The Athenaid

Now is the season, when Vertumnus leads Pomona's glowing charms through ripen'd groves Of ruddy fruitage; now the loaden vine Invites the gath'ring hand, which treasures joy For hoary winter in his turn to smile. An eastern course before autumnal gales To Ephesus the Carian gallies bend; While Medon coasts by Locris, and deplores Her state of thraldom. Thrice Aurora shews Her placid face; devourer of mankind, The sea, curls lightly in fallacious calms; To Medon then the wary master thus:

My chief, the dang'rous equinox is near Whose stormy breath each prudent sailor shuns, Secure in harbour; turbulent these streights Between Euboea and the Locrian shore; Fate lurks in eddies, threatens from the rocks; The continent is hostile; we must stretch Across the passage to Euboea's isle, There wait in safety till the season rude Its wonted violence hath spent. The chief Replies: An island, Atalanté nam'd, Possess'd by Locrians, rises in thy view; There first thy shelter seek; perhaps the foe Hath left that fragment of my native state Yet undestroy'd. Th' obedient rudder guides, The oars impel the well directed keel Safe through an inlet op'ning to a cove Fenc'd round by rising land. At once the sight, Caught by a lucid aperture of rock, Strays up the island; whence a living stream, Profuse and swift beneath a native arch, Repels encumb'ring sands. A slender skiff, Launch'd from the ship, pervades the sounding vault; With his companions Medon bounds ashore, Addressing Timon: Delphian guest, these steps, Rude hewn, attain the summit of this rock; Thence o'er the island may our wary ken, By some sure sign, discover if we tread A friendly soil, or hostile. They ascend. The topmost peak was chisell'd to display Marine Palaemon, colossean form, In art not specious. Melicertes once, Him Ino, flying from th' infuriate sword Of Athamas her husband, down a cliff, Distracted mother, with herself immers'd In ocean's salt-abyss. Their mortal state Neptunian pity to immortal chang'd; From Ino she became Leucothea, chief Among the nymphs of Tethys; he that god Benign, presiding o'er the tranquil port, Palaemon, yielding refuge to the toils Of mariners sea-worn. One mighty palm Lean'd on a rudder, high the other held A globe of light, far shooting through the dark, In rays auspicious to nocturnal keels Which plough the vex'd Euripus. Fair below, Her cap of verdure Atalanté spreads, Small as a region, as a pasture large, In gentle hollows vary'd, gentle swells, All intersected by unnumber'd tufts Of trees fruit-laden. Bord'ring on the streights, Rich Locris, wide Boeotia, lift their woods, Their hills by Ceres lov'd, and cities fam'd; Here Opus, there Tanagra; Delium shews Her proud Phoebean edifice, her port Capacious Aulis, whence a thousand barks With Agamemnon sail'd; a lengthen'd range Euboea's rival opulence oppos'd, Queen of that frith; superb the structures rise Of Oreus, Chalcis, and the ruins vast Of sad Erotria, by Darius crush'd.

The Locrian chief salutes the figur'd god: Still dost thou stand, Palaemon, to proclaim Oïlean hospitality of old, Which carv'd thee here conspicuous, to befriend The sailor night-perplex'd? Thou only sign Left of Oïlean greatness! wrapp'd in woe Is that distinguish'd house! Barbarians fill Her inmost chambers! O propitious god! If yet some remnant of the Locrian state Thou dost protect on Atalanté's shore, Before I leave her shall thy image smoke With fattest victims! Timon quick subjoins:

I see no hostile traces; numerous hinds Along the meadows tend their flocks and herds; Let us, descending, and the crested helm, The spear, and shield, committing to our train, In peaceful guise salute a peaceful land.

They hear, approving; lightly back they speed; Disarm'd, they follow an inviting path, Which cuts a shelving green. In sportive laugh, Before the threshold of a dwelling nigh, Appear young children; quickning then his pace, O Haliartus, Medon cries, I see My brother's offspring! They their uncle knew, Around him flock'd, announcing his approach In screams of joy: Their sire, Leonteus, came.

