The Athenaid

Three days transport Cleander and his friends; Timoxenus admits such welcome guests, Who bring new succours. From Chalcidic walls Th' Athenian chief was absent. With a pace Unstable yet, a calm, but languid mien, To grace her father's board Acanthè leaves Her chamber; pale, but fragrant as the rose, Which bears the hue of lilies, she descends. Her soon the Carian, mindful of his charge, Thus with Timothea's salutation greets:

A costly bracelet, from her beauteous arm Th' espous'd of great Themistocles unclasp'd On my departure, and in words like these, Of gracious tone, deliver'd to my care: "Bear this to Chalcis, to Acanthè give; "Say how I prize her elevated mind, "Enabling my Themistocles to quell "The hateful breed of tyrants. Further say, "The man engaging her connubial hand "I should esteem the favourite of gods."

Timoxenus is pleas'd; Acanthè's cheeks A burning blush of perturbation feel. Not soon recov'ring from a start of thought At the first mention of Timothea's name, She took, she kiss'd the present, and disguis'd Her conscious trouble under busy care To fix the bracelet in its lovely seat.

The guests are plac'd around; her presence charms The banquet. Though the lustre of her eyes Grief had eclips'd and sickness, though her mouth Had lost the ruby tinct and pleasing flow, By melancholy silence long confin'd, Her gestures speak the graces of her soul.

Troezene's captain, lively as the lark Whose trill preludes to nature's various voice, Begins discourse: Perhaps, accomplish'd fair, Thou dost not know the messenger, who brought Timothea's present, Haliartus styl'd; He is deriv'd from Lygdamis, a name, Ionia boasts. His daughter, Caria's queen, Fam'd Artemisia, heroine of Mars, Calls Haliartus brother; but from Greece Could never alienate his truth. His sword From violation, in his first essay Against Barbarian multitudes, preserv'd Bright Amarantha, consort to the king Of Macedon, more noble in her sire, Who sits beside thee, Timon, Delphi's priest. Then Medon: How unwilling do I check Our social converse. Generous host, no tongue Can duly praise thy hospitable roof; Yet we must leave its pleasures; Time forbids Our longer stay. Two thousand Locrian spears, Three hundred Delphians Atalantè holds; Them Aeschylus arriving will expect To find in Chalcis. Gladly shall I hail, Timoxenus rejoins, your quick return, To guard these walls. Themistocles is march'd To conquer Aegae, rather to redeem Her state aggriev'd, which courts his guardian hand.

Sicinus here: Illustrious men, farewell; In Aegae soon Themistocles shall know Of your arrival. Instant he began, All night pursu'd his course, and saw the morn Shine on that city yielded to his lord. To him Sicinus counts the pow'rful aids Expected, large of Aristides speaks, Large of Timothea; in a rapt'rous style Dwells on her wish for amity to bind The two Cecropian heroes. Glad replies Themistocles: On every new event She rises lovelier, more endear'd; her worth Shall meliorate her husband. I obey, Content on this wide universe to see Myself the second, Aristides first; For still he tow'rs above me. Didst thou say, Cleander, Medon, were already come, That Aeschylus was coming? All their force I want, Sicinus; listen to my tale.

Last night an ancient personage, unknown, In length of beard most awful, not unlike Tisander, ask'd an audience, and obtain'd My private ear. Themistocles, he said, If I deliver tidings, which import Thy present safety, and thy future weal, I shall exact thy promise in the name Of all the gods and goddesses to wave Enquiry, whence I come, or who I am. First know, that Mindarus, the Persian chief In Oreus, newly for Thessalia's coast Embark'd, whose neighb'ring Pagasaean cape Looks on Euboea. He this day return'd, And reinforcement from Mardonius brought, Ten thousand spears. Thessalia hath supply'd Three thousand more. An army huge defends Th' Orēan circuit. Further be inform'd That sev'n Geraestian homicides are sworn To thy destruction. By their secret wiles The house of rich Timoxenus was fir'd; Them in the field hereafter, all combin'd Against thy head, their sable arms will shew; The hideous impress on their shields is death. Farewell, thou hero; if my parting step Thou trace, farewell for ever; else be sure Again to see me in thy greatest need.

