The Athenaid

The Heliconian records now unfold, Calliopè! harmonious thence recite The names and numbers of the various Greeks, Who in array on fair Boeotian plains, With gleams of armour streak the twinkling wave Of clear Asopus. Troezen known to fame, Where Pittheus dwelt, whose blood to Athens gave The hero Theseus, Troezen from her walls In circuit small, from Hylycus her stream, From her Scyllaean promontory high, From vine-attir'd Methenè, from the isles, Calauria, Neptune's seat, and Sphaeria dear To Pallas, daughter of almighty Jove, Two thousand warriors sends. Cleander pass'd The isthmus first; who manly, from the bed Of Ariphilia rising, vow'd to deck Her future cradle with a victor's wreath Of laurel new. Her beauteous image grac'd His four-fold buckler. Twice eight hundred youths From Aesculapian Epidaurus march'd, From mount Cynortius, and the sacred hill, Titthēon, where the mother of that god Medicinal in secret left her fruit Of stolen enjoyment in Apollo's arms; Where in serenity of smiles was found The sweet Phoebean child, while lambent flames Play'd round his temples. Clitophon the chief, A serpent green, the symbol of his god, Bore on his silver shield. Four hundred left Leprēum, clear Arenè, and th' impure Anigrian waters, where the centaur, fell Polenor, wounded by Herculean shafts, Dipp'd in the blood of Hydra, purg'd his limbs From putrid gore, envenoming the stream; Their leader Conon. Of Mycenae old, Of Tiryns, built by fam'd Cyclopian toil, Eight hundred shields Polydamas commands. Two thousand gallant youths, with standards bless'd At Hebe's altar, tutelary pow'r Of Phlius, bold Menander led to war. Himself was young; the blooming goddess shone Bright on his buckler. Under Lycus brave Hermionè, fair city, had enroll'd Six hundred spears. The impress on his shield Was strong Alcides, dragging from the gates Of Dis their latrant guardian triple-mouth'd Through an abyss in Hermionean land, The fabled wonder of the district shewn. Three thousand sail'd from Cephallenia's isle, From Acarnanian, and Epirot shores, With various chieftains. Of Arcadian breed Orchomenus twelve hundred, Tegea sent Three thousand. Chileus, prime in Tegea's camp, Was skill'd in arms, and vaunted high the name, The rank and prowess of his native state. Ten thousand helms from wealthy Corinth's walls Blaze o'er the champaign; these Alcmaeon leads With Adimantus. Neighb'ring Sicyon arm'd Six thousand more; amidst whose splendid files Automedon commanded. Lo! in air A mighty banner! from the hollows green, The wood-crown'd hills in Lacedaemon's rule, Taijgetus, and Menelaian ridge, From Crocean quarries, from Gythēum's port, Therapnè, sweet Amyclae on the banks Of fam'd Eurotas, from a hundred towns, A glitt'ring myriad of Laconians shew Their just arrangement. Aemnestus there Lists his tall spear, and rises o'er his ranks In arduous plumes and stature. So the strength And stately foliage of a full-grown oak O'erlooks the undershades, his knotted arms Above their tops extending. Mightier still Callicrates appears, in martial deeds Surpassing ev'ry Grecian. He his fate Foresees not; he, capricious fortune's mark, Must fall untimely, and his gen'rous blood Unprofitably shed. A firmer band Succeeds. Huge Sparta, who forever scorn'd Defensive walls and battlements, supplied Five thousand citizens close-mail'd; a train Of sev'n bold Helots exercis'd in arms, Attend each warrior; there Pausanias tow'r'd. In pride the son of Atreus he surpass'd Without his virtues, a superior host Commanding. Never Greece such heroes sent, Nor such a pow'r in multitude to war; For landed recent on the neighb'ring shore Th' Athenian phalanx opens broad in sight Their eleutherian banner. They advance Eight thousand men at arms; an equal force In archers, slingers, missile-weapon'd sons Of terror follow. Round her naval flag Already four bold myriads from her loins Had Attica enroll'd. What chiefs preside! Themistocles, Xanthippus in remote, But glorious action; Aristides here, Myronides and Cimon, Clinias, sire Of Alcibiades, the warrior bard, Young Pericles, and more than time hath seen Since or before, in arts and arms renown'd.

