Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

The lab'ring keel confest the god-like freight,
And deeper plung'd, and groan'd beneath his weight.
The cables now within the ship they drew,

And o'er the waves their last libations threw.

The shores retire in mist, the hills recede.
Then, o'er his native roof, and parent mead,
An eager parting look as Jason gave

851

He swell'd the breeze with sighs, with tears he swell'd

the wave.

The nervous rowers, like some youthful choir,
That dance in cadence round the mystic fire,
(In Delphi, and Ortygia the divine,

And where thy silver streams, Ismenus, shine,
Their nimble feet, in cadence, to the sound
Of lyre and voices, lightly beat the ground;)
While Orpheus thro' the vocal strings explores
The soul of music, ply th' harmonious oars.
At ev'ry stroke, in foam the brine arose.
The hoarse wave murmurs, as the vessel goes.
As rising on their oars, the vigorous throng
Plough the dark, waves, the vessel shoots along.
Their polish'd arms repel the dazzling beam,
And o'er the waters dart a fiery gleam.
Behind the ship an hoary track succeeds,
As pathways whiten thro' the verdant meads.
That signal day, from all th' abodes on high,
The blest immortals cast a wond'ring eye;
And saw the vessel, with her god-like crew,
Thro' paths untried the glorious course pursue.

860

870

On Pelion's heights, and ev'ry summit stood Th' assembled nymphs of mountain, dale, and wood. They gaz'd entranc'd-amazement and delight Possest their souls, at the stupendous sight,

The fabric of Itonian Pallas' hand

Mov'd o'er the deep, by that heroic band.

880

And he,

whom Phillira to Saturn bore,

From steepy mountains seeks the sounding shore.
Where the white breakers o'er the pebbles rave,
Amid the foam advancing through the wave,
With hands uprais'd, he hail'd the parting train,
"Safe may ye sail, and safe your homes regain."
Near him his consort Chariclo appears,
The young Achilles in her arms she bears.

890

And holds him forward, as the vessel flies

With one last look to glad a father's eyes.

And now the winding shores and harbours past,
They boldly launch into the watʼry vast.
The prudent Tiphys o'er their course presides;
The polish'd helm with skilful hand he guides.
Now, in its station the tall mast they plac'd,
On either hand with well-strain'd cordage brac❜d.
While, to the topmast as they raise the sail,
The breezes whistling thro' the shrouds prevail.
White floating on the wind the canvas flew.
The shrouds thro' pullies to the deck they drew.
Now, smoothly gliding o'er the liquid plain,
Tisaan cliffs they pass, and Dian's fane.—
In measur'd descant Orpheus touch'd the wires,
To strain melodious, that the place inspirés.
-Thee, tutelary maid, the poet sung,
Thee, Artemis, from Jove eternal sprung.
-"Benign, to guide the vessel on her way,
"Marine Iolchos owns thy radiant sway."-
The fish, enamour'd of the strains divine,
Rose from the depths, exulting on the brine,
Of various form and size, the finny droves
Obedient follow, where the vessel moves.

900

910

* The centaur Chiron, to whom the education of Achilles was entrusted.

As flocks unnumber'd, when the shepherd leads,
Satiate with food, forsake the dewy meads.
He steps before them, 'till their cotes they gain,
His shrilly pipe resounds an artless strain
Of rustic sweetness,-with resistless charm,
Thy music, Orpheus, led the scaly swarm.

Loud and propitious sang the rising wind.
Dark sinks Pelasgia's* fertile shores behind.
Now rushing onward in their rapid flight,
They pass the steeps of Pelion's rocky height;
And Sepias, at whose foot the billows rave,
Steals from the prospect, mingling with the wave.
By sea-girt Sciathus their course they steer.
In view remote Piresia's towers appear,
Magnesia, rising o'er the beach serene,
The tomb of Dolops, and the shelter'd scene.
-Now ev'ning came, and adverse winds with eve,
The troubled deep the toil-worn sailors leave.
Admonish'd by the place, and evening's gloom,
They paid due honourst at the hero's tomb.
Such vows were offer'd, such libations shed,
Such victims slain, as suit the parted dead.
The mounting billows with the tempest roar,
Two days they shunn'd its fury on the shore.
On the third morn, they push the ship from land,
And to the breeze their ample sails expand.

And still the name of Aphete prevails,‡

To mark the place where Argo spread her sails.
Now in their course they Melibaa past,

A rocky shore, vex'd by the raging blast.

920

930

940

* For some short account of the various places mentioned in this and the following lines, see the notes in the second volume.

+ At the tomb of Dolops.

From a Greek word, Aphiemi.

At dawn of day, in prospect near they sweep,
By Homolé projecting o'er the deep,

950

960

Ere long the mouth of Amyrus to gain, That blends his crystal waters with the main. Now full in view of deep ravines they glide, And steepy rocks, that break the swelling tide, Indented deep, where clouds on Ossa low'r, And cloth'd in woods Olympian summits tow'r. Borne by the winds all night, their course they bend, Where sloping wide Pallene's sides descend. By Canastraum's cliff they wing their way. And now conspicuous with the dawning ray, His stately head, the mighty Athos shows, Sublimely tow'ring o'er the Thracian snows. Such space, as vessels well equipt may run, 'Twixt rising morn and the meridian sun, To Vulcan's* isle from Athos lies outspread. Yet such the height of his majestic head, O'er Lemnos the gigantic shadow falls, And casts a gloom within Myrine'st walls. Thro' the long day, till shades of ev'ning fell, The winds blew fresh th' expanded sails to swell. The dying breeze, with sinking day light fails, Then loosely flutt'ring hung their idle sails. With energy renew'd, they ply their oars; And soon they gain the rocky Lemnian shores. Rough as the rocks, relentless as the flood, The guilty natives drench'd the soil in blood. -Nor yet unpunish'd.-Scarcely had the sun One annual journey through the zodiac run, Since jealous rage had arm'd the female band, And crush'd the males beneath their murd'rous hand.

* Lemnos.

A city of Lemnos.

970

980

Despis'd, rejected, from their homes expell'd,
The place of love desire of vengeance held.
For when their husbands had from war return'd,
Their savage breasts with flame illicit burn'd:
The captive fair the captors had enchain'd;
(Nor prudence warn'd, nor decency restrain❜d.)
From ravag'd Thrace they came, with weeping charms,
Ah soon to perish in their lover's arms!

Her name dishonour'd, and her rites withheld,
Indignant Venus to the deed impell'd.

-O wretched women, blind with jealous rage!
Against your husbands deadly war ye wage.
-Nor husbands only,-all the sex must bleed;
Lest the survivors should avenge the deed.
The young Hypsipile alone confest
The voice of nature pleading in her breast.
Amid the bloody deeds of frantic ire,
With pious care she sav'd her hoary sire,
Thoas, who long the Lemnian sceptre bore.
Conceal'd she sends him from the guilty shore.
His aged limbs within a coffer laid,

With art she hid him, and with art convey'd;
If haply he might scape.-Enea's strand
Yields him a refuge, from the cruel band.
The vine-clad island bore that ancient name,
From fisher tribes its modern title came.
For when Sicinus the possession gain'd,
It's owner's name the subject soil retain'd.
Birth to the naiad nymph Sicinus ow'd,
And thro' his veins the blood of Thoas flow'd.

To feed their flocks, the brazen arms to wield,
To tame with ploughshares the reluctant field,
-For such pursuits the Amazonian fair
Desert the subjects of their former care,

*From the Greek word Oinos signifying wine.

990

1000

1010

« AnteriorContinuar »