Tale of Archais

56 THE TALE OF ARCHAIS Of being cast beneath the hoof of Time) And answered her : “ O mightiest, O sublime White deity of heaven, a swamp is know To me, so vile, so more than venomous grown With filthy weeds ; yea, all lewd creatures swarm Its airless desolation through ; and warm Sick vapours of disease do putrefy Its feverish exhalations ; yet do I With some fond band of loyal worshippers Often draw thither ; and black ministers Of mine therein do office ; I have seen This being cursed of Zeus, a snake unclean With its unholy neighbourhood ; at morn A fair bright youth, whose large eyes well might scorn The wanton eyes of Ganymede, whose tongue Reiterates ill curses idly strung In circles meaningless high Zeus to move, Yet has twain other cries ; the one is “ Love ! ” The other “ Archais ! ” The Paphian lips Smiled with a splendour potent to eclipse The large-lipped drawn-out grinning of that court That mouthed and gibbered in their swinish sport.