 | Grecian Prospects |  |
CANTO THE SECOND.
“See,” (cried the Spirit) from his circling wand,
As sacred light and fragrance fill'd the skies,
“See Chios' cliffs approach: Behold the land
“Of destin'd worthies in clear vision rise.
“And lo! on yonder slope a village lies,
“Where the hill-pines a sabler umbrage shed:
“Cast, on that village, thine observant eyes:
“There rests the bolt of heaven, foredoom'd to spread
“Terror and glory round, and vindicate the dead.
As sacred light and fragrance fill'd the skies,
“See Chios' cliffs approach: Behold the land
“Of destin'd worthies in clear vision rise.
“And lo! on yonder slope a village lies,
“Where the hill-pines a sabler umbrage shed:
“Cast, on that village, thine observant eyes:
“There rests the bolt of heaven, foredoom'd to spread
“Terror and glory round, and vindicate the dead.
“Of yon grey mansion, once Minerva's fane,
“My lamps aërial lighten up the walls!
“On its wide roof converse a kindred train,
“Whom not a shade of dastard fear appals;
“That often, as the cool night-curtain falls,
“In talk their spirits worn by toil repair;
“And with such tales as glad thy Cambrian halls,
“The guardian of renown in fancy share,
“And give the clarion's blast to scatter every care.
“My lamps aërial lighten up the walls!
“On its wide roof converse a kindred train,
“Whom not a shade of dastard fear appals;
“That often, as the cool night-curtain falls,
“In talk their spirits worn by toil repair;
“And with such tales as glad thy Cambrian halls,
“The guardian of renown in fancy share,
“And give the clarion's blast to scatter every care.
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“Ee'n now I see them listening with delight
“To yonder chief, who tells the deeds of old:
“I hear him, his awakening tale recite:
“'Tis young Araxes. His keen eyes behold,
“His energetic air, his aspect bold;
“While warlike genius points to trophies won,
“To cars amid triumphal pæans roll'd:
“His audience every gesture, every tone
“Applaud, and fondly deem the fame of Greece their own.
“To yonder chief, who tells the deeds of old:
“I hear him, his awakening tale recite:
“'Tis young Araxes. His keen eyes behold,
“His energetic air, his aspect bold;
“While warlike genius points to trophies won,
“To cars amid triumphal pæans roll'd:
“His audience every gesture, every tone
“Applaud, and fondly deem the fame of Greece their own.
“From every cordial feature beaming truth
“On friends and stranger-guests that round recline,
“Observe the grandsire of the generous youth;
“His seat, the remnant of a broken shrine:
“There, as their eyes with eager pleasure shine,
“Two lovely boys, beside the sculptur'd base,
“Grasp the stone-clusters of a mimic vine;
“Or ape their brother's oratorial grace,
“Or, with their playful hands, the old man's feet embrace.
“On friends and stranger-guests that round recline,
“Observe the grandsire of the generous youth;
“His seat, the remnant of a broken shrine:
“There, as their eyes with eager pleasure shine,
“Two lovely boys, beside the sculptur'd base,
“Grasp the stone-clusters of a mimic vine;
“Or ape their brother's oratorial grace,
“Or, with their playful hands, the old man's feet embrace.
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“See, to the chief attacht, a Melian friend;
“For whom Araxes (self-condemn'd to earn
“His bitter bread, where Melos' grottoes bend
“In many a maze, and press his couch of fern)
“Would oft the Gallic corsairs watch, and burn
“With rage, to disappoint their midnight prow;
“Thence unperceiv'd, tho' station'd to discern
“Their inroads, from his ambush deal the blow,
“And, for his Alcon's sake, repel the insidious foe.
“For whom Araxes (self-condemn'd to earn
“His bitter bread, where Melos' grottoes bend
“In many a maze, and press his couch of fern)
“Would oft the Gallic corsairs watch, and burn
“With rage, to disappoint their midnight prow;
“Thence unperceiv'd, tho' station'd to discern
“Their inroads, from his ambush deal the blow,
“And, for his Alcon's sake, repel the insidious foe.
“There, too, from Naxos, note a stranger guest:
“A heart of anguish his dim'd eyes betray:
“He mourns a nymph, whose vows his soul possess'd,
“Snatcht, sudden, from his clasping arms away,
“And doom'd in sighs to waste her youthful day:
“Yet, tho' the walls of lust the maid immure,
“He deems her spotless as the blush of May;
“And views, in virgin innocence secure,
“His Arne brave the threat, and spurn the gaudy lure.
“A heart of anguish his dim'd eyes betray:
“He mourns a nymph, whose vows his soul possess'd,
“Snatcht, sudden, from his clasping arms away,
“And doom'd in sighs to waste her youthful day:
“Yet, tho' the walls of lust the maid immure,
“He deems her spotless as the blush of May;
“And views, in virgin innocence secure,
“His Arne brave the threat, and spurn the gaudy lure.
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“And next observe that Cephalenian Greek
“Who starts at every still emphatic pause,
“Yet self-absorbt, scarce hears Araxes speak:
“Spoil'd by the wretches, who belye the cause
“Of heaven-descended freedom, from the jaws
“Of fate, the Cephalenian chieftain fled.
‘Miscreants (he mutters) spare your vain applause,
‘Nor deck with cenotaphs the Grecian dead!—
‘Miscreants! who rob their sons by wolfish rapine led!
“Who starts at every still emphatic pause,
“Yet self-absorbt, scarce hears Araxes speak:
“Spoil'd by the wretches, who belye the cause
“Of heaven-descended freedom, from the jaws
“Of fate, the Cephalenian chieftain fled.
‘Miscreants (he mutters) spare your vain applause,
‘Nor deck with cenotaphs the Grecian dead!—
‘Miscreants! who rob their sons by wolfish rapine led!
