Part 8

"When Hermes' son beheld the liquid stream, "Where masculine he plung'd, the power possess "To enervate his body, and his limbs "Effeminately soften; high he rais'd "His arms, and pray'd (but not with manly voice) "O, sire! O, mother dear! indulge your son, "Your double appellation bearing, this "Sole-urg'd petition. Whoso in these waves "In strong virility, like me, shall plunge, "Hence let him go, like me enervate made; "Spoilt by the stream his strength. Each parent god "Nodding, confirm'd their alter'd son's request; "And ting'd the fountain with the changing power."

She ceas'd: the nymphs Minyeian still persist Their toil to urge, despising still the god; His festival prophaning. Sudden heard, The rattling sounds of unseen timbrels burst Full on their ears! the pipe; the crooked horn; And brazen cymbals loudly clash; perfumes Of myrrh and saffron blended smell:—but more, And what belief surpasses, straight their looms Virid to sprout begin; the pendent threads Branch into shoots like ivy: part becomes The vine: what now were threads, curl'd tendrils seem: Shot from the folded web, the branches climb; And the bright red in purpling grapes appears.

Now was the sun declining, and approach'd The twilight season, when nor day it seems, Nor night confirm'd; but a gray mixture forms; Of each an indetermin'd compound. Deep The roof appear'd to shade; the oily lamps, Ardent to glow; the torches bright to burn, With reddening flames; while round them seem'd to howl, Figures of beast ferocious. Fill'd with smoke The room,—th' affrighted maidens seek to hide; And each in different corners tries to shun The fires and flaming light. But while they seek A lurking shelter, o'er their shorten'd limbs A webby membrane spreading, binds their arms In waving wings. The gloom conceal'd the mode, Of transformation from their former shape. Light plumage bears them not aloft,—yet rais'd On wings transparent, through the air they skim, To speak they strive, but utter forth a sound Feeble and weak; then, screeching shrill, they plain: Men's dwellings they frequent,—nor try the woods; And, cheerful day avoiding, skim by night; Their name from that untimely hour deriv'd.

Now were the deeds of heaven-born Bacchus fam'd Through every part of Thebes; and all around, His aunt proud boasts the new-made god's great power: She, of the sisters all, from sorrow spar'd, Save what to view her sisters' sorrowing gave. Juno beheld her lofty thus, her breast Elate to view her sons; her nuptial fruits With Athamas; and her great foster child, The mighty Bacchus. More the furious queen Bore not, but thus exclaim'd;—"Has the whore's son "Power to transform the Tyrrhene crew, and plunge "Them headlong in the deep? Can he impel "The mother's hands to seize her bleeding son "And tear his entrails? Dares he then to clothe "The Minyëid sisters with un'custom'd wings? "And is Saturnia's utmost power confin'd "Wrongs unreveng'd to weep? Suffices such "For me? Is this a goddess' utmost might? "But he instructs me;—wisdom may be taught "Ev'n by a foe. The wretched Pentheus' fate, "Shews all-sufficient, what may madness do. "Why should not Ino, stung with frantic rage, "The well-known track her sisters trode pursue?"

