The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson Edited, with an introduction, by Desmond Flower |
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POTNIA THEA |
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 | The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson |  |
118
POTNIA THEA
When the voice of the gods hath spoken,
The uttered word remains,
The Parcae's web unbroken,
Its pristine strength retains.
The uttered word remains,
The Parcae's web unbroken,
Its pristine strength retains.
Tho' the Cronian Zeus be dethronèd
And desolate his shrines,
Anangkè still star-crownèd,
Her fateful threads entwines.
And desolate his shrines,
Anangkè still star-crownèd,
Her fateful threads entwines.
Tho the goddess, the Cytherean,
No longer with the Loves
Flits o'er the blue Aegean
To hallowed Paphos' groves.
No longer with the Loves
Flits o'er the blue Aegean
To hallowed Paphos' groves.
And Athênê has ceased enfolding
The city of her heart,
Its denizens beholding
The Delian barque depart,
The city of her heart,
Its denizens beholding
The Delian barque depart,
Still the iconoclastic ages
Touch not the veilèd dame
Whom husbandmen and sages
Avouch by different name.
Touch not the veilèd dame
Whom husbandmen and sages
Avouch by different name.
119
The Olympian queen's forgotten,
Hephaestus' fires are cold,
The sons of Zeus begotten,
The heroes rest untold.
Hephaestus' fires are cold,
The sons of Zeus begotten,
The heroes rest untold.
Not a sound on the steep Cithaeron,
Where once the Maenad's choir,
Adored the mighty Bromian,
With dithyrambic fire.
Where once the Maenad's choir,
Adored the mighty Bromian,
With dithyrambic fire.
Still the throne of Anangkè resteth
Above the reach of years;
Her crape-crowned sceptre breasteth
The ages without fears.
Above the reach of years;
Her crape-crowned sceptre breasteth
The ages without fears.
And when dynasties have been changed
Of earths and gods and men,
The goddess unestrangèd
Shall be found ruling then.
Of earths and gods and men,
The goddess unestrangèd
Shall be found ruling then.
| The Poetical Works of Ernest Christopher Dowson | |