 | Ionica |  |
10
Stesichorus.
Queen of the Argives, thus the poet spake,
Great lady Helen, thou hast made me wise;
Veiled is the world, but all the soul awake,
Purged by thine anger, clearer far than eyes.
Great lady Helen, thou hast made me wise;
Veiled is the world, but all the soul awake,
Purged by thine anger, clearer far than eyes.
Deep is the darkness; for my bride is hidden,
Crown of my glory, guerdon of my song:
Dread is the vision; thou art here unbidden,
Mute and reproachful, since I did thee wrong.
Crown of my glory, guerdon of my song:
Dread is the vision; thou art here unbidden,
Mute and reproachful, since I did thee wrong.
Sweetest of wanderers, grievest thou for friends
Tricked by a phantom, cheated to the grave.
Woe worth the God, the mocking God, that sends
Lies to the pious, furies to the brave.
Tricked by a phantom, cheated to the grave.
Woe worth the God, the mocking God, that sends
Lies to the pious, furies to the brave.
11
Pardon our falsehood: thou wert far away,
Gathering the lotus down the Egypt-water,
Wifely and duteous, hearing not the fray,
Taking no stain from all those years of slaughter:
Gathering the lotus down the Egypt-water,
Wifely and duteous, hearing not the fray,
Taking no stain from all those years of slaughter:
Guiltless, yet mournful. Tell the poets truths;
Tell them real beauty leadeth not to strife;
Weep for the slain, those many blooming youths:
Tears such as thine might bring them back to life.
Tell them real beauty leadeth not to strife;
Weep for the slain, those many blooming youths:
Tears such as thine might bring them back to life.
Dear, gentle lady, if the web's unthreaded,
Slander and fable fairly rent in twain,
Then, by the days when thou wert loved and wedded,
Give me, I pray, my bride's glad smile again.
Slander and fable fairly rent in twain,
Then, by the days when thou wert loved and wedded,
Give me, I pray, my bride's glad smile again.
| Ionica | |