 | Rhymes |  |
51
THESSALIAN WITCHERIES.
I many tales might preface with Non meus
Hic sermo: This is from the golden ass
Of that Milesian mystic, Apuleius;
Divine enchanter! in whose magic glass
We see strange phantoms, which approach or flee us;
While in succession, o'er its surface pass,
Or only pause to play some wild vagary,
Wizard or witch, hobgoblin, fiend or fairy.
Hic sermo: This is from the golden ass
Of that Milesian mystic, Apuleius;
Divine enchanter! in whose magic glass
We see strange phantoms, which approach or flee us;
While in succession, o'er its surface pass,
Or only pause to play some wild vagary,
Wizard or witch, hobgoblin, fiend or fairy.
52
Rhyming thee, may it not offend thy ghost, O
Rare Apuleius, if I disarrange
Thy masque and mummers; bating Ariosto,
Whose story is not better for some change?
Were they retouched, the tales of Cadamosto,
And Marco Polo, would appear less strange.
Some deem all wholly false, or wholly sooth;
Yet lies are often but the lees of truth.
Rare Apuleius, if I disarrange
Thy masque and mummers; bating Ariosto,
Whose story is not better for some change?
Were they retouched, the tales of Cadamosto,
And Marco Polo, would appear less strange.
Some deem all wholly false, or wholly sooth;
Yet lies are often but the lees of truth.
Still it requires a wary hand and eye
In him, that would decant the mixture clean:
Nay, he would mar its savour, taste and dye,
Who should its dregs too nicely drain and screen.
This say I in my own excuse, lest I
Should fail myself to hit the golden mean:
A lie, or liar, not more Achilles loathed:
But some like naked Truth, I like her cloathed.
In him, that would decant the mixture clean:
Nay, he would mar its savour, taste and dye,
Who should its dregs too nicely drain and screen.
This say I in my own excuse, lest I
Should fail myself to hit the golden mean:
A lie, or liar, not more Achilles loathed:
But some like naked Truth, I like her cloathed.
53
Yet some a naked lie may deem my say,
So passing full it is of magic freaks;
But to the point; for I no more will play
The part of prologue; it is Lucius speaks—
‘When young, to Thessaly I took my way;
‘As is the common practice with us Greeks;
‘To trade, or study things untaught by charts
‘And books; as men and manners, arms and arts.
So passing full it is of magic freaks;
But to the point; for I no more will play
The part of prologue; it is Lucius speaks—
‘When young, to Thessaly I took my way;
‘As is the common practice with us Greeks;
‘To trade, or study things untaught by charts
‘And books; as men and manners, arms and arts.
‘Bound on this venture, without wit or fear, I
‘Set forward on a nimble, home-bred hack;
‘Now threading grassy vale, now climbing dreary
‘Mountain, now plodding by some beaten track:
‘When (for my horse waxed weak, and I was weary
‘With such long sitting) I dismount, and slack
‘His girths, and lead him loosely by the rein,
‘Making a roving meal on grass or grain.
‘Set forward on a nimble, home-bred hack;
‘Now threading grassy vale, now climbing dreary
‘Mountain, now plodding by some beaten track:
‘When (for my horse waxed weak, and I was weary
‘With such long sitting) I dismount, and slack
‘His girths, and lead him loosely by the rein,
‘Making a roving meal on grass or grain.
54
‘While, right and left, he cropt the juicy fare
‘And brows'd at will on blossom, leaf and stalk,
‘Lo! I was overtaken by a pair
‘That had dismounted, like myself to walk:
‘For a hill lay before us steep and bare.
‘Engaged they were in fast and furious talk:
‘When to his comrade one exclaimed, ‘“Now fye!
‘“Out on such measureless and monstrous lie!”
‘And brows'd at will on blossom, leaf and stalk,
‘Lo! I was overtaken by a pair
‘That had dismounted, like myself to walk:
‘For a hill lay before us steep and bare.
‘Engaged they were in fast and furious talk:
‘When to his comrade one exclaimed, ‘“Now fye!
‘“Out on such measureless and monstrous lie!”
