The Athenaid

While lamentation for Masistius dead Depress'd the Persians, undisturb'd the Greeks To all their camp refreshment had deriv'd From clear Asopus. To th' accustom'd edge Of his abounding flood they now resort. Stones, darts and arrows from unnumber'd ranks, Along the margin opposite dispos'd By Mindarus, forbid access. Repulse Disbands the Greeks. Exulting, he forgets Cleora; active valour in his breast Extinguishes the embers, cherish'd long By self-tormenting memory, and warmth Of fruitless passion. Present too his chief, His friend and kinsman, from a fiery steed Mardonius rules and stimulates the fight, Like Boreas, riding on a stormy cloud, Whence issue darts of light'ning, mix'd with hail In rattling show'rs. The enemies dispers'd, Embolden Mindarus to ford the stream. In guidance swift of cavalry expert, With unresisted squadrons he careers Along the field. Inviolate the flood He guards; each hostile quarter he insults.

Now Gobryas' son, unfetter'd from the bonds Of superstitious terrors, joyful sees In Mindarus a new Masistius rise; Nor less the tidings Tiridates sends, Who in Cithaeron's passes hath despoil'd The slaughter'd foes, inspire the gen'ral's thoughts, Which teem with arduous enterprise. The camp He empties all; beneath whose forming host The meadow sounds. The native Persians face Laconia's station, Greek allies oppose Th' Athenian. All the force of Thebes array'd Envenom'd Leontiades commands.

Greece in her lines sits tranquil; either host Expects the other. By their augurs still Restrain'd, they shun the interdicted ford. But of the river's plenteous stream depriv'd By Mindarus, the Grecians fear a dearth Of that all-cheering element. A rill Flows from a distant spring, Gargaphia nam'd, Their sole resource. Nor dread of other wants Afflicts them less; their convoy is o'erpow'r'd By Tiridates. Anxious all exhaust A night disturb'd; the bravest grieve the most, Lest through severe necessity they quit Inglorious their position. Morning shines; When frequent signals from th' external guards, Near and remote, successive rise. To arms All rush. Along the spacious public way From Megara, obscuring dust ascends. The sound of trampling hoofs, and laden wheels, With shouts of multitude, is heard. Behold, Forth from the cloud, a messenger of joy, Sicinus breaks, of bold auxiliar bands Forerunner swift, and unexpected aid In copious stores, at Megara's wide port New-landed from Thermopylae. The camp Admits, and hails in rapturous acclaim Euboean standards, Potidaea's ranks, The laurell'd priest and hero, Timon sage, Th' ennobled heir of Lygdamis, and thee, Melissa's brother, great Oïleus' son, Friend of Leonidas, thee dear to all, O brave, and gen'rous Medon! From their tents The chiefs assemble, when Sicinus spake:

Pausanius, gen'ral of united Greece, Accept these ample succours from the hand Of provident Themistocles: Possess'd Of Oeta's passes, he the Persian host Now with impenetrable toils besets Like beasts of prey, entangled by the skill Of some experienc'd hunter. Thou receive, Just Aristides, from Timothea's love, A suit of armour new, in Chalcis fram'd, Without luxuriant ornament, or gold. The shield, an emblem of thy soul, displays Truth, equity and wisdom, hand in hand. This for her children, and thy own, consign'd, To her Euboean roof and pious care, She bids thee lift and conquer. Thou restore The little exiles in their native homes To dwell in peace. Her gift, she adds, derives Its only value from the wearer's worth.

In smiles, like Saturn at the tribute pure Of fruits and flow'rs in singleness of heart Paid by religion of the golden age, Timothea's gift the righteous man receives, Not righteous more than practic'd to endure Heroic labours, soon by matchless deeds To justify the giver. He began:

Confederated warriors, who withstand A tyrant's pow'r, unanimous confess Your debt to great Themistocles, the lord Of all-admir'd Timothea. He and I Evince the fruits of concord. Ancient foes, Through her united, cheerful we sustain Our public charge. From gen'ral union Greece Expects her safety. Him success hath crown'd In arms and counsel; whether on the main His naval flag he spread, or shook the land With his triumphant step. O, hero-born Pausanias! glowing with Herculean blood, Now under thee let Aristides hope To share success, nor tarnish with disgrace His armour new. Behold, yon river gleams With hostile arms. Those standards on the left, Well-known to Attic eyes, are proudly borne By native Medes and Persians. Treach'rous Thebes Lifts her Cadmēan banner on the right. A second time Mardonius forms his host To proffer battle. He, perhaps, may ford Asopus, which Tisamenus, the learn'd In divination, hath forbid our steps To pass. Thy former numbers swift arrange. New from a march let these auxiliars guard The camp. To him Pausanias thus apart:

Athenian, hear: Your citizens are vers'd In this Barbarian warfare, yet unknown To us. Let Spartans and Athenians change Their station. You, an adversary try'd At Marathon, and foil'd, will best oppose. To vanquish Grecians we accustom'd long Will yon Boeotians and Thessalians face. Such is my will. Concise the Attic sage:

Thou hast commanded what my willing thoughts Themselves devis'd, but waited first to hear. Well canst thou fight, Pausanias. I will strive To imitate thy deeds and thy renown, On whose increase our liberty and laws Depend. This said, they part. Behind the rear Soon from the left th' Athenians, from the right The Spartans file. Their stations they exchange, Not by Mardonius unperceiv'd. He moves His Medes and Persians to the post of Thebes, Whence still the Spartan phalanx they confront, The Thebans still th' Athenian. This observ'd, Pausanias swift to Aristides sends Strict charge his old position to resume.

Now indignation high through all the tribes Of Athens rages. Noble pride, and sense Of just desert, in exclamation fierce Break from th' exalted populace, who claim Their soil for parent. Gods! from wing to wing Must we like servile mercenary bands, Like Helots, slaves to Lacedaemon born, Be hurry'd thus obsequious to controul From an imperious Spartan? Tegea first Contested our prerogative. The pride Of Sparta next removes us from the post, Assign'd by public judgment; we comply. Must we at her contemptuous nod resume The station we forsook? Defending Greece, Ourselves meanwhile deserted and betray'd, Twice have we lost our city. What is left Of our abandon'd residence, but dust? Let Greece defend herself. Let us remove For the last time our standards, hoist our sails, Our floating empire fix on distant shores, Our household gods, our progeny, and name, On some new soil establish, sure to find None so ingrate as this. The Athenians thus Swell with ingenuous ire, as ocean boils, Disturb'd by Eurus, and the rude career Of Boreas, threat'ning furious to surmount All circumscription. But as oft a cloud, Distilling gentle moisture as it glides, Dissolves the rigour of their boist'rous wings, Till o'er the main serenity returns; So from the mouth of Aristides fall Composing words. Insensibly he sooths Their justly-irritated minds, and calms Their just resentment. Righteousness and truth, How prevalent your efforts, when apply'd By placid wisdom! In these strains he spake:

Ye men of Athens, at Laconia's call To meet the flow'r of Asia's host in fight Do ye repine? A station, which implies Pre-eminence of Attic worth, a task Of all most glorious, which the martial race Of Sparta shuns, and you should covet most, Ye Marathonian victors? In the fight Of Greece, who trembles at a Median garb, You are preferr'd for valour. Arms the same, The same embroider'd vestment on their limbs Effeminate, the same unmanly souls, Debas'd by vices and monarchal rule, The Medes retain, as when their vanquish'd ranks Fled heretofore. With weapons often try'd, With confidence by victories increas'd, Not now for liberty and Greece alone You march to battle; but to keep unspoil'd Your trophies won already, and the name, Which Marathon and Salamis have rais'd, Preserve unstain'd; that men may ever say, Not through your leaders, not by fortune there You triumph'd, but by fortitude innate, And lib'ral vigour of Athenian blood.

He said and march'd. All follow mute through love Of Aristides, inexpressive love, Which melts each bosom. Solemn they proceed, Though lion-like in courage, at his call Meek and obedient, as the fleecy breed To wonted notes of Pan's conducting pipe.

Arriv'd, disbanded, in their sep'rate tents Cecropia's tribes exhaust a tedious night, Unvisited by sleep. The morning breaks; Instead of joy to gratulate her light The tone of sadness from dejected hearts, Combining sighs and groans in murmur deep, Alarms the leader. Aristides, shew Thy countenance amongst us, hasty spake The warrior-poet ent'ring: All thy camp Enthusiastic sorrow hath o'erwhelm'd, And ev'ry heart unbrac'd. By earliest dawn Each left his restless couch. Their first discourse Was calm, and fill'd with narratives distinct Of thy accomplishments, and worth. At length A soldier thus in agitation spake: "Yet, O most excellent of Gods! O Jove! "This is the man, we banish'd! In thy sight "The most excelling man, whose sole offence "Was all-transcending merit, from his home "Our impious votes expell'd, by envy's spight "Seduc'd. We drove him fugitive through Greece; "Where still he held ungrateful Athens dear, "For whose redemption from her sloth he rous'd "All Greece to arms." The soldier clos'd in floods Of anguish. Instant through the concourse ran Contagious grief; as if the fiend Despair, From his black chariot, wheeling o'er their heads In clouds of darkness, dropp'd his pois'nous dews Of melancholy down to chill the blood, Unnerve the limbs, and fortitude dissolve. Speed, Aristides. By th' immortal pow'rs! The feeblest troop of Persians in this hour Might overcome the tame, desponding force Of thy dear country, mistress long confess'd Of eloquence and arts, of virtue now Through thy unerring guidance. Here the sage:

With-hold thy praise, good Aeschylus—Be swift, Arrange my fellow citizens in arms Beneath each ensign of the sev'ral tribes. I will appear a comforter, a friend, Their public servant. Aeschylus withdraws.

Soon Aristides, in his armour new, Timothea's gift, advances from his tent. Should from his throne th' Omnipotent descend In visitation of the human race, While dreading his displeasure; as to earth All heads would bend in reverential awe, Contrite and conscious of their own misdeeds; So look th' Athenians, though in all the pomp Of Mars array'd, and terrible to half The world in battle. Down their corslets bright Tears trickle, tears of penitence and shame, To see their injur'd patriot chief assume In goodness heav'n's whole semblance, as he moves Observant by, and through the weeping ranks From man to man his lib'ral hand extends, Consoling. No resentment he could shew, Who none had felt. Ascending now on high, He thus address'd the penitential throng.

Rate not too high my merit, nor too low Your own depreciate. Error is the lot Of man; but lovely in the eye of heav'n Is sense of error. Better will you fight, As better men from these auspicious tears, Which evidence your worth, and please the gods. With strength and valour, equity of mind Uniting doubles fortitude. Your wives, Your progeny and parents, laws and rites, Were ne'er so well secur'd. The warlike bard Rose next: Requested by the sev'ral tribes, In their behalf I promise to thy rule All acquiescence. Bid them fight, retreat, Maintain, or yield a station; bid them face Innumerable foes, surmount a foss Deep as the sea, or bulwarks high as rocks; Subordination, vigilance, contempt Of toil and death, thy dictates shall command.

Th' Oïlean hero, Timon, and the seed Of Lygdamis, are present, who encamp'd Among th' Athenians. They admire the chief, Nor less the people. While the term of morn Was passing thus, a summons to his tent Calls Aristides. Aemnestus there Salutes him: Attic friend, a new event In Sparta's quarter is to thee unknown; From me accept th' intelligence. The sun Was newly ris'n, when o'er th' Asopian flood An Eastern herald pass'd. Bèhind him tow'r'd A giant-siz'd Barbarian. He approach'd Our camp; before Pausanias brought, he spake:

"I am Briareus, of Mardonian guards "Commander. Through my delegated mouth "Thus saith the son of Gobryas: I have heard "Among the Greeks your prowess vaunted high, "Ye men of Sparta, that in martial ranks "You either kill, or perish; but I find, "Fame is a liar. I expected long, "You would defy me on the field of war. "Have I not seen you shift from wing to wing, "The task imposing on th' Athenians twice "To face the Medes and Persians; while yourselves "Sought with our servants to contend in arms, "Ye brave in name alone! Since you decline "To challenge us, we, prime of eastern blood, "With equal numbers challenge you to prove, "That you possess, what rumour hath proclaim'd, "The boldest hearts in Greece. Acknowledge else "Your boasted valour bury'd in the grave "With your Leonidas, o'erthrown and slain."

Pausanias gave no answer, not through fear, But humour torpid and morose, which wrapp'd In clouds of scorn his brow. Consulting none, With silent pride the giant he dismiss'd. The challenger, in triumph turning back, Repass'd the river. Aemnestus paus'd; A second messenger appear'd. Behold, In blooming vigour, flush'd by rapid haste, Young Menalippus, from the rev'rend seer Megistias sprung. Athenian chief, he said, Bring down thy active, missile-weapon'd troops; On their immediate help Pausanias calls. A cloud of hostile cavalry invests Laconia's quarter. Javelins, arrows, darts, In sheets discharg'd, have choak'd our last resource, Gargaphia's fountain, and our heavy bands Perplex and harrass. Aristides hears, And issues swift his orders, while the youth Continues thus: Thou knew'st of old my sire, Who at Thermopylae expir'd. The just Consort together. Aristides thus:

Ingenuous youth, for Greece thy father bled A spotless victim, but for ever lives Companion with Leonidas in fame. By heav'n protected, thou shalt live to see Their death aton'd; the period is not far. Come on; my force is ready. Medon arms With Haliartus, once the shepherd-swain In Oeta's pass to Menalippus known, Whom both embrace with gratulation kind.