A path declivitous, with baleful yew Dark shaded, leads, a dreary silent road, Down to th' infernal regions: sluggish Styx Dank mists exhales: here travel new-made ghosts, With rites funereal blest: pale winter's gloom Wide rules the squalid place: the stranger shades Wander, unknowing which the path to tread, Straight to the infernal city, where is held Black Pluto's savage court. A thousand gates, Wide ope, surround the town on every side. As boundless ocean every stream receives, From earth pour'd numerous,—so each wandering soul Flocks to this city; whose capacious bounds Full space for all affords; nor ever feels Th' increasing crowd: of flesh depriv'd, and bones, The bloodless shadows wander. Some frequent The forum; some th' infernal monarch's court; Some various arts employ, resembling much Their former daily actions; numbers groan In punishments severe. Here Juno came, Braving the region's horrors, from her throne Celestial,—so did ire and hatred goad Her bosom with their stings! Sacred she press'd The groaning threshold,—instant as she stepp'd, Fierce Cerberus his triple head uprais'd, And howl'd with triple throat. The goddess calls The night-born sisters, fierce, implacable: Before the close-barr'd adamantine gates They sit; their tresses twisting round with snakes. The queen through clouds of midnight gloom they see, And instant rise. Here dwell the suffering damn'd. Here Tityus, stretcht o'er nine wide acres, yields His entrails to be torn. Thou, Tantalus, Art seen, the stream forbid to taste;—the fruit Thy lips o'erhanging, flies! Thou, Sisyphus, Thy stone pursuing downwards; or its weight Straining aloft, with oft exerted power! Ixion whirling, too; with swift pursuit, Thou follow'st, and art follow'd! Belides! Your husband-cousins who in death dar'd steep, And ceaseless draw the unavailing streams! All Juno view'd with unrelenting brow; But, view'd Ixion sterner far than all: And when on Sisyphus again she cast Her eyes, behind Ixion, angry cry'd;— "What justice this?—of all the brethren he "Sharp torture suffers! Shall proud Athamas "A regal dwelling boast,—whose scornful taunts, "And scornful spouse have still my power contemn'd?" Then straight her hatred's cause disclos'd. They see Her journey's object, and revenge's aim. This her desire, that Cadmus' regal house Perish'd should sink; and Athamas, fierce urg'd By madness should some dreadful vengeance claim. Commands, solicitations, prayers,—at once The goddesses besiege: and as she speaks, Angrily mov'd, Tisiphoné replies,— (Shaking her hoary locks,—the twining snakes Back from her mouth repelling) hasty thus;— "A tedious tale we need not; what thou wilt "Believe accomplish'd. Fly this hateful gloom;— "Up to the wholesome breeze of heaven repair." Glad, Juno left the spot;—when near approach'd Heaven's entrance, there Thaumantian Iris met, And with her sprinklings purify'd the queen.

Quick now Tisiphoné, the savage fiend, Seizes her torch, with gory droppings wet; Flings round her limbs a garment, deeply dy'd With streaming blood; a twisting snake supplies A girdle:—thus array'd she sallies forth, Follow'd by loud lament, by terror, fear, And quivering-featur'd madness. When she press'd The threshold, fame declares the pillars shook; The maple doors, with terror mov'd, grew pale: Back shrunk the sun! Ino, with trembling dread Beheld these wonders;—Athamas beheld; And both prepar'd the haunted place to fly. Escape the fury hinders: fierce she stands, Blocking the entrance: wide her arms she spreads, With viperous twistings bound; and threatening shakes Her tresses: loud the serpents noise, disturb'd; Sprawl o'er her shoulders some; some, lower fall'n, Twine hissing round her breasts, with brandish'd tongue, Black poison vomiting. With furious gripe, Two from her locks she tore;—her deadly hand Hurl'd them straight on; the breasts of Athamas, And Ino, hungry, with their fangs they seiz'd; Fierce pains infixing, but external wounds Their limbs betray'd not: mental was the blow, So direly struck. Venoms most mortal, too, From Tartarus she bore:—the foam high-churn'd From jaws of Cerberus; the poisonous juice Of Hydra; urgent wish for roaming wide; Oblivion mental-blinded; wicked deeds; Weeping; and furious fierceness, slaughter fond. On these commingled, fresh-drawn gore she pour'd, And warm'd them bubbling in a brazen vase; Stirr'd by a sprouting hemlock. Trembling, they Shudder, while in their breasts the poison fierce She pours: both bosoms feel it deep instill'd;— Their inmost vitals feel it. Then her torch, Whirl'd flaming round and round, in triumph glares, Fires from the circling gathering. Powerful thus; Victorious in her aims, and deeds desir'd, To mighty Pluto's shadowy realm she speeds; And from her loins untwists the girding snakes.

Mad bounded Athamas amid the hall, "Ho! friends," exclaiming;—"here spread wide your toils, "Here, in this thicket, where ev'n now I saw "With young twin cubs, a lioness!"—and mad, Pursu'd his consort for a savage beast; Snatching Learchus, who with playful smile, Outstretch'd his infant hands to meet him. Torne Rough from his mother's bosom, round in air And round, sling-like he whirl'd; then savage dash'd Upon a rugged rock the tender bones.