In mystery, Sicinus, not of heav'n, But human art, immers'd is some event, Which mocks my utmost fathom; but my course Is plain. In fruitless search I waste no thought, Who, as my servant, smiling fortune use, Nor yet am hers, Sicinus, when she frowns. Now mark: One passage winds among the hills Encircling Oreus. When the vanquish'd foe Her bulwarks sought for shelter, I detach'd Eretrian Cleon, Hyacinthus brave, And with Carystian bands Nicanor staid, Who unoppos'd the strong defile secur'd; There shall my banner, strengthen'd by the youth Of Aegae, soon be planted; there shall wait, Till each auxiliar, thou hast nam'd, arrive, Then pour on Demonax the storm of war. Let Troezen's squadron and th' Athenian ride Before his port, Cleander have the charge. Speed back to Chalcis; publish these resolves.

They part. Not long Themistocles delay'd To gain the mountains; nor three days were pass'd When brave Nearchus, Haliartus bold, Th' illustrious brothers of Oïlean race, Great Aeschylus and Timon, with their bands Arriv'd, and join'd him at the strong defile Which now contain'd his whole collected force. Thence he descended on a morning fair, First of that month, which frequent sees the sun Through vernal show'rs, distill'd from tepid clouds, Diffuse prolific beams o'er moisten'd earth To dress her lap, exuberant and fresh, With flow'rs and verdure. Terrible the bands Succeeding bands expatiate o'er the fields. So when an earthquake rives a mountain's side, Where stagnant water, gather'd and confin'd Within a deep vacuity of rock, For centuries hath slept, releas'd, the floods In roaring cataracts impetuous fall; They roll before them shepherds and their flocks, Herds and their keepers; cottage, fold and stall, Promiscuous ruins floating on the stream, Are borne to plains remote. Now Oreus lifts Her stately tow'rs in sight. Three myriads arm'd Before the walls hath Demonax arrang'd In proud defiance. So, at first o'erthrown, Antaeus huge, uprising in his might Fresh and redoubled by his parent earth, Return'd to combat with Alcmena's seed.

Wide stretch'd th' Orēan van; the wary son Of Neocles to equal that extent Spread his inferiour number. By a front Not depth of line the tyrant he deceiv'd; But of Athenian veterans he form'd A square battalion, which the martial bard Rang'd on the sea-beat verge; the other wing Is Medon's charge, where thirty shields in file Compose the Locrian column. Ere the word Is giv'n for onset, thus his wonted guard Themistocles addresses: If a troop In sable cuirass, and with shields impress'd By death's grim figure, at my head should aim, Let them assail me; be it then your care, Postponing other duty, to surround, To seize and bear them captives from the fight.

He march'd; himself the cent'ral phalanx led; The floating crimson of his plumage known, Minerva's bird his crest, whose terrors shook The bloody field of Chalcis, soon proclaim Themistocles. Now targets clash with shields; Barbarian sabres with Cecropian swords, Euboean spears with spears in sudden shock, Bellona mingles. Medon first o'erthrew Thessalia's line, his temp'rate mind was stung By indignation; Timon bath'd his lance In their perfidious blood; Leonteus gor'd Their dissipated ranks. A chosen troop To their assistance Lamachus advanc'd; Him Haliartus met; his sinewy arm, Which could have quell'd Lycaon, first of wolves, The Erymanthian, or Aetolian boar, Smote to the ground the miscreant's bulk deform'd, Whose band, recoiling, leave the victor space To drag him captive. Rout and carnage sweep That shatter'd wing before th' Oïlean swords; Not with less vigour Aeschylus o'erturn'd The other. Mindarus in vain oppos'd Undaunted efforts. Pallas seem'd to fire Her own Athenians; Neptune, in the shape Of Aeschylus, seem'd landed from his conch To war, as once on Troy's Sigaean strand; Or to have arm'd the warrior-poet's grasp With that strong weapon, which can rock the earth. Not in the center suddenly prevail'd Themistocles; the sev'n Geraestians, leagu'd By hell, combining their assassin points Against the hero, for a while delay'd His progress; firmly their united blows His shield receiv'd. So Hercules endur'd The sev'nfold stroke of Hydra; but the zeal Of Iolaüs to assist that god In his tremendous labour, was surpass'd By each Athenian, each Laconian guard, Who never left Themistocles. They watch'd The fav'ring moment; with a hundred spears They hedg'd the traitors round, forbade escape, Clasp'd and convey'd them living from the field.