‘Thus he, when I struck in between the two
‘(Who climbed that hill with heavy step and slow)
‘I, evermore athirst for what is new—
‘And cried; what startles his belief, pray show
‘To me, as curious in strange things, and who
‘All things, or all I can at least, would know.
‘So you the mountain way shall well beguile,
‘And with your wonders cheat a weary mile.
‘(Who climbed that hill with heavy step and slow)
‘I, evermore athirst for what is new—
‘And cried; what startles his belief, pray show
‘To me, as curious in strange things, and who
‘All things, or all I can at least, would know.
‘So you the mountain way shall well beguile,
‘And with your wonders cheat a weary mile.
55
‘Then he that the discourse had first begun;
‘“Nay; what he calls a lie, is no less clear
‘“Than that, compelled by magick, rivers run
‘“Back to their source, that charms in their career
‘“Arrest the panting wind, eclipse the sun;
‘“Dim mid-day, gild the night, and stars unsphere.”
Emboldened by this speech, I cry anew
‘I pray you, yet again, your tale pursue.
‘“Nay; what he calls a lie, is no less clear
‘“Than that, compelled by magick, rivers run
‘“Back to their source, that charms in their career
‘“Arrest the panting wind, eclipse the sun;
‘“Dim mid-day, gild the night, and stars unsphere.”
Emboldened by this speech, I cry anew
‘I pray you, yet again, your tale pursue.
‘Then, turning to that other, you impeach
‘The truth of what is fact, for aught you know;
‘Because, forsooth, it seems to you a breach
‘Of Nature's law; yet haply seems but so;
‘In that it is above your reason's reach:
‘And Time, great teacher, may hereafter show,
‘Not only that it squares with natural laws,
‘But that it rests on plain and simple cause.
‘The truth of what is fact, for aught you know;
‘Because, forsooth, it seems to you a breach
‘Of Nature's law; yet haply seems but so;
‘In that it is above your reason's reach:
‘And Time, great teacher, may hereafter show,
‘Not only that it squares with natural laws,
‘But that it rests on plain and simple cause.
56
‘Supping one evening on polenta, seasoned
‘With cheese, amid some comrades at my board,
‘A little morsel, sticking in my weasand,
‘Had well-nigh choaked me; yet for small reward
‘I since have seen a mountebank, with ease and
‘Safety, at Athens swallow a drawn sword:
‘Before the Pœcile, where many meet,
‘Myself with these two eyes beheld the feat.
‘With cheese, amid some comrades at my board,
‘A little morsel, sticking in my weasand,
‘Had well-nigh choaked me; yet for small reward
‘I since have seen a mountebank, with ease and
‘Safety, at Athens swallow a drawn sword:
‘Before the Pœcile, where many meet,
‘Myself with these two eyes beheld the feat.
‘But thou, so rashly checked, again begin
‘Thy tale; I will believe, for him and me;
‘And at the hostel where we next shall inn
‘To-day, thy dinner at my cost shall be.
‘“Grammercy!” said that wight, “but ere I win
‘“By such small waste of breath the promised fee,
‘“I swear by yonder sun in all his glory,
‘“To every tittle of my questioned story.
‘Thy tale; I will believe, for him and me;
‘And at the hostel where we next shall inn
‘To-day, thy dinner at my cost shall be.
‘“Grammercy!” said that wight, “but ere I win
‘“By such small waste of breath the promised fee,
‘“I swear by yonder sun in all his glory,
‘“To every tittle of my questioned story.
57
‘“Nor you yourself will doubt that it is true,
‘“When we have reached the next Thessalian town;
‘“Where what I shall relate was done, and through
‘“The barbers' shops is bruited, up and down.
‘“But, first of all, the calling I pursue,
‘“And where I live, to you I will make known:
‘“Bred in Ægina, I employ my money
‘“In purchasing fresh cheese and Ætna honey.
‘“When we have reached the next Thessalian town;
‘“Where what I shall relate was done, and through
‘“The barbers' shops is bruited, up and down.
