Two Sonnets of the Sirens
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‘Les Sirènes estoient tant intimes amies et fidelles compagnes de
Proserpine, qu'elles estoient toujours ensemble. Esmues du juste deuil
de la perte de leur chère compagne, et ennuyees jusques au desespoir, elles
s'arrestèrent à la mer Sicilienne, où par leurs chants elles attiroient les
navigans, mais l'unique fin de la volupté de leur musique est la Mort.'
—
Pontus de Tyard, 1570.
I
The Sirens once were maidens innocent
That through the water-meads with Proserpine
Plucked no fire-hearted flowers, but were content
Cool fritillaries and flag-flowers to twine,
With lilies woven and with wet woodbine;
Till once they sought the bright Etnæan flowers,
And their bright mistress fled from summer hours
With Hades, down the irremeable decline.
And they have sought her all the wide world through,
Till many years, and wisdom, and much wrong
Have filled and changed their song, and o'er the blue
Rings deadly sweet the magic of the song;
And whoso hears must listen till he die
Far on the flowery shores of Sicily.
II
So is it with this singing art of ours,
That once with maids went maidenlike, and played
With woven dances in the poplar-shade;
And all her song was but of lady's bowers
And the returning swallows, and spring-flowers,
Till forth to seek a shadow-queen she strayed,
A shadowy land; and now hath overweighed
Her singing chaplet with the snow and showers.
Yea, fair well-water for the bitter brine
She left, and by the margin of life's sea
Sings, and her song is full of the sea's moan,
And wild with dread, and love of Proserpine;
And whoso once has listened to her, he
His whole life long is slave to her alone.