As Leda's mortal son in Pluto's vale Receiv'd his brother Pollux, who, from Jove Deriv'd, immortal, left the realms of day, And half his own divinity resign'd, His dear-lov'd Castor to redeem from death; So rush'd Leonteus into Medon's arms, Thus utt'ring loud his transport: Dost thou come To me and these a saviour! When that cloud Of dire invasion overcast our land, For sev'n defenceless infants what remain'd? What for a tender mother? Instant flight Preserv'd us; still we unmolested breathe In Atalanté; others like ourselves Resorted hither; barren winter soon Will blast the scanty produce of this isle, Pale famine waste our numbers; or, by want Compell'd, this precious remnant of thy friends, These rising pillars of th' Oïlean house Must yield to Xerxes—but the gods have sent In thee a guardian. Summon all our friends, Elated Medon answers; ev'ry want Shall be supply'd, their valour in return Is all I claim. Meantime, like watchful bees To guard th' invaded hive, from ev'ry part The Islanders assemble; but the name Of Medon, once divulg'd, suppresses fear, And wond'ring gladness to his presence brings Their numbers. He, rememb'ring such a scene Late in Calauria, where afflicted throngs Around his righteous friend of Athens press'd; Now in that tender circumstance himself Among his Locrians, conscious too of means To mitigate their suff'rings, melts in tears Of joy. O countrymen belov'd! he cries, I now applaud my forecast, which secur'd The whole Oïlean treasures; safe they lie At Lacedaemon, whence expect relief In full abundance on your wants to flow. Amid his country's ruins Medon still May bless the gods; by your auspicious aid, Beyond my hopes discover'd, I may bring No feeble standard to the Grecian camp, When Athens, now triumphant o'er the waves, With her deep phalanx in the field completes The overthrow of Asia, and restores Dejected Locris. So to Israel's sons, Their little ones and wives, by deathful thirst Amid the parching wilderness oppress'd, Their legislator, with his lifted rod, Consoling spake, who, Heav'n intrusted, knew One stroke would open watry veins of rock, And preservation from a flinty bed Draw copious down. Leonteus lead the way, Resum'd his brother: vers'd in arms, my youth, My prime, are strangers to the nuptial tie; Yet, in thy bliss delighting, I would greet A sister, auth'ress of this blooming troop.

With all the clust'ring children at his side He pass'd the threshold, and their mother hail'd.

Now o'er their heads the equinoctial gusts Begin to chace the clouds; by tempests torn, The hoarse Euripus sends a distant sound. Twelve days are spent in sweet domestic joy; Serenity returns. The master warns; Departing Medon reascends the bark, Whose rudder stems the celebrated frith, Where twice sev'n times the sun and stars behold Reciprocating floods. Three days are pass'd When Sunium, Attic promontory, shades The resting sail; Belbina thence they seek By morn's new glance, and reach at dewy eve. Athenian too Belbina yields a port To night-o'ertaken sailors in their course Between Cecropia and Troezene's walls. A squadron there is moor'd; Cleander there, Now ev'ry public duty well discharg'd Dismiss'd him glorious to his native roof, Was disembark'd. Contemplating in thought His Ariphilia, for the day's return He languish'd; ev'ry Nereid he invok'd To speed his keel. Him Medon, landing, greets; To whom Cleander: On Calauria first We interchang'd embraces; now accept A salutation doubly warm, O chief! By Aristides pris'd, his second bold In high exploits, which signalize an isle Obscure before, Psyttalia; be my guest This night at least: He said; they pass'd aboard With Haliartus and the Delphian seer. A gen'rous meal concluded, Medon spake:

Troezenian chief, now give the mind repast; I have been absent long; when first the flight Of Asia's host and shatter'd fleet was known, From Salamis I hoisted sail. To hear Of Aristides and the laurell'd son Of Neocles, to hear of all the brave, Whose high achievements consecrate that day, From thy narration would delight my soul.

Cleander then began: To council call'd By Eurybiades, the leading Greeks A while debated, if their fleet combin'd Should sail to break the Hellespontine bridge? This he oppos'd; I readily had join'd Th' Athenian people, eager by themselves Without auxiliar Grecians, to pursue The arrogant invader; but the tribes, In form assembled, with dissuasive words, Themistocles thus cool'd. I oft have seen, Have oftner heard, that vanquish'd men, constrain'd By desperation, have their loss repair'd In fight renew'd. Repelling such a cloud Of enemies from Greece, contented rest; The pow'r of gods and heroes, not our own, Achiev'd the deed; pursue not those who fly. Resort to Athens; in their old abodes Replace your women, such obsequious wives, Such daughters; reinstate your native walls, Rebuild your ruin'd mansions; sow your fields, Prevent a dearth; by early spring unfurl Your active sails, then shake the eastern shores. He last propos'd, that exiles be recall'd.