‘“But, first of all, the calling I pursue,
‘“And where I live, to you I will make known:
‘“Bred in Ægina, I employ my money
‘“In purchasing fresh cheese and Ætna honey.
‘“With such and suchlike merchandize withal
‘“Through Thessaly I drive a roving trade:
‘“When hearing, how prime cheese had had a fall
‘“At Hypata (so on the road was said)
‘“In the resolve that I would purchase all,
‘“With the best haste I could, I thither made;
‘“But an old trader (Lupus was his name)
‘“Had swept the market clean before I came.
‘“Through Thessaly I drive a roving trade:
‘“When hearing, how prime cheese had had a fall
‘“At Hypata (so on the road was said)
‘“In the resolve that I would purchase all,
‘“With the best haste I could, I thither made;
‘“But an old trader (Lupus was his name)
‘“Had swept the market clean before I came.
58
‘“At eve, I wearied by my bootless speed,
‘“Unbated to the baths, at leisure go;
‘“Where, seated on the ground—his only weed
‘“A tattered quilt, and wholly altered, lo!
‘“Socrates! in whose mien I hardly read
‘“An ancient comrade, changed by want and woe.”’
‘Even such besiege the traveller on his road,
‘Until his scanty offering is bestowed.
‘“Unbated to the baths, at leisure go;
‘“Where, seated on the ground—his only weed
‘“A tattered quilt, and wholly altered, lo!
‘“Socrates! in whose mien I hardly read
‘“An ancient comrade, changed by want and woe.”’
‘Even such besiege the traveller on his road,
‘Until his scanty offering is bestowed.
‘“To whom I cried—My Socrates, what madness
‘“Is this? At home you are bewailed as dead;
‘“And she that weeps your loss in gloomy sadness,
‘“Nigh blinded by the flood of sorrow shed,
‘“Has been enforced, with counterfeited gladness,
‘“(Constrained by friends and kin) again to wed:
‘“While like a sheeted ghost that hovers near
‘“Its lonely sepulchre, you linger here.”’
‘“Is this? At home you are bewailed as dead;
‘“And she that weeps your loss in gloomy sadness,
‘“Nigh blinded by the flood of sorrow shed,
‘“Has been enforced, with counterfeited gladness,
‘“(Constrained by friends and kin) again to wed:
‘“While like a sheeted ghost that hovers near
‘“Its lonely sepulchre, you linger here.”’
59
‘“Ah! Aristomenes,”’ the wretch replied,
‘“Fortune's deceitful turns you little know;”’
‘And drawing up the scanty quilt to hide
‘His crimsoning face, all over in a glow,
‘(For shame his cheeks with deepest red had dyed)
‘Left body and limbs exposed to sight below,
‘I, at this piteous spectacle astound,
‘Extend my hand to raise him from the ground.
‘“Fortune's deceitful turns you little know;”’
‘And drawing up the scanty quilt to hide
‘His crimsoning face, all over in a glow,
‘(For shame his cheeks with deepest red had dyed)
‘Left body and limbs exposed to sight below,
‘I, at this piteous spectacle astound,
‘Extend my hand to raise him from the ground.
‘Then he, with head and visage veiled from view,’
‘“Leave me, oh! leave me to my misery,”’ ‘sed,’
‘But raising him withal, I one of two
‘Vests which I wore, about his body spread:
‘Then him, well kneaded in the cleansing stew,
‘Washed and anointed to my hostel led;
‘There made him on an easy couch recline,
‘And heartened him with food and cordial wine.
‘“Leave me, oh! leave me to my misery,”’ ‘sed,’
‘But raising him withal, I one of two
‘Vests which I wore, about his body spread:
‘Then him, well kneaded in the cleansing stew,
‘Washed and anointed to my hostel led;
‘There made him on an easy couch recline,
‘And heartened him with food and cordial wine.
60
‘I, thinking wine will make his sorrows fly,
‘Spare not the jest nor let the goblet stand.
‘When heaving from his inmost breast a sigh,
‘Socrates smote his forehead with his hand,
‘And cried aloud,’ “Beshrew the time, that I
‘“In the desire to see a famous band,
‘“Where gladiators were matched of mighty name,
‘“In evil hour to this cursed city came.
