 | Golden Histories, etc |  |
The throne was solid pearl, and blossomed thick
With the rich sculptured life that poets love.
Here sat the God; the attendant populace
Stood silent round, and listened as he spoke.
“O elemental princes! Powers that dwell
“In earth, air, water, or in lucent fire,
“And ye fair sons and daughters fair of men,
“Hear me, your king and father, while I speak.
“Henceforth in this enchanting realm we meet
“No more—for here have bold rebellious hands
“Been lifted up, and from his marble base
“Have mortals hurled a dread immortal down.
“I see the anger burning on your cheeks—
“Ye would avenge me, but it must not be.
“A gentler thought to gentler purpose leads,
“And in my milder wisdom I shall know
“To glorify a princess desolate,
“And crown a God with triumph. Stifle then
“The fiery wrath that leaps to fruitless act,
“And wait as Gods and godlike men must do.”
With the rich sculptured life that poets love.
Here sat the God; the attendant populace
Stood silent round, and listened as he spoke.
“O elemental princes! Powers that dwell
“In earth, air, water, or in lucent fire,
“And ye fair sons and daughters fair of men,
“Hear me, your king and father, while I speak.
“Henceforth in this enchanting realm we meet
“No more—for here have bold rebellious hands
“Been lifted up, and from his marble base
“Have mortals hurled a dread immortal down.
“I see the anger burning on your cheeks—
“Ye would avenge me, but it must not be.
“A gentler thought to gentler purpose leads,
“And in my milder wisdom I shall know
“To glorify a princess desolate,
“And crown a God with triumph. Stifle then
“The fiery wrath that leaps to fruitless act,
“And wait as Gods and godlike men must do.”
He ceased, and straight a mighty murmur rose,
Such as swells up, with sound of surging waves,
On startled ears of men but half-awake,
When the wind comes leaping from the West, and falls
Full on the rocks and woods and desert holts,
And moans thro' hollow caves at dead of night.
But soon that murmur ceased, and glad acclaim
Rose from that host innumerous. “Bacchus, hail!
“Hail, Bacchus, hail!” —and still the harmonious sounds,
Like waters meeting waters, rolled to Heaven—
“Hail, Bacchus, hail! O lord of life and death,
“O father of the shadowy universe,
“O spirit of the unfathomable world,
“Felt in the air, and gleaming in the depths
“Of the wide sea and overhanging sky,
“We hear, and we obey. Hail, Bacchus, hail!”
Such as swells up, with sound of surging waves,
On startled ears of men but half-awake,
When the wind comes leaping from the West, and falls
43
And moans thro' hollow caves at dead of night.
But soon that murmur ceased, and glad acclaim
Rose from that host innumerous. “Bacchus, hail!
“Hail, Bacchus, hail!” —and still the harmonious sounds,
Like waters meeting waters, rolled to Heaven—
“Hail, Bacchus, hail! O lord of life and death,
“O father of the shadowy universe,
“O spirit of the unfathomable world,
“Felt in the air, and gleaming in the depths
“Of the wide sea and overhanging sky,
“We hear, and we obey. Hail, Bacchus, hail!”
They ceased, and far and near a frantic crew,
On mischief bent and havoc merciless,
Ranged with loud outcry, while a gentler band
Reclaimed their gifts, and from the budding flower
The colour drew, drew splendour from the grass,
Took the gray eloquence from antique trees,
And beautiful divinings from the face
Of dimpled streams, like thoughts made visible
In smiles round some beloved woman's face.
Gifts fair as these, or if yet fairer be
Then fairer, were with word or wand recalled,
Till there remained what deity alone
That gave it could reclaim or could destroy,
For only Gods undo what Gods have done.
Then from his throne, like some great light from heaven
Hurl'd in the eyes of one born blind, but then
And thereby gifted with a sudden sight,
The lord of life came down pronouncing doom.
But ere he spake, the conscious forests sank,
The sobbing rivers left their channels dry,
The green sweet life of trees, as in a frost,
Paled into death; where late were glorious flowers
Sprang pulpy stems; what once were noblest lakes
Shrank to mean waterpools, with scurf of weed
O'erfilmed; and all that magic forest-realm,
Now disenchanted, lay a waste forlorn,
—A common waste among four common hills.
