From flames when Hermes bore him to the maid,
O'er his parch'd little lips she honey laid.-
Her tender cares the queen of Jove beheld;
And, fill'd with anger, from that isle expell'd.
She sought far distant the Pheacian cave;
And wealth exuberant to the natives gave.

'Twas here, the nuptial bed capacious plac'd, 1780
Shone, with the fleece, resplendent covering, grac'd,
Illustrious trophy, that renown supplied,
To youthful Jason, and his royal bride.

In their white bosoms, from the fragrant bow'rs,
The village maidens bore the fairest flow'rs;
With bounteous hands they strew'd them o'er the
ground;

While beamy splendours darted all around.

So shone the precious fleece, like radiant fire,
To light the lover to his fond desire;

The lovely rustics gaz d, with glad surprise,
And secret wishes lightened in their eyes;
Yet, fear and modesty forbade the band,
To touch the treasure, with enquiring hand.
From various seats they came, of various line;
Some, daughters of geus, stream divine;
In uplands some of Meleteius bide;

1'790

1800

Some cultivate the plains, and meadows wide.
Impell'd by Juno, from each native bow'r,
They throng'd to honour Jason's nuptial hour.
Still, in memorial of that night, the cave
Retains the name Medea's nuptials gave.--
'Twas here entranc'd the youthful pair were laid;
And fragrant veils around them were display'd.
Without, the heroes shook the warlike spear,
Lest foes, with sudden onset, should appear.
With
green and leafy boughs their heads were crown'd;
While Orpheus bade the tuneful lyre resound.

Before the bridal bow'r, the festive throng
In cadence chaunted hymeneal song.-

Yet different far did this event proceed;
From what the son of Æson had decreed.
His thoughts had destin'd, not Phæacia's reign,
Scene of his nuptials, but the native plain;
When, anchor'd in Iolcos', welcome port,
His gladden'd eyes should hail his father's court.
There, too, in fancy, was Medea led,

To rest her hopes; and deck the bridal bed.—
In vain the feeble race of hapless man,
Their airy schemes of perfect bliss may plan.-
Unknown, alas, is happiness sincere.-
When joy we taste; some anguish still is near.
Thus, love's delights were poison'd by dismay,
And doubts, what purpose might Alcinous sway.
The morn returning, with immortal light,

Thro' æther chas'd the gloomy shades of night.

Her radiance gilt the smiling shores around;

And gems of dawning twinkled o'er the ground.
A busy hum in every street was heard;
The face of labour thro' the town appear'd.
Meantime, the Colchian armament from far,
Around the point of Macris mov'd to war.

The just Alcinous, by his compact sway'd,
Came forth, to judgment, on the royal maid.
Of purest gold the sceptre he sustain'd,
Symbol, that many a righteous doom ordain'd.
Behind, in armour, formidably gay,
Phaacian cohorts past in deep array.
The crouding consorts of the gallant band,
Without the gates, to view the pageant, stand.
A train of rustics from their labour came;
For, Juno round diffus'd th' unerring fame.
A lamb, the fairest of the flock, they brought,
And heifer, yet to bear the yoke untaught;

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For due libations at the sacred shrine,

While others vases bore of sparkling wine.

The smoke arose, in wreaths, from sacred flames,
And bridal gifts were giv'n by fairest dames;
Such female works, as women wont to give,
And fond of splendour gladly will receive;
Embroider'd veils, and gems, and golden toys, 1850
That friendship pours on recent nuptial joys.-

