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Page 1 of 11899 · PDF PAGE 65
… and sunwarmed hair, Burning in dawny cheeks as the fresh air Kissed, cleansing them from that infested den Of obscene deities and apish men, Rivalling their gods in petty filthiness. So Loves white-bosomed Queen gat full success In the first season of her sojourning. Then, on the verge of night, she went a-wing To that most damnèd pestilence-rid marsh, And, changing her bright shape, she donned the harsh Vile form of woman past the middle age, Who hath not virtue that may charm the sage When the desire of folly is gone by, And wrinkles yield …
1899 · PDF PAGE 85
…f the surf. Dance together, ere we part, And Selenes dart Give the signal for your slumber and the rapture of our heart. Semi-Chorus of Men Exalted with immeasurable gladness ; Bonds touched with tears and melted like the snow, Wake the song loudly ; loose the leash of madness, Beat the loud drum, and bid the trumpet blow. Semi-Chorus of Women Let the lute thrill divinely low, Let the harp strike a tender note of sad- ness ; Louder and louder, till the full song flow, One earth-dissolving stream of utter gladness.
1899 · PDF PAGE 87
… daring. Ah! how it strikes as with silver ! how the suns laughter is ended ! ARCHAIS How the moons arms are extended ! Semi-Chorus of Men Rejoicing, inarticulate with pleasure, Joy streams a comet in the strong control Of the suns love ; weave, weave the eager measure, Fill the seas brim from pleasures foaming bowl ! Semi-Chorus of Women Weave, weave the dance ; the stars are not your goal. Freed slaves of Fortune, loves your only treasure.
1899 · PDF PAGE 51
…r prayer, And scorning Aphrodites help—he strayed Through swamps and weary bogs, nor yet be- trayed His anguished countenance to mortal men. There was so keen an hour of sorrow, when He had destroyed himself ; but Heavens hand, Stretched out in vengeance, held him back. The land, Where rest is made eternal, slipped his clutch ; He wandered through the world and might not touch The sceptre of King Death. In vain he sought Those fierce embraces, nor availed him aught To numb the aching of his breast. The maid He loved, now freed from doom, no l…
1899 · PDF PAGE 19
…ns face was lucent ; like a rose Amid the nebulous cluster of pale gold That twined in marvellous love-locks manifold Around her brow ; Mens lusts and womens woes Had not drawn nigh to dim those luminous eyes Full of strange longings, dreams not under- stood, Nor drawn around them th amethystine hood That lifes dark pencil drawn, and in no wise Was the soft bloom departed from the cheek, Clear, more of rose than of ivory. Nor had Shame And Lust made rich and full and ripe and red The dainty child-lips, nor made fierce and sleek The subtle …
1899 · PDF PAGE 28
…s have planted Paler roses, warmer grapes, Ere the maiden breasts have panted, And the sunny shapes Flit around to bless the hour, Comes men know not what false flower : Ere the cup is drained, the wine Grows unsweet, that was divine. All the subtle airs are proven False at dewfall, at the dawn Sin and sorrow, interwoven, Like a veil are drawn Over love and all delight, Grey desires invade the white. Love and life are but a span ; Woe is me ! and woe is man !
1899 · PDF PAGE 59
…rget, And the chill mountains of unlovely song, And the false quags where jealousy lives yet, Or the ill rivers at whose restless shrine Men offer incense to new gods, and wrong The deity they loved, the dear divine Body and breath of Loves own avatar. They hunt our love from sea to sea, they set Cold fetters on our limbs that would beget
1899 · PDF PAGE 52
…dly shade Lowered oer their top, nor any light betrayed The horror of their core. Despairing then Of natures prophets, and of gods and men, She cast her arms wide open to the sky, Cried loud, and wept, and girt herself to die. It was a pinnacle of ivory Whereon she stood, the loftiest of three fangs
1899 · PDF PAGE 56
…le chain Of too great passion, and a mortal pain Beyond belief, and so in sudden waves Tears welled impatient from their crystal caves. (Men say those barren pinnacles are set Since then with jewels ; the white violet Was born of those pure tears ; the snowdrop grew Where waking hope her agony shot through, And where the Queen of Love had touched her tears, The new-born lily evermore appears.)
1899 · PDF PAGE 35
…ighteous in anger, doomed, for fiery sin Kindled by hell-flames, cherishéd within Her lustful heart, for sin most damnable, To suffer torment in remotest hell, Where the grim fiend grinds down with fiery stones The unrepentant marrow of mens bones, Or chills their blood with poisonous vials of death, Or dooms them to the tooth and venomous breath Of foul black worms ; and on the earth to dwell For a long space, and there (most terrible !) To change her shape at times, and on her take The fierce presentment of a loathly snake
1899 · PDF PAGE 70
62 THE TALE OF ARCHAIS Graven by Him with an eternal pen, The first law in the destiny of men : “ He whom Zeus wrongfully once injures may not be Hurt by his power again in the most small degree.” Thus, thy Archais — Mine ! ah nevermore ! Peace, doubter !—is made free from all the sore Oppressions of the past, nor may again Zeus lay on her the shadow of a pain. But I, but I — Yea, verily, fear not But stratagem may lift thy bitter lot From thy worn shoulders. Thus for half the day Thou art as free as air, as woodland fay Treading t…
1899 · PDF PAGE 83
…t most reverend sound through all the vale Pealed in low cadences that rise and fail, And all the augurs promise happy days, And all the men for Archais have praise, And all maids eyes are fixed on Charicles. Then, to the tune of musical slow seas, The wind began to murmur on the mead, And he, unconscious, drew his eager reed From the loose tunic ; now they seat themselves On moss worn smooth by feet of many elves Dancing at midnight through them, and their voice Bids all the woodland echoes to rejoice Because the lovers are made one at last. …
1899 · PDF PAGE 37
THE TALE OF ARCHAIS 29 Their quick sweet movement ; on the ground she lies Struggling, and rending Heaven with her cries. Like light, in one convulsive pang the snake Leapt in the sunlight, and its body brake With glistening scales that golden skin of hers, And writhing with pure shame, the long grass whirrs With her sharp flight of fury and despair. Then Charicles at last became aware Of the fell death that had him by the throat To mar his music ; like one blind he smote The quivering air with cries of sorrow ; then, Disdaining fear and sorrow…
1899 · PDF PAGE 76
… come From his high place and far immortal home To bend my will by force. Freeborn, I live In freedom, and the love that maidens give To men I give to one, but thou, most high, (For womans wits through your deceptions spy And know ye for Olympians) shall know A maidens heart no lover may win so. Farewell, and find a fairer maid to love! Farewell ! But he : Through all the silent grove I sought thee sighing—for thy love would I Consent to be a man, consent to die, Put off my godhead. If thou sayest sooth, Any thy fair words bedew the fl…