“See the young orator now seize the lyre;
“And, as he chaunts the song, from every string
“Awake with volant hand the living fire
“That thrills each bosom with a rapturous sting;
“Now, ceasing, to his neighbour of the ring
“Resign the mastery o'er extatic sound:
“And lo! the moments fly on rapid wing,
“While, as spontaneous numbers circle round,
“Their hearts, or young or old, with emulation bound.
“And, as he chaunts the song, from every string
“Awake with volant hand the living fire
“That thrills each bosom with a rapturous sting;
“Now, ceasing, to his neighbour of the ring
“Resign the mastery o'er extatic sound:
“And lo! the moments fly on rapid wing,
“While, as spontaneous numbers circle round,
“Their hearts, or young or old, with emulation bound.
52
“Yet, as each differing passion sways the soul,
“Its music swells, or melts upon the ear:
“Indignant, as the strains of vengeance roll,
“The Cephalenian chills the chiefs with fear—
“Sullen and deep—They shudder, as they hear!
“And hark! the Naxian, in a burst of sighs,
“Steals o'er the strings his measures soft and clear;
“Now bids the tone of quick resentment rise,
“Now, languishing again, in love and pity dies!
“Its music swells, or melts upon the ear:
“Indignant, as the strains of vengeance roll,
“The Cephalenian chills the chiefs with fear—
“Sullen and deep—They shudder, as they hear!
“And hark! the Naxian, in a burst of sighs,
“Steals o'er the strings his measures soft and clear;
“Now bids the tone of quick resentment rise,
“Now, languishing again, in love and pity dies!
“We shift the scene. Behold a radiance streams,
“As the roof opens, o'er yon tap'stried room:
“Lo a fair groupe conspicuous in the beams!
“Their silver distaffs glitter thro' the dome.
“Unveil'd the shadowy locks, the virgin bloom,
“Uncheckt the pantings of the living snow,
“They laugh, they languish o'er the fervid loom.
“What tho' their moments in seclusion flow?
“Pure from profaner eyes, the brightest florets blow.
“As the roof opens, o'er yon tap'stried room:
“Lo a fair groupe conspicuous in the beams!
“Their silver distaffs glitter thro' the dome.
“Unveil'd the shadowy locks, the virgin bloom,
“Uncheckt the pantings of the living snow,
“They laugh, they languish o'er the fervid loom.
“What tho' their moments in seclusion flow?
“Pure from profaner eyes, the brightest florets blow.
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“Yet see that form distinguisht from the rest—
“Fair Eucharis, Araxes' destin'd bride:
“By images of some sweet union blest,
“She lifts her fine blue eyes with conscious pride:
“And, smiling on her maiden train beside,
“A gold wrought robe, a broider'd veil displays;
“And, from smooth tongues as soft applauses slide,
“With livelier joy each finisht work surveys,
“Tho' from another tongue she sighs for softer praise.”
“Fair Eucharis, Araxes' destin'd bride:
“By images of some sweet union blest,
“She lifts her fine blue eyes with conscious pride:
“And, smiling on her maiden train beside,
“A gold wrought robe, a broider'd veil displays;
“And, from smooth tongues as soft applauses slide,
“With livelier joy each finisht work surveys,
“Tho' from another tongue she sighs for softer praise.”
In a swift cloud enfolded (as he spoke)
The slope, the waving hillpines swam from sight;
When the same village thro' the darkness broke,
And, its long street from numerous torches bright,
A grand procession mark'd some nuptial rite;
And, as gay nymphs their amorous mazes wove,
The matrons view'd the bride with fond delight—
“Ripe for the blisses of the Paphian grove—
“Full soon (they said and sigh'd) to pour her soul in love!”
The slope, the waving hillpines swam from sight;
When the same village thro' the darkness broke,
And, its long street from numerous torches bright,
A grand procession mark'd some nuptial rite;
And, as gay nymphs their amorous mazes wove,
The matrons view'd the bride with fond delight—
“Ripe for the blisses of the Paphian grove—
“Full soon (they said and sigh'd) to pour her soul in love!”
54
'Twas Eucharis. Tho' fair her maidens shone,
And to soft measures mystic dances led,
Yet, kindling at each step, their beauties won
Vain incense. Eucharis around her shed
Peculiar glory. To the bridal bed
Mov'd her fine figure, scarce of mortal mould:
Shadowing the virgin's timid blushes, spread
The broider'd veil in many a rosy fold,
And a rich ceinture brac'd the robe in-wrought with gold.
And to soft measures mystic dances led,
Yet, kindling at each step, their beauties won
Vain incense. Eucharis around her shed
Peculiar glory. To the bridal bed
Mov'd her fine figure, scarce of mortal mould:
Shadowing the virgin's timid blushes, spread
The broider'd veil in many a rosy fold,
And a rich ceinture brac'd the robe in-wrought with gold.
And burn'd Araxes with a bridegroom's haste
To loosen that rich ceinture? Sudden flash'd
High brandisht blades around her; and her waist
Gaunt ruffians grasp'd: Conflicting sabres clash'd;
And lo! in dust the feeble grandsire dasht,
And hurried by his hoary beard along:
In vain his teeth the indignant hero gnash'd:
The Gauls, alas! sworn foes to nuptial song,
Bore off the swooning bride, and all the choral throng.
To loosen that rich ceinture? Sudden flash'd
High brandisht blades around her; and her waist
Gaunt ruffians grasp'd: Conflicting sabres clash'd;
And lo! in dust the feeble grandsire dasht,
And hurried by his hoary beard along:
In vain his teeth the indignant hero gnash'd:
The Gauls, alas! sworn foes to nuptial song,
Bore off the swooning bride, and all the choral throng.
| Grecian Prospects | |