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.