Miscellaneous writings of the late Dr. Maginn :: :: University of Virginia Library

From her perfumed chamber wending,
Did the high-born Helen go:
Artemis she seemed descending,
Lady of the golden bow;
Then Adrasta, bent on duty,
Placed for her the regal chair;
Carpet for the feet of beauty
Spread Alcippe soft and fair.

II

Phylo came the basket holding,
Present of Alcandra's hand.
Fashioned was its silvery moulding
In old Egypt's wealthy land;
She, in famous Thebè living,
Was of Polybus the spouse,
He with soul of generous giving
Shared the wealth that stored his house.

III

Ten gold talents from his coffer,
Lavers twain of silver wrought,
With two tripods at his offer,
Had he to Atrides brought;
While his lady came bestowing
Gifts to Helen rich of price,
Gave a distaff, golden, glowing,
Gave this work of rare device.

180

IV

Shaped was it in fashion rounded,
All of silver but the brim,
Where by skilful hand 'twas bounded,
With a golden-guarded rim.
Now to Helen Phylo bore it,
Of its well-spun labor full,
And the distaff laid she o'er it,
Wrapt in violet-tinted wool.

V

Throned, then, and thus attended,
Helena the king addressed:
“Menelaus, Jove-descended,
Know'st thou who is here thy guest?
Shall I tell thee, as I ponder,
What I think, or false or true;
Gazing now with eyes of wonder
On the stranger whom I view?

VI

“Shape of male or female creature,
Like to bold Odysseus' son;
Young Telemachus in feature,
As this youth I seen have none.
From the boy his sire departed.
And to Ilion's coast he came
When to valiant war ye started
All for me—a thing of shame.”

VII

And Atrides spake, replying,
“Lady, so I think as thou,

181

Such the glance from eyeball flying,
Such his hands, his feet, his brow;
Such the locks his forehead gracing;
And I marked how, as I told
Of Odysseus' deeds retracing,
Down his cheek the tear-drop rolled.

VIII

“While he wiped the current straying
With his robe of purple hue.”
Nestor's son then answered, saying—
“What thou speakest, king, is true.
He who at thy board is sitting
Is of wise Odysseus sprung;
Modest thoughts, his age befitting,
Hitherto have stilled his tongue.

IX

“To address thee could he venture,
While thy winning accents flowed,
In our ravished ears to enter,
As if uttered by a god!
At Gerenian Nestor's sending
Comes beneath my guidance he,
In the hope thy well intending
To his guest of help may be.

X

Many a son feels sorrow try him
While his sire is far away,
And no faithful comrade by him,
In his danger prop or stay.
So, my friend, now vainly sighing,
O'er his father absent long,

182

Finds no hand, on which relying,
He may meet attempted wrong.”

XI

Kindly Menelaus spake him,
Praised his sire in grateful strain,
Told his whilome hope to take him
As a partner in his reign;
All were softened at his telling
Of the days now past and gone;
Wept Telemachus, wept Helen,
Fell the tears from Nestor's son.

XII

Gushing came they for his brother,
Slain by Dawn-born Memnon's sword;
But his grief he strove to smother,
As unfit for festal board.
Ceased the tears for wo and slaughter,
And again began the feast;
Bore Asphalion round the water,
Tendered to each noble guest.]

XIII

Then to banish gloomy thinking,
Helen on gay fancy bent,
In the wine her friends were drinking,
Flung a famed medicament:

183

Grief-dispelling, wrath-restraining,
Sweet oblivion of all wo;
He the bowl thus tempered draining
Never felt a tear to flow.

XIV

Not if she whose bosom bore him
Or his sire in death were laid;
Were his brother slain before him,
Or his son with gory blade.
In such drugs was Helen knowing;
Egypt had supplied her skill,
Where these potent herbs are growing,
Some for good, and some for ill.