 | The loves of hero and leander |  |
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From Homer.
The SONG of Demodicus.
The strings, by turns, the skilful lyrist moves,
By turns, he modules Mars' and Venus' loves.
As how the god obtain'd the soft delight,
And how the goddess stain'd the nuptial-rite.
Till he, the pow'r that gilds the lofty sky,
The long-stoln pleasure view'd with envious eye
(The far-effulgent sun, that all things views)
And to the jealous husband, bore the news.
By turns, he modules Mars' and Venus' loves.
As how the god obtain'd the soft delight,
And how the goddess stain'd the nuptial-rite.
Till he, the pow'r that gilds the lofty sky,
The long-stoln pleasure view'd with envious eye
(The far-effulgent sun, that all things views)
And to the jealous husband, bore the news.
The gloomy god, with grief and rage possest,
Revenge deep-ponders in his anxious breast.
Straight to his Forge, in vengeful haste, he hies,
Strait with the sledge, the labour'd anvil plies;
And frames a net-work of such curious make,
As neither art could loose, nor strength cou'd break;
And yet compacted of such subtle parts,
It seem'd the product of Arachnean arts.
This guileful snare (the lovers to surprize)
Too fine for mortal, or immortal eyes;
In folds unseen, laborious Vulcan spread,
Above, below, around the conscious bed.
Then (as he feign'd) to Lemnos he remov'd,
Lemnos! of all his courts the best belov'd!
Revenge deep-ponders in his anxious breast.
Straight to his Forge, in vengeful haste, he hies,
Strait with the sledge, the labour'd anvil plies;
And frames a net-work of such curious make,
As neither art could loose, nor strength cou'd break;
And yet compacted of such subtle parts,
It seem'd the product of Arachnean arts.
This guileful snare (the lovers to surprize)
Too fine for mortal, or immortal eyes;
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Above, below, around the conscious bed.
Then (as he feign'd) to Lemnos he remov'd,
Lemnos! of all his courts the best belov'd!
His well-dissembled march, the god of war,
With watchful eyes, discovers from afar:
And, eager to relieve his am'rous pains,
Flies to the vacant dome, with flowing reins.
With watchful eyes, discovers from afar:
And, eager to relieve his am'rous pains,
Flies to the vacant dome, with flowing reins.
Scarce had he enter'd; when the queen of love
(Sped from the courts of all-effecting Jove)
Descended fresh with new-recruited charms;
To whom, all-rapture, thus the god of arms.
(Sped from the courts of all-effecting Jove)
Descended fresh with new-recruited charms;
To whom, all-rapture, thus the god of arms.
‘Come, love! the fair occasion let us seize!
(Her hand soft-moulding with a tender squeeze)
‘Come, love! in bliss the happy hour employ;
‘E'er thy dull god disturb the well-reap'd joy;
‘Who those dear arms for barb'rous Sintians flies,
‘Who quits, for Lemnian fires, those brighter eyes.
(Her hand soft-moulding with a tender squeeze)
‘Come, love! in bliss the happy hour employ;
‘E'er thy dull god disturb the well-reap'd joy;
‘Who those dear arms for barb'rous Sintians flies,
‘Who quits, for Lemnian fires, those brighter eyes.
The goddess melts. For, with persuasive art,
The soothing accents stole upon her heart;
And to the genial bow'r, the god convey'd
Down dropt the toils, by careful Vulcan laid;
And held them fast, unable to remove,
Doubly-incumber'd in the bonds of love!
The soothing accents stole upon her heart;
And to the genial bow'r, the god convey'd
Down dropt the toils, by careful Vulcan laid;
And held them fast, unable to remove,
Doubly-incumber'd in the bonds of love!
Th'officious sun perceiv'd the lovers caught,
And to the scene of guilt grim Vulcan brought.
Frantic the god survey'd the twining pair;
Alas! what husband such a sight cou'd bear?
Fill'd the wide-vaulted heav'ns with horrid cries;
And summon'd all his brothers of the skies.
And to the scene of guilt grim Vulcan brought.
Frantic the god survey'd the twining pair;
Alas! what husband such a sight cou'd bear?
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And summon'd all his brothers of the skies.
‘Draw near, ye gods! ye gods! draw near (he said)
‘View there the foul dishonour of my bed!
‘View there th'eternal scandal of my life!
‘Thy daughter, Jove! and my lascivious wife!
‘Lo! where with Mars she lies—ah! curst embrace!
‘Mars has her love, and Vulcan her disgrace;
‘For Mars is lovely-born, and Vulcan lame;
‘The happier he—But, gods—am I to blame?
‘If his streight limbs with statelier beauties shine;
‘Condemn my parents—'tis no fault of mine.
‘But let them now possess their boasted charms:
‘Now let them clasp, close folded, arms in arms:
‘For once, tho' to the other each so dear,
‘For once, perhaps, they'll find themselves too near.
‘Strive to get free they may—but strive in vain:
‘For never shall this hand unloose that chain.
‘Never! till Jove repay the precious dow'r,
‘Giv'n for his daughter in a luckless hour;
‘E'er yet our hands in marriage-bonds were join'd.
‘His daughter! fair of face, but false of mind!
‘View there the foul dishonour of my bed!
‘View there th'eternal scandal of my life!
‘Thy daughter, Jove! and my lascivious wife!
‘Lo! where with Mars she lies—ah! curst embrace!
‘Mars has her love, and Vulcan her disgrace;
‘For Mars is lovely-born, and Vulcan lame;
‘The happier he—But, gods—am I to blame?
