Collected Works (Vol. II)

ACTUS PRIMUS gI About the grove the scorpion coils Inextricably wind Within the wood’s exceeding toils, The shadow hot and blind ; There lurk his serpent sorceries, The guardian of the Golden Fleece. = The dragon lifts his nostrils wide And jets a spout of fire ; The warrior questing turns aside, Not daring to desire ; And Madness born of Ares Jurks Behind the wonder of his works. Be sure that were the woodland way Tracked snakewise to the core, The dragon slain or driven away, The good Fleece won by war, Not yet should Ares sink his spear, Or fail of flinging forth a fear. The torch of Madness should be lit, And follow him afar: Upon his prow should Madness sit, A baleful beacon-star ; And in his home Despair and Strife Lie in his bosom for a wife ! But oh, the glory of the quest, ' The gainless goodly prize ! The fairest form man e’er caressed, The word he heard most wise ;— All lures of life avoid and cease Before the winning of the Fleece ! O nameless splendour of the Gods, Begotten hardly of Heaven ! Unspoken treasure of the abodes Beyond the lightning levin ! No misery, no despair may pay * The joy to hold thee for a day ! JASON. Athena’s servant recks not much of Ares. PELIAS. Are thine eyes kindled at thought ? the golden JASON. Mine eyes see farther than the Fleece of Gold. PELIAS. What heroes can attain so fair a thing? JASON. I have some friends who would esteem this quest Lightly—a maiden’s pleasure-wandering Through lilied fields a summer’s afternoon. PELIAS. The Gods give strength! I pray them send thee back Safe to this throne. JASON. I will not see thy face Ever again until the quest be won. Rule thou with justice in my sacred seat Until I come again. PELIAS. The Gods thy speed. MEN. The hardy hero goes to find The living Fleece of Gold ; Or else, some death may chance to bind Those limbs of manly mould. In sooth, I doubt if I shall earn The singer’s fee for his return. PELIAS. Think now—I feared that fool. It must be true That guilt is timorous, Ay! when danger’s none! Let but swords flash—and guilt grows God for might ! Indeed I rule—until he come again. Ay, when the stars fall, Jason shall be king! EXPLICIT ACTUS PRIMUS,