Still Demonax resists; while near him tow'rs Ariobarzanes, moving rock of war In weight and stature. Of Euboeans, forc'd By savage pow'r to battle, numbers low'r Surrend'ring banners, some to Cleon, some To humble Styra's well-conducted sword, And thine, sad youth, a while by glory taught To strive with anguish, and suspend despair, Cleora's husband. Mindarus appears, Who warns the tyrant timely to retreat, Ere quite envelop'd by the wheeling files Of Aeschylus and Medon. Lo! in front, More dang'rous still, amid selected ranks, Themistocles. The monster gnash'd his teeth; His impious voice, with execrations hoarse, Assail'd the heav'nly thrones; his buckler firm He grasp'd, receding to th' Orēan wall; Where, under vaulted sheets of missive arms Whirl'd on his fierce pursuers, through the gates He rush'd to shelter. Thus a mighty boar, Of Calydonian strength, long held at bay, The hunter's point evading, and the fangs Of staunchest hounds, with undiminish'd ire Red in his eyes, and foaming from his jaws, Impetuous plunges in accustom'd woods.

Th' Athenian chief, who sees th' incessant storms Of darts and arrows from the rampart's height, Retreats; but swift his numbers, now enlarg'd By yielding thousands of Euboean race, Distributes round th' invested town to guard Each avenue and station. From the sea Cleander threatens. In his evening tent The gen'ral views the captives; frowns condemn The sev'n Geraestians to their former chains. The hero smiles on Lamachus, the prize Of Haliartus, and familiar thus:

Again, my Tyrian trafficker in slaves, I greet thee: Son of Lygdamis, what praise To thy distinguish'd efforts is not due? This precious head to my disposal yield. He then proceeds to Lamachus apart:

Now take thy freedom, villain; to my use See thou employ it, else expect to die. Your land, remember, and your sea are mine; Soon on the head of Demonax this arm Shall dash yon bulwarks; what I speak is fate. Thou hast thy option, go. Sicinus, hear; This man is free; conduct him through the camp.

Now from his friends sequester'd, on a couch, Which never care disturbs, he slept till dawn, When, rous'd by heralds from the town, again The leaders he conven'd. Before them came Arbactus, fierce Barbarian, who began:

Themistocles of Athens, in the name Of Mindarus the Persian, I defy Thy arm to combat in the listed field; The same defiance to thy boldest chiefs Ariobarzanes sends. If you prevail, The royal host shall quit Euboea's isle, Which shall submit to Xerxes if you fall.

Up Hyacinthus, Haliartus, start Indignant. First the young Carystian spake:

Are they so gross in ignorance to hope, Themistocles will stoop to single fight With twice-o'erthrown Barbarians, who, unsafe Behind a rampart, tremble at his pow'r? But if the Persian Mindarus would try A Grecian's single valour, O permit, Themistocles, thy soldier to assert The Grecian fame. The friend of Medon next:

The same permission I implore, O chief, Invincible thyself; that all this host May witness my fidelity to Greece.

Themistocles subjoins: Barbarian, go, Provide thy champions; ours thou seest prepar'd For honour, not decision of the doom Reserv'd for Demonax; whose final lot Lies in my breast alone. The herald back To Oreus speeds. The prudent chief pursues:

My Hyacinthus, all thy wrongs I feel; But, if resentment can afford the grace I ask thee, lend to policy thy arm: Take Mindarus thy captive. From thy proofs Of might and firmness, Haliartus brave, My wish is lifted high in hope to see Ariobarzanes gasping at thy feet.