‘Spare not the jest nor let the goblet stand.
‘When heaving from his inmost breast a sigh,
‘Socrates smote his forehead with his hand,
‘And cried aloud,’ “Beshrew the time, that I
‘“In the desire to see a famous band,
‘“Where gladiators were matched of mighty name,
‘“In evil hour to this cursed city came.
‘“Throughout all Macedonia, as you know,
‘“And neighbouring towns have I been wont to trade;
‘“But from my beat diverged, to see this show,
‘“And in a valley was by thieves o'erlaid;
‘“Who stript me to my shirt; then let me go.
‘“Here first a hostess harboured me, unpaid,
‘“Hight Meröe, old but debonaire, who fed,
‘“Lodged me, and made me partner of her bed.
‘“And neighbouring towns have I been wont to trade;
‘“But from my beat diverged, to see this show,
‘“And in a valley was by thieves o'erlaid;
‘“Who stript me to my shirt; then let me go.
‘“Here first a hostess harboured me, unpaid,
‘“Hight Meröe, old but debonaire, who fed,
‘“Lodged me, and made me partner of her bed.
61
‘“Thus hath my fortune, and some secret curse
‘“To the foul state, wherein you found me, led.”
‘—Yea, and you well deserve your fate, and worse,
‘If worse withal can be,—to him I sed—
‘Who—wife and children left—here drain your purse
‘And veins, and surfeit in a strumpet's bed.
‘But he, aghast and startled—“On your life,
‘“Speak not so lightly of a gifted wife.”
‘“To the foul state, wherein you found me, led.”
‘—Yea, and you well deserve your fate, and worse,
‘If worse withal can be,—to him I sed—
‘Who—wife and children left—here drain your purse
‘And veins, and surfeit in a strumpet's bed.
‘But he, aghast and startled—“On your life,
‘“Speak not so lightly of a gifted wife.”
‘Then layed his finger to his lip; when I;
‘Who is this gifted wife, this wine-house queen?
‘“A witch and potent one,” (was his reply);
‘“Who rules the raging sea, puts strife between
‘“The elements, lifts the earth and lowers the sky,
‘“Stops river, and rends rock, and walks, unseen.”
‘Pull off the tragic buskin, I beseech,
‘(Quoth I) and tell your tale in plainer speech.
‘Who is this gifted wife, this wine-house queen?
‘“A witch and potent one,” (was his reply);
‘“Who rules the raging sea, puts strife between
‘“The elements, lifts the earth and lowers the sky,
‘“Stops river, and rends rock, and walks, unseen.”
‘Pull off the tragic buskin, I beseech,
‘(Quoth I) and tell your tale in plainer speech.
62
‘“To speak her (he made answer) as is due,
‘“Would weary both the hearer and the teller:
‘“Hence of her deeds will I rehearse but few:
‘“A vintner, rival of her trade and dweller
‘“In Hypata, condemned her spite to rue,
‘“Changed to a frog, now croaks in his own cellar:
‘“A lawyer she transformed, amid her feats,
‘“To a ram, that in the forum butts and bleats.
‘“Would weary both the hearer and the teller:
‘“Hence of her deeds will I rehearse but few:
‘“A vintner, rival of her trade and dweller
‘“In Hypata, condemned her spite to rue,
‘“Changed to a frog, now croaks in his own cellar:
‘“A lawyer she transformed, amid her feats,
‘“To a ram, that in the forum butts and bleats.
‘“By her have many suchlike deeds been done
‘“Daily, and many more of deeper dye:
‘“Whereof report throughout the city run,
‘“Until the townsmen raised a general cry;
‘“And with the morrow's light resolved to stone
‘“That witch, the rabble gathered, far and nigh:
‘“But while the moody mob prepared their arms,
‘“She foiled their foolish purpose with her charms.
