The Athenaid

By morn return'd Masistius: Hear, he said, Th' event unpleasing from thy passion sprung. Mardonius, thy temerity hath chac'd From Persia's camp the Macedonian queen; I found her tent abandon'd; but her course Conjecture cannot trace. What other style Than of Barbarians can the Greeks afford To us of Asia? Lo! a youthful king, Our best ally, and my distinguish'd friend, Exerts a distant effort in our cause, Meantime the honour of his queen, by all Ador'd, inviolate till now, our chief Insults, by station her protector sole, When I am absent. Not thyself alone Thou hast disgrac'd, but me her guardian pledg'd By sacred oaths to Macedonia's lord.

These words, evincing nature's purest gifts, Deserving that society sublime With Grecian muses, where Melissa pour'd Her moral strain, in perturbation plunge The hearer; when importunate, abrupt Appears Briareus, and renews the suit To pillage Delphi. No, in wrath replied The clouded son of Gobryas; bring my steed; March all to Thebes. Then humble as a child, Who to parental castigation owns His fault in tears, Masistius he address'd:

How bless'd the mind by Horomazes fram'd Like thine, serene Masistius, to resist Unruly passions! never warm desires, Pride, or ambition, vex thy equal thoughts, Which from their level no dejection low'rs; Yet none surpasses thee in rank and pow'r Among the satraps. Uncorrupted man! O, in thyself superior to thy state, Me, who so often sink below my own, Befriend in this dark moment. I foresee, I feel disaster in this harsh event.

Masistius here: Reflect, thou mighty chief, At either gate of life, the first and last, Yet more through all their intermediate space, Vicissitude and hazard lurk unseen, Supplanting wary steps. To mortal pow'r Those dreadful ministers of jealous heav'n, The elements, are hostile, and to low'r The great with changing fortune oft conspire. Her cruel sport, Mardonius, need we tempt With our own follies? In thy arduous post Thy hand sustains a balance, where the lives Of nations, where an empire's fate is pois'd From hour to hour against the common ills Of chance and nature, which so often foil The wifest; do not super-add the weight Of thy own passions to the adverse scale. I, who am ever to thy virtues just, Will not be slow, though grieving at thy faults, To furnish present help. Farewell; I mount My swiftest courser to o'ertake the queen, Whose indignation I can best compose.

Mardonius then: Adventure is a chace Thy virtue, no idolatress of fame, Enjoys; thy prompters are the love of right, Care for a friend, or zeal for Persia's state, Which render hazardous attempts thy bliss, Sublime Masistius. Thou hast weight to awe Mardonius, who thy enterprising hand Laments, but never to controul assumes, Yet feels and most regrets his own defects, Whene'er they cause thy absence. Here they end Discourse. Of cavalry a num'rous pow'r, Train'd by himself, Masistius heads, and leaves The army filing tow'rds Boeotian fields.

He bends his course to Delphi; he attains Permessus, round the Heliconian heights In argent mazes whisp'ring, as he flows, To passengers along the winding way, Which skirts the mountain, and o'erlooks the stream. Back from the ford the satrap's courser starts Affrighted. Lo! to crimson, as of blood, In sudden change the late crystalline wave, Melodious solace of the sacred nine, Rolls horrible to view. Anon with helms, With spears and bucklers, grating o'er the bed Of loosen'd stone, with limbs and trunks of men, The turbid current chafes. Masistius spurs Through all obstruction; in his forc'd career The clank of armour, crash of spears, and shouts Of battle strike his ear; the vocal rocks Augment the animating sound; he sees A flying soldier, by his target known A Macedonian guard, who stops, and thus:

Hail! satrap, hail! thou timely sent by heav'n, Haste and protect the Macedonian queen. A host of robbers, by the lawless times Combin'd, have vanquish'd our inferior force; Part of our mangled number choak that flood, Part on the ground lie bleeding. At these words Masistius rushes with his pond'rous lance In rest; Emathia's beauteous queen in flight Before pursuing ruffians he perceives On her fleet courser. Thunderbolt of strength, He hurls to earth their leader giant-siz'd, A profligate deserter from the guard Mardonian. Next a Phocian born, expell'd His native residence for crimes, he flew; The active staff is broken in the chest Of an Arcadian, branded by his state With infamy; the victor then unsheaths His sabre, op'ning through the savage rout A passage wide for death. His faithful train Surround them; irresistible he sweeps The traitors headlong to the flood below, Which foams like Simois, by Pelides swoln With Trojan dead, and struggling to discharge Th' unwonted load in Neptune's briny waste.

