 | The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe |  |
HERCULES SPINNING.
I.
Bond slave to Omphalè,The haughty Lydian queen,
Fond slave to Omphalè,
The beauteous Lydian queen,
Lo! Hercules is seen
Spinning, spinning like a maid,
While aside his club is laid,
And the hero boasts no more
All his doughty deeds of yore,
But with sad, submissive mien
Spinning, spinning still is seen,
Bond slave to Omphalè,
Fond slave to Omphalè,
The haughty Lydian queen.
II.
Shame! that for a woman's whim,He, so stout of heart and limb,
Must his nature so abuse
Thus his mighty arm to use,—
Not the manly mace to whirl,
But a tiny spindle twirl,
Spinning, spinning like a girl,
With a soft, submissive mien,
Bond slave to Omphalè,
Fond slave to Omphalè,
The haughty Lydian queen.
III.
Fond slave to Omphalè,—Bond slave no more;
Love has loosed whom Tyranny
Basely bound before!
The distaff now is cast aside,
And, leaning on his club in pride,
Lo! Hercules is seen
In majesty serene,—
A hero sitting by his bride,
Fair Omphalè, his queen!
IV.
Whatever mortals crave,So rule the gods above
That manly Strength is Beauty's slave,
And Beauty yields to Love.
| The poetical works of John Godfrey Saxe | |