‘“Daily, and many more of deeper dye:
‘“Whereof report throughout the city run,
‘“Until the townsmen raised a general cry;
‘“And with the morrow's light resolved to stone
‘“That witch, the rabble gathered, far and nigh:
‘“But while the moody mob prepared their arms,
‘“She foiled their foolish purpose with her charms.
63
‘“For, by rites done in a sepulchral ditch,
‘“Wherein all night the beldam prayed or curst,
‘“She prisoned in their houses, poor and rich;
‘“As she amid her cups to me rehearsed:
‘“Nor (such the might of the malicious witch)
‘“Could any wall, or door, or window burst;
‘“Till all, but one, had purchased their release
‘“By prayer, and promise pledged of future peace.
‘“Wherein all night the beldam prayed or curst,
‘“She prisoned in their houses, poor and rich;
‘“As she amid her cups to me rehearsed:
‘“Nor (such the might of the malicious witch)
‘“Could any wall, or door, or window burst;
‘“Till all, but one, had purchased their release
‘“By prayer, and promise pledged of future peace.
‘“That one, who had the dangerous deed proposed,
‘“For signal vengeance, on this busy night,
‘“She—in his dwelling, like the rest, inclosed—
‘“By help of fiend or other hellish sleight,
‘“Transported, house and all, while he reposed,
‘“To city, seated on a barren height:
‘“But, for there was not room within the town,
‘“Without the gates she set her burden down.”
‘“For signal vengeance, on this busy night,
‘“She—in his dwelling, like the rest, inclosed—
‘“By help of fiend or other hellish sleight,
‘“Transported, house and all, while he reposed,
‘“To city, seated on a barren height:
‘“But, for there was not room within the town,
‘“Without the gates she set her burden down.”
64
‘As dire as wonderful is this—I sed—
‘My Socrates; and what you tell has made
‘Such an impression on me, that I dread
‘Lest this thy Meröe, by some devilish aid,
‘Should overhear our talk: let us to bed,
‘That we for earlier flight may be arraid.
‘Seek we in sleep a truce from present sorrow,
‘And fly, as far as we can flee, to-morrow.
‘My Socrates; and what you tell has made
‘Such an impression on me, that I dread
‘Lest this thy Meröe, by some devilish aid,
‘Should overhear our talk: let us to bed,
‘That we for earlier flight may be arraid.
‘Seek we in sleep a truce from present sorrow,
‘And fly, as far as we can flee, to-morrow.
‘While so I would persuade to early rest
‘My willing comrade, I perceive him shroud
‘His head beneath the quilt, who soon opprest
‘By Bacchus and by Ceres, snored aloud.
‘But I, ere I betake me to my nest,
‘(For phantoms, raised by his recital, crowd
‘My seething brain) all ways and means devise,
‘To guard, as best I can, against surprise.
‘My willing comrade, I perceive him shroud
‘His head beneath the quilt, who soon opprest
‘By Bacchus and by Ceres, snored aloud.
‘But I, ere I betake me to my nest,
‘(For phantoms, raised by his recital, crowd
‘My seething brain) all ways and means devise,
‘To guard, as best I can, against surprise.
65
‘I well survey the chamber; round the floor,
‘Ceiling, and wall, and skirting closely peep,
‘And prop my truckle-bed against the door;
‘But vainly woo therein the sweets of sleep.
‘The God, averse, my restless couch forebore,
‘Nor with his balmy dew my eyes would steep:
‘At last, o'erwatched, their weary lids I close,
‘And sink into a sort of dreamy doze.
‘Ceiling, and wall, and skirting closely peep,
‘And prop my truckle-bed against the door;
‘But vainly woo therein the sweets of sleep.
‘The God, averse, my restless couch forebore,
‘Nor with his balmy dew my eyes would steep:
‘At last, o'erwatched, their weary lids I close,
‘And sink into a sort of dreamy doze.
‘Brief was that doze: as by a clap of thunder,
‘The door was burst; the truckle-bed o'erturned;
‘And, like a tortoise, looking out from under
‘My shell, two aged women I discerned;
‘Whereof (I gazed with mingled fear and wonder)
‘One bore a sponge and faulchion; a lamp burned
‘In the other's hand. When she that had the sword;
‘“Lo! my Endymion! lo! my plighted lord!