He rises. Straight embattled on the plain, His army shews a formidable gleam To Demonax. Still num'rous for defence Barbarian warriors, and Thessalian, throng The battlements of Oreus. Through the gates, In solemn pace and slow, a herald train Precede their champions. Heralds from the camp Produce th' illustrious Haliartus clad In richest arms, the gift of Caria's queen; A twig of flend'rest laurel, twisted round A shepherd's crook, in portraiture adorn'd His modest buckler. Grim his foe advanc'd In mail blood-colour'd, with a targe of gold, Ariobarzanes. Hyacinthus next Appears in tried habiliments of war, Which on his dearest patron Mars had seen In Marathonian fields. A plumage black, Denoting grief, he carries; on his shield A female image, and the form of Death, Who blasts her graces. Mindarus approach'd In armour studded bright with orient gems; His buckler too a shape of beauty pale, Stretch'd on a fun'ral pyre, exhibits sad; Of pearl her limbs, of rubies were the flames. Ere they engage, the Persian warrior thus:

Since my encounter, whether through disdain Or policy I know not, is refus'd By your commander, not through fear I know, Do thou in courtesy disclose thy name, Thy rank in Grecian armies. May'st thou prove In lustre such as Mindarus would chuse To be th' opponent of a satrap's arm.

Then tremble, satrap, at my name, the name Of Hyacinthus, fierce the youth returns; Cleora's husband, whom thy barb'rous love Hath wrong'd, whom hell-born Demonax hath damn'd To ever-during torment, shakes this lance, By vengeance pointed and invet'rate hate.

Young man, rejoins the Persian, on thy grief I drop a pitying tear, while thou dost wrong Me clear of wrong to thee. No barb'rous love Was mine; unconscious of your nuptial tie, Till she confess'd it to her savage sire, My flame was holy; not a thought impure To violate a right could taint my breast. But that I lov'd her, Hyacinthus, sure He, who her dear perfections knew so well, Must wave his wonder; that her fate o'erwhelms My spirit, never to revive, I feel; That my disastrous passion caus'd her doom, Blame both our fortunes, not my guiltless heart. If yet thy anguish can a moment look Compassionate on me—but I forgive Unjust reproaches from a grief like thine, Which should, which must exceed my own, my own Exceeding after thine all other woe.

Now Hyacinthus melted, but observ'd, That during this sad interview the spear Of Haliartus at his feet had laid Ariobarzanes dead. Heart-stung by shame At his inaction, with so many chiefs, With such an army, and the godlike son Of Neocles spectators, he begins The fight, but recollects that friend's request. The Persian more effeminate desponds At past defeats, and present grief renew'd, Whose weight, though lighter, he less firmly bore, Than did the hardy Greek his heavier share Of woe. Yet fearless he maintains the strife With native force devoid of gymnic skill, In which confiding Hyacinthus oft Inverts his spear, and levels bloodless strokes, Still vigilant to ward the hostile point, Oft o'er his buckler glancing, though impell'd By active strength. At last a pond'rous blow Full on the Persian's front descends; a groan Is heard throughout the rampart as he falls; The groan redoubles, as the victor bears That leader captive to th' investing camp.

To his own tent Themistocles admits The Persian's batter'd, but unwounded limbs; He praises Hyacinthus; he consoles The noble foe, commends to healing rest, And at returning morn salutes him thus:

If thee unransom'd, Mindarus, I send To Oreus, canst thou pity her estate Curs'd in a monster? Canst thou feel the wound Of thy own glory longer to support The worst of men, excluded by his crimes From heav'n's protection, and the laws of faith? Wilt thou, to spare whole rivulets of blood Greek and Barbarian, render to my arms The town, and thus procure thyself a name To live for ever, by a righteous act, Delighting gods and mortals? Thee my ships Shall land in safety on thy native shore; The king will praise thee for his army sav'd, Which shall partake my clemency. Reject All hope, good Persian, to withstand my arm; I am Themistocles. The satrap starts From languor thus: Athenian, I confess Thy greatness, thy ascendency have felt; But will endure, whate'er a victor's pow'r Inflicts on captives, rather than pollute My loyal faith to Xerxes; from my king I took my charge, and never will betray. The crimes of Demonax I know; myself Have prov'd their horrors in Cleora's fate, I lov'd, ador'd her excellence; her thread His impious rage dissever'd; on her tomb My tears have daily flow'd. Retain me still Thy captive, never to revisit more Her father's hateful mansion. Heav'n permit, By thy vindictive arm, but heav'n forbid, That ever by disloyalty of mine, Th' infernal author of her death may fall.

