Canto III (O'er plastic nature any change may…)

O'er plastic nature any change may come, Save that which seeks to crush the primal germ; And outward circumstance may breed within, A second nature which o'ercomes the first, But ne'er destroys, though dormant or subdued. More toil for him whose wandering fancies teem With too much life, and that vitality Which eats into itself; more toil of brain And limb, sole panacea for the change From tyrant senses to pure intellect. Wherefore, his work redoubled, Artemis Directs Orion's course; not as before With grave and all-subduing tenderness, While with white fingers midst his chestnut locks, In her speech pausing, gently would she hang Violets, as white as her own hands, and sprigs Of Cretan dittany, whose nodding spikes Flushed deeper pink beneath the sacred touch,— But with a penetrating influence And front austere, as suiting best the Queen Of maiden immortality. His soul Strove hard to ascend and leave the earth behind; And by the Goddess' guidance every hour Had its fixed duties. Husbandry of fields She taught those giant hands, and how to raise The sweetest herbs and roots, which now his food Became; nor taste and culture of the vine Permitted, nor of slaughtered kine the flesh, Nor forest boar, nor other thing that owns An animal life. Lastly, she taught his mind To reason on itself, far as the bounds Of sense external furnish images And types in attestation of each phase Of man's internal sphere—large orbit space For varied lights—and also shewed the way Rightly his complex knowledge to employ, And from their shadows trace substantial things, Things back again to shadows—thus evolving The principle of thought, from root to air.

2This done, the blossom and the fruit of all Was her prime truth, into each element Of his life's feelings and its acts, to instil: 'T was Love's divinest essence. In the soul, Central its altar's flame for ever burns Inviolate, and knowing not the change Which time and fate o'er all else in the world Bring speedily, or with a creeping film That hides decay. Ever at peace it dwells With its secure desires, which are soul-fed, Nor on idolatrous devotion made Dependent, nor on will and wayward moods Of others; 't is self-centred as a star, And in the music of the conscious nerves, Finds bliss, which e'en the slightest touch or look Of this magnetic passion can create, And render perfect. Nor doth absence break The links of ecstasy, which from a heart By heart are drawn, but 'midst the glare of day, The depths of night, alone or in a crowd, Imagination of love's balmy breath Can to the spirit fashion and expand Love's own pure rapture and delirium. To this fixed sublimation there belong No conflicts of pale doubts, anxieties, Mean jealousies, anguish of heart-crushed slaves, And forlorn faces looking out on seas Of coming madness, from the stony gaps Through which departed truth and bliss have fled; But high communion, and a rapturous sense Of passion's element, whereof all life Is made ; and therefore life should ne'er attain A mastery o'er its pure creative light.

2Midst chequered sunbeams through the glancing woods No more Orion hunted; from the dawn Till eve, within some lonely grot he sat, His thoughts reviewing, or beneath a rock Stood, back reclined, and watching the slow