Loud howls the frantic mother; frantic made By grief, or by the scatter'd poison's power: And, raving, with dishevell'd tresses spread Wide o'er her shoulders, flies. Her naked arms Young Melicertes bear; madly she shrieks;— "Evoë, Bacchus!"—Loud at Bacchus' name Revengeful Juno laugh'd, and said;—"Such boon "Thy foster-son upon his nurse confers!" A lofty rock the foaming waves o'erhangs, Whose dashing force deep in its base have scoop'd A cavern, safely sheltering from the showers: The adamantine summit high extends, And o'er the wide main stretches. Swift this height, Active and strong with madness, Ino gain'd And fearless, with the infant in her arms, Sprung from the cliff, and sunk beneath the waves. White foam'd the surge around her!

Venus, griev'd, Such sufferings, undeserv'd, her race should bear, Thus with bland coaxings Ocean's god address'd: "Lord of the azure deep, whose high command "Sways next to heaven's,—a vast demand I ask;— "But pity my poor offspring, whom thou see'st "Plung'd in th' Ionian billows;—with their forms "Thy deities increase. Some influence sure, "In ocean I should hold, from thence produc'd; "Sprung from the froth that on the deep main swims: "Whence Grecian poets name me." Neptune nods, Assenting to her prayer; and from their limbs Abstracts the mortal portion; on their forms Breathes majesty; and with their alter'd mien, Their names he changes too; Palæmon he, Now stil'd, his mother as Leucothoë known.

The princess' anxious comrades trac'd her steps With care; the last with arduous search they found, Just on the giddy brink, nor dubious deem'd Her fate a moment. Cadmus' house they wail; With beating hands their tresses tear, and robes; And highly Juno blame, as one unjust: Too ireful for the hapless sister's fault. Juno, fierce flaming, these reproaches stung;— "Ye too," she cry'd, "shall monuments become "Of the fierce ire ye blame!" Deeds words pursu'd. The nymph who most her hapless queen held dear, Exclaim'd;—"deep in the roaring main I'll plunge, "To join her fate,"—and sprung to take the leap; But motionless she stood,—fixt to the rock! Her wounding blows, upon her bosom one Strives to renew, as wont; her striving arms Stiffen'd to stone she sees. This tow'rd the waves Her hands extends; a rocky mass she stands, In the same waves far stretching. Lifted high, The locks to rend, the fingers might be seen Stiffen'd, and rigid with the hair become. In posture whatsoever caught, each nymph, In that same posture stands. Thus part are chang'd: The rest, to birds transform'd, by wings upborne, Skim o'er the surface of the neighbouring sea.

Cadmus, the wond'rous change which rais'd his child, And his young grandson to the rank of gods, Yet knew not. By his load of grief o'erwhelm'd; A chain of woes; and supernatural scenes, So numerous which he sees; the founder quits His town, suspicious that the city's fate, And not his own, misfortune on him showers. Borne o'er the main, his lengthen'd wanderings end, When with his exil'd consort, safe he gains Illyria's shores. Opprest with grief and age, The primal fortunes of their house, with care They scan, and in their converse all their woes Again recounting, Cadmus thus exclaims;— "Was then that serpent, by my javelin pierc'd, "When driven from Tyre; whose numerous teeth I sow'd, "Sacred to some divinity?—If he "Thus, vengeful for the deed, his anger pours, "May I a serpent stretcht at length become." He said,—and serpent-like extended lies! Scales he perceives, upon his harden'd skin; And sees green spots on his black body form; Prone on his breast he falls; together twin'd, His legs commingling stretch, and gradual end Lessen'd in rounded point; his arms remain Still, and those arms remaining he extends; While down his face yet human tears flow fast. "O, hapless wife! approach," he cries, "approach, "And touch me now, while ought of me remains; "Receive my hand, while yet a hand I bear; "Ere to a serpent wholly turns my form."— More he prepar'd to utter, but his tongue, Cleft sudden, to his wishes words refus'd: And often when his sorrows sad he try'd To wail anew, he hiss'd!—that sound alone, Nature permitted. While her naked breast With blows resounded, loud his wife exclaim'd;— "Stay,—O, my Cadmus! hapless man, shake off "This monstrous figure! Cadmus what is this? "Where are thy feet,—and where thy arms and hands? "Where are thy features,—thy complexion? Where, "Whilst I bewail, art thou? Celestial powers! "Why not this transformation work on me?" She ended; he advancing, lick'd her face, And creep'd, as custom'd, to her bosom dear, And round her wonted neck embracing twin'd. Now draw their servants nigh, and as they come With terror start. The crested serpents play, Smooth on their necks,—now two; and cordial slide, In spires conjoin'd; then in the darksome shades Th' adjoining woods afford them, close they hide. Mankind they fly not, nor deep wounds inflict; Harmless, their pristine form is ne'er forgot.

Still, though in alter'd shapes, the pair rejoic'd Their grandson's fame to hear; whom vanquish'd Ind' Low bending worshipp'd; Greece adoring prais'd, In lofty temples. Sole Acrisius stands, Like Bacchus sprung from Jove's celestial seed, Opposing; and from Argos' gates propels The god;—his birth deny'd, against him arms. Nor Perseus would he own from heaven deriv'd; Conceiv'd by Danaë, from a golden shower: Yet soon,—so mighty is the force of truth,— Acrisius grieves he e'er so rashly brav'd The god; his grandson driving from his court, Disown'd. Now one in heaven is glorious plac'd; The other, laden with the well-known spoil Of the fierce snaky monster, cleaves the air, On sounding pinions. High the victor sails O'er Lybia's desarts, and the gory drops Fall from the gorgon's head; the Ground receives The blood, and warms it into writhing snakes. Hence does the country with the pest still swarm.

Thence borne by adverse winds, he sweeps along, Through boundless ether driven; now here, now there, As watery clouds are swept. From lofty skies, The earth far distant viewing, round the globe He skimm'd: three times he saw the Arctic pole And thrice the warmer Crab. Oft to the west, Th' adventurous youth was borne; back to the east, As often. Now the day in darkness sank, When he, nocturnal flight mistrusting, lights In Atlas' kingdom 'neath th' Hesperian sky; A short repose requests, till Phosphor' bright, Should call Aurora forth;—she ushering in The chariot of the day. Japetus' son All men in huge corporeal bulk surpass'd. He to th' extremest confines of the land, And o'er the ocean sway'd, whose waves receive Apollo's panting steeds, and weary'd car. A thousand bleating flocks; a thousand herds, Stray'd through the royal pastures. Neighbouring lords Not near him plough'd their lands. Trees grew, whose leaves With splendor glittering, threw a golden shade O'er golden branches, and o'er fruit of gold. Thus Perseus;—"Friendly host, if glorious birth "Thee pleases, here one born of Jove behold. "If deeds of merit more attraction move, "Mine thy applause may claim. At present grant "An hospitable shelter here, and rest." But Atlas, fearing these oraculous words,— (Long since by Themis on Parnassus given) "The time, O king! will come, thy golden tree "Shall lose its fruit. The glory of the spoil "A son of Jove shall boast:" and dreading sore; Around his orchards massy walls he rears; A dragon huge and fierce the guard maintains. "Whatever strangers to his realm approach, Far thence he drives; and thus to Perseus too;— "Haste, quickly haste from hence, lest soon I prove "Thy glorious deeds but feign'd,—feign'd as thy birth." Then force to threats he added,—strove to thrust The hero forth; who struggling, efforts urg'd Resisting, while he begg'd with softening words. Proving in strength inferior (who in strength Could vie with Atlas?) "Since my fame," he cries, "Such small desert obtains, a gift accept." And, back his face averting, holds display'd, On his left side Medusa's ghastly head. A mountain now the mighty Atlas stands! His hair and beard as lofty forests wave; His arms and hands high hilly summits rear; O'er-topp'd above, by what was once his head: His bones are rocks; then, so the gods decree, Enlarg'd to size immense in every part, The weight of heaven, and all the stars he bears.

His blustering vassals Æolus had pent, In ever-during prisons. Phosphor' bright, Most splendid 'midst the starry host of heaven; Admonitor of labor, now was risen; When Perseus bound again on either foot, His winnowing wings; girt on his crooked sword; And cleft the air, on waving pinions borne. O'er numerous nations, far beneath him spread, He sail'd, till Ethiopia's realms he saw; Where Cepheus rul'd. There Ammon, power unjust, Andromeda had sentenc'd,—guiltless maid, To what her mother's boastful tongue deserv'd. Her soon as Perseus spy'd, fast by the arms Chain'd to the rugged rock;—where but her locks Wav'd lightly to the breeze; and but her eyes Trickled a tepid stream; she might be deem'd A sculptur'd marble: him the unknown sight Astonish'd, dazzled, and enflam'd with love. His senses in the beauteous view sole wrapt, Scarce he remembers on his wings to wave:— Alights, exclaiming;—"O, whom chains like these "Should never bind, nor other chains than such, "As lovers intertwist! declare thy name; "Thy country tell; and why thou bear'st those bonds." Silent awhile the virgin stood; abash'd, Converse with man to hold: her blushing face, Her hands, if free, had long before conceal'd. Quick starting tears, 'twas all she could, her eyes Veil'd swimming: then her name and country told; And all the conscious pride her mother's charms Inspir'd, in full acknowledg'd; lest for crimes Her own, just suffering, Perseus might conceive. All yet untold, when loud the billows roar'd; Upheav'd the monster's bulk: far 'bove the waves He stood uprear'd, and then right onward plung'd; His ample bosom covering half the main.

Loud shrieks the virgin! Sad her father comes; And sad her raving mother, wretched both, The mother most deserv'dly. Help in vain From them she seeks; with tears, and bosoms torn, Her fetter'd limbs they clasp, they can no more. Then Perseus thus;—"for tears and loud laments, "Long may the time be: but effective aid "To give, the time is short. Suppose the nymph "I ask;—I, Perseus! sprung from mighty Jove, "By her whose prison in a golden shower "Fecundative, he enter'd. Perseus, who "The Gorgon snaky-hair'd o'ercame; who bold "On waving pinions winnows through the air. "Him for a son in preference should ye chuse, "Arduous he'll strive to these high claims to add, "If heaven permits, some merits more his own. "Agree she's mine, if by my arm preserv'd." The parents promise;—(who in such a case Would waver) beg his help; and promise, more, That all their kingdom shall her dower become. Lo! as a vessel's sharpen'd prow quick cleaves The waves, by strenuous sweating arms impell'd, The monster comes! his mighty bosom wide The waters sideway breasting; distant now, Not more than what the Balearic sling Could with the bullet gain, when high in air, The sod repelling, upward springs the youth. Soon as the main reflected Perseus' form, The ocean-savage rag'd: as Jove's swift bird When in the open fields a snake he spies Basking, his livid back to Phoebus' rays Expos'd, behind attacks him; plunges deep, His hungry talons in his scaly neck, To curb the twisting of his sanguine teeth. With rapid flight, thus Perseus shooting cleaves The empty air; lights on the monster's back; Burying his weapon to the crooked hilt, Full in the shoulder of the raging beast. Mad with the deepen'd wound, now rears aloft The savage high in air; now plunges low, Beneath the waters; now he furious turns, As turns the boar ferocious, when the crowd Of barking dogs beset him fiercely round. With rapid waft the venturous hero shuns His greedy jaws: now on his back, thick-arm'd With shells, he strikes where opening space he sees; Now on his sides; now where his tapering tail In fish-like form is finish'd, bites the steel. High spouts the wounded monster from his mouth; The waves with gore deep purpling: drench'd, the wings Droop nagging; and no longer Perseus dares To trust their dripping aid. A rock he spies Whose summit o'er the peaceful waters rose, But deep was hid when tempests mov'd the main. Supported here, his left hand firmly grasps The craggy edge; while through his sides, and through, The dying savage feels the weapon drove.

Loud shouts and plaudits fill the shore, the noise Resounding echoes to the heavenly thrones. Cassiopé and Cepheus joyful greet Their son, and grateful own him chief support, And saviour. From her rugged fetters freed, The virgin walks; the cause, the great reward Of all his toil. His victor hands he laves In the pure stream: then with soft leaves defends A spot, to rest the serpent-bearing head, Lest the bare sand should harm it. Twigs marine He likewise strews, and rests Medusa there. The fresh green twigs as though with life endow'd, Felt the dire Gorgon's power; their spongy pith Hard to the touch became, the stiffness spread Through every twig and leaf. The Nereïd nymphs More branches bring, and try the wonderous change On all, and joy to see the change succeed: Spreading the transformation from the seeds, With them throughout the waves. This nature still Retains the coral: hardness still assumes From contact with the air; beneath the waves A bending twig; an harden'd stone above.