The barbarism of loyalty, which binds Men to a monarch, but the monarch leaves Free to his lusts, his cruelty and rage, Th' enlighten'd Greek despis'd, yet now deplor'd In one by nature gifted to deserve A better lot from heav'n. Not less aware Of democratic jealousy, which hurls From fortune's summit heroes to the dust, He press'd no further, cautious not to wound A gallant mind, whose friendship won he meant To use in wants, such fortune might create. He leaves Sicinus near him; while his care Exhausts the light in traversing the camp To view the works. His evening orders hold Each band in arms; while anxious in his tent He sits deep-musing, whether to attempt The town that night by storm, or patient wait For some event less bloody, casual boon Of time and fortune. Wasteful is delay, But precious too his soldiers; such brave lives The full completion of his vast design Requires. Thus, dubious, till the second watch Throughout the camp is toll'd, and clouded heav'n Drops down her sable veil, he sits; when lo! Before him stands his monitor unknown, The venerable figure, which he saw At Aegae. Staid Sicinus is the guide, Who swift retires, but watches faithful nigh.

Themistocles, the stranger solemn spake; Thee I have trusted, thou hast trusted me, Nor either hath repented. Who I am, Now learn. By friendship's sacred ties, by blood To thy best friend Eudora I am bound, Elephenor am call'd, pontific seer Of Jupiter in Oreus. Timely warn'd By her most urgent mandate to repose All confidence in thee, and lend my aid, Nor less admonish'd by Tisander sage, I help'd thee first with counsel; now I bring Effectual succour. Demonax, though foil'd, Hath still a pow'rful remnant of his host To man his walls, and desp'rate will defend. Select two thousand spears; avoid delay; A secret passage, known to holy steps Alone, o'er town and tyrant will complete Thy bloodless conquest. Swift the Attic chief:

O father! sacred in my ear the sound Of good Tisander's, great Eudora's names; Thy former warnings I have prov'd sincere To merit gratitude and trust. He calls Sicinus, bids him summon all the chiefs Of Locris and Carystus; they appear. To Hyacinthus and Nicanor then Themistocles: Attend with all your bands This rev'rend guide; intelligence transmit As you advance. His orders are perform'd. Next he exhorts th' Oilean brethren thus, Nor passes favour'd Haliartus by:

You with your Locrians follow to support These friends, lest ambush and deception lurk Beneath a promise of assur'd success.

This said, himself forth issues to prepare The gen'ral host for action, ev'n that night, If fair occasion summons, when he meets Troezene's leader. Is Cleander here, Themistocles began? Momentous sure, The cause which sends thee from thy naval charge.

To him Cleander: Anchor'd as I lay, A slender skiff, when darkness first prevail'd, Approach'd my galley. To an earnest suit For conference I listen'd, and receiv'd On board a man of Oreus, all in limbs Deform'd, in lineaments all rude, whose name Is Lamachus. To render up this night A sep'rate fort he proffers, which commands The town and harbour, if thy faith be pledg'd Him and Thessalia's garrison to land Safe on her neighb'ring coast. Thy will to learn I come, he waits. His proffer I accept, Rejoins th' alert Athenian, and the doom, I had prepar'd for those degen'rate Greeks, Postpone. Cleander to his station flies. Serene th' Athenian in array contains His army cool, with expectation mute. So, in deceitful quiet oft the main Before the glazing light of Dian spreads A mirrour smooth; the ruler of the winds Anon from troubled clouds, and ocean's god From his tempestuous chariot, give the sign For wild commotion; then the surging brine Assails the loftiest tops of reeling masts, Foams on the rocks, and deluges the beach.