The conqueror dismounts; before the queen His gracious form presenting, in the arms Of his sustaining friends he sudden sinks, Oppress'd by wounds unheeded, ev'n unfelt Amid the warmth of action. Then her veil She rends asunder, and, lamenting, beats Her grateful breast. The notes of sorrow, loud Through all the concourse, dissipate his trance. Serene these words he utters: Honour's track Is perilous, though lovely; there to walk, Not fearing death, nor coveting his stroke, Though to receive it ever well prepar'd, Has been my choice and study. But, fair queen, Be not discourag'd at my present state, Wounds are to me familiar, and their cures; To Delphi lead me, or whatever place, Thy wish prefers. Masistius comes thy guard, So will continue, and, ere long restor'd, Hath much for thy instruction to impart.

While these to Delphi, on his march to Thebes Advanc'd the son of Gobryas. Soon the steps Innumerous of men and coursers bruise On green Cephissian meads the growth of May. Copaeae's lake, perfum'd with orange groves, Which rude unsated violence deforms, The multitudes envelop; thence along The sedgy borders of Ismenus reach Cadmēan walls, when now the golden sun Sev'n times had fill'd his orbit. Thebes admits The Persian gen'ral, in these words address'd By Leontiades: Thrice welcome, lord, We, thy allies, our counsel to disclose Have waited long. Not hazarding a fight, Thou hast the means to ascertain success. Here seated tranquil, from exhaustless stores Distribute gold among the Grecian states; Corrupt the pow'rful, open faction's mouth, Divide, nor doubt to overcome that strength, Which, link'd in union, will surmount the force Of all mankind. The ardent Persian here:

To court th' Athenians with a lavish hand Have I not stoop'd already? but, disdain'd, That haughty race to destiny I leave. Have I not bid defiance to their boast, Themistocles? Him, forfeiting his word, Pledg'd to confront me on Boeotian plains, I haste to summon at his native gates. What are the Greeks, if Athens be reduc'd? Where are the vaunted Spartans? lock'd in fear Behind their isthmian wall, by heav'n in fear Of Thorax ranging with a slender band Of his Thessalian horse. Thou rule in Thebes, Brave Mindarus, till I from Athens tam'd Return with fetters for the rest of Greece.

He seeks his couch, and, after short repose, By twilight bursts like thunder from a cloud, Which, on Olympus hov'ring black, contains The livid store of Jove's collected wrath Against offending mortals. O'er a land Deserted, silent, to the empty roofs Of Athens was the march. Mardonius climb'd Aegaleos, thence on Salamis descry'd That much-enduring people, who again For liberty forsook their native homes On his approach. His gen'rous pride relents; He wishes such a nation were a friend; His wishes waken in his breast an awe At such a foe. Murichides was nigh, A Hellespontine Grecian of his train, Nor in his favour low; to him he spake:

Look on that haughty, but that gallant race; Perhaps at me, by myriads thus begirt, Their very children lift their little hands In menaces, and cursing lisp the names Of Xerxes and Mardonius. Mount a bark; Pass with a herald to that crowded isle; The senators accost; the people shun, In pride beyond nobility; repeat The words Aemathian Alexander us'd: "Ye men of Athens, repossess your homes; "Enlarg'd dominion from the royal hand "Ask and obtain; be govern'd by your laws; "The son of Gobryas will rebuild your fanes; "Accept the king's alliance, and be free "With added strength and splendour." Further say, They little know what confidence is due To him who sends thee. Asian Greeks, subdu'd By me, retain their democratic rights.

