79.
To whom thus Mercury with prudent speech:-- "Wisely hast thou inquired of my skill: _620 I envy thee no thing I know to teach Even this day:--for both in word and will I would be gentle with thee; thou canst reach All things in thy wise spirit, and thy sill Is highest in Heaven among the sons of Jove, _625 Who loves thee in the fulness of his love.
80.
"The Counsellor Supreme has given to thee Divinest gifts, out of the amplitude Of his profuse exhaustless treasury; By thee, "tis said, the depths are understood _630 Of his far voice; by thee the mystery Of all oracular fates,--and the dread mood Of the diviner is breathed up; even I-- A child--perceive thy might and majesty.
81.
"Thou canst seek out and compa.s.s all that wit _635 Can find or teach;--yet since thou wilt, come take The lyre--be mine the glory giving it-- Strike the sweet chords, and sing aloud, and wake Thy joyous pleasure out of many a fit Of tranced sound--and with fleet fingers make _640 Thy liquid-voiced comrade talk with thee,-- It can talk measured music eloquently.
82.
"Then bear it boldly to the revel loud, Love-wakening dance, or feast of solemn state, A joy by night or day--for those endowed _645 With art and wisdom who interrogate It teaches, babbling in delightful mood All things which make the spirit most elate, Soothing the mind with sweet familiar play, Chasing the heavy shadows of dismay. _650
83.
"To those who are unskilled in its sweet tongue, Though they should question most impetuously Its hidden soul, it gossips something wrong-- Some senseless and impertinent reply.
But thou who art as wise as thou art strong _655 Canst compa.s.s all that thou desirest. I Present thee with this music-flowing sh.e.l.l, Knowing thou canst interrogate it well.
84.
"And let us two henceforth together feed, On this green mountain-slope and pastoral plain, _660 The herds in litigation--they will breed Quickly enough to recompense our pain, If to the bulls and cows we take good heed;-- And thou, though somewhat over fond of gain, Grudge me not half the profit."--Having spoke, _665 The sh.e.l.l he proffered, and Apollo took;
85.
And gave him in return the glittering lash, Installing him as herdsman;--from the look Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash.
And then Apollo with the plectrum strook _670 The chords, and from beneath his hands a crash Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook The soul with sweetness, and like an adept His sweeter voice a just accordance kept.
86.
The herd went wandering o"er the divine mead, _675 Whilst these most beautiful Sons of Jupiter Won their swift way up to the snowy head Of white Olympus, with the joyous lyre Soothing their journey; and their father dread Gathered them both into familiar _680 Affection sweet,--and then, and now, and ever, Hermes must love Him of the Golden Quiver,
87.
To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly sounded, Which skilfully he held and played thereon.
He piped the while, and far and wide rebounded _685 The echo of his pipings; every one Of the Olympians sat with joy astounded; While he conceived another piece of fun, One of his old tricks--which the G.o.d of Day Perceiving, said:--"I fear thee, Son of May;-- _690
88.
"I fear thee and thy sly chameleon spirit, Lest thou should steal my lyre and crooked bow; This glory and power thou dost from Jove inherit, To teach all craft upon the earth below; Thieves love and worship thee--it is thy merit _695 To make all mortal business ebb and flow By roguery:--now, Hermes, if you dare By sacred Styx a mighty oath to swear
89.
"That you will never rob me, you will do A thing extremely pleasing to my heart." _700 Then Mercury swore by the Stygian dew, That he would never steal his bow or dart, Or lay his hands on what to him was due, Or ever would employ his powerful art Against his Pythian fane. Then Phoebus swore _705 There was no G.o.d or Man whom he loved more.
90.
"And I will give thee as a good-will token, The beautiful wand of wealth and happiness; A perfect three-leaved rod of gold unbroken, Whose magic will thy footsteps ever bless; _710 And whatsoever by Jove"s voice is spoken Of earthly or divine from its recess, It, like a loving soul, to thee will speak, And more than this, do thou forbear to seek.
91.
"For, dearest child, the divinations high _715 Which thou requirest, "tis unlawful ever That thou, or any other deity Should understand--and vain were the endeavour; For they are hidden in Jove"s mind, and I, In trust of them, have sworn that I would never _720 Betray the counsels of Jove"s inmost will To any G.o.d--the oath was terrible.
92.
"Then, golden-wanded brother, ask me not To speak the fates by Jupiter designed; But be it mine to tell their various lot _725 To the unnumbered tribes of human-kind.
Let good to these, and ill to those be wrought As I dispense--but he who comes consigned By voice and wings of perfect augury To my great shrine, shall find avail in me. _730
93.