‘The door was burst; the truckle-bed o'erturned;
‘And, like a tortoise, looking out from under
‘My shell, two aged women I discerned;
‘Whereof (I gazed with mingled fear and wonder)
‘One bore a sponge and faulchion; a lamp burned
‘In the other's hand. When she that had the sword;
‘“Lo! my Endymion! lo! my plighted lord!
66
‘“By whom, my sister Panthia, I was wood
‘“And won; who now defames me, and would fly.
‘“Abandoned to eternal solitude,
‘“Like lone Calypso in her cave, shall I
‘“Weep my Ulysses’ loss?” (with that she showed
‘Where trembling underneath my bed I lie)
‘Then; “lo! his counsellor, half dead with fright,
‘“Planner and partner of his purposed flight!
‘“And won; who now defames me, and would fly.
‘“Abandoned to eternal solitude,
‘“Like lone Calypso in her cave, shall I
‘“Weep my Ulysses’ loss?” (with that she showed
‘Where trembling underneath my bed I lie)
‘Then; “lo! his counsellor, half dead with fright,
‘“Planner and partner of his purposed flight!
‘“Who now beholds us, and expects (I trow)
‘“The unpunished storier of my shame to be:
‘“But before long; nay; speedily—nay; now—
‘“His folly shall receive a fitting fee.”
‘At hearing this, cold damps bedewed my brow;
‘And, heaving like a short and hollow sea,
‘The inverted bed repeated every throe
‘And throb, which shook my quivering limbs below.
‘“The unpunished storier of my shame to be:
‘“But before long; nay; speedily—nay; now—
‘“His folly shall receive a fitting fee.”
‘At hearing this, cold damps bedewed my brow;
‘And, heaving like a short and hollow sea,
‘The inverted bed repeated every throe
‘And throb, which shook my quivering limbs below.
67
‘“Say, shall we piecemeal tear the meddling groom?”
‘To her armed sister gentle Panthia cried:
‘To whom she of the sword and sponge, and whom
‘I knew for Meroë by her talk, replied:
‘“Nay, let him live; if 'tis but to intomb
‘“The wretch's carcase, whom he thought to guide.”
‘This said, the gullet of my friend, who snored
‘Supine, the beldam opened with her sword.
‘To her armed sister gentle Panthia cried:
‘To whom she of the sword and sponge, and whom
‘I knew for Meroë by her talk, replied:
‘“Nay, let him live; if 'tis but to intomb
‘“The wretch's carcase, whom he thought to guide.”
‘This said, the gullet of my friend, who snored
‘Supine, the beldam opened with her sword.
‘Ready with lamp and sponge, that other stood,
‘And stopt the gaping wound and staunched the gore.
‘And “Sponge, (she muttered,) born in briny flood,
‘“Pass no fresh water,” then with horrid roar
‘Of laughter, that unholy pair bestrode
‘My helpless body, stretched upon the floor;
‘Dragged from beneath my truckle-bed to light;
‘And doomed, in turn, to feel their loathsome spite.
‘And stopt the gaping wound and staunched the gore.
‘And “Sponge, (she muttered,) born in briny flood,
‘“Pass no fresh water,” then with horrid roar
‘Of laughter, that unholy pair bestrode
‘My helpless body, stretched upon the floor;
‘Dragged from beneath my truckle-bed to light;
‘And doomed, in turn, to feel their loathsome spite.
68
‘But I, that loathsome spite will not proclaim,
‘Lest me some direr mischief should befall.
‘And that forsooth their deed of scorn and shame
‘I fain would nevermore to mind recall.
‘The sister witches vanished as they came,
‘Their double vengeance satisfied; and all
‘Seemed as it was; the bed replaced; the door
‘Secured by hasp and hinges, as before.
‘Lest me some direr mischief should befall.
‘And that forsooth their deed of scorn and shame
‘I fain would nevermore to mind recall.
