 | Silenus |  |
“Great Heracles,
Smitten with madness from the ravenous pain
Of Nessus' poisoned blood, unwittingly
Into the sea his faithful Lichas threw,
Young Lichas whom he loved. Forgetfulness
Gently waved over him her airy hand,
And he was spared the bitterest agony
When flames consuming quenched his final pangs.
Smitten with madness from the ravenous pain
Of Nessus' poisoned blood, unwittingly
Into the sea his faithful Lichas threw,
Young Lichas whom he loved. Forgetfulness
Gently waved over him her airy hand,
And he was spared the bitterest agony
When flames consuming quenched his final pangs.
“Madness appals me. Could but memory lapse
In any way than thro' dark Lethe's stream!
Who drinks that chilling draught forgets delight
Together with past weariness and wrong.
In any way than thro' dark Lethe's stream!
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Together with past weariness and wrong.
“I would not lose my vision of the past:
Still would I see in fancy Syrinx left
With playful memory, while her glances rove
Her own young beauties in their perfect prime;
For, trifling with them, I had loved to show
Their undulations course in lily sheen,
While she enjoyed with smiles, and never knew
Herself to be a lovely marvel full
Of varied inexhaustible delight,
Till I awoke her wonder with the truth.
Still would I see in fancy Syrinx left
With playful memory, while her glances rove
Her own young beauties in their perfect prime;
For, trifling with them, I had loved to show
Their undulations course in lily sheen,
While she enjoyed with smiles, and never knew
Herself to be a lovely marvel full
Of varied inexhaustible delight,
Till I awoke her wonder with the truth.
“Here wishing halts. I would shut out the rest,
And would not have my backward gaze defaced
By horrors of the past.
And would not have my backward gaze defaced
By horrors of the past.
“But drowsiness
Bethrals, I fain would slumber. Clymene,
And sweet Calypso, stretch forth each her hand
To soothe my head softly with tender strokes;
And you, O Eriphia, graciously
Throughout their length smooth my numbed, listless arms;
And Leto, cool this anguish-stricken brow
With breathing fresh and sweeter than the rose;
Thus let me feel your kindness till I sleep!”
Bethrals, I fain would slumber. Clymene,
And sweet Calypso, stretch forth each her hand
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And you, O Eriphia, graciously
Throughout their length smooth my numbed, listless arms;
And Leto, cool this anguish-stricken brow
With breathing fresh and sweeter than the rose;
Thus let me feel your kindness till I sleep!”
| Silenus | |