Glimpses of Antiquity Being a collection of metrical sketches, in the form of ballads, lyrics, &c., with main reference to mediaeval times or classical subjects. By George F. Preston [i.e. J. B. L. Warren] |
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THE FATED RACE OF TANTALUS. |
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 | Glimpses of Antiquity |  |
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THE FATED RACE OF TANTALUS.
Zeus looked down from his thunder-cloud,
And breathed a curse,
Deep-voiced and adamantine,
Upon the house of Atreus.
And breathed a curse,
Deep-voiced and adamantine,
Upon the house of Atreus.
Horrible doom, ye sons of Tantalus,
What shall satisfy the thunderer's vengeance?
If unborn children pay prospective sentence,
Who may escape?
Under the molten crags of Tartarus
The sharp-eared furies heard it.
With an unearthly discord,
Winged them black fates of death
O'er our devoted city!
What shall satisfy the thunderer's vengeance?
If unborn children pay prospective sentence,
Who may escape?
Under the molten crags of Tartarus
The sharp-eared furies heard it.
With an unearthly discord,
Winged them black fates of death
O'er our devoted city!
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Blood—blood—who shall appease
The anger of immortals? Infinite
And multiplied the troubles they have wrought
Upon a harmless people, of whose kings
They have torn ample vengeance!
The anger of immortals? Infinite
And multiplied the troubles they have wrought
Upon a harmless people, of whose kings
They have torn ample vengeance!
Zeus sat firm on the purple hills,
And his lightning countenance
Out-paled the sun
As his flash came bright beyond brightness.
And his lightning countenance
Out-paled the sun
As his flash came bright beyond brightness.
The goatherd gathered his flocks in haste;
And only the waterfall
Fretting the marble rock
Found voice or any sound,
When the weird hush came after.
And only the waterfall
Fretting the marble rock
Found voice or any sound,
When the weird hush came after.
O, we have watched by hearths
With war and famine desolate,
Sunken eyes and wasted cheeks,
In an eternal sympathy of misery;
We have seen rude blood-stained lips,
Upon the sacred foreheads of our dear ones,
And scarce a groan, and never a curse,
Hath angered the fair blue heaven
That laughed derision over us!
With war and famine desolate,
Sunken eyes and wasted cheeks,
In an eternal sympathy of misery;
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Upon the sacred foreheads of our dear ones,
And scarce a groan, and never a curse,
Hath angered the fair blue heaven
That laughed derision over us!
Fated to misery, born into misery,
Desolate children of night
Tedious are our complainings!
Sweep us from this rough earth,
Fold us in cold dark earth,
We would begone into night!
Desolate children of night
Tedious are our complainings!
Sweep us from this rough earth,
Fold us in cold dark earth,
We would begone into night!
We have known so much woe—
Behind what pain remains?
Ye then have nought to fear,
And death is so much gain.
Yet apprehension's sting,
Accursed demon-fiend,
Contrives to lurk behind
In breasts that, most forlorn,
Lose last their idiot hopes.
Destiny! all is destiny!
Shall we sit down and die?
Merciful Zeus, let loose thy thunder,
Or clear our sullen sky!
Behind what pain remains?
Ye then have nought to fear,
And death is so much gain.
Yet apprehension's sting,
Accursed demon-fiend,
Contrives to lurk behind
In breasts that, most forlorn,
Lose last their idiot hopes.
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Shall we sit down and die?
Merciful Zeus, let loose thy thunder,
Or clear our sullen sky!
| Glimpses of Antiquity | |