Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs By Walter Thornbury. Illustrated by J. Whistler, F. Walker, John Tenniel, J. D. Watson, W. Small, F. Sandys, G. J. Pinwell, T. Morten, M. J. Lawless, and many others |
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The Madman of Corinth.
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 | Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs |  |
105
The Madman of Corinth.
There was a Corinth merchant, as mad as mad could be:
He beat his wife, and struck his child; and his ruthless savagery
Did not abate till he came and sat on a hill above the sea.
He beat his wife, and struck his child; and his ruthless savagery
Did not abate till he came and sat on a hill above the sea.
A calm fell on his fevered brain, and he grew patient then,
As he sat and watched the haven, afar from other men,
And the gulf spread blue and sapphire clear before his steadier ken.
As he sat and watched the haven, afar from other men,
And the gulf spread blue and sapphire clear before his steadier ken.
Forgot the oboli all spent, the purple robes all sold,
As he saw the triremes sailing forth, shaking out fold by fold
Their canvas to the north-west wind, that blew keen, fresh, and cold.
As he saw the triremes sailing forth, shaking out fold by fold
Their canvas to the north-west wind, that blew keen, fresh, and cold.
There day by day he sat and watched, until he dreamed they went
For him, those stately argosies with spreading white sails bent,
For gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, and nard and spikenard sent.
For him, those stately argosies with spreading white sails bent,
For gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, and nard and spikenard sent.
Whene'er he saw the parting ships, he clapped his withered hands,
And waved his ragged robe and staff, and screamed his royal commands.
And ordered forth “more sail, more sail!” to eastern, western lands.
And waved his ragged robe and staff, and screamed his royal commands.
And ordered forth “more sail, more sail!” to eastern, western lands.
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At sunset, too, when ocean deep seemed glowing all on fire,
He shouted from the grassy cliffs, and mounting higher, higher,
Blessed all the ships returning, from Sicily or Tyre.
He shouted from the grassy cliffs, and mounting higher, higher,
Blessed all the ships returning, from Sicily or Tyre.
For him the balsam-laden barks came down the gulfs in fleets;
For him the bustle and the din of Corinth's crowded streets;
For him each wave upon the stones of quay and harbour beats.
For him the bustle and the din of Corinth's crowded streets;
For him each wave upon the stones of quay and harbour beats.
Too zealous friends from Galen came across the Tyrrhene deep:
They purged his brains with hellebore, and woke him from that sleep,
And drove away those wild fierce thoughts that through a frenzy creep;
They purged his brains with hellebore, and woke him from that sleep,
And drove away those wild fierce thoughts that through a frenzy creep;
Until he, pining, sat forlorn all day upon the hill,
Crying, “Alas! my honest friends, I know you meant no ill;
But still, instead of saving me, you only came to kill.”
Crying, “Alas! my honest friends, I know you meant no ill;
But still, instead of saving me, you only came to kill.”
Illusions are like coloured clouds that move and veer o'erhead,
With iris changes gay and swift, transient and fancy-fed;
Without them, earth is but a grave, and life the dross of lead.
With iris changes gay and swift, transient and fancy-fed;
Without them, earth is but a grave, and life the dross of lead.
| Historical & Legendary Ballads & Songs | |