14 ARGONAUTAE
Come over the water, love, and bide
An hour in my swift caress!
So short is the space, and so smooth the tide—
More smooth is my loveliness!
Come over the water, love, to my side!
I am thy lover and queen and bride!
MEDEA.
Sing, poet, ere the rash fool leap!
JASON.
Ah, Zeus!
ORPHEUS.
The hearts of Greeks with sharper flames
Burn than with one fire of all fire,
We have the Races and the Games,
The song, the chisel, and the lyre;
We have the altar, we the shrine,
And ours the joy of love and wine.
Why take one pleasure, put aside
The myriad bliss of life diverse?
Unchanging joy will soon divide
Into the likeness of a curse.
Have we no maidens, slender, strong,
Daughters of tender-throated song?
I swear by Aphrodite’s eyes
Our Grecian maids are fairer far!
What love as sweet as theirs is lies