On Salamis the Hellespontine lands; Before th' Athenian senate he displays The Persian proffer. All indignant hear But Lycides, who thus exhorting spake:

From Athens twice expell'd, deserted twice By Lacedaemon, who her toil employs Still on her isthmian fence, who lifts no shield To guard our wives and progeny, to save From desolation our defenceless fields, Or from our homes repel the hostile blaze, What can we better, injur'd and betray'd, Than listen to Mardonius? be referr'd His terms of friendship to th' assembling tribes.

The universal senate rose in scorn Of such submission. By the people known, His counsel rous'd enthusiastic rage, Nor Aristides can the tumult cool; They stone the timid senator to death. The women catch the spirit; fierce, as fair, Laodice collects th' infuriate sex. They hand in hand a dreadful circle form Around his mansion, and his wife and race Doom to perdition, that his coward blood May ne'er survive in Greece. Enormous thought! Perhaps not less than such excess of zeal Excess of peril in that season claim'd To save a land, which foster'd ev'ry muse; That eloquence, philosophy and arts Might shine in Attic purity of light To latest ages: but a sudden fleet, In wide array extending on the shore, Suspends the deed. Before each wond'ring eye Timothea lands, Sicinus at her side; When thus the matron to th' impatient throng:

His native friends Themistocles salutes; Euboean plenty in your present need He sends. Returning, I this crouded isle Will disencumber, and to safety bear Your wives and infants; open to their wants Eudora holds her Amarynthian seat; Elephenor, Tisander to the shrines Of Jove invite them, and to friendly roofs Euboea's towns. As oft Aurora sheds Serenity around her, when the gates Of light first open to her fragrant step; Hush'd at her feet lies Boreas, who had rent The dusky pall of night, and Jove restrains The thunder's roar, and torrents of the skies; Such was Timothea's presence, so the storm, By furies late excited, at her voice Was tame. She learns the melancholy fate Of Lycides, to her protection takes His helpless orphans, and disastrous wife.

Now of its plenteous stores while eager hands The num'rous fleet unlade, and Attic dames Prepare with good Timothea to embark; Just Aristides, first of men, conducts That first of matrons to his joyful tent, Where she began: O righteous like the gods, Now hear my whole commission, and believe Themistocles, my husband, feels thy worth. When at his summons on Euboea's coast I landed first, "Thrice welcome," he exclaim'd, "From Athens hither to a safe abode. "A second emigration I presage "To her afflicted race." From port to port Around Euboea's populous extent With him convey'd, I saw her wealthy towns To his controul subordinate. Their pow'rs He now is gath'ring; some achievement new He meditates, which secresy conceals Like fate's dark roll inscrutable to all. From thee an early notice he requests, Soon as the Greeks, united in one camp, The sole attention of Mardonius draw; Th' intelligence to bring I leave behind That faithful man, Sicinus. Virtuous dame, Wise is thy husband, Aristides spake; From him no other than achievements high, However my conjecture they surpass, I still expect. Themistocles apprise, That I am bound for Sparta to upbraid Pausanias proud, and summon to the field That selfish breed so martial, yet so cold To public welfare. Let me next prefer To thy benignity a fervent suit.

He straight withdrew, and reappearing led Two little damsels humble in attire.

Behold my daughters, he resum'd; admit These to thy care; now motherless they want Protection; ev'n Euphemia they have lost; My venerable parent have the gods Releas'd but newly from the growing scene Of trouble. Athens must a parent prove To these hereafter, fated to receive No portion from a father, who delights In poverty. His arms are all the wealth Of Aristides. With a tender hand She takes the children: O! of men, she said, Most rich, whose wealth is virtue, in the name Of household gods this office I accept. O Aristides! these shall mix with mine; These shall contribute to cement the work, I long have wrought, the amity begun Betwixt Themistocles and thee. In tears Depart the infant maidens from a sire Of gentlest nature, and in manners bland Not less, than just. Meanwhile to Athens steers Murichides unharm'd. The rising dawn Sees with her precious charge Timothea sail.

