17
‘Far away, 'mong sea-girt islands
Dwelt a race of blue-eyed mortals—
From the happy groves of Hellas
Rose the lyric song of shepherds.
‘Knowing nought of God the Father,
Innocent they were and happy,—
Merrily they piped, and round them
Danced my Satyrs and my Fauns.
‘I, too, went and dwelt among them,
Gentle, wise, yet cloven-footed,—
Fruit and flowers they brought, and gladly
Hail'd me as the wood-god, Pan.’
While he spake his face grew gentle
As the shadows on the greensward,
From his throat came woodland music
Heard in Arcady of old.
‘Taught by me, they loved and welcomed
All the living powers of Nature—
Every tree was sweet and human,
Every fountain was a goddess.
‘From the turquoise seas I summon'd
Aphrodité fair and naked—
Side by side we sang, and lovers
Gather'd hand in hand to listen.
‘Fairer than the long-lost Eden
Seem'd the sea-girt land of shepherds,—
Never tree of fruit forbidden
Grew within the groves of Faunus.
‘Suddenly the heavens above us
Darken'd, spirits passed in thunder,—
From the far Caucasian mountains
Came a cry of lamentation.
‘Swift as light I travelled thither
Over waters torn with tempest,—
Nail'd unto a rock and bleeding
Hung Prometheus Purkaeus!
‘While the vulture tore his entrails
Not a sound the Titan utter'd,
But beneath the Cross lamenting
Gather'd woeful wailing women.
‘Of my flesh this Christ was fashion'd,
From the side of me, the Devil,
He was born in the beginning,
Ev'n as Eve was born of Adam!
‘On his calm undaunted spirit
Fell my heritage of sorrow—
Love for men, eternal pity
For the lot of living creatures.
‘Then I knew that God was waking
From his stupor of inaction;
Darkly out of yonder heaven
Gazed the silent Sphinx-like Face!…
‘Taught by him, the mighty Titan,
Men had built a marble City,
Athens,—on the heights above it
Stood the snow-white Parthenon;
‘In the streets and groves of Athens
Calmly walk'd the seers and sages,
Words of wisdom dropped like honey
From the mouths of mighty teachers;
‘Harp in hand went happy poets
With their singing robes about them,
Music as of birds and fountains,
Mingling sweetly, fill'd the air.
‘Here, ev'n here, despite the Titan
Priests of God and Death were busy:
In the Temples knelt the people
Seeking woeful signs and omens;
‘There the image of Athené
Blink'd her eyes, and idols sweated,
While the Augurs, bloody-finger'd,
Read the entrails of the slain.
‘Then to many a mighty poet
I unfolded Nature's riddles:
Aeschylos, my word-compeller,
Sang the Titan's martyrdom!
‘Vain was all my loving labour!
Tho' I lavish'd gifts upon them,
Tho' to witch their eyes with beauty
Phidias breathed his soul through stone,
Tho' the poets and the sages
Spread my peace and benediction,
Tho' the laws of Earth and Heaven
Sifted were by gentle seers,
‘Still the Priests of Heaven against me
Smote with all the strength of godhead,
Still the people, crouching dumbly,
Moan'd for miracles and signs.
‘Vain was all my strife for mortals!
Vainly wrought my servant angels!
Vainly toil'd Asclepios, vainly
Helen smiled, and Sappho sang!
‘As a rainbow dies from Heaven,
As a snow-white cloud of summer
Breaks and fades, the pride of Hellas
Brighten'd, melted, pass'd away!’
Dwelt a race of blue-eyed mortals—
From the happy groves of Hellas
Rose the lyric song of shepherds.
‘Knowing nought of God the Father,
Innocent they were and happy,—
Merrily they piped, and round them
Danced my Satyrs and my Fauns.
‘I, too, went and dwelt among them,
Gentle, wise, yet cloven-footed,—
Fruit and flowers they brought, and gladly
Hail'd me as the wood-god, Pan.’
While he spake his face grew gentle
As the shadows on the greensward,
From his throat came woodland music
Heard in Arcady of old.
‘Taught by me, they loved and welcomed
All the living powers of Nature—
Every tree was sweet and human,
Every fountain was a goddess.
‘From the turquoise seas I summon'd
Aphrodité fair and naked—
Side by side we sang, and lovers
Gather'd hand in hand to listen.
‘Fairer than the long-lost Eden
Seem'd the sea-girt land of shepherds,—
Never tree of fruit forbidden
Grew within the groves of Faunus.
‘Suddenly the heavens above us
Darken'd, spirits passed in thunder,—
From the far Caucasian mountains
Came a cry of lamentation.
‘Swift as light I travelled thither
Over waters torn with tempest,—
Nail'd unto a rock and bleeding
Hung Prometheus Purkaeus!
‘While the vulture tore his entrails
Not a sound the Titan utter'd,
But beneath the Cross lamenting
Gather'd woeful wailing women.
‘Of my flesh this Christ was fashion'd,
From the side of me, the Devil,
He was born in the beginning,
Ev'n as Eve was born of Adam!
‘On his calm undaunted spirit
Fell my heritage of sorrow—
Love for men, eternal pity
For the lot of living creatures.
‘Then I knew that God was waking
From his stupor of inaction;
Darkly out of yonder heaven
Gazed the silent Sphinx-like Face!…
‘Taught by him, the mighty Titan,
Men had built a marble City,
Athens,—on the heights above it
Stood the snow-white Parthenon;
‘In the streets and groves of Athens
Calmly walk'd the seers and sages,
Words of wisdom dropped like honey
From the mouths of mighty teachers;
‘Harp in hand went happy poets
With their singing robes about them,
Music as of birds and fountains,
Mingling sweetly, fill'd the air.
‘Here, ev'n here, despite the Titan
Priests of God and Death were busy:
In the Temples knelt the people
Seeking woeful signs and omens;
‘There the image of Athené
Blink'd her eyes, and idols sweated,
While the Augurs, bloody-finger'd,
Read the entrails of the slain.
‘Then to many a mighty poet
I unfolded Nature's riddles:
Aeschylos, my word-compeller,
Sang the Titan's martyrdom!
‘Vain was all my loving labour!
Tho' I lavish'd gifts upon them,
Tho' to witch their eyes with beauty
Phidias breathed his soul through stone,
Tho' the poets and the sages
Spread my peace and benediction,
Tho' the laws of Earth and Heaven
Sifted were by gentle seers,
‘Still the Priests of Heaven against me
Smote with all the strength of godhead,
Still the people, crouching dumbly,
Moan'd for miracles and signs.
‘Vain was all my strife for mortals!
Vainly wrought my servant angels!
Vainly toil'd Asclepios, vainly
Helen smiled, and Sappho sang!
‘As a rainbow dies from Heaven,
As a snow-white cloud of summer
Breaks and fades, the pride of Hellas
Brighten'd, melted, pass'd away!’
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