All march, but reach not Sparta's distant wing, Before the Persians, sated with success, Fil'd back to join Mardonius. Secret he Was communing with Mirzes, most renown'd Among the Magi. Thus the satrap clos'd:

Through each occurrence undisguis'd, O sage! My circumstantial narrative hath run, From where I enter'd first Trophonian ground, Till my descent and vision in the cave. Speak frankly, Mirzes—nor believe thy words, Whatever black presages they contain, Subjoin'd to all Trophonius hath foretold, Can change my firm resolves, or blunt my sword.

Solicitude for Persia to excess Misled thee, satrap, to that graven god, Rejoins the Magus, where, if ought besides The craft of Grecian, mercenary priests, It was the demon Arimanius rul'd. He long hath prompted that Elēan seer, Who blunts thy sword by divination false. What thou dost vision call was empty dream; Imagination heated, and disturb'd, A texture wild and various, intermix'd With ill-match'd images of things, which last Oppress'd thy mind. Thy own distemper fram'd Th' unreal grot, where Destinies of air In apparition cut thy vital thread; Their act was thine, the oracle thy own, All vague creation of thy erring sleep.

Briareus enters. At his tidings glad, Which ostentation sounded, thus exults Mardonius: Sayst thou, Lacedaemon's chief Was mute, when my defiance shook his ear? Hence to the winds, ye auguries and signs! Ye dreams and mysteries of Greece, avaunt! Thou, Horomazes, not in marble fanes, Nor woods oracular, and caves, dost dwell. It is the pow'r of evil there misguides Insensate mortals, and misguided me. O, Artemisia! now shall Gobryas' son Look only, where no mystery can lurk, On ev'ry manly duty. Nothing dark The tracks of honour shades. To chiefs select, Greek and Barbarian summon'd, he reveals His fix'd resolves in council. They disperse To execute his will. Among the rest Young Alexander, Macedonia's lord, Speeds to his quarters in the solemn bow'r Of Dircè. There Mardonius had decreed A cenotaph of marble, newly-rais'd To his deplor'd Masistius. There the queen Of Macedon, Phoebean Timon's child, Bright Amarantha, like an ev'ning bird, Whose trill delights a melancholy grove, Oft with harmonious skill in Delphian strains, Th' ingenuous practice of her maiden days, Sung of her father, and Masistius good, That friend, that known protector. She her lute Was now in cadence with Dircaean rills Attuning. Vocal melody she breath'd, Which at another season might have won Her lord from sadness. Sighing, he her song Thus interrupts: Ah! consort dear, as fair, I come from Persia's council; where the son Of Gobryas, urg'd by fear of sudden want Through his wide host, nor animated less By Spartan silence at the challenge proud His herald bore, determines to reject The augur's warnings. O'er the stream he means To lead th' embattled nations, and surprise Ere dawn, at least assail the camp of Greece In ev'ry station. If she quits her lines, Then will his num'rous cavalry surround Her heavy phalanx on the level space. O that my ancestor had never left His Grecian home in Argos, nor acquir'd Emathia's crown! I never then compell'd, Had borne reluctant arms against a race By friendship link'd, affinity, and blood, With me and mine. What horror! cries the queen, While fear surmises, that my husband's sword May blindly cut my father's vital thread. But not alone such parricide to shun Should wake thy efforts. Alexander, no; Thou must do more. Our mutual words recall, When thou to Athens by Mardonius sent Didst from thy fruitless ambassy rejoin Me in Trachiniae; whence the Barb'rous chief Renew'd his march to lay Cecropian domes In fresh destruction. "What a lot is mine, "Thou saidst? If Xerxes triumph, I become "A slave in purple. Should the Greeks prevail, "Should that Euboean conqueror, the son "Of Neocles be sent th' Athenian scourge . . . .

I interrupted thus: "Awhile, dear lord, "We must submit to wear the galling mask, "Necessity imposes. New events "Are daily scatter'd by the restless palm "Of fortune. Some will prove propitious. Wise, "To all benignant, Aristides serv'd "By us in season will befriend our state."

