 | The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems |  |
1. PART I.
MYTHICAL.
BEL ER OPH ADON,
First of enchanters
In the old moon time,
Lord of the Fire Land,
Plougher of Orcus,
Scarlet-born, Sun-born,
Azure-born, Sea-born,
Purple-born, King-born,
Learned in all magic—
By long endurance,
Penance, and torture
From the abysses
Of Godhood tremendous,
Gained him such power,
Wrenched forth such glory:
Never was mortal
Clad in such beauty,
Forced from the Æons,
From the abysses,
Terrible beauty,
Loveliness fearful,
Splendour of ages;—
Such was his form.
First of enchanters
In the old moon time,
Lord of the Fire Land,
Plougher of Orcus,
Scarlet-born, Sun-born,
Azure-born, Sea-born,
Purple-born, King-born,
Learned in all magic—
By long endurance,
Penance, and torture
From the abysses
Of Godhood tremendous,
Gained him such power,
Wrenched forth such glory:
Never was mortal
Clad in such beauty,
Forced from the Æons,
From the abysses,
39
Loveliness fearful,
Splendour of ages;—
Such was his form.
Bel Er Oph Adon
Rose in the evening,
Purple and rose-glown
Light was around him,
Fairer the radiance
Shed from his features;
Back on the sunset,
Back on the purple,
Splendour o'er splendour,
Beauty o'er beauty
Flashes his god-light.
Bel Er Oph Adon
Goes to his bridal;
She, the great Star Queen,
Venus the golden,
Ivory, crimson,
Waits for his coming,
Waits for his beauty,
She, the Immortal,
Seeks his embraces,
In her pavilion
Flashes celestial
Ray forth her raptures.
All through the night time
Quivers the North Light;—
So love the Gods.
Rose in the evening,
Purple and rose-glown
Light was around him,
Fairer the radiance
Shed from his features;
Back on the sunset,
Back on the purple,
Splendour o'er splendour,
Beauty o'er beauty
Flashes his god-light.
Bel Er Oph Adon
Goes to his bridal;
She, the great Star Queen,
Venus the golden,
Ivory, crimson,
Waits for his coming,
Waits for his beauty,
She, the Immortal,
Seeks his embraces,
In her pavilion
Flashes celestial
Ray forth her raptures.
All through the night time
Quivers the North Light;—
So love the Gods.
Thus spoke the Star Queen:
‘Bel Er Oph Adon,
Thou who of mortals
Only hast mastered
Æons unnumbered,
Tinctures of beauty
Over the earth-born,
E'en to the glories
Which my earth kingdom
Shows not to mortals.
Lord of enchanters,
Say, can thy magic,
Can thy ambition
Picture more honour
Than the sweet rapture
God-given, God-flowing,
Of my embraces?
Know'st thou in Orcus?
Know'st thou aught earthly?
Know'st thou in ocean?
Know'st thou in air life?
Or in the ages
Coming or vanished,
Aught like this pleasure?
Answer my soul.’
‘Bel Er Oph Adon,
Thou who of mortals
Only hast mastered
40
Tinctures of beauty
Over the earth-born,
E'en to the glories
Which my earth kingdom
Shows not to mortals.
Lord of enchanters,
Say, can thy magic,
Can thy ambition
Picture more honour
Than the sweet rapture
God-given, God-flowing,
Of my embraces?
Know'st thou in Orcus?
Know'st thou aught earthly?
Know'st thou in ocean?
Know'st thou in air life?
Or in the ages
Coming or vanished,
Aught like this pleasure?
Answer my soul.’
Thus to the Star Queen
Answered the Magus:
‘Fairer than thou art
Never was Goddess,
Sweeter or dearer,
And in the ages
Flowing and coming,
All shades of heaven
Onward for ever
Know of no rapture
Like thy embraces.
Yet if thou seekest
Thus I must answer;—
Truth is my power,
By truth I ascended;—
And I am prouder
That each great goddess
In the great kingdoms
Made me her lover.
Deep in the darkness
Far among shadows,
By the pale Empress
Splendid in horror,
Fearful in beauty,
Long time I lingered.
Oft in the Spring-tide
On the green mountain
Came to me, kissed me,
Under dark branches,
Hid from the moonlight,
Dioné the fair.
Answered the Magus:
‘Fairer than thou art
Never was Goddess,
Sweeter or dearer,
And in the ages
Flowing and coming,
All shades of heaven
Onward for ever
Know of no rapture
Like thy embraces.