‘The sister witches vanished as they came,
‘Their double vengeance satisfied; and all
‘Seemed as it was; the bed replaced; the door
‘Secured by hasp and hinges, as before.
‘Heartless with horror, fear and grief I lay;
‘Till a new terror dispossest the old;
‘It came into my mind, that men might say,
‘That I had killed my comrade for his gold:
‘Moved by this fear, I rose before the day,
‘And sought my sleeping host, to whom I told
‘A tale of pressing business to be done;
‘And how I must depart ere rise of sun.
‘Till a new terror dispossest the old;
‘It came into my mind, that men might say,
‘That I had killed my comrade for his gold:
‘Moved by this fear, I rose before the day,
‘And sought my sleeping host, to whom I told
‘A tale of pressing business to be done;
‘And how I must depart ere rise of sun.
69
‘“What (cried the dreaming drunkard half asleep)
‘“Start at this hour when thieves beset the road?”
‘—He well may laugh at thieves, where others weep,
‘(Quoth I) whose wallet with small pelf is stowed.
‘“—Hast slain thy friend, that thou would'st start ere peep
‘“Of dawn, and cheat the gallows of its load?”
‘Rejoined the churl. Hell opened, as he said,
‘With all its woes and torments of the dead.
‘“Start at this hour when thieves beset the road?”
‘—He well may laugh at thieves, where others weep,
‘(Quoth I) whose wallet with small pelf is stowed.
‘“—Hast slain thy friend, that thou would'st start ere peep
‘“Of dawn, and cheat the gallows of its load?”
‘Rejoined the churl. Hell opened, as he said,
‘With all its woes and torments of the dead.
‘Despairing, I returned: I sought and found
‘(For nought but death remained) the means to die
‘In an old rope, wherewith my bed was bound:
‘I mount my couch, then noose my neck, and tye
‘The cord to a beam; but, fretted and unsound,
‘The halter broke, and falling headlong, I
‘Tumbled on Socrates, beside whose bed
‘I had my own, for more assurance, spread.
‘(For nought but death remained) the means to die
‘In an old rope, wherewith my bed was bound:
‘I mount my couch, then noose my neck, and tye
‘The cord to a beam; but, fretted and unsound,
‘The halter broke, and falling headlong, I
‘Tumbled on Socrates, beside whose bed
‘I had my own, for more assurance, spread.
70
‘When lo! the host! who shouted—“Where art thou,
‘“That wast desirous to depart at night;
‘“Erewhile so eager to be gone, who now
‘“Liest snoring, like a sluggard, when 'tis light?”
‘—With that upsprang my friend, and cried; “I trow
‘“All travellers hate these cursed hosts aright.
‘“Unless he came to rob a sleeping guest,
‘“Why should this rascal mar my morning rest?”
‘“That wast desirous to depart at night;
‘“Erewhile so eager to be gone, who now
‘“Liest snoring, like a sluggard, when 'tis light?”
‘—With that upsprang my friend, and cried; “I trow
‘“All travellers hate these cursed hosts aright.
‘“Unless he came to rob a sleeping guest,
‘“Why should this rascal mar my morning rest?”
‘—See, slanderer, see my father, friend and brother!
‘(I, in an extacy of pleasure say)
‘The man you deemed I murdered, for no other
‘Reason, than that I rose before 'twas day.
‘And, in my joy, I would embrace and smother
‘My friend with kisses, but he sayed me, “nay;”
‘And cried, “who washed thee with this filthy lotion,
‘“Not to be cleansed by all the waves of ocean?”
‘(I, in an extacy of pleasure say)
‘The man you deemed I murdered, for no other
‘Reason, than that I rose before 'twas day.
‘And, in my joy, I would embrace and smother
‘My friend with kisses, but he sayed me, “nay;”
‘And cried, “who washed thee with this filthy lotion,
‘“Not to be cleansed by all the waves of ocean?”
71
‘Meer madman that I am! thought I, and yet.
‘I vainly looked for blood and sponge and seam:
‘Then cried; 'tis said that having drunk or eat
‘Largely breeds dreadful visions, and I deem,
‘Nay wot 'tis so, who feared to find you wet
‘With blood, on waking from a hideous dream.