So is it ever when the Gods depart.
On mischief bent and havoc merciless,
Ranged with loud outcry, while a gentler band
Reclaimed their gifts, and from the budding flower
The colour drew, drew splendour from the grass,
Took the gray eloquence from antique trees,
And beautiful divinings from the face
Of dimpled streams, like thoughts made visible
In smiles round some beloved woman's face.
Gifts fair as these, or if yet fairer be
Then fairer, were with word or wand recalled,
Till there remained what deity alone
That gave it could reclaim or could destroy,
For only Gods undo what Gods have done.
Then from his throne, like some great light from heaven
Hurl'd in the eyes of one born blind, but then
And thereby gifted with a sudden sight,
The lord of life came down pronouncing doom.
44
The sobbing rivers left their channels dry,
The green sweet life of trees, as in a frost,
Paled into death; where late were glorious flowers
Sprang pulpy stems; what once were noblest lakes
Shrank to mean waterpools, with scurf of weed
O'erfilmed; and all that magic forest-realm,
Now disenchanted, lay a waste forlorn,
—A common waste among four common hills.
So is it ever when the Gods depart.
But soon the bright ethereal populace
That had their home in lake or tree or flower,
Each odorous haunt forsook and crystal cell,
And in the light of gold and crimson wings
Apparelled, near their lord expectant stood
In bodiless beauty. Nor that Power delay'd,
But to these children of the elements
Gave lovelier forms and gave a lovelier life.
Like coloured shadows on transparent waves
They mov'd and mingled, or like radiant winds,
Or as thro' gorgeous glass when sunbeams smite
Green, blue, and crimson on some marble wall,
Reflex from dancing images, and play
And cross and float and waver up and down,
And dream-like fade. So fled and faded they.
That had their home in lake or tree or flower,
Each odorous haunt forsook and crystal cell,
And in the light of gold and crimson wings
Apparelled, near their lord expectant stood
In bodiless beauty. Nor that Power delay'd,
But to these children of the elements
Gave lovelier forms and gave a lovelier life.
Like coloured shadows on transparent waves
They mov'd and mingled, or like radiant winds,
Or as thro' gorgeous glass when sunbeams smite
Green, blue, and crimson on some marble wall,
Reflex from dancing images, and play
And cross and float and waver up and down,
And dream-like fade. So fled and faded they.
Meanwhile that ruder train, whose dazzling pomp
Still heralded or followed their great King,
To Thessaly are gone; the Mænad maids—
That ever clothe them in white innocence
—By viewless hands of Zephyr's myriad sons,
Thro' western air to purple isles are borne—
To purple isles in solitary seas,
Silent, unknown, mysterious, where they lead
Delightful days—where wait till Bacchus come,
And ring them out once more to happy life.
But now, he struck the hollow echoing earth,
Which opening, showed a dim unmeasured world
Glimmering beneath, whereto a golden way
With gradual slope led down. Here, sinking slow,
Glided the enchanted car, and with it went
The beautiful Companionship that moved
Continuous, while above it moved the stars.
But when the earth on all that gentle pomp
Inaudible had closed, the Heavenly Power
Rose calmly on the twilight air, and shone
Like to a second sunset, where there lay
Beyond the western beams a sapphire realm
Whose one sweet Evening-Star shed rosy light.
Still heralded or followed their great King,
To Thessaly are gone; the Mænad maids—
That ever clothe them in white innocence
—By viewless hands of Zephyr's myriad sons,
45
To purple isles in solitary seas,
Silent, unknown, mysterious, where they lead
Delightful days—where wait till Bacchus come,
And ring them out once more to happy life.
But now, he struck the hollow echoing earth,
Which opening, showed a dim unmeasured world
Glimmering beneath, whereto a golden way
With gradual slope led down. Here, sinking slow,
Glided the enchanted car, and with it went
The beautiful Companionship that moved
Continuous, while above it moved the stars.
But when the earth on all that gentle pomp
Inaudible had closed, the Heavenly Power
Rose calmly on the twilight air, and shone
Like to a second sunset, where there lay
Beyond the western beams a sapphire realm
Whose one sweet Evening-Star shed rosy light.
| Golden Histories, etc | |