Lo! from the city clouds of smoke ascend Voluminous, with interlacing flames, Such as Vesuvius vomits from his gulph Sulphureous, when unquenchable the heat Within his concave melts the surging ore To floods of fire. Murichides had told His fruitless embassy; Mardonius, wild With ire, to instant conflagration doom'd Th' abode of such inexorable foes. They, on the margin opposite, beheld Their ancient residence a second time Destroy'd; nor utter'd more than just complaint Of tardy Sparta. When Briareus dire With his gigantic savages o'erturn'd The recent tomb, which held the glorious slain At Salamis; when scatter'd in the wind They saw that dust rever'd; in solemn rage, Devoid of sound illiberal, or loud, Each his right hand with sanctity of oaths Pledg'd to his neighbour, and to vengeance full His blood devoted. Aristides look'd, As some incens'd divinity, and spake:

Persist, ye sons of folly; crush that tomb; The last repose of yon heroic slain Disturb, therein exhibiting your doom From mortals, and immortals. Thus your pride By heav'n, and Grecian valour, shall be crush'd, Your impious host be scatter'd like that dust Which your barbarity profanes. Now, friends, By your appointment I to Sparta sail; You under watchful discipline remain Compos'd and firm; such patience will surmount All obstacle, Athenians; will restore In brighter glories your paternal seats.

This said, the isle he leaves, selecting none, But Cimon for associate. In the bark Him Aristides placidly bespake:

Son of Miltiades the great in arms, Thy early youth was dissolute; thy look Ingenuous still, and frank thy tongue, reveal'd Internal virtue; friendship on my part Succeeded, thence a study to reclaim Thy human frailties. I rejoice in hope, Thou wilt hereafter prove an Attic star, In council wise, triumphant in the field, Humane to strangers, to thy country just, Friend to her laws, to all her Muses kind, Who may record thy actions. Cimon here:

If I have virtues, they proceed from thee; If I attain to glory, I shall owe To thee my lustre. To deserve thy praise, What have I yet accomplish'd? I have fought At Salamis, what more performing there Than each Athenian? Aristides then:

True, all were brave; my judgment doth not rest On one exploit; thy modesty o'erlooks The signs of worth and talents, whence my hopes Have rank'd thee first of Grecians. To acquire, To keep that station, Cimon, be thy choice; Thou hast the means; but this impression hold, Who would excel, must be a moral man.

Thus they exhaust their voyage of a day, When at Troezenè they arrive, and find Renown'd Cleander training for the field His native bands. To Sparta thence they sail. The Ephori assemble, when they hear Of Aristides, who an audience claims; He comes before them, and austerely thus:

Cecropia's race, exterminated twice, Demand of Sparta, whether sloth, or fear, Or Persian gold her buckler hath unbrac'd. Mardonius proffer'd more than equal terms, Not friendship singly, but enlarg'd domain To Athens, who to eleutherian Jove, To Greece was faithful, and the lib'ral gift Disdain'd. Your own ambassador pronounc'd Your phalanx ready; for its speedy march His head he pledg'd. Mardonius takes the field, He lays th' Athenian territory waste; Where are the Spartans? Adding work to work For their own sep'rate safety at their wall, Inglorious isthmian wall, while half the Greeks Become your foes, and Athens is betray'd.

Pausanias present proudly thus replied: Hast thou not heard, the Hyacinthian rites Employ the Spartans? shall the heads of Greece Be question'd, be directed when to act By you Athenians? your inferior state May wait our leisure. Aristides here:

Talk'st thou to me of Hyacinthian games, While rude Barbarians riot in our fields, While Athens burns, while sacrilege invades Our temples, while our ancestors we see Torn from the grave? Pausanias, thou disgrace To thy forefather Hercules, whose arm, To friends a bulwark, was a scourge to foes, What hast thou said? But, guardian to the son Of that renown'd Leonidas, who fought Beyond the isthmus, and for Greece expir'd, If thou retain'st no rev'rence for his blood, If thou dost scorn Lycurgus and his laws, If holding liberty an empty name, Art now in treaty with a lawless king, No more of words. Athenians have their choice To treat with Xerxes, or to distant climes Expand the sail, resigning to their fate Unfaithful, timid Grecians, who have lost All claim to succour—Yet assume your swords! My love for Greece solicits you in tears. Be thou, Pausanias, general of all; We in that noble warfare will refuse No hardship—Ev'n thy arrogant command I like the meanest soldier will abide.