Loud acclamations rose; the honour'd name Of Aristides thunder'd on the beach.

O wise Athenians! Medon cordial here: O happy man, whose happiness is plac'd In virtuous actions! happiest now a scope Is giv'n unbounded to thy hand and heart! Proceed Cleander. He his tale renews:

Th' Athenians launch their gallies, all embark With Aristides, chosen to that charge. I set my ready canvass to perform The last kind office, from Calauria's isle And Troezen's walls to waft their wives and race, Left in our trust. Meantime the diff'rent chiefs Meet on the isthmus, summon'd to decide Who best had serv'd the public, who might claim The highest honours. Every leader names Himself the first, but all concurrent own Themistocles the second. Envy still Prevails; without decision they disperse, Each to his home. Themistocles incens'd, In eager quest of honours justly due, Withheld unjustly, not to Athens bends His hast'ning step, but Sparta ... Medon here: Not so would Aristides—but forgive My interrupting voice. The youth pursues:

In Athens him I join'd, a people found, Whom fortune never by her frown depress'd, Nor satisfied with favour. Active all, Laborious, cheerful, they persist in toil, To heave the hills of ruin from their streets, Without repining at their present loss, Intent on future greatness, to be rais'd On persevering fortitude: The word Of Aristides guides. Amidst a scene Of desolation, decency provides The fun'ral pomp for those illustrious slain At Salamis; th' insculptur'd tomb I saw Preparing; they already have ordain'd A distant day to solemnize the rites; The mouth of Aristides they decree To celebrate the valiant, who have died For Athens. While Themistocles accepts A foreign praise in Sparta, olive crowns, A car selected from the public store, A guard, three hundred citizens high-rank'd, Him through their tracts are chosen to attend, Excess of rev'rence, by that rigid state Ne'er shewn before. To small Troezene's walls To-morrow I return with less renown, With less desert, perhaps to purer bliss. My Ariphilia calls her soldier home To give her nuptial hand. My welcome guest You I invite; the season rude of Mars Is clos'd; new combats will the spring supply; Th' autumnal remnant, winter hov'ring near, Let us possess in peace. Then Timon spake:

Young chief, I praise thee; be a husband soon, Be soon a parent; thou wilt bear thy shield With constancy redoubled. If defence Of our forefathers, sleeping in their tombs, So oft unsheaths our swords, more strongly sure Th' endearing, living objects of our love Must animate the gen'rous, good, and brave.

I am unworthy of that praise, in smiles Subjoins the Locrian; but thou know'st, my friend, I have a brother, of a copious stream The source, he, call'd to battle, shall maintain Oïlean fame. Cleander, I am bound To Lacedaemon; treasure there I left, Which, well exchang'd for nature's foodful gifts, I would transport to Atalanté's shore, Seat of that brother; who, Leonteus nam'd, With brave companions there in refuge lies, A future aid to Greece. A list'ning ear Cleander yields, while Medon's lips unwind The varied series of events befall'n Himself and Timon, Amarantha fair, The Carian queen, and Meliboeus chang'd To Haliartus. By th' immortal gods We will not sep'rate, fervent cries the youth; My Ariphilia, who is wise and good, Will entertain society like yours, As Aethiopia, in Maeonian song, Receives to pure and hospitable roofs Her visitants from heav'n. Let youth advise, Not inexperienc'd, but o'er land and sea To early action train'd; retaining all Your narrative heart-piercing, I perceive Your wants, and feel impatience to befriend; My lightest keel to Salamis shall bear Thy orders, Timon, for the Delphian barks, There left behind you, in Troezene's port To join you straight. His counsel they accept.

The moon is rising, Salamis not far; The will of Timon to his Delphian train Is swiftly borne. The squadron next proceeds, Passing Troezene by, whose gen'rous chief Accompanies to shore his Locrian guest At Cynosura. Spartan is this port, He said; with fifty followers speed thy way; Commit no treasure to the faithless winds; By land return to find thy ready barks, Well-fill'd from Troezen's stores. They part; he sails To joyful welcome on his native shores.