Yet if thou seekest
Thus I must answer;—
Truth is my power,
41
And I am prouder
That each great goddess
In the great kingdoms
Made me her lover.
Deep in the darkness
Far among shadows,
By the pale Empress
Splendid in horror,
Fearful in beauty,
Long time I lingered.
Oft in the Spring-tide
On the green mountain
Came to me, kissed me,
Under dark branches,
Hid from the moonlight,
Dioné the fair.
Baaltis the Ancient,
Queen of the Mountains,
Glowing gold-lustred,
Breathing hot perfumes,
Sparkling in splendour,
Pantherine graceful,
Lost in black tresses
Like a white swan
On the Stygian river,
Wooed me in madness,
Wooed me and won me;
So did Astarté,
Lady of Fire Land,
So did Melitta
Mel Ida, Meldea,
She of the Sun-realm
Queen of the orgy,
Fearful and passionate,
Secret and sacred.
Eastward or Westward,
Heaven-born—earthly,
All the great beauties
Worshipped by mortals,
All have caressed me.
Thee I have best loved;
Yet since thou askest
What makes me proudest,
Truly I answer
All make me proud.’
Queen of the Mountains,
Glowing gold-lustred,
Breathing hot perfumes,
Sparkling in splendour,
Pantherine graceful,
Lost in black tresses
Like a white swan
On the Stygian river,
Wooed me in madness,
Wooed me and won me;
So did Astarté,
Lady of Fire Land,
So did Melitta
Mel Ida, Meldea,
She of the Sun-realm
Queen of the orgy,
Fearful and passionate,
42
Eastward or Westward,
Heaven-born—earthly,
All the great beauties
Worshipped by mortals,
All have caressed me.
Thee I have best loved;
Yet since thou askest
What makes me proudest,
Truly I answer
All make me proud.’
Thus answered Venus,
Fair Aphrodité,
Rose-tinted sea foam:
‘That which we love best
Should make us proudest.
Never should true love
From pride be dissevered,
And in thy love now
Shall both be united.
Listen to secrets
Awful and charming;
When in the shadows
Deep in the caverns
Lovely Persephoné
Clasped thee with kisses,
I was thy loved one.
When on the mountain
Stately Dioné
In thy embraces
Made the leaves rustle,
I was thy beauty,
Bow-bearing, moon-horned.
I was Baältis,
Morning land-splendoured,
Serpentine twining,
Glowing in glory,
Passionate lovely,
Many and One.
Fair Aphrodité,
Rose-tinted sea foam:
‘That which we love best
Should make us proudest.
Never should true love
From pride be dissevered,
And in thy love now
Shall both be united.
Listen to secrets
Awful and charming;
When in the shadows
Deep in the caverns
Lovely Persephoné
Clasped thee with kisses,
I was thy loved one.
When on the mountain
Stately Dioné
In thy embraces
Made the leaves rustle,
I was thy beauty,
Bow-bearing, moon-horned.
I was Baältis,
Morning land-splendoured,
43
Glowing in glory,
Passionate lovely,
Many and One.
‘I was all others,
All who have loved thee;
White Anaïtis
Loveliness flowing,
Limbs like milk rivers;
Also Melitta.
Goddess of Sweetness,
Honey and perfume,
Terrible pleasures
Are her embraces.
Infinite thrilling
The luscious arcana
Taught in her orgies,
Flashed in her glances:—
Yet was Melitta
The ray of my spirit,
And with the goddess
And in the goddess
Thou wert with me love.
High in the heavens,
On the green mountains,
Deep in hell's palace,
I the One Only
Held thee in rapture,
Ever enjoying
Thy faith in the Many,
Even as thou in
Thy faith wert delighted;
Now thou hast all, love;
Now thou hast learned love,
All is in love.’
All who have loved thee;
White Anaïtis
Loveliness flowing,
Limbs like milk rivers;
Also Melitta.
Goddess of Sweetness,
Honey and perfume,
Terrible pleasures
Are her embraces.
Infinite thrilling
The luscious arcana
Taught in her orgies,
Flashed in her glances:—
Yet was Melitta
The ray of my spirit,
And with the goddess
And in the goddess
Thou wert with me love.
High in the heavens,
On the green mountains,
Deep in hell's palace,
I the One Only
Held thee in rapture,
Ever enjoying
Thy faith in the Many,
Even as thou in
Thy faith wert delighted;
Now thou hast all, love;
Now thou hast learned love,
All is in love.’
| The music-lesson of Confucius, And Other Poems | |