‘Then he, “I know not, I, if Bacchus nurse
‘“Such thoughts; but find you wet with something worse.
‘I vainly looked for blood and sponge and seam:
‘Then cried; 'tis said that having drunk or eat
‘Largely breeds dreadful visions, and I deem,
‘Nay wot 'tis so, who feared to find you wet
‘With blood, on waking from a hideous dream.
‘Then he, “I know not, I, if Bacchus nurse
‘“Such thoughts; but find you wet with something worse.
‘“I too have dreamed—and yet I feel the smart—
‘“Have dreamed, my throat was opened with a sword,
‘“And through the wound one dragged my bleeding heart:
‘“Even now upon his throne my bosom's lord
‘“Sits heavily, my legs refuse their part;
‘“—I faint, unless you furnish forth your hoard.”
‘We then, for shelter from the brighter beam,
‘Had stopt beneath a plane-tree, by a stream;
‘“Have dreamed, my throat was opened with a sword,
‘“And through the wound one dragged my bleeding heart:
‘“Even now upon his throne my bosom's lord
‘“Sits heavily, my legs refuse their part;
‘“—I faint, unless you furnish forth your hoard.”
‘We then, for shelter from the brighter beam,
‘Had stopt beneath a plane-tree, by a stream;
72
‘A limpid stream, but lazy; which through trees,
‘Of different bark and branch, meandering played;
‘Here I undid my store, and bread and cheese,
‘(A traveller's meal) before my comrade layed;
‘Who fed with fury: I, though ill at ease,
‘Eating myself as well, his cheer surveyed,
‘My mind still harping, as his vigor flags,
‘On that foul vision and those midnight hags.
‘Of different bark and branch, meandering played;
‘Here I undid my store, and bread and cheese,
‘(A traveller's meal) before my comrade layed;
‘Who fed with fury: I, though ill at ease,
‘Eating myself as well, his cheer surveyed,
‘My mind still harping, as his vigor flags,
‘On that foul vision and those midnight hags.
‘Filled full of food, he sought the river side;
‘There kneeling, stoopt his head to drink; and lo!
‘The ill destined wretch's wesand opened wide,
‘And the sponge fell into the wave below;
‘Straightway the life-blood, welling freely, dyed
‘The waters of that silvery brook and slow;
‘And but that I was ready at his side,
‘His corpse had dropt into the crimsoning tide.
‘There kneeling, stoopt his head to drink; and lo!
‘The ill destined wretch's wesand opened wide,
‘And the sponge fell into the wave below;
‘Straightway the life-blood, welling freely, dyed
‘The waters of that silvery brook and slow;
‘And but that I was ready at his side,
‘His corpse had dropt into the crimsoning tide.
73
‘In sudden dangers we do mostly right;
‘Wrong, when we muse upon what should be done:
‘I think because we have no time for fright,
‘Where we must take an instant part, or none.
‘My friend I mourned and buried as I might;
‘Then, as if followed by the Furies, run
‘Far from these lands where I was wont to roam,
‘And wived and settled in a distant home.
‘Wrong, when we muse upon what should be done:
‘I think because we have no time for fright,
‘Where we must take an instant part, or none.
‘My friend I mourned and buried as I might;
‘Then, as if followed by the Furies, run
‘Far from these lands where I was wont to roam,
‘And wived and settled in a distant home.
‘Thus Aristomenes by hill and dale,
‘Bore me, unwearied with his wonderous say;
‘But pleased not him, that in the selfsame scale
‘Would earth and air and fire and water weigh.
‘With this we reached a cross-road, of that tale
‘The end, as well as of our common way:
‘I follow that which to my harbour led;
‘They, bound to different port, another tread.’
‘Bore me, unwearied with his wonderous say;
‘But pleased not him, that in the selfsame scale
‘Would earth and air and fire and water weigh.
‘With this we reached a cross-road, of that tale
‘The end, as well as of our common way:
‘I follow that which to my harbour led;
‘They, bound to different port, another tread.’
| Rhymes | |