When now, unveiling slowly, as she rolls, Her brother's light the moon reflected full, Auspicious period for connubial rites, From Lacedaemon hast'ning, Medon gains Troezene's ramparts; him Cleander chose His paranymph to lead the bridal steps Of Ariphilia. To Calauria's verge He pass'd; beneath a nuptial chaplet gay He wore his crisped hair; of purest white A tunic wrapp'd his sinewy chest and loins, A glowing mantle, new in Tyrian dye, Fell down his shoulders. Up the shelving lawn The high Neptunian structure he attains, Where with her parents Ariphilia waits Attir'd in roses like her hue, herself As Flora fair, or Venus at her birth, When from the ocean with unrifl'd charms The virgin goddess sprung. Yet, far unlike A maid sequester'd from the public eye, She, early train'd in dignity and state, In sanctity of manners to attract A nation's rev'rence, to th' advancing chief In sweet composure unreluctant yields Her bridal hand, who down the vaulted isle, Where echo joins the hymeneal song, Conducts the fair; before the costly shrine, Perfum'd with incense, and with garlands deck'd, Presents her charms, and thus in manly pray'r:

My patron god, from Salamis I come, One of thy naval sons, erecting there Thy recent trophies; let me hence convey With thy concurrent smile this precious prize, Thy sacerdotal virgin. I return To thee a pious votary, to her A constant lover; on thy servants pour Thy nuptial blessing. Yet, earth-shaking god, Not bound in sloth thy warrior shall repose, Nor languishing obscure in sweetest bliss Desert thy glory. Soon as wintry storms Thy nod controls, and vernal breezes court The unfurling canvass, my unweary'd helm Shall cleave thy floods, till each Barbarian coast Acknowledge thy supremacy, and bow To Grecian Neptune. Credulous the train, Surrounding, in religious rapture see The colossean image of their god Smile on their hero, meriting the smiles Of deities and mortals. Fortune adds Her casual favour; on Cleander's mast To perch, a pair of turtle doves she sends From Neptune's temple. To his vessel crown'd With Hymen's wreaths, bestrewn with herbs and flow'rs, Exhaling fragrance, down the slope he guides His Ariphilia, priestess now no more. So Hermes, guardian of the Graces, leads Their chief, Aglaia, o'er th' Olympian hall, Warn'd by the muses, in preluding strains, The dance on heav'n's bright pavement to begin, And charm the festive gods. The flood repass'd, They, as Troezenian institutes require, The fane of young Hippolytus approach, That victim pure to chastity, who left Old Theseus childless. From the youthful heads Of both their hair is sever'd, on his shrine Their maiden off'ring laid. They next ascend An awful structure, sacred to the Fates, There grateful own that goodness which decreed Their happy union. To the Graces last Their vows are paid, divinities benign, Whom Ariphilia fervent thus invokes:

O goddesses, who all its sweetness shed On human life! whate'er is beauteous here, Illustrious, happy, to your favour owes Its whole endearment; wanting you, our deeds Are cold and joyless. In my husband's eye Preserve me lovely, not in form alone, But that supreme of graces in my sex, Complacency of love. She pray'd; her look Reveal'd, that heav'n would ratify her pray'r.

Now in her father's dwelling they remain Till dusky ev'ning. On a bridal car, Constructed rich, the paranymph then seats The blooming fair; one side Cleander fills, The other Medon, she between them rides, By torches clear preceded. Lively sounds The ceremonial music; soon they reach The bridegroom's mansion; there a feast receives Unnumber'd friends; the nuptial dance and song Are now concluded. To her fragrant couch A joyful mother lights the blushing bride; Cleander follows; in the chamber shut, He leaves the guests exulting to revive Their song to Hymen, and renew the dance.

Three days succeeding were to gymnic feats Devoted; Medon's warlike spear obtains A second chaplet; Haliartus won The wrestler's prize; to hurl the massy disk None match'd the skill of Timon, still robust, Tho' rev'rend threads of silver had begun To streak his locks of sable. Southern gales Now call on Medon's laden fleet to sail, Ere winter frowns. With Timon at his side, And Haliartus, in this gentle phrase His noble host and hostess fair he greets:

May ev'ry joy kind wishes can devise, Or language utter, hospitable pair, Be yours for ever! may a num'rous race In virtue grow by your parental care!— With sev'n dear pledges of connubial love I left a brother, watching my return In Atalanté, small, exhausted isle, Which needs my instant succour. Gen'rous friend, To thee I trust my treasure, thou discharge The claim of Troezen for th' abundant stores Which load our vessels; for a time farewell, The vernal sun will see our love renew'd, And swords combin'd against Mardonius bold.

He said: the lovely Ariphilia weeps; Cleander sighs, but speeds his parting guests.