‘If his streight limbs with statelier beauties shine;
‘Condemn my parents—'tis no fault of mine.
‘But let them now possess their boasted charms:
‘Now let them clasp, close folded, arms in arms:
‘For once, tho' to the other each so dear,
‘For once, perhaps, they'll find themselves too near.
‘Strive to get free they may—but strive in vain:
‘For never shall this hand unloose that chain.
‘Never! till Jove repay the precious dow'r,
‘Giv'n for his daughter in a luckless hour;
‘E'er yet our hands in marriage-bonds were join'd.
‘His daughter! fair of face, but false of mind!
He said. Mean time, the gods in numbers come,
Divine-assemblage! to the brazen dome,
By Vulcan rouz'd; desirous of the sight:
With these the god, whom prudent arts delight;
And he, whose hand deals deadly shafts around;
And he, whose trident shakes the solid ground.
But for the goddesses, they stay'd behind.
Such prospects ill-become the female kind.
Divine-assemblage! to the brazen dome,
By Vulcan rouz'd; desirous of the sight:
With these the god, whom prudent arts delight;
And he, whose hand deals deadly shafts around;
And he, whose trident shakes the solid ground.
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Such prospects ill-become the female kind.
The gods stood round. And some on Venus smil'd;
Some laugh'd to see the god of war beguil'd;
Some Vulcan prais'd. ‘The slow, the swift outspeeds.
‘Sure punishment awaits nefarious deeds!
‘For fleetness fam'd, in these supream abodes,
‘Mars (as they cry'd) is fore-most of the gods.
‘Yet, doom'd the mulct of lawless love to pay,
‘Fleet Mars to tardy Vulcan now gives way.
Some laugh'd to see the god of war beguil'd;
Some Vulcan prais'd. ‘The slow, the swift outspeeds.
‘Sure punishment awaits nefarious deeds!
‘For fleetness fam'd, in these supream abodes,
‘Mars (as they cry'd) is fore-most of the gods.
‘Yet, doom'd the mulct of lawless love to pay,
‘Fleet Mars to tardy Vulcan now gives way.
To Hermes then, the god of day began:
‘Say, messenger of good events to man;
‘Wou'd'st thou, like Mars, to reap those heav'nly charms,
“Wou'd'st thou, be bound in golden Venus' arms?
‘Say, messenger of good events to man;
‘Wou'd'st thou, like Mars, to reap those heav'nly charms,
“Wou'd'st thou, be bound in golden Venus' arms?
‘Ah! yes, fair son of Jove! (the youth reply'd)
‘With chains on chains, inextricably ty'd;
‘Tho' all Olympus were one common eye;
‘Tho' all your gods, your goddesses stood by;
‘Like happy Mars, to reap those heav'nly charms,
‘I wou'd be bound in golden Venus' arms.
‘With chains on chains, inextricably ty'd;
‘Tho' all Olympus were one common eye;
‘Tho' all your gods, your goddesses stood by;
‘Like happy Mars, to reap those heav'nly charms,
‘I wou'd be bound in golden Venus' arms.
He spoke. Loud peals of laughter shake the skies,
When thus to Vulcan, Neptune mild applies.
‘At length, 'tis time to close the shameful scene:
‘Enough hast thou indulg'd thy lawful spleen.
‘Deliver Mars from these inglorious bands;
‘My self shall see thee paid the full demands.
To whom, thus Vulcan. ‘Urge us not too far!
‘How can we trust that treach'rous god of war?
‘Shou'd we unloose him, god, at thy request;
‘Where lies our surety?—In that faithless breast?
When thus to Vulcan, Neptune mild applies.
‘At length, 'tis time to close the shameful scene:
‘Enough hast thou indulg'd thy lawful spleen.
‘Deliver Mars from these inglorious bands;
‘My self shall see thee paid the full demands.
To whom, thus Vulcan. ‘Urge us not too far!
‘How can we trust that treach'rous god of war?
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‘Where lies our surety?—In that faithless breast?
‘For that (again th'indulgent pow'r reply'd)
‘If not in him, at least in me confide.
‘At my request the warrior god unloose,
‘Neptune shall pay the mulct, if Mars refuse.
‘If not in him, at least in me confide.
‘At my request the warrior god unloose,
‘Neptune shall pay the mulct, if Mars refuse.
‘'Tis thine (re-answers Vulcan) to command;
And to the net applies his skilful hand.
And to the net applies his skilful hand.
To Thracian hills the god of war removes;
The laughter-loving dame to Paphian groves;
Where num'rous slaves her pleasing pow'r invoke:
And num'rous altars, rich in odours, smoke.
Round their disorder'd queen, in wonted state,
The graces, her assiduous hand-maids, wait;
Her wearied limbs refresh with heav'nly show'rs,
Ambrosial sweets! that bath immortal pow'rs.
Then cloath her glorious in her robes divine;
And give in her full blaze of charms to shine.
The laughter-loving dame to Paphian groves;
Where num'rous slaves her pleasing pow'r invoke:
And num'rous altars, rich in odours, smoke.
Round their disorder'd queen, in wonted state,
The graces, her assiduous hand-maids, wait;
Her wearied limbs refresh with heav'nly show'rs,
Ambrosial sweets! that bath immortal pow'rs.
Then cloath her glorious in her robes divine;
And give in her full blaze of charms to shine.
So to his lyre the bard attun'd his song;
And fill'd, with ravishment, the list'ning throng.
And fill'd, with ravishment, the list'ning throng.
| The loves of hero and leander | |