1860

Th' assembled throng, with fond amazement, view The forms and features of the godlike crew. And oft, the Thracian bard, to charm the crowd, Swept from his lyre a descant, sweetly loud. And soft and light, with evanescent sound, His studded sandal nimbly beat the ground. Nor heedless were the jocund virgin train, Of love and love's delights. They added strain Symphonious-hymeneal sweet-and sangThat all the plain with charming carrols rang. Now, sole they sang-now, circling they advance, And voice melodious join, with choral dance, As Juno taught.-She, too, the queen inclin❜d, To publish what her virtuous lord design'd, Most upright doom.-Complete, to her desire, All rites were done, that nuptial laws require. Firm is the king, to guard the wedded pair; No selfish motives his resolves impair. Threats of Eetes and the Colchian band Nor move his spirits, nor unnerve his hand; Determin'd firm remains the pious mind; For sacred oaths and solemn compacts bind. When, now, the leaders of the Colchian host Perceiv'd the purpose of their mission lost; And found him bent his honour to maintain; And chase their navy from his ports and reign. They fear'd the disappointed tyrant's wrath, And shrunk abhorrent from the homeward path.

1870

Humbly they seek protection in that isle,

1880 Where equal laws prevail, and peaceful blessings smile.

The happiness of quiet rule they felt;

And long the settlers in Phaacia dwelt.
A race, that origin from Bacchus claim
From Ephyra their native isthmus, 'came
In after times the peaceful mansions held,
And from their seats the colonists expell❜d.
A neighbouring isle the banish'd Colchians gain'd,
Ere on the continent they seats obtain❜d.
Their place of rest Ceraunian hills they chose,
Where ancient dwellings of th' Abantes rose.
There, taking root and spreading o'er the ground,
Nestaan seats and Oricos they found.

Time, in his progress, these events survey'd→→

And yearly still the solemn rites are paid,

Still are the fates, and still the nymphs rever'd,
Around an altar by Medea rear'd.

Where Nomian Phabus fills his awful shrine,

1890

1909

Author of just decrees, and source of light divine.➡
And now, Alcinous to the parting band
The gifts of friendship gave, with liberal hand.
And equal bounty mark'd the royal fair,
Her husband's feelings ever wont to share.
With soul compassionate, and thoughtful heed,
Of what a female's tenderness may need;
Twelve maids of her domestic train she gave,
To wait Medea o'er the distant wave:
Six days elaps'd the morn succeeding bore
The godlike heroes from Corcyra's shore.
The wind propitious thro' their canvas sings,
And speeds the vessel with his airy wings.
Nor yet did fates allow that toil-worn train
Thrice welcome Greece and native strands to gain.
That first of blessings ere the wanderers boast;

Much must be suffered, on the Lybian coast.

1910

With swelling sails Ambracia's gulf they fled,
And hallow'd seats, where infant Jove was fed.-
Then, thro th' Echinades their course they found,
The dangerous strait where rocky islets bound.
Full in their view the land of Pelops lay;
When northern blasts arose, with furious sway.
Nine dreadful nights the storm incessant roars;
As many days it rends the Lybian shores.
The driving winds the helm, the pilot scorn.
Near the fell Syrtes was the vessel borne.
There shifting sands the lab'ring bark embay.
Thence, never crew pursued the homeward way.
An hideous tract, the slimy marshes spread;
The putrid waves are motionless and dead.
A treacherous depth of seeming land is seen,
Devouring water cloth'd in fraudful green.
Along the brine a spume corrupted lies,
And pestilential vapours load the skies.
Inhospitable rise the sandy heaps.

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1930

No bird has dwelling there, no thing that creeps.
The winds conspiring with the refluent surge,
On these unhappy shoals the vessel urge;
Where tides resistless, with alternate roar,
Now, to the main return, now break upon the shore.
Part of the keel within the wave remain'd,
The greater portion now the land sustain'd.

The heroes sprang to shore; and grief profound
Possest each heart, to view the prospect round.-
Th' expansive skies, a chearless blank and drear,
And tracts of sand to meet the skies appear,
Unvaried barrenness; no springs arise,

No path, no haunt of shepherd glads their eyes.
Nor tree nor herb was scatter'd o'er the plain,
And mournful silence spoke it famine's reign.-

1949

Each turn'd, with sad surprise, and heartfelt groans, And ask'd his comrade, in desponding tones.

1951