The ancient foe of Athens, yet averse Like her to Xerxes, Megara enroll'd Six thousand warriors. From Aegina sail'd A thousand. Twice six hundred, Phoenix-like, Sprung from the ashes of Plataea burnt, With Arimnestus march'd, th' intrepid friend Of him, whose deeds Thermopylae resounds, Diomedon. From Thespia, who had shar'd Plataea's doom, two thousand came unarm'd, Unclad, a want by Attic stores supplied. Alcimedon was chief, of kindred blood To Dithyrambus; whom, his early bloom For Greece devoting, on Melissa's hill The Muses sing and weep. Between the roots Of tall Cithaeron, and th' Asopian floods, The army rang'd. The Spartans on the right One wing compos'd; the men of Tegea claim'd The left in pref'rence to th' Athenian host. Contention rose; Pausanias sat the judge, Callicrates and Aemnestus wise, His two assessors; thick Laconian ranks A circle form; when Chileus thus asserts The claim of Tegea: Spartans, from the time, The early time, that Echemus, our king, In single combat on the listed field O'erthrew the invader Hyllus, and preserv'd Unspoil'd the land of Pelops, we obtain'd From all her sons unanimous this post, Whene'er united in a common cause They march'd to battle. Not with you we strive, Ye men of Sparta, at your choice command In either wing; the other we reclaim From Athens; brave and prosp'rous we have join'd Our banners oft with yours; our deeds you know; To ours superior what can Athens plead Of recent date, or ancient? for what cause Should we our just prerogative resign?

Then Aristides spake: Collected here Are half the Grecians to contend in arms With Barbarous invaders, not in words Each with the other for precedence vain. From his own volume let the tongue of time, Not mine, proclaim my countrymen's exploits In early ages. In his course he views The varying face of nature, sea to land, Land turn'd to sea, proud cities sink in dust, The low exalted, men and manners change, From fathers brave degen'rate sons proceed, And virtuous children from ignoble sires. What we are now, you, Grecians, must decide At this important crisis. Judges, fix On Marathon your thoughts, that recent stage Of preservation to the public weal, Where fifty nations, arm'd to conquer Greece, We unassisted foil'd; more fresh, the day Of Salamis recall. Enough of words; No more contention for the name of rank; The bravest stand the foremost in the sight Of gods and mortals. As to you is meet, Determine, Spartans; at your will arrange Th' Athenians; they acknowledge you the chiefs Of this great league, for gen'ral safety fram'd, Wherever plac'd, obedient they will fight.

The sense of all his countrymen he breath'd, Who for the public welfare in this hour Their all relinquish, and their very pride A victim yield to virtue. From his seat, Inspir'd by justice, Aemnestus rose:

Brave as they are, our friends of Tegea seem To have forgot the Marathonian field, The Salaminian trophies; else this strife Had ne'er alarm'd the congregated host Of states so various and remote. As brief Callicrates subjoins: Not less our friends Of Tegea seem forgetful, that their claim Within the isthmus is confin'd, the gift Of part, not binding universal Greece.

Athenian moderation had before Won ev'ry Spartan; loud they sound the name Of Athens, Athens, whose pretension just The general confirms, restoring peace. So in a chorus full the manly bass Directs the pow'r of harmony to float On equal pinions, and attune the air.

Now Sparta's wide encampment on the right Was form'd; sedate and silent was the toil, As is the concourse of industrious ants, In mute attention to their public cares. Extending thence, successive states erect Their standards. On the left their num'rous tents Th' Athenians pitch. In labour not unlike The buzzing tenants of sonorous hives, Loquacious they and lively cheer the field, Yet regularly heed each signal giv'n By staid commanders. Underneath a fringe Of wood, projecting from Cithaeron's side, Ascends the chief pavilion. Seated there Is Aristides at a frugal board, An aged menial his attendant sole; But from the tribes selected, round him watch An hundred youths, whose captain is the son Of fam'd Miltiades. The neighb'ring bed Of pure Asopus, from Cithaeron's founts, Refreshment inexhaustible contain'd. His arms th' Athenian patriot in his tent Was now exploring, when he hears the step Of Aemnestus ent'ring, who began:

Most wise of men and righteous, whom all Greece, Not Athens singly, as her glory claims, Grant me an hour. Laconian laws, thou know'st, Subordination to excess enjoin. I am obedient to the man, who holds Supreme command by office, rank, and birth, While thee my heart confesses and admits My sole adviser. Haughty and morose, O'er uncommunicated thoughts will brood Our dark Pausanias; I may often want Thy counsel; now instruct me. Is it meet, We cross th' Asopus to assail the foe, Or wait his coming? Let him come, replies The Attic sage; let bold invaders court A battle, not th' invaded, who must watch Occasion's favour. Present in thy mind Retain, that Greece is center'd in this host, Which if we hazard lightly were a crime, Th' offended gods with fetters would chastise: Our Attic flame to sudden onset points, By me discourag'd. Aemnestus then:

Know, that with me Callicrates unites; Farewell; thy wisdom shall direct us both.

The sun was set; th' unnumber'd eyes of heav'n Thin clouds envelop'd; dusky was the veil Of night, not sable; placid was the air; The low-ton'd current of Asopus held No other motion than his native flow, Alluring Aristides in a walk Contemplative to pace the stable verge Attir'd in moss. The hostile camp he views, Which by Masistian vigilance and art With walls of wood and turrets was secur'd. For this the groves of Jupiter supreme On Hypatus were spoil'd, Teumessian brows, Mesabius, Parnes, were uncover'd all. Square was th' inclosure, ev'ry face emblaz'd With order'd lights. Each elevated tent Of princely satraps, and, surmounting all, Mardonius, thine, from coronets of lamps Shot lustre, soft'ning on the distant edge Of wide Plataean fields. A din confus'd Proclaim'd Barbarians; silent was the camp Of Greece. These thoughts the spectacle excites In Aristides: Slender is thy bound, Asopus, long to separate such hosts, Or keep thy silver wave from blood unstain'd. Lord of Olympus! didst thou want the pow'r, Or, boundless pow'r possessing, want the will Thy own created system to secure From such destruction? Wherefore on this plain Is Europe thus, and adverse Asia met For human carnage? Natural this search, Yet but a waste of reason. Let me shun Unprofitable wand'rings o'er the land Obscure of trackless mystery; to see The path of virtue open is enough. Whate'er the cause of evil, he, who knows Himself not partner in that cause, attains Enough of knowledge; all the rest is dream Of falsely-styl'd philosophy. My task Is to destroy the enemies of Greece; Be active there, my faculties, and lose Nor time, nor thought. Revisiting his tent, Sicinus call'd apart he thus instructs:

Return, discreet and faithful, to the son Of Neocles; thy own observing eye Will prompt thy tongue; this notice sole I send. We will not hurry to a gen'ral fight. Bless in my name Timothea; bless her sons, Her daughters; nor, good man, o'erlook my own.

Six monthly periods of the solar course Were now complete; intense the summer glow'd. The patient Greeks for eight successive days Endure the insults of Barbarian horse Behind their lines; when eager to his friend The Persian gen'ral: Best belov'd of men, Impart thy counsel. Lo! this vaunted race Lurk in their trenches, and avoid the plain.

To him Masistius: I have mark'd a post Accessible and feeble in their line. To me thy choicest cavalry commit, I at the hazard of my life will gall, Perhaps may force that quarter. Ah! my friend, Mardonius answer'd, shall thy precious life Be hazarded? let others take the charge, Briareus, Midias, Tiridates brave, Or Mindarus; a thousand leaders bold This host affords. Masistius, in the gloom Of midnight from my pillow I discern'd Thy gracious figure on a steed of fire; Who bore thee up to heav'n, where sudden folds Of radiant vapour wrapp'd thee from my view. At once throughout th' innumerable tents Their hue was chang'd to black; Boeotia's hills And caves with ejulation from the camp Rebellow'd round; the camels, horses, mules, Dissolv'd in tears. Let Mithra's angry beam Pierce this right arm, annihilate my strength, And melt my courage! I will rest content To purchase thus the safety of my friend.

