears the chaffer twist


s: This way and that for so much fat or lean--


s: Even so was I, a queen, child of a queen."


s: She bit her lip until the blood ran free,


s: Scald as the salt tears welled; but "Listen yet,"


s: She said: "Ye fought, and Paris fell beset


s: Under thy spurning heel, yet felt no whit


s: For she, his Goddess, hid him up in mists


s: And brought him beat and broken from the lists


s: Here to his chamber. But I stood and burned,


s: Shameful to be by one lost, by one earned,


s: A prize for games, a slave, a bandied thing--


s: Since as the oath was made so must I swing


s: From bed to bed. But while I stood and wept,


s: Melted in fruitless sorrow, up she crept


s: For me, his Goddess, gliding like a snake,


s: Who wreathed her arms and whispering me go make


s: The nuptial couch, 'What oath binds love?' did say.


s: Loathing him, I must go. He had his way,


s: As well he might who paid that goodly price,


s: Honour, truth, courage, all, to have his vice:


s: The which forsook him when those fair things fled;


s: For though my body hath lain in his bed,


s: My heart abhors it. And now in truth I wis


s: My lord's true heart is where my own heart is,


s: To spurn or take; and he shall be my God."


s: By love's white purging fire which leaves no scar


s: Where all was soiled and seamed before the torch


s: Of Eros toucht the heart, and the keen scorch


s: Lickt up the foul misuse of vase so fair


s: Leaned from the wall a fire-hued seraph's face


s: And in one rapt long look gave and took Grace.


s: Deep in her eyes he saw the light divine,


s: Quick in him ran fierce joy of it like wine:


s: Answers when men tell tidings from one crag


s: The good news flashes. Scarcely could he speak


s: Measurable words, so high his wild thought whirled:


s: Down from the wall's sheer height--"Come soon, come soon."


s: And homing to the lines those drummed his tune.


s: Princes and kings and captains, them whose griefs


s: To ease his own like treasure had been lent;


s: Who came and sat at board within the tent


s: Of him they hailed host-father and their lord


s: For this adventure, in aught else abhorred


s: Of all true men. He sits above the rest,


s: And at his thigh the sword gold-hilted swings


s: Which Zeus gave Atreus once; and in his heart


s: That gnawing doubt which twice had checkt his start


s: For high emprise, having twice egged him to it,


s: As stout Odysseus knew who had to rue it.


s: White as the winter moon, with logic cold


s: Instilled, as if the blood in him had fled


s: And in his veins clear spirit ran instead,


s: Which made men reasons and not fired their sprites.


s: Shrewd leader of the Cretans; by his side


s: The young, the wild in onset, whose war-shrill,


s: Next after Peleus' son's, held all Troy still,


s: And stayed the gray crows at their ravelling


s: Of dead men's bones. Into debate full fling


s: And drumming on the board. Had but his suit


s: Been granted--so he said--the war were done


s: And Troy a name ere full three years had gone:


s: Than she could pleasure night when work was over


s: And men came home ready to play the lover;


s: And in housework would better her. Let Helen


s: Be laid by Paris, villain, and dead villain--


s: With his sword-arm already, near the wrist!


s: Pale, with his little eyes, and legs too short


s: Dwarf else, and in the fight a tiger-cat.


s: But mark his neighbour, mark him well: to him


s: Falleth the lot to lay a charge more grim


s: Like lead upon her heartstrings, when she knelt


s: And blew to flame the brand that held the life


s: Of her own son; or Procne with the knife,


s: Who slew and dressed her child to be a meal


s: To his own father. But this man's thews were steel,


s: And steely were the nerves about his heart,


s: As they had need. Mark him, and mark the part


s: He plays hereafter. Odysseus is his name,


s: And in his substance deathless, since he goes


s: The thunder of thy rhythm, O blind King,


s: First of the tribe of them with songs to sing,


s: For who the poet since who doth not tend


s: To essay thy leaping measure, or call down


s: And young, with high bright colour, and the hue


s: Who led the folk from Pallas's fair home.


s: The spokesman's staff: "Ye princes of our land,


s: Good news I bring, that now we may depart


s: Each to his home and kindred, each to his hearth


s: And wife and children dear and well-tilled garth,


s: Contented with the honour he has brought


s: To me and mine, since I have what we've sought


s: With bitter pain and loss. Yea, even now


s: Hath Heré crowned your strife and earned my vow


s: Made these ten years come harvest, having drawn


s: The veil from off those eyes than which not dawn


s: Holds sweeter light nor holier, once they see.


s: Yea, chieftains, Helen's heart comes back to me;


s: And fast she watches now hard by the wall


s: Of the wicked house, and ere the cock shall call


s: Redeemed for Sparta, pure of Trojan harms,


s: Whole-hearted and clean-hearted as she came


s: First, before Paris and his deed of shame


s: Threatened my house with wreck, and on his own


s: Have brought no joy. This night, disguised, alone,


s: Then when men sleep, all in the shadowless gray,


s: Robbing the robber, I drop down with her


s: Over the wall--and lo! the end of the war!"


s: Thus great of heart and high of heart he spake,


s: And trembling ceased. Awhile none cared to break


s: The silence, like unto that breathless hush


s: That holds a forest ere the great winds rush


s: Up from the sea-gulf, bringing furious rain


s: Like mist to drown all nature, blot the plain


s: In one great sheet of water without form.


s: So held the chiefs. Then Diomede brake in storm.


s: Ever the first he was to fling his spear


s: Into the press of battle; dread his cheer,


s: Or clamour of the sea-birds when they grieve


s: Of tempest-ridden nights. "Princes," he cried,


s: "What say ye to this wooer of his bride,


s: For whom it seems ten nations and their best


s: Have fought ten years to bring her back to nest?


s: Is this your meed of honour? Was it for this


s: You flung forth fortune--to ensure him his?


s: And he made snug at home, we seek our lands


s: Barer than we left them, with emptier hands,


s: And some with fewer members, shed that he


s: Might fare as soft and trim as formerly!


s: Not so look I this business to have end:


s: Nay, but I fight to live, not live to fight,


s: And so will live by day as thou by night,


s: Of robbers of the hearth; see their strong place


s: Brought level with the herbage and the weed,


s: That where they revelled once shrew-mice may feed,


s: And moles make palaces, and bats keep house.


s: And if thou art of spleen so slow to rouse


s: As quit thy score by thieving from a thief


s: And leave him scatheless else, thou art no chief


s: For Tydeus' son, who sees no end of strife


s: But in his own or in his foeman's life."


s: So he. Then Pyrrhos spake: "By that great shade


s: Wherein I stand, which thy false Paris made


s: Who slew my father, think not so to have done


s: Must slake the sword that cries, and still the ghost


s: Of him that haunts the ingles of this coast,


s: Murdered and unacquit while that man's father


s: Cried, "Give us Troy to sack, give us our fill


s: Of gold and bronze; give us to burn and kill!"


s: Of her who served that dauntless One made gleam


s: His shifting eyes, and stretcht his fleshy lips


s: And shipmen, great Odysseus; with one hand


s: He held the staff, with one he took command;


s: And thus in measured tones, with word intent


s: Drave in his dreadful message. At his sight


s: Clamour died down, even as the wind at night


s: Falls and is husht at rising of the moon.


s: Is strife of ten years rounded to a close,


s: Neither so are men seated, friends or foes.


s: For say thus lightly we renounced the meed


s: Of our long travail, gave so little heed


s: To our great dead as find in one man's joy


s: Full recompense for all we've sunk in Troy--


s: Wives desolate, children fatherless, lands, gear,


s: Stock without master, wasting year by year;


s: Youth past, age creeping on, friends, brothers, sons


s: Lost in the void, gone where no respite runs


s: For sorrow, but the darkness covers all--


s: What name should we bequeath our sons but thrall,


s: And have the blessed Gods no say in this?


