 | Poems Lyrical and Dramatic |  |
117
HYMN TO ARTEMIS.
Hail, Queen Artemis, the terror of the deep Arcadian valleys,
Threading with thy nymphs the error of the interlacing alleys,
Drawn by stags with antlers golden, o'er the ridge and by the river,
In thy tunic short infolden, with thy boar-spear and thy quiver,
Queen of fell and forest olden, virgin and a queen for ever!
Threading with thy nymphs the error of the interlacing alleys,
Drawn by stags with antlers golden, o'er the ridge and by the river,
In thy tunic short infolden, with thy boar-spear and thy quiver,
Queen of fell and forest olden, virgin and a queen for ever!
Lo, the shed leaves whirl and scatter, thick as flakes in wildest winters,
And like gasp and gust that shatter fir and pine tree into splinters,
Loud as beat and throb of surges, tread and tramp of surges, tread and tramp of feet draws nigher
Up the still and seamy verges, panting, pulsing, higher, higher,
Then the storm of hunt emerges, open-mouthed with eyes of fire.
And like gasp and gust that shatter fir and pine tree into splinters,
118
Up the still and seamy verges, panting, pulsing, higher, higher,
Then the storm of hunt emerges, open-mouthed with eyes of fire.
Hounds that fill the vale with clamour, snowy feet like sea-fowl flocking;
Eyes that pierce the green and glamour of the leaves and shadows rocking;
Naked knees beneath the kirtle, dripping tresses tightly knotted;
Shaft and spear, that shriek and hurtle, where with speckled skin and spotted
Through the laurel, through the myrtle, spent and pierced the wild doe trotted.
Eyes that pierce the green and glamour of the leaves and shadows rocking;
Naked knees beneath the kirtle, dripping tresses tightly knotted;
Shaft and spear, that shriek and hurtle, where with speckled skin and spotted
Through the laurel, through the myrtle, spent and pierced the wild doe trotted.
Guardian to the careful shepherds of the tender ewe and yeanling,
Fostress of the cubs of leopards, friend to wolf-whelp and to weanling,
By hid track and devious digress see I thee a path unravel
Through the underwood and high grass, over slope and over level,
Eileithyia to the tigress grovelling in the pangs of travail.
Fostress of the cubs of leopards, friend to wolf-whelp and to weanling,
By hid track and devious digress see I thee a path unravel
119
Eileithyia to the tigress grovelling in the pangs of travail.
Iron-footed, planted high on mountains dewy with the morning,
Lo, the open-eyed Orion, storm and cloud beneath him scorning,
With his giant stature stunting elm and oak tree to a sapling,
Browed like lightning, heaven-confronting, bow of ram's horn tightly grappling,
Seeks, with spirit bent on hunting, leafy glades the dawn is dappling.
Lo, the open-eyed Orion, storm and cloud beneath him scorning,
With his giant stature stunting elm and oak tree to a sapling,
Browed like lightning, heaven-confronting, bow of ram's horn tightly grappling,
Seeks, with spirit bent on hunting, leafy glades the dawn is dappling.
Lo, the chase with thee beside him, lo, the wild deer spied and stricken,
Chastened lids that proudly eyed him, giant limbs that swoon and sicken;
Lo, the violent caresses! hark the bowstring sudden twanging!
There he lies with gory tresses on his marble bosom hanging,
Cast up by the wildernesses with the vultures o'er him clanging.
Chastened lids that proudly eyed him, giant limbs that swoon and sicken;
Lo, the violent caresses! hark the bowstring sudden twanging!
There he lies with gory tresses on his marble bosom hanging,
Cast up by the wildernesses with the vultures o'er him clanging.
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And Actæon lies awaiting, couched among the myrtle blossom,
With broad eager eyes dilating and with palpitating bosom;
Till along the grass-grown edges, where the stagnant water curdles,
All thy nymphs on jutting ledges lay their robes and lay their girdles,
Naked 'mong the flowering sedges sport like lambs within the hurdles.
With broad eager eyes dilating and with palpitating bosom;
Till along the grass-grown edges, where the stagnant water curdles,
All thy nymphs on jutting ledges lay their robes and lay their girdles,
Naked 'mong the flowering sedges sport like lambs within the hurdles.
Snapt a twig, a leaflet ruffled, one hath spied him fast escaping,
Half a hundred breasts are muffled with a mist of snowy draping,
Thou, with deadly anger blanching, criest, “Go! be thou transmuted
To a stag with antlers branching!” stood he there a moment rooted,
Then, into the forest launching, fled, a dun fawn snowy-footed.
Half a hundred breasts are muffled with a mist of snowy draping,
Thou, with deadly anger blanching, criest, “Go! be thou transmuted
To a stag with antlers branching!” stood he there a moment rooted,
Then, into the forest launching, fled, a dun fawn snowy-footed.
| Poems Lyrical and Dramatic | |