Masistius answer'd: Son of Gobryas, learn, That he, who makes familiar to his mind The certainty of death, and nobly dares In virtue's clear pursuit, may look serene On boding dreams, and auguries averse. No sign, but honour, he requires; he wants No monitor, but duty. An attempt, My observation hath maturely weigh'd, Belongs to me; to others less inform'd I will not leave the danger. Quick replies Disturb'd Mardonius, while at friendship's warmth Ambition melts, and honour fills his breast:

O! worthier far than frail Mardonius, take O'er all the host of Xerxes chief command; Me from temptation, him from danger guard.

Again Masistius: Son of Gobryas, peace; My ear is wounded. Ever dost thou sink Below the level of thy worth with me, With others soar'st too high. What means the word Temptation? what this danger to the king? O satrap! listed by his grace so high, Thou hast o'erwhelm'd Masistius. May the God Of truth and justice strengthen in thy soul The light ingenuous, which so much reveals; That sense of duty may suppress a thought, I dare not clothe in language. Still in mind The parting words of Artemisia bear, Which in its blameless moments oft thy tongue Repeats with admiration. "Look," she said, "Look only, where no mystery can lurk, "On ev'ry manly duty. Nothing dark "O'ershades the track of virtue; plain her path; "But superstition, chosen for a guide, "Misleads the best and wisest." Let me add, Worse is the guide ambition, which misleads To more than error, to atrocious acts.

I shall despair, Masistius, if thou fall'st, Rejoins Mardonius. Must Masistius then Consort with women, shut from noble deeds, Subjoins the virtuous Persian? Can thy hand, Thy friendly hand, now rivetted in mine, Of my degree, and dignity of birth Deprive me, or obliterate the name With all its lustre, which my fathers left Me to uphold? Or wouldst thou, if impow'r'd, Taint my firm spirit with an eunuch's fear, Among their feeble train my rank confine, My strength unnerve, my fortitude debase? While these subsist with titles, wealth and state, While, as I pass, the crouding myriads shout, Here comes Masistius; what is less requir'd From him, than deeds to manifest a soul, Which merits such distinction? We again This day will meet, Mardonius—but as none Of human texture can the flight foresee Of that inevitable dart, which soon, Or late will strike, I leave these words behind. If, blinded still by superstition's cloud, Thou wilt believe me in this hour the mark Of fate, retain them, as my dying words: Ambition curb; let virtue be thy pride.

They separated sad; Mardonius still Foreboding evil to his noble friend, He at the frailty of Mardonius griev'd.

Masistius, soon collecting round his tent The prime of Persian cavalry, bespake Their captains thus: Your steeds and arms prepare; String well your bows, your quivers store with shafts; With num'rous javelins each his courser load. I am this day your gen'ral; I rely On your known prowess; and I trust, the hand Of Horomazes will conduct you back Victorious; but remember, that the brave In life, or death, accomplishing their part, Are happy. All, rejoicing in a chief Belov'd, his orders sedulous fulfil. In arms, more splendid than for Peleus' son Th' immortal artist forg'd, Masistius cas'd His limbs of beauteous frame, and manly grace, To match that hero, whom Scamander saw With Dardan blood imbru'd. In hue of snow His horse, of all Nisaea's breed the choice, Caparison'd in rubies, champs the gold, Which rules his mouth; his animated mane Floats o'er the bridle, form'd of golden braid.

His page was nigh, that youth of eastern race, Whom for his merit pure Melissa gave To this benignant satrap. To ascend His gorgeous seat preparing, thus the chief:

If I return a conqueror this day, To that excelling dame who made thee mine, Who hath enlarg'd whate'er of wise and great, Of just and temp'rate I to nature owe, Refin'd my manners, and my purest thoughts Exalted, I my friendship will prolong In gratitude and rev'rence; blessing heav'n, Which thus prefers Masistius to extend Benevolence to virtue. If I fall, Resume with her the happiest lot my care Can recommend, Statirus. Though no Greek, Her pupil, say, in offices humane Hath not been tardy; by her light inspir'd, He went more perfect to a noble grave.