s: Of all our striving, Pallas the war-maid?


s: Have they not vowed, and will ye scant their hate,


s: And for her towers abasement to the dust?


s: Behold, O King, lust shall be paid with lust,


s: And treachery with treachery, and for blood


s: Blood shall be shed. Therefore let loose the flood


s: Of our pent passion; break her gates in, raze


s: The walls of her, cumber her pleasant ways


s: With dead men; set on havoc, sate with spoil


s: Men ravening; get corn and wine and oil,


s: Women to clasp in love, gold, silken things,


s: Harness of flashing bronze, swords, meed of kings,


s: Chariots and horses swifter than the wind


s: Of snapt tall trees: not faster shall they fall


s: Than Trojan spears once we are on the wall.


s: So only shall ye close this agelong strife,


s: Now smiling, now averse, now hot, now cold,


s: Nay, but by slaying of Achilles' slayer,


s: By not withholding from the spoils of war


s: Men freeborn, nor from them that beaten are


s: He said, and sat, and heard the acclaim of all,


s: Save of the sons of Atreus, who sat glum,


s: By those two passions wherewith he was born,


s: The lust for body's ease and lust of gain.


s: Then slow he rose, Mykenai's king of men,


s: Gentle his voice to hear. "Laertes' son,"


s: He said, but 'twas Nestor he looked upon,


s: The wise old man who sat beside his chair,


s: Mild now who once, a lion, kept his lair


s: Left it for prey, and held that when he reft it


s: From foe, or over friend made stronger claim:


s: "Laertes' son," the king said, "all men's fame


s: Reports thee just and fertile in device;


s: And as the friend of God great is thy price


s: How should we look to trace the limitless roads


s: That weave a criss-cross 'twixt us and our home?


s: Go to now, some will stay and other some


s: To best a neighbour in some chaffering bout;


s: But honour is the prize wherefor they go out,


s: And having that, dishonoured are content


s: To leave the foe--that is best punishment.


s: Natheless since men there be, Argives of worth,


s: Who needs must shed more blood ere they go forth--


s: As if of blood enough had not been spilt!--


s: Devise thou with my brother if thou wilt,


s: His honour with thy judgment. Well he knows


s: Come, let this be the sum of our debate."


s: Upon thy word, thou fosterling of Zeus."


s: Then said Odysseus, "Be it as you choose,


s: And learn of her the watchwords, see how stand


s: The sentries, how the warders of the gates;


s: The strength, how much it is; what prize awaits


s: To crown our long endeavour. These things learned,


s: Back to the ships I come ere yet are burned


s: The watch-fires of the night, before the sun


s: Hath urged his steeds the course they are to run


s: Out of the golden gateways of the East."


s: Which all agreed, and Helen's lord not least.


s: Like as the sweet free air, when maids the doors


s: And windows open wide, wanders the floors


s: And all the passage ways about the house,


s: The cool gray light of morning 'gins to peer


s: Ere yet the household stirs, or chanticlere


s: Calls hinds to labour but hints not the glee


s: When round about the hill the sun shall swim


s: Went Helen on her business with swift feet


s: And light, yet recollected, and her sweet


s: Secret held hid, that she was loved where need


s: Called her to mate, and that she loved indeed--


s: Ah, sacred calm of wedlock, passion white


s: But while in early morn she wonned alone


s: And Paris slept, shrill rose her singing tone,


s: And brave the light on kindled cheeks and eyes:


s: Brave as her hope is, brave the flag she flies.


s: Then, as the hour drew on when the sun's rim


s: Should burn a sheet of gold to herald him


s: For some lord's pleasuring encaged and barred


s: She paced the hall soft-footed up and down,


s: Peered shrewdly this way, that way, like a bird


s: That on the winter grass is aye deterred


s: His food-searching by hint of unknown snare


s: In thicket, holt or bush, or lawn too bare;


s: Anon stopped, lip to finger, while the tide


s: Beat from her heart against her shielded side--


s: Now closely girdled went she like a maid--


s: And then slipt to the window, where she stayed


s: But minutes three or four; for soon she past


s: She triumphed, nor cared she to ask how near


s: What deeds must do ere that could come to pass.


s: To her the instant homage held all joy--


s: And what to her was Sparta, or what Troy


s: Was he, who daily, nightly plained his lot


s: To have risked all the world and ten years loved


s: This woman, now to find her nothing moved


s: By what he had done with her, what desired


s: To do? And more she chilled the less he tired,


s: And more he ventured less she cared recall


s: What was to her of nothing worth, or all:


s: All if the King required it of her, nought


s: If he who now could take it. It was bought,


s: And his by bargain: let him have it then;


s: And all the rubies in the world's deep heart


s: She brooded on the man who held her chained,


s: Him more the more herself she must disparage,


s: Reflecting on him all her hateful carriage,


s: No more to be recalled than old wife's tale;


s: And scorned him, saw him neither high nor low,


s: And not be fierce, if fierceness hurt a flea


s: Before his eyes. The man loved one thing more


s: To minister his heart's need, for a price.


s: All which she loathed, yet chose not to be nice


s: With the snug-revelling wretch, her master yet,


s: Whose leaguer, though she scorned it, was no fret;


s: She let him touch and finger what he would,


s: And with a groan, whipt sharp upon the raw


s: Of his esteem, "Ah, cruel art thou turned,"


s: Would cry, "Ah, frosty fire, where I am burned,


s: Yet dying bless the flame that is my bane!"


s: With which to clasp her closer was he fain,


s: To touch in love, and feast his eyes to see


s: Her quiver at his touch, and laugh to be


s: The plucker of such chords of such a rote;


s: And laughing stoop and kiss her milky throat,


s: Then see her shut eyes hide what he had done.


s: "Nay, shut them not upon me, nay, nor shun


s: My worship!" So he said; but she, "They fade,


s: But are not yet so old as thou hast made


s: The soul thou pinnest here beneath my breasts


s: Which you have loved too well." His hand he rests


s: And leaning, of her lips his own must sup;


s: But she will not, but gently doth refuse it,


s: Without a reason, save she doth not choose it.


s: And nursed her hope and sorrow, both in one


s: White webs as far afield her wits did rove


s: Perpending and perpending. So frail, so fair,


s: So faint she seemed, a wraith you had said there,


s: But all the while she writhed within the mesh


s: Of circumstance, and fiercely flamed her rage:


s: "O slave, O minion, thing kept in a cage


s: For this sleek master's handling!" So she fumed


s: What time her wide eyes sought all ways, or loomed


s: Like winter lakes dark in a field of snow,


s: And still; nor lifted they their pall of woe


s: Responsive to her heart, nor flashed the thrill


s: That knew, which said, "A true man loveth me still."


s: That same night, as she used, fair Helen went


s: Among the suppliants in the hall, and lent


s: To each who craved the bounty of her grace,


s: Her gentle touch on wounds, her pitiful face


s: She above all could use, to stroke the heart


s: From man to man, 'mid outlaws, broken blades,


s: Robbed husbandmen, their robbers, phantoms, shades


s: Of what were men till hunger made them less


s: Than man can be and still know uprightness;


s: And whom she spake with kindly words and cheer


s: And glimmer in his eyes; and him she fed


s: And nourisht, then sent homeward comforted


s: Now among these, hard by the outer door,


s: She marked a man unbent whose sturdy look


s: Never left hers for long, whose shepherd's hook


s: Seemed not a staff to prop him, whose bright eyes


s: Burned steadily, as fire when the wind dies.


s: Great in the girth was he, but not so tall


s: Showed like gaunt channel-posts by an ebb tide


s: Left stranded in a world of ooze. Beside


s: His knees she kneeled, and to his wounded feet


s: Applied her balms; but he, from his low seat


s: Against the wall, leaned out and in her ear


s: Whispered, but so that no one else could hear,


s: "Other than my wounds are there for thy pains,


s: Lady, and deeper. One, a grievous, drains


s: The great heart of a king, and one is fresh,


s: Though ten years old, in the sweet innocent flesh


s: The closer to her task. He thought she droopt


s: Her head, he knew she trembled, that her shoulder


s: Twitcht as she wrought her task; so he grew bolder,


s: Of prying ears, if such a chance may be."


s: Then she said, "Towards morning look for me


s: Here, when the city sleeps, before the sun."


s: So till the glimmer of dawn this hardy one


s: Keepeth the watch in Paris' house. All night


s: With hard unwinking eyes he sat upright,


s: While all about the sleepers lay, like stones


s: Littered upon a hill-top, save that moans,


s: Sighings and "Gods, have pity!" showed that they


s: And by bread lived not but by hope deferred.


s: Grimly he suffered till such time he heard


s: Helen's light foot and faint and gray in the mist


s: Descried her slim veiled outline, saw her twist


s: And slip between the sleepers on the ground,


s: Atiptoe coming, swift, with scarce a sound,


s: From head to foot a sea-blue mantle clad


s: Her lovely shape, from which her pale keen face


s: Shone like the moon in frosty sky. No case


s: Was his to waver, for her eyes spake true


s: As Heaven upon the world. Him then she drew


s: To follow her, out of the house, to where


s: The ilex trees stood darkly, and the air


s: Struck sharp and chill before the dawn's first breath.


s: High-girdled and barekneed; to Whom in prayer


s: First bowed, then stood erect with lifted hands,


s: Palms upward, Helen. "Lady of open lands


s: And lakes and windy heights," prayed she, "so do


s: The wind of thy high anger, and she stared


s: On sudden death that not one dear life spared


s: And gates of Ilios she traced in the sand,


s: And told him of the watch-towers, and how manned


s: The gates at night; and where the treasure was,


s: And where the houses of the chiefs. But as


s: She faltered in the tale, "Show now," said he,


s: Said, "Nay, not that; for since the day of shame


s: That brought me in, no word or look of blame


s: Hath he cast on me. Nay, when Hector died


s: Howling and scorn, not one word said the King.


s: And when they hissed me in the shrines of the Gods,


s: And women egged their children on with nods


s: To foul the house-wall, or in passing spat


s: Towards it, he, the old King, came and sat


s: Would lay a gentle hand. Him thou shalt spare


s: "Well, thou shalt speak no more of him. His bed


s: Who hath thee here a cageling, thy Paris.


s: Let Priam look to reap what he did sow."


s: But when glad light brimmed o'er the cup of earth


s: And shrill birds called forth men to grief or mirth


s: As might afford their labour under the sun,


s: And fetched a roll of cord, the which made fast


s: About a stanchion, about him next she cast,


s: About and about until the whole was round


s: His body, and the end to his arm she bound:


s: Then showed him in the wall where best foothold


s: Might be, and watcht him down as fold by fold


s: So did she twist it, till the coil was made


s: As it had been at first. Then watcht she him


s: Stride o'er the plain until he twinkled dim


s: A crocus flower which on her breast had lain,


s: And toucht it with her lips. "Give this," said she,


s: "To my good lord who hath seen the flower in me."


s: What weariness of wind and wave and foam


s: Through roaring waterways and cities of men,


s: More trodden lands! Sure, none had earned his ease


s: As he, that windless morning when he drew


s: That in this hour all that long wandering


s: Of his was self-ensured, had he been bold


s: Of this too hardy champion? Solve it you


s: Whose chronicling is over. Mine's to do.


s: Odysseus stood; for nothing within walls


s: Wherewith they turned the guard out, and the cries


s: Once in, no hope for Ilios; but his plight


s: No better stood for that, since no way in


s: Could he conceive, nor entry hope to win


s: Ever his friend, never far from his side,


s: Prompted him look about him. Then he heeds


s: That lift their withered arms, a skeleton host,


s: Are gone, and rattle in the spring's soft breeze


s: Dry bones, as if to daunt the budding trees


s: And warn them of the summer's wrath to come.


s: Still sat the bird, as fast asleep or numb


s: With cold, her head half-buried in her breast,


s: With close-shut eyes: a dead bird on the nest,


s: Arrow-shot--for behold! a wound she bore


s: Mid-breast, which stooping to, to see the more,


s: Lo, forth from it came busy, one by one,


s: Light-moving ants! So she to her death had gone


s: These many days; and there where she lost life


s: Her carrion shell with it again was rife.


s: So teems the earth, that ere our clay be rotten


s: New hosts sweep clean the hearth, our deeds forgotten.


s: But stooping still, Odysseus saw her not


s: Nor her brisk tenantry; afar his thought,


s: And after it his vision, crossed the plain


s: Piled up like blocks which Titans rear to mark


s: Where hero of their breed sits stiff and stark,


s: Spear in dead hand, and dead chin on dead knees;


s: And "Ha," cried he, "proud hinderer of our ease,


s: Now hold I thee within my hollowed hand!"


s: Straightway returning, Troy's destruction planned,


s: He sends for one Epeios, craftsman good,


s: And bids him frame him out a horse in wood,


s: Such as men use for traffic, not in wars,


s: Nor piracy, but roomy, deep in the hold,


s: Where men may shelter if needs be from cold,


s: Or sleep between their watches. "Scant not you,"


s: He said, "your timber not your sweat. Drive through


s: And Hellas and our wives and children dear;


s: For this is true, without it we stay here


s: Another ten-year shift, if by main force


s: We would take Troy, but ten days with my horse."


s: Went valiantly, and heaved and hauled great beams


s: Of timber from far Ida, and hacked amain


s: And rought the framework out. Then to it again


s: They went with adzes and their smoothing tools,


s: And made all shapely; next bored for their dools


s: With augurs, and made good stock on to stock


s: With mortise and with dovetail. Last, they lock


s: The frames with clamps, the nether to the upper,


s: And body forth a horse from crest to crupper


s: With axe to take the round, first rought, then scraped


s: With adzes, then deep-mortised in the frame


s: To bear the weight of so much mass, whose fame


s: When all was won, the Earth herself might quake,


s: Supporting on her broad breast. Now they take


s: Planks sawn and smoothed, and set them over steam


s: Of cauldrons to be supple. These to the beam


s: Above they rivet fast, and bend them down


s: Till from the belly more they seem to have grown


s: And grooved they be. There's for the horse's trunk.


s: But as for head and legs, these from the block


s: Epeios carved, and fixed them on the stock


s: With long pins spigotted and clamps of steel;


s: And then the tail, downsweeping to the heel,


s: He carved and rivetted in place. Yet more


s: Where Nature lends her aid to sculptor's art,


s: And few would have the thought to look for it,


s: Or eyes so keen to find, if they'd the wit.


s: Greatly stood he, hogmaned, with wrinkled néck


s: And wrying jaw, as though upon the check


s: One rode him. On three legs he stood, with one


s: And clatter of the bit, almost the stamp


s: And scrape of hoof; almost his fretful crest


s: He seemed to toss on high. So much confest


s: The wondering host. "But where's the man to ride?"


s: They askt. Odysseus said, "He'll go inside.


s: Yet there shall seem a rider--nay, let two


s: He spurred, and had his horsemen as he would,


s: Two noble youths, star-frontletted, but nude


s: Of clothing, and unarmed, who sat as though


s: Centaurs not men, and with their knees did show


s: "Gild thou me him, Epeios"; which he did,


s: Like that great image which men hail for a star


s: Shining o'er Athens; to which their course they set


s: When homeward faring through the seaways wet


s: Washes the feet of Sounion, on whose brow


s: Like a white crown the shafts burn even now.


s: Such was the shaping of the Horse of Wood,


s: Midway between the ships and Troy, and cast


s: The lots, who should go in from first to last


s: Of all the chieftains chosen. And the lot


s: Clasping his shins and blinking as he bent,


s: Working the ridges of his villainous brow,


s: That peers with bald, far-seeing eyes, whose scope


s: And steadfastness seem there to mock our hope;


s: The Cretan; next good Teukros. After these


s: Entered the desperate doorway, and made fast.


s: And all the Achaian remnant, seeing their best


s: Stood awed in silence; but Nestor the old


s: Bade bring the victims, and these on the wold


s: The smoke of fire, and bloodsmoke, as a gift


s: Lord of the thunder; to Heré next, and Her,


s: Of Father Zeus, who bears the Ægis dread


s: And shakes it when the storm peals overhead


s: And lightning splits the firmament with fire;


s: Nor yet forgat Poseidon, dark-haired sire


s: Of all the seas, and of great Ocean's flow,


s: The girdler of the world. So back with slow


s: And pondered steps they all returned, and dark


s: Swallowed up Troy, and Horse, and them who stark


s: Abode within it. And the great stars shone


s: Out over sea and land; and speaking none,


s: Nursing his arms, nursing within his breast


s: Or whether he should live to see the light,


s: The blithelier for the peril. He was stuff


s: That thrives by daring, nor can dare enough.


s: Three days, three nights before the Skaian Gate


s: Sat they within their ambush, apt for fate;


s: Three days, three nights, the Trojans swarmed the walls


s: And towers or held high council in their halls


s: What this portended, this o'erweening mass


s: Reared up so high no man stretching could pass


s: His hand over the crupper, of such girth


s: Of haunch, to span the pair no man on earth


s: Could compass with both arms. But most their eyes


s: Were for the riders who in godlike guise


s: Untrammel'd by our shifts of shields and shoes,


s: As if we dread the earth whereof we are.


s: Sons of God, these: for bore not each a star


s: Come in to save their sister at the last,


s: And war for Troy, and root King Priam fast


s: In his demesne, him and his heirs for ever!


s: Now call they soothsayers to make endeavour


s: With engines of their craft to read the thing;


s: But others urge them hale it to the King--


s: "Let him dispose," they say, "of it and us,


s: To heave it o'er the sheer and bring to wreck;


s: The temple of some God: of three ways one.


s: With arrogant flash for every beam of his."


s: Raking the bloodsick earth to have the truth,


s: And getting what they lookt for, as in sooth


s: A man will do. So then they all fell to't


s: To hale with cords and lever foot by foot


s: The portent; and as frenzy frenzy breeds,


s: And what one has another thinks he needs,


s: Lent hands, and ever from the concourse more


s: Of them, who hauled as if Troy's life depended


s: On hastening forward that wherein it ended.


s: So came the Horse to Troy, so was filled up


s: The cup which whoso drains must taste the lees.


s: And precinct of Athené. There, till reived,


s: They kept the Pallium, sacred and still grieved


s: To Her, as first it was, till she learned hate


s: For what had once been lovely, and let in


s: To ensnare Prince Paris and send him awooing


s: And Troy's and all the line's of Dardanos,


s: That traced from Zeus to him, from him to Tros,


s: From whom came Kapys; and from him the fame


s: Of dreadful wrath, safe only out did come,


s: And builded great Troy's line in greater Rome.


s: Now to the forecourt flock the Trojan folk


s: To view the portent. Now they bring to yoke


s: Priam's white horses, that the stricken king


s: Himself may see the wonder-working thing,


s: Himself invoke with his frail trembling voice


s: The good Twin Brethren for his aid and Troy's.


s: Father and King of Troy, with feeble hands


s: And mild pale eyes wherein Grief like a ghost


s: Of all his children gather, with grief-worn


s: Andromaché and her first, and last, born,


s: The wise Aineias stands, of steadfast heart


s: Of Paris knelled the last days to begin.


s: But he himself, that Paris, came not out,


s: But kept his house in these his days of doubt,


s: Uncertain of his footing, being of those


s: On whom the faintest breath of censure blows


s: Chill as the wind that from the frozen North


s: Palsies the fount o' the blood. He dared not forth


s: Lest men should see--and how not see? he thought--


s: That Helen held him lightlier than she ought.


s: Self-held, sufficient to herself, not bold,


s: For judge or jury of what she may have done;


s: As she had been at first, so was she now


s: And had no pride but thinking of her new.


s: But she was lovelier, of more burning hue,


s: And in her eyes there shone, for who could see,


s: A flickering light, half scare and half of glee,


s: Which made those iris'd orbs to wax and wane


s: Like to the light of April days, when rain


s: And sun contend the sovereignty. She kept


s: To let him feel her there when some harsh word


s: Or look made her heart waver. Many she heard,


s: And much she saw, but knew the King her friend,


s: Him only since great Hector met his end.


s: And while so pensive and demure she stood,


s: With one thin hand just peeping at her hood,


s: The which close-folded her from head to knee,


s: Her heart within her bosom hailed her--"Free!


s: Free from thy thralldom, free to save, to give,


s: To love, be loved again, and die to live!"


s: So she--yet who had said, to see her there,


s: The sweet-faced woman, blue-eyed, still and fair


s: As windless dawn in some quiet mountain place,


s: Now hath the King his witless welcome paid,


s: And now invoked the gods, and the cold shade


s: Which once was Hector; now, being upheld


s: By two his sons, with shaking hands of eld


s: The knees of those two carved and gilded youths


s: He touches while he prays, and praying soothes


s: Kassandra views him pray, that well of woe


s: With gift to see, and not to be believed;


s: To read within the heart of Time all truth


s: And see men blindly blunder, to have ruth,


s: To burn, to cry, "Out, haro!" and be a mock--


s: Ah, and to know within this gross wood-block


s: The fate of all her kindred, and her own,


s: Upon her face, to blanch it like a sheet,


s: Now with bare frozen eyes which only greet


s: The viewless neighbours of our world she strips


s: The veil and shrieketh Troy's apocalypse:


s: "Woe to thee, Ilios! The fire, the fire! And rain,


s: Rain like to blood and tears to drown the plain


s: One great death-clout for thee, Ilios the proud!


s: Touch not, handle not----" Outraged then she turned


s: To Helen--"O thou, for whom Troy shall be burned,


s: O ruinous face, O breasts made hard with gall,


s: Now are ye satisfied? Ye shall have all,


s: All Priam's sons and daughters, all his race


s: Gone quick to death, hailing thee, ruinous face!"


s: Her tragic mask she turned upon all men:


s: "The lion shall have Troy, to make his den


s: Within her pleasant courts, in Priam's high seat


s: Shall blink the vulture, sated of his meat;


s: And in the temples emptied of their Gods


s: Bats shall make quick the night, and panting toads


s: Make day a loathing to the light it brings.


s: Listen! Listen! they flock out; heed their wings.


s: The Gods flee forth of this accursèd haunt,


s: And leave the memory of it an old chant,


s: A nursery song, an idle tale that's told


s: To children when your own sons are grown old


s: Than whispering to their offspring tales of Troy."


s: Whereat she laught--O bitter sound to hear!


s: And struggled with herself, and grinned with fear


s: Should catch her and she be believed too late.


s: "Is't possible, O Gods! Are ye so doomed


s: As not to know this Horse a mare, enwombed


s: Of men and swords? Know ye not there unseen


s: The Argive princes wait their dam shall yean?


s: Anon creeps Sparta forth, to find his balm


s: In that vile woman; forth with itching palm


s: Mykenai creeps, snuffing what may be won


s: By filching; forth Pyrrhos the braggart's son


s: But while he lived called Gods to serve his stead;


s: These things ye will not credit, but I see."


s: Then once again, and last, she turned her switch


s: On Helen, hissing, "Out upon thee, witch,


s: Smooth-handed traitress, speak thy secrets out


s: That we may know thee, how thou goest about


s: Caressing, with a hand that hides a knife,


s: That which shall prove false paramour, false wife,


s: Fair as the sun is fair that smiles and slays"--


s: And then, "O ruinous face, O ruinous face!"


s: But nothing more, for sudden all was gone,


s: Spent by her passion. Muttering, faint and wan


s: Down to the earth she sank, and to and fro


s: Rocking, drew close her hood, and shrouded so,


s: Her wild voice drowning, died in moans away.


s: But Helen stood bright-eyed as glancing day,


s: Near by the Horse, and with a straying hand


s: Did stroke it here and there, and listening stand,


s: Leaning her head towards its gilded flank,


s: And strain to hear men's breath behind the plank;


s: And she had whispered if she dared some word


s: Leaned her head close and toucht it with her cheek,


s: Then drew again to Priam, schooled and meek.


s: Sat on, nursing his mighty throw to come;


s: And vile, but fast Odysseus o'er his mouth


s: Clapt hand, and checkt his foul perseverance


s: Now when the ways were darkened, and the sun


s: Sank red to sea, and homeward all had gone


s: Save that distraught Kassandra, who still served


s: The temple whence the Goddess long had swerved,


s: Of Priam's regal crown for other brows--


s: She, though foredoomed she knew, held to her vows,


s: And duly paid the thankless evening rite--


s: There came to Paris' house late in the night


s: For speech with fair-tressed Helen, for whose slim


s: And budded grace long had he sighed in vain;


s: And found her in full hall, and showed his pain


s: And need of her. To whom when she draws close


s: His case, hers now, that here she tarry not


s: Lest evil hap more dread than she can wot:


s: "For this," he says, "is Troy's extremest hour."


s: But when to that she bowed her head, the power


s: "Dark sets the sun," he cried, "and day is spent";


s: But she said, "Nay, the sun will rise with day,


s: And I shall bathe in light, lift hands and pray."


s: "Thou lift up hands, bound down to a new lord!"


s: He mocked; then whispered, "Lady, with a sword


s: She moved: "No sword, but a cry of the heart


s: From my heart unto thine: fly, Helen, fly!"


s: Whereat she shook her head and sighed, "Even so,


s: Brother, I fly where thou canst never go.


s: Far go I, out of ken of thee and thy peers."


s: He knew not what she would, but said, "Thy fears


s: Are of the Gods and holy dooms and Fate,


s: But mine the present menace in the gate.


s: Thy Spartan, and his bitter sword-point feel


s: Saith she. He then, "If ever man deserved thee


s: By service, I am he, who'd die to serve thee."


s: Glowing she heard him, being quickly moved


s: By kindness, loving ever where she was loved.


s: But now her heart was fain for rest; the night


s: Called her to sleep and dreams. So with a light


s: And gentle hand upon him, "Brother, farewell,"


s: She said, "I stay the issue, and foretell


s: She kissed him. And she saw his face no more.


s: Now Dawn came weeping forth, and on the crest


s: Of Ida faced a chill wind from the West.


s: Forth from the gray sea wrack-laden it blew


s: And howled among the towers, and stronger grew


s: As crept unseen the sun his path of light.


s: Then she who in the temple all that night


s: Had kept her rueful watch, the prophetess


s: Kassandra, peering sharply, heard the press


s: And rush of flight above her, and with sick


s: Foreboding waited; and the air grew thick


s: As in late Autumn, when the leaves are shed


s: And country folk provide against dark days,


s: And heap the woodstack, and their stores repair,


s: Attent you know the quickening of the air,


s: And closer yet the swish and sweep and swing


s: The birds to broader skies and kindlier sun,


s: So seeing first, then hearing, she knew the hour


s: Was come when Troy must fall, and not a tower


s: Be left to front the morrow. And she covered


s: Her head and mourned, while one by one they hovered


s: Above their shrines, then flockt and faced the dawn.


s: First, in her car of shell and amber, drawn


s: By clustering doves with burnisht wings, a-throng,


s: Is sweet and sharp: "I gave my sacred zone


s: That live by labour and in tears are born


s: And sighing go their ways, has e'er been worn.


s: It kindled in thine eyes the lovelight, showed


s: Thy burning self in his. Thy body glowed


s: With beauty like to mine: mine thy love-laughter


s: Thy cooing in the night, thy deep sleep after,


s: Thy rapture of the morning, love renewed;


s: And all the shadowed day to sit and brood


s: On what has been and what should be again:


s: Thou wilt not? Nay, I proffer not in vain


s: My gifts, for I am all or will be nought.


s: Lo, where I am can be no other thought."


s: That for its core enshrined a naked youth,


s: Golden and fierce. She knew the God sans ruth,


s: Him who had given woeful prescience to her,


s: Who stood as one stands glorying in his grace


s: And strength, full in the sun, though on her place


s: Was any tinge of him, but all showed gray


s: And sodden in the wind and blown sea-spray.


s: Not to him dared she lift her voice in prayer,


s: Came swift a spirit in shape of virgin slim,


s: With snooded hair and kirtle belted trim,


s: Short to the knee; and in her face the gale


s: Had blown bright sanguine colour. Free and hale


s: Unstrung, and o'er her shoulders there did go


s: A baldrick that made sharp the cleft betwixt


s: Her sudden breasts--to that a quiver fixt,


s: Showing gold arrow-points. No God there is


s: In Heaven more swift than Delian Artemis,


s: The young, the pure health-giver of the Earth,


s: Who loveth all things born, and brings to birth,


s: And after slays with merciful sudden death--


s: In whom is gladness all and wholesome breath,


s: And to whom all the praise of him who writes,


s: Flare down the wind and burn afar, then fade.


s: And Leto next, a mother grave and staid,


s: Drave out her chariot, which two winged stags drew,


s: Swift following, robed in gown of inky blue,


s: And hooded; and her hand which held the hood


s: Gleamed like a patch of snow left in a wood


s: Where hyacinths bring down to earth the sky.


s: Dense as the cloud of gulls which from a rock


s: At sea lifts up in myriads, if the knock


s: Of oars assail their peace, she saw, and mourned


s: The household gods. For outward they too turned,


s: The spirits of the streams and water-brooks,


s: And nymphs who haunt the pastures, or in nooks


s: Of woodlands dwell. There like a lag of geese


s: That in wild dunes and commons have their haunt;


s: There sped the Hamadryads; there aslant,


s: As from the sea, but wheeling ere they crost


s: Their sisters, thronged the river-nymphs, a host;


s: And now the Gods of homestead and the hearth,


s: Like sad-faced mourning women, left the garth


s: Where each had dwelt since Troy was stablishéd,


s: And nightlong slumber when day's work was done:


s: They rose, and like a driven mist of rain


s: Forsook the doomed high city and the plain,


s: Heaviness spread o'er Ilios like a tent,


s: And past not off, but brooded all day long.


s: But ever coursed new spirits to the throng


s: That packt the ways of Heaven. From the plain,


s: From mere and holt and hollow rose amain


s: The haunters of the silence; from the streams


s: And wells of water, from the country demes,


s: From plough and pasture, bottom, ridge and crest


s: The rustic Gods rose up and joined the rest.


s: Like a long wisp of cloud from out his banks


s: Streamed Xanthos, that swift river, to the ranks


s: Of flying shapes; and driven by that same mind


s: That urged him to it came Simoeis behind,


s: And other Gods and other, of stream and tree


s: And hill and vale--for nothing there can be


s: On earth or under Heaven, but hath in it


s: Our apprehension, channelled in the sense


s: Which feedeth us, that we through vision dense


s: See Gods as trees walking, or in the wind


s: That singeth in the bents guess what's behind


s: Beat o'er the forest which about her springs


s: And makes a sea of verdure, whence she lifts


s: Her soaring peaks to bathe them in the drifts


s: Of cloud, and rare reveal them unto men--


s: For Zeus there hath his dwelling, out of ken


s: Of men alike and gods. But now the brows,


s: The breasting summits, still eternal snows,


s: Of Heaven upon some breathless summer night


s: Printed with myriad stars, some burning bright,


s: There rankt the Gods of Heaven, Earth, and Sea,


s: Brethren of them now hastening from the fee


s: Of stricken Priam. Out of his deep cloud


s: Zeus flamed his levin, and his thunder loud


s: Volleyed his welcome. With uplifted hands


s: Acclaiming, God's oncoming each God stands


s: For imminent Death, Kassandra croucht beneath


s: Her very doom, herself the bride of Death;


s: For in the temple's forecourt reared the mass


s: Of that which was to bring the woe to pass,


s: While all the city broods. The chiefs keep house,


s: And at street corners men in shift or plot


s: Whisper together, or in the market-place


s: Furtively, seeking comfort against care;


s: Whose eyes, meeting by chance, shift otherwhere


s: In haste. But in the houses, behind doors


s: Shuttered and barred, the women scrub their floors,


s: And for their griefs wear beauty like a mask,


s: And answer heart's presaging with a song


s: On their brave lips, and render right for wrong.


s: Little, by outward seeming, do they know


s: Of doom at hand, of fate or blood or woe,


s: Nor how their children, playing by their knees,


s: In shrieking night, with clamour for their bread,


s: And a red bath, and a cold stone for a bed


s: And forth from him, as he were stuck with swords,


s: Great streams of light go upward. Then the lords


s: Of havoc and unrest prepare their storms,


s: And o'er the silent city, vulture forms--


s: The biter, the sharp-bitten, the mad, the fey--


s: The gray Erinnyes, watchful for the hour


s: Like a white squall flung Até with a cry


s: That sounded like the wind in a ship's shrouds,


s: As shrill and wild at once. The driving clouds


s: The beachéd ships, the plain with mound and tree,


s: And slantwise came the sheeted rain, and fast


s: Her mantle o'er her head, and with slow feet


s: Entered her shrine deserted, there to greet


s: Her fate when it should come; and merciful Sleep


s: Odysseus forth unarmed, his sword and spear


s: Went doubtful. Then his dreadful work began,


s: Under the dark he sought for Paris' house.


s: There in her cage roamed Helen light and fierce,


s: Unresting, with bright eyes and straining ears,


s: Nor ever stayed her steps; but first the hall


s: She ranged, touching the pillars; next to the wall


s: Went out and shot her gaze into the murk


s: Whereas the ships should lie; then to her work


s: Upon the great loom turned and wove a shift,


s: In the close-wrapping fog that might discover


s: The moving hosts, the spearmen of her lover--


s: Lover and husband, master and lord of life,


s: And as wide-eyed she stared to feel her heart


s: Leap to her side, she felt the warm tears start,


s: And thankt the Goddess for the balm they brought.


s: Yet to her women, withal so highly wrought


s: By hope and care and waiting, she was mild


s: And gentle-voiced, and playful as a child


s: That sups the moment's joy, and nothing heeds


s: Time past or time to come, but fills all needs


s: With present kindness. She would laugh and talk,


s: The terrace 'neath the eyes of all her fate,


s: And seem to heed what they might show or prate,


s: As if her whole heart's heart were in this house


s: And should one speak of Paris, as to say,


s: "Would that our lord might see thee go so gay


s: About his house!" Gently she'd bend her head


s: Down to her breast and pluck a vagrant thread


s: Forth from her tunic's hem, and looking wise,


s: Gaze at her hand which on her bosom's rise


s: Lit like a butterfly and quivered there.


s: At council with the chieftains, into the hall


s: To Helen there, was come, adventuring all,


s: A herdsman from the hills, with stain of tan


s: Upon his neck and arms, with staff and scrip,


s: And round each leg bound crosswise went a strip


s: Of good oxhide. Within the porch he came


s: And louted low, and hailed her by her name,


s: Though not so tall as most, and not full blown


s: To shape and flush like a full-hearted rose;


s: Lax and most gentle, and her tired sweet face


s: Of starless heaven, and in her eyes the hue


s: Of early morning, gray through mist of blue.


s: Queen of them all, but by the right expressed


s: In her calm gaze and fearless, and that hold


s: Upon her lips which Gods have. Nay, not cold,


s: Thou holy one, not cold thy lips, which say


s: The passion of thy heart! But who can wis


s: The fainting piercing message of thy kiss?


s: But when she saw him there with his head bowed


s: And humble hands, deeply her fair face glowed,


s: And broad across the iris swam the black


s: Until her eyes showed darkling. "Friend, your lack


s: Tell me," she said, "and what is mine to give


s: Here in this house, where I am not the queen


s: Which Ilios gives me too, but not in love.


s: And should be tender of each other's right,


s: And of each other's wrongdoing, and wrongs done


s: The sword you lack, nor bow nor spear afford


s: He said, "Nay, you can sheathe the sword,


s: Slack bowstring, and make spear a hunter's toy.


s: Unwinking fixt, "Let you and me devise,"


s: Said she, "this happy end of bow and spear,


s: So shall we serve the land. You have my ear;


s: "But so," he said, "these maidens have it.


s: But we save Troy alone, or never save it."


s: Turning she bid them leave her with a nod,


s: And they obeyed. Swift then and like a God


s: She seemed, with bright all-knowing eyes and calm


s: Gesture of high-held head, and open palm


s: To greet. "Laertes' son, what news bringst thou?"


s: "Lady," he said, "the best. The hour is now.


s: We stand within the heaven-establisht walls,


s: We gird the seat. Within an hour it falls,


s: After our ten years' travail and great loss


s: To stay it. "Who are ye that stand here-by?"


s: "Desperate men," he said, "prepared to die


s: If thou wilt have it so. Chief is there none


s: Beside the ships but Nestor. All are gone


s: Forth in the Horse. Under thy covering hand


s: Of the loud war-cry, next thy man indeed,


s: This news and must return to take what lot


s: Thou choosest us; for all is thine, God wot,


s: To end or mend, to make or mar at will."


s: A weighty utterance, but she heard the thrill


s: Within her heart, and listened only that--


s: To know her love so near. So near he sat


s: Hidden when she that toucht the Horse's flank


s: Could have toucht him! "Odysseus!" her voice sank


s: To the low tone of the soft murmuring dove


s: That nests and broods, "Odysseus, heard my love


s: My whisper of his name when close I stood


s: He said, "and Lokrian Aias would have spoken


s: Had I not clapt a hand to his mouth--else broken


s: By garish day had been our house of dream,


s: And our necks too. I heard a woman scream


s: Come when he will. Humbly I wait his word."


s: "That word I bring," Odysseus said, "he comes.


s: Of long desire. "Ah, let me go with thee


s: Even as I am; from this dark house take me


s: "Not so, but he must find thee here abed--


s: Of panic was her face, what time her task


s: Stared on a field of white horror like blood:


s: "And one must fall?" she said; he, "One must fall."


s: Reeling she turned her pincht face other way


s: And muttered with her lips, grown cold and gray,


s: Then fawning came at him, and with her hands


s: Besought him, but her voice made no demands,


s: Only her haunted eyes were quick, and prayed,


s: Her lovely head; he heard her broken moan,


s: "Have I not caused enough of blood-shedding,


s: And enough women's tears? Is not the sting


s: Sharp enough of the knife within my side?"


s: The lot of man, who payeth the full price


s: For each deed done, and riddeth vice by vice:


s: By God decreed, that for thy forfeit bliss


s: In Sparta thou shalt pay the price in Troy,


s: Dishonour for lost honour, pain for joy;


s: By what hot thought impelled, by that alone


s: Win back thy blotted footprints. Out again


s: With all thine arts of kisses slow and long,


s: Of smiles and stroking hands, and crooning song


s: Whenas full-fed with love thou lulledst asleep;


s: Renew thine eyebright glances, whisper and creep


s: And twine about his neck thy wreathing arms:


s: As we with spears so do thou with thy charms,


s: Arm thee and wait the hour of fire and smoke


s: To purge this robbery. Paris by the stroke


s: Of him he robbed shall wash out his old cheat


s: In blood, and thou, woman, by new deceit


s: Of him redeem thy first. For thus God saith,


s: Traitress, thou shalt betray thy thief to death."


s: And witless, shook, and like a little child


s: Gazed piteous, and asked, "What must I do?"


s: He answered, "Hold him by thee, falsely true,


s: Until the King stand armed within the house


s: Ready to take his blood-price. Even thus,


s: By shame alone shalt thou redeem thy shame."


s: And now she claspt his knee and cried his name:


s: Sooner than go to him so. What, must I lie


s: To hold my head up level with my slaves,


s: Deal knavishly till freedom they can win;


s: And so let sinners purge themselves of sin."


s: Then fiercely looking on her where she croucht


s: Fast by his knees, his whole mind he avoucht:


s: "How many hast thou sent the way of death


s: By thy hot fault? What ghosts like wandering breath


s: Shudder and wail unhouseled on the plain,


s: Shreds of Achaian honour? What hearts in pain


s: Cry the night through? What souls this very night


s: Fare forth? Art thou alone to sup delight,


s: And only, with thy lecher and his thirst,


s: Wrought all the harm? Only for thy smooth sake


s: Find madness and self-murder for the crown


s: Of all his travail?" He eyed her up and down


s: Sternly, as measuring her worth in scorn.


s: While men endure cold nights and burning days,


s: The Gates and open them. A trumpet's blast


s: Will sound the entry of the host. Hold fast


s: High Pergamos; that won, the horn will tell


s: The sack begun. But hold thou Paris bound


s: Fast in thine arms. Once more the horn shall sound.


s: That third is doom for him. Release him then."


s: All blank she gazed. "Unarmed to face armed men?"


s: "Unarmed," he said, "to meet his judgment day."


s: Now was thick silence broken; now no way


s: For her to shift her task nor he his fate.


s: Keenly she heeds. "'Tis Paris at the gate!


s: What now? Whither away? Where wilt thou hide?"


s: What he may do. Was it not truth I spake


s: That all Hellas lay in thy hand? Now take


s: What counsel or what comfort may avail."


s: Paris stood in the door and cried her Hail.


s: "Hail to thee, Rose of the World!" then saw the man,


s: And knit his brows upon him, close to scan


s: Shadowing his face. Some time the Trojan stood


s: Judging, then said, "Thou seek'st? What seekest thou?"


s: "A debt is owed me. I seek payment now."


s: "I would know more of thee and of thy debt,"


s: Hath ruined all my fields which are my life,


s: Brought murrain on my beasts, cold ash to my hearth,


s: Emptiness to my croft. Hunger and dearth,


s: "I pay, but first will know what man it is


s: I am to pay, and in what kind." So said,


s: Snatching the hood, he whipt it from his head


s: And lookt and knew the Ithacan. "Now by Zeus,


s: Treachery here!" He swung his sword-arm loose


s: Forth of his cloak and set hand to his sword;


s: But Helen softly called him: "Hath my lord


s: Straightway he went to her, and left the man,


s: And took her in his arms, and held her close.


s: And light of foot, Odysseus quit the house.


s: Now Paris tipt her chin and turned her face


s: Upwards to his that fondly he might trace


s: The beauty of her budded lips, and stoop


s: And kiss them softly; and fingered in the loop


s: That held her girdle, and closer pressed, on fire,


s: Towards her; for her words had stung desire


s: Whispered and lookt his passion; then to pray


s: Began: "Ah, love, long strange to me, behold


s: Thy winter past, and come the days of gold


s: And pleasance of the spring! For in thine eyes


s: I see his light and hail him as he flies!


s: Nay, cloud him not, nor veil him"--for she made


s: To turn her face, saying, "Ah, let them fade:


s: The soul thou prisonest here is grayer far."


s: But he would give no quarter now. "O star,


s: That I may wash me in thy bath of light,


s: And healed, I rise renewed to front what call


s: May be!" which said, with conquest in his bones


s: And in his eyes assurance, in high tones


s: He called her maids, bade take her and prepare


s: The couch, and her to be new-wedded there;


s: For long had they been strangers to their bliss.


s: And watchful, praying silent and intense


s: To a strange-figured Goddess, to his sense


s: Who knew but Aphrodité. "Love, what now?


s: Who is thy God? What secret rite hast thou?"


s: For grave and stern above that altar stood


s: She answered him, "Chaste wives to her do pray


s: Before they couch, Blest be the strife! You say


s: So said, she took the well-filled cup and poured,


s: And prayed, saying, "O Mother, not abhorred


s: Be this my service of thee. Count it not


s: When reckoning comes of things done and not done


s: "Heré, to thee for issue of the strife!"


s: Cried Paris then, and poured. So Helen went


s: And let her maids adorn her to his bent.


s: Then took he joy of her, and little guessed


s: Or cared what she might give or get. Possest


s: Searcht terribly the issue. As one blind


s: Explores the dark about him in broad day


s: Lax in his arms, her fainting eyes, aglaze


s: For terror coming, sought escape all ways.


s: Whose joy no fairer makes her than despair?


s: Her burning lips that kisses could not cool,


s: Her beating heart that not love made so full,


s: The surging of her breast, her clinging hands:


s: Here are such signs as lover understands,


s: But fated Paris nowise. Her soul, distraught


s: To save him, proved the net where he was caught.


s: For more she anguisht lest love be his bane


s: The fiercelier spurred she him, to make him fain


s: But all the household gathered on the wall


s: While these two in discordant bed were plight,


s: And watcht the Achaian fires. No beacon-light


s: Showed by the shore, but countless, flickering, streamed


s: Innumerable lights, wove, dipt and gleamed


s: Like fireflies on a night of summer heat,


s: Withal one way they moved, though many beat


s: Across and back, and mingled with the rest.


s: Anon a great glare kindled from the crest


s: Behind the ships, which threw up in red haze


s: Huge forms of prow and beak. Then from the Mound


s: Of Ilos fire shot up, from sacred ground,


s: One sped and flared, as of the meteorites


s: In autumn some fly further, brighter courses.


s: A chariot! They heard the thunder of the horses;


s: And as they flew the torch left a bright wake.


s: "Lo, more lights race! They follow him, they near,


s: Catch and draw level. Hark! Now you can hear


s: Is light upon their spears. The Greeks, I ween,


s: But then her mate: "They mass, they fill the night


s: Fled as they came. They heard the flickering wings


s: Of countless birds in haste, and as they flew


s: So fled the dark away. Light waxed and grew


s: With pulsing flames of fire, which gleamed and glanced,


s: Flickered, wavered, yet never stayed advance.


s: Beats a sea-path in flakes of molten gold,


s: So stretcht from shore to Troy that litten stream


s: That moved and shuddered, restless as a dream,


s: Yet ever nearing, till on spear and shield


s: They saw light like the moon on a drowned field,


s: And in the glare of torches saw and read


s: Gray faces, like the legions of the dead,


s: Silent about the walls, and waiting there.


s: But in the fragrant chamber Helen the fair


s: Lay close in arms, and Paris slept, his head


s: Sudden there smote the blast of a great horn,


s: Single, long-held and shuddering, and far-borne;


s: And then a deathless silence. Paris stirred


s: On that soft pillow, and listened while they heard


s: That slapt the stones, and voices in the street


s: Of question and call--"Oh, who are ye that run?


s: What of the night?" "O peace!" And some lost one


s: Wailed like a woman, and her a man did curse,


s: And there were scuffling, prayers, and then worse--


s: Of Helen's loose hair twisting round his finger.


s: "O love," he murmured low, "I may not linger.


s: The street's awake. Alas, thou art too kind


s: To be a warrior's bride." Sighing, she twined


s: Her arm about his neck and toucht his face,


s: And pressed it gently back to its warm place


s: Of pillowing. And Paris kissed her breast


s: And slept; but her heart's riot gave no rest


s: As quaking there she lay, awaiting doom.


s: Then afar off rose clamour, and the room


s: Was fanned with sudden light and sudden dark,


s: Blazed forth you see each tuft of grass or mound,


s: Anon the drowning blackness, while the sound


s: So here the chamber glared, then dipt, and rose


s: That far confuséd tumult, and now and then


s: The scurrying feet of passion-driven men.


s: Thrilling she waited with sick certainty


s: Of doom inexorable, while the struck city


s: Fought its death-grapple, and the windy height


s: The holy shrines stared on a field of blood,


s: And with blank eyes the emptied temples stood


s: While murder raved before them, and below


s: Of women for their children. Then the flame


s: The darkness, and the time seemed of broad day.


s: And Helen stared unwinking where she lay


s: The second trumpet sounds. They have the hill--


s: High Troy is down, is down! Starting, he wakes


s: And turns him in her arms. His face she takes


s: In her two hands and turns it up to hers.


s: Nothing she says, nothing she does, nor stirs


s: From her still scrutiny, nor so much as blinks


s: Her eyes, deep-searching, of whose blue he drinks,


s: And fond believes her all his own, while she


s: Marvels that aught of his she e'er could be


s: And loses all the sense of present needs


s: For him in burning Troy, where Priam bleeds


s: Head-smitten, trodden on his palace-floor,


s: And white Kassandra yieldeth up her flower


s: The very household of the shameful lover;


s: Now are the streets alive, for worse in cover


s: Like a trapt rat to die than fight the odds


s: Under the sky. Now women shriek to the Gods,


s: The Greeks press, burning, slaying, and the rout


s: Pack, their wings battling, when some fresh wrack strews


s: The tideway, and in greater haste to stop


s: Others from prey, will let their morsel drop,


s: And all the while make harsh lament--so here


s: The avid spoilers bickered in their fear


s: And tore the spoil, and mangled shamefully


s: Bodies of men to strip them, and in haste


s: To forestall ravishers left the victims chaste.


s: Swept like a snow-storm over Troy that night;


s: And towers rockt, and in the naked glare


s: Of fire the smoke climbed to the upper air;


s: And clamour was as of the dead broke loose.


s: And to the wicked house with chosen band


s: Cometh, his good sword naked in his hand;


s: And now, while Paris loves and holds her fast


s: In arms, the third horn sounds a shattering blast,


s: Long-held, triumphant; and about the door


s: Gathers the household, to cry, to pray, to implore,


s: And at the last break in and scream the truth--


s: "The Greeks! The Greeks! Save yourselves!"


s: And all believes; and with his utter loss


s: Of him. No word he said, but let one groan,


s: And turned his dying eyes to hers, and read


s: Therein his fate, that to her he was dead,


s: Long dead and cold in grave. Whereat he past


s: Out of the door, and met his end at last


s: Lay on her face, half buried in her hair,


s: But thou didst rise, Maid Helen, as from sleep,


s: With thy true lover, in whose hands thy life


s: In heart as well as deed; his wife, his friend,


s: For such it is, the marriage of true minds,


s: So if her beauty lift her out of thought


s: Self glorified, and two make one clear orb


s: Which stream from God and unto God return.--


s: To be, and serve my years of pain and loss


s: With my eyes ever fixt to where, a star,


s: Hands in thy hands, and arms about thy waist.


s: In laughter, in love--all this she gave!--


s: Stream those who, filled with thee, forsake


s: His rhymes, can voice the tides of love?


s: From their winged choir your urgent Muse;


s: Though mute; but two hearts make a chord


s: Where wonned her Mistress; for those two


s: That which thou tak'st of thee is part--


s: Thy lips' frail fragrance, as of flowers


s: With love's faint charact'ry, for his wing


s: Thy thin quick fingers, in whose pleaching


s: From warm mouth murmuring kiss and cheer,


s: These, and those bright flower-gatherers


s: That strange white flower, unseen before,


s: With chalice pale, which thin stalk bore


s: Belched out, as driven, and hung, and broke


s: With sullen puff; like tongues the flame


s: And nostrils red, and crests flying free;


s: Thronging their veins--they knew not, they,


s: "Long have I sought this day should bring


s: That which thou shunnest to be thy need;


s: And draw thee back when time's to part--


s: And guarded watched, and her proud eyes'


s: Young and yet fraught with Godhead, checkt


s: Both Him who claimed, and her who'd cling,


s: As when night-winds set pine-trees sighing,


s: For love men leave not with their bones--


s: Her mates, whom now estranged she sees--


s: With draught so quick and keen that each


s: The chariot turns, the great steeds fight


s: Hair blown back, mouths astretch for fear,


s: Through channelled night, where only sing


s: The shrill gusts streaming through the hair


s: Downward their course was, swift as flight


s: Nor jolt, nor jar; for once past through


s: Earth's portals, steeds and chariot flew


s: And crossed dry-wheeled the coiling flood


s: And rules his bodyless thralls they stand.


s: A foul night makes, it sagged; for stars


s: "What hope have ye?" And answer, "None."


s: The sweet dawn light that floods and fills


s: Cool palms that urge them see and praise


s: Whose fingers drum those passionate blows,


s: When scared the slim young moon rides out


s: And witching frost! All's one, all's one


s: Some grain of hope, where none might be,


s: For where they go like breath in a shell


s: With seeking; her smooth, sudden breasts


s: From her whose need called forth her vow;


s: What miseries gnawed within that breast,


s: Which could be toucht, which could give meat


s: Croons when her breast is ripe for love,


s: Hath she for sound so true, though near;


s: This, rapt, with beating heart, she heeds


s: And follows, "Sweet love, my heart bleeds!


s: Come, stay the wound thyself didst give";


s: That which she seeks; but the thing's done.


s: Take then my love--thou gavest it life!"


s: With earth-bound woman, earth-born child.


s: Which saw, not felt, his fierce embrace.


s: Prudes till Love calls them, and then fierce


s: In love's high calling. Thus with her ears


s: To stormy Thrace from Athens where you tarried


s: Thither, and in what frozen bed wert married?


s: "I was a King's tall daughter still unwed,


s: Into my cheeks, and kindled both my eyes.


s: I suffered him who took no bodily guise:


s: The light clouds know whether I was to blame.


s: "Into my mouth he blew an amorous breath;


s: I panted, but lay still, as quiet as death.


s: The whispering planes and sighing grasses know


s: Whether it was the wind that loved me so:


s: I know not--only this, 'O love,' he saith,


s: "'O long beset with love, and overloved,


s: Come out, thou art too choice for such abiding!


s: "'Thou mayst not see thy lover, but he now


s: Is here, and claimeth thy low moonlit brow,


s: Thy wonderful eyes, and lips that part and pout,


s: And polished throat that like a flower shoots out


s: From thy dark vesture folded and crossed low.'


s: "With that he had his way and went his way;


s: For Gods have mastery, and a maiden's nay


s: Grows faint ere it is whispered all. I sped


s: Homeward with startled face and tiptoe tread,


s: And up the stair, and in my chamber lay.


s: "Crouching I lay and quaked, and heard the wind


s: Wail round the house like a mad thing confined,


s: And had no rest; turn wheresoe'er I would


s: Filled earth and air, and shuddered in my knees


s: So that I could not stand, but by the wall


s: Leaned pitifully breathing. Still his call


s: Volleyed against the house and tore the trees.


s: I leaned my body to the blind wet night;


s: That eager lover leapt me, circled round,


s: Wreathed, folded, held me prisoner, wrapt and bound