Then Aëmnestus brief: O righteous man, I feel thy wrongs; Laconia's shame I feel, Which if delay still blackens, thou shalt lead Me, the due victim of Athenian wrath, Before those injur'd tribes, by me deceiv'd; Where my own sword shall sacrifice the blood, I pledg'd for Sparta's faith. Meantime withdraw; I was thy guest in Athens, thou be mine.

Not till the day-spring Aëmnestus greets His Attic friend: Our citizens are march'd; All night my indefatigable toil Hath urg'd the phalanx on; the various states Within the isthmus will obey our call; Now speed with me, o'ertake, inspect our host.

They both depart with Cimon. Sparta's camp, Ere Phoebus couches, Aristides gains; The marshall'd pupils of Lycurgus there He, ever true to equity, applauds, Who their disgraceful sloth in council blam'd. Subordination, silent order held Each in his place; in look, as virgins, meek, Sedate they listen'd to their chiefs, as youth To learning's voice in academic schools. Thus in some fertile garden well-manur'd, The regularity of plants and trees Enrich'd with produce, on a stable root Stands permanent, by skilful care dispos'd At first, and sedulously wateh'd. No vaunt Offends the ear, nor supercilious frown Of confidence the eye. Th' Athenian chief Content returns; on Salamis receiv'd, Cecropia's bands he marshals for the field.

The ravage still of Attica detain'd Mardonius. Thorax of Larissa quits His isthmian station; rapid in his course To Gobryas' son these tidings he imparts:

The isle of Pelops musters all her pow'rs; The isthmus swarms; forsake this rocky land For cavalry unfit; collect thy force To face the Grecians on Cadmēan plains.

Her sleepy sword at last has Sparta rous'd, Replies Mardonius? On Cadmean plains The Persian trump shall sound; Cithaeron's hill, Asopian banks, shall soon repeat the notes Triumphal. Swift he rushes back to Thebes, Ere Phoebus darted his solstitial heat. As some hot courser, who from pasture led Replete with food and courage, spurns the ground In confidence and pride, no sooner meets His wonted rider, than admits the rein; Such was Mardonius, when from Theban gates Masistius thus address'd him: Be inform'd, That Macedonia's sov'reign is arriv'd, With his fair consort. Her to Delphi's walls I guarded, there deliver'd to her lord, Who hath conducted fifty thousand Greeks In arms, auxiliar to thy camp. The queen, Now at a fabric old, to Dircè built, Close by her fountain, and beset with shade, Dwells in retreat, which careful thou avoid. But tell me, son of Gobryas, whither flown Was all thy magnanimity, when flames A second time laid stately Athens low? Though disappointed, couldst thou deem a crime Her constancy, refusing to betray A common cause? Mardonius, thou dost hope To conquer; why a city of renown, Which in her beauty would have grac'd our sway, Hast thou reduc'd to ashes? Oh! reflect, What fires of stern resistance and revenge This act hath lighted in such gallant hearts. That pow'r eternal, by the hallow'd name Of Horomazes worshipp'd in our clime, Who earth and seas and firmament controuls, With all therein, looks down not less on Greece, Than Persia, both his creatures. Just and wise, Intemp'rate deeds in either he resents.

Mardonius answer'd: By that pow'r I swear, Thou to a Grecian almost art transform'd By intercourse with yon religious hill Of thy admir'd Melissa. Do I blame? Ah! no; too awful art thou to incur My censure. O Masistius, I confess Thy genius purer, more sublime, than mine; I often err, thou never—But, dear friend, I am dejected ever when thou chid'st; Yet thee, my chiding monitor, should fate Snatch from Mardonius, he would rise no more.

I only seek to warn thee, not deject, Rejoins Masistius; turn to other cares; Greece is in arms; address thee to thy charge.

This said, to council they in Thebes proceed.