 | Silenus |  |
“Close from me, Leto, close thy tender eyes:
Or let their gracious light on others fall!
I could endure them were thy favour less.
Be harsh toward me in mercy. Do not let
Thy pitying sweetness mutely tell my loss!
Henceforth you see me broken worthless waste.
My spear is shivered; I am now no more
He that could front a monster and prevail.
Or let their gracious light on others fall!
I could endure them were thy favour less.
Be harsh toward me in mercy. Do not let
Thy pitying sweetness mutely tell my loss!
Henceforth you see me broken worthless waste.
My spear is shivered; I am now no more
He that could front a monster and prevail.
“Despise me, Nysa! Strength and forecast failed
When needed most to bear the stress and strain.
Why knew I not the demon's will accursed,
Nor stayed its guilty course by flashing spear?
Why, when she gave herself to me, forthwith
Did I desert her, tramping far-off tracts,
To teach their dusky dwellers wiser ways;
Leagues, moons away, taught savage men, when here
Ramped direst evil uncontrolled at home!
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Why knew I not the demon's will accursed,
Nor stayed its guilty course by flashing spear?
Why, when she gave herself to me, forthwith
Did I desert her, tramping far-off tracts,
To teach their dusky dwellers wiser ways;
Leagues, moons away, taught savage men, when here
Ramped direst evil uncontrolled at home!
“Blinded with bliss was I, or I had known
Her risk with Pan should hateful chance entice!
Her risk with Pan should hateful chance entice!
“Unhappy fate to strive for others' good
And lose meanwhile our own. Fondly I thought
The bright regards my Syrinx cast around
Would be enjoyed by all, as they enjoy
The sunshine laughing thro' the summer rain.
And lose meanwhile our own. Fondly I thought
The bright regards my Syrinx cast around
Would be enjoyed by all, as they enjoy
The sunshine laughing thro' the summer rain.
“The Gods I counted just; Powers high and dark;
Riddles to Demigods and mortal men.
We must obey them blindly: vain to seek
In their decrees, all dimly understood,
A meaning running side by side with ours.
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We must obey them blindly: vain to seek
In their decrees, all dimly understood,
A meaning running side by side with ours.
“A massive crag released from mountain wall
Rushing in thunder crushes all beneath.
It were as idle to beseech the rock,
Lightly to waver, falling as a leaf,
As make appeal to stay the hest of Gods!
Our feeble thoughts reach not their lofty wills;
Haply themselves the bounded ministers
Of Destiny unknown; for who shall say
Whence the first beat of power? Who wise to track
Thro' growth and change its pathway unto man,
Who also deals surely his stern decrees,
As beasts, and slaves, and captive women know.
Rushing in thunder crushes all beneath.
It were as idle to beseech the rock,
Lightly to waver, falling as a leaf,
As make appeal to stay the hest of Gods!
Our feeble thoughts reach not their lofty wills;
Haply themselves the bounded ministers
Of Destiny unknown; for who shall say
Whence the first beat of power? Who wise to track
Thro' growth and change its pathway unto man,
Who also deals surely his stern decrees,
As beasts, and slaves, and captive women know.
“Ye lovely ones, yearning to soothe my woe,
O could I take a hand of each in mine
To wander onward till we reached a world
Where Gods had made no law nor man had dwelt!
And there live unremembered and content,
In the wild woods and by the mountain streams
That shine in loops and spaces thro' the sand;
Where lying we might watch the seabirds soar
And dolphins thro' the water leap and plunge.
O could I take a hand of each in mine
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Where Gods had made no law nor man had dwelt!
And there live unremembered and content,
In the wild woods and by the mountain streams
That shine in loops and spaces thro' the sand;
Where lying we might watch the seabirds soar
And dolphins thro' the water leap and plunge.
“And should a roving storm disturb our day,
Straggling from troubled regions and escaped
Inexorable Zeus while dealing doom,
An estray like ourselves, its mighty roar
Should be our music; while its transient fire
In spasms of glory quivering thro' the heavens,
Should light with splendid wonder our new world.
Straggling from troubled regions and escaped
Inexorable Zeus while dealing doom,
An estray like ourselves, its mighty roar
Should be our music; while its transient fire
In spasms of glory quivering thro' the heavens,
Should light with splendid wonder our new world.
“I am so languid now, a wounded wretch
Drained well-nigh of his blood, whose breath scarce lifts
His hollow breast, his eyes fast losing light,
Beholding me in pity might feel strong.
The stroke that wounded me cut tenderer cords
Than ever arrow pierced or blade could reach.
Such dread and horror fill my soul I seem
Some lost and evil creature soaked in crime
Suffering his punishment, but memory gone
Of what his sin had been.
Drained well-nigh of his blood, whose breath scarce lifts
His hollow breast, his eyes fast losing light,
50
The stroke that wounded me cut tenderer cords
Than ever arrow pierced or blade could reach.
Such dread and horror fill my soul I seem
Some lost and evil creature soaked in crime
Suffering his punishment, but memory gone
Of what his sin had been.
| Silenus | |