Behold that season come; let Grecian blood, Which warms thy veins, inspire thy prudent tongue This night th' Athenian hero to apprise Of all these tidings. Thus secure the Greeks Against surprisal; timely thus oblige The first of men, and magnify thy name In Greece for ages. Here the youthful king:

Though by oppressive Xerxes forc'd to war, Shall I abuse the confidence repos'd By great Mardonius, qualify'd to win Regard at first, which intercourse augments? I will do all by honour's rules allow'd, Will act a neutral part, withdraw my troops, Ev'n at the hazard of my crown and life, If such my queen's injunction. Ah! forbear To frown; what means this flushing of thy cheek? Must I betray Mardonius to his foes?

She spake abrupt; he started at her look: If forc'd obedience to a tyrant binds, If more, than I, Mardonius holds thy heart, Who has thy dearest confidence abus'd, Thou wilt discredit my accusing tongue. Could from this empty monument the shade Of just Masistius rise, his awful voice Would verify a story, till this hour From thee conceal'd. My virgin hand in blood Of one Barbarian miscreant once I stain'd; Not to pollute my hymeneal state, Nor lay Mardonius gasping at my feet Like Mithridates in the streets of Thebes, This hateful camp for Delphi I forsook, Fled from a lawless and presumptuous flame, Insulting me, thy queen, who boast descent From holy Timon. While for his behoof Collecting Greeks against their country's cause, Thyself was absent, and Mardonius left My only guardian; scorning every tie, His daring importunity of love Assail'd thy consort's ear. What hope, what trust In such Barbarians? All their faith expir'd With good Masistius. Should the Greeks be foil'd, How long will Macedon thy realm, how long Will Amarantha be securely held Against a satrap, whose ungovern'd will May covet both? Of this, O prince, be sure, Her part of shame will Amarantha bear But brief shall be its date. The poniard still, Which once preserv'd my honour, I possess To cut my period of dishonour short.

The prince impatient, yet attentive, heard Her words; when thus the measure of his wrath From his full bosom rapidly o'erflow'd.

O impious breach of hospitable ties! O violation base of rights and laws, Exacting swift revenge from heav'n and man, From me the first! Unparallel'd in form, O like the sister of thy Delphian god Immaculate! Did sacrilegious hands This pure abode of chastity assail With profanation? Less a friend to Greece, Than foe to false Mardonius, now I go.

He said, and order'd forth his swiftest steed. By moon-light, twinkling on a shaded track, He urg'd his secret way beyond the springs Asopian; whence an outlet short and close Through mount Cithaeron to th' adjacent line Of Aristides led. Meantime the sound Of steps advancing Amarantha heard; She heard, and saw Mardonius. He his pace Stopp'd short, inclining with obeisance low His stately frame. Through terror and amaze To earth she rigid grew, of pow'r to fly Depriv'd. He distant spake: Imperial dame, That he offended once, Mardonius makes A penitent confession. O! that fault To no innate discourtesy impute, But Eastern manners, not as Grecian pure; The ignorance which err'd, by thee is chang'd To veneration. From my presence here, Which ne'er before intruded on this seat Of thy retirement, do not too severe A new offence interpret; rest assur'd, A solemn cause impels. He silent waits, Nor moves; till, gliding silently away, Like Dian fair and chaste, but less severe, The queen withdrew, and tow'rds a gallant chief, Perhaps by her devices near his fall, Thus far relented; for the private wrong The frank atonement rais'd a generous sigh; Against the public enemy of Greece, Unquenchable she burn'd. Now left alone, Before the cenotaph he kneel'd and spake:

To-morrow, O! to-morrow let my helm Blaze in thy beams auspicious, spirit bright, Whose name adorns this honorary tomb! The weight of Asia's mighty weal, the weight Of fifty myriads on thy friend augments From hour to hour. Yet purg'd of gloomy thoughts, Clear of ambition, save to win the palm Of victory for Xerxes, I approach Thy suppliant. Thou an intercessor pure For me, deceiv'd by Grecian seers and gods, Before the throne of Horomazes stand, That he may bless my standards, if alone To guard so many worshippers, and spread By their success his celebrated name Through each Hesperian clime. Now grant a sign, Masistius, ere thy faithful friend depart, Fix'd, as he is, to vanquish, or to fall.

He ceas'd. Quick rapture dims his cheated eyes. He sees in thought a canopy of light, Descending o'er the tomb. In joy he speeds To preparation for the destin'd march.