"Him will I not deceive, but will a.s.sist; But he who comes relying on such birds As chatter vainly, who would strain and twist The purpose of the G.o.ds with idle words, And deems their knowledge light, he shall have missed _735 His road--whilst I among my other h.o.a.rds His gifts deposit. Yet, O son of May, I have another wondrous thing to say.
96.
"There are three Fates, three virgin Sisters, who Rejoicing in their wind-outspeeding wings, _740 Their heads with flour snowed over white and new, Sit in a vale round which Parna.s.sus flings Its circling skirts--from these I have learned true Vaticinations of remotest things.
My father cared not. Whilst they search out dooms, _745 They sit apart and feed on honeycombs.
95.
"They, having eaten the fresh honey, grow Drunk with divine enthusiasm, and utter With earnest willingness the truth they know; But if deprived of that sweet food, they mutter _750 All plausible delusions;--these to you I give;--if you inquire, they will not stutter; Delight your own soul with them:--any man You would instruct may profit if he can.
96.
"Take these and the fierce oxen, Maia"s child-- _755 O"er many a horse and toil-enduring mule, O"er jagged-jawed lions, and the wild White-tusked boars, o"er all, by field or pool, Of cattle which the mighty Mother mild Nourishes in her bosom, thou shalt rule-- _760 Thou dost alone the veil from death uplift-- Thou givest not--yet this is a great gift."
97.
Thus King Apollo loved the child of May In truth, and Jove covered their love with joy.
Hermes with G.o.ds and Men even from that day _765 Mingled, and wrought the latter much annoy, And little profit, going far astray Through the dun night. Farewell, delightful Boy, Of Jove and Maia sprung,--never by me, Nor thou, nor other songs, shall unremembered be. _770
NOTES: _13 cow-stealing]qy. cattle-stealing?
_57 stony Bos...o...b.. ma.n.u.script. Harvard ma.n.u.script; strong edition 1824.
_252 neighbouring]neighbour Harvard ma.n.u.script.
_336 hurl Harvard ma.n.u.script, editions 1839; haul edition 1824.
_402 Round]Roused edition 1824 only.
_488 wrath]ruth Harvard ma.n.u.script.
_580 heifer-stealing]heifer-killing Harvard ma.n.u.script.
_673 and like 1839, 1st edition; as of edition 1824, Harvard ma.n.u.script.
_713 loving]living cj. Rossetti.
_761 from Harvard ma.n.u.script; of editions 1824, 1839.
_764 their love with joy Harvard ma.n.u.script; them with love and joy, editions 1824, 1839.
_767 going]wandering Harvard ma.n.u.script.
HOMER"S HYMN TO CASTOR AND POLLUX.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Poetical Works", 1839, 2nd edition; dated 1818.]
Ye wild-eyed Muses, sing the Twins of Jove, Whom the fair-ankled Leda, mixed in love With mighty Saturn"s Heaven-obscuring Child, On Taygetus, that lofty mountain wild, Brought forth in joy: mild Pollux, void of blame, _5 And steed-subduing Castor, heirs of fame.
These are the Powers who earth-born mortals save And ships, whose flight is swift along the wave.
When wintry tempests o"er the savage sea Are raging, and the sailors tremblingly _10 Call on the Twins of Jove with prayer and vow, Gathered in fear upon the lofty prow, And sacrifice with snow-white lambs,--the wind And the huge billow bursting close behind, Even then beneath the weltering waters bear _15 The staggering ship--they suddenly appear, On yellow wings rushing athwart the sky, And lull the blasts in mute tranquillity, And strew the waves on the white Ocean"s bed, Fair omen of the voyage; from toil and dread _20 The sailors rest, rejoicing in the sight, And plough the quiet sea in safe delight.
NOTE: _6 steed-subduing emend. Rossetti; steel-subduing 1839, 2nd edition.
HOMER"S HYMN TO THE MOON.
[Published by Mrs. Sh.e.l.ley, "Poetical Works", 1839, 2nd edition; dated 1818.]
Daughters of Jove, whose voice is melody, Muses, who know and rule all minstrelsy Sing the wide-winged Moon! Around the earth, From her immortal head in Heaven shot forth, Far light is scattered--boundless glory springs; _5 Where"er she spreads her many-beaming wings The lampless air glows round her golden crown.
But when the Moon divine from Heaven is gone Under the sea, her beams within abide, Till, bathing her bright limbs in Ocean"s tide, _10 Clothing her form in garments glittering far, And having yoked to her immortal car The beam-invested steeds whose necks on high Curve back, she drives to a remoter sky A western Crescent, borne impetuously. _15 Then is made full the circle of her light, And as she grows, her beams more bright and bright Are poured from Heaven, where she is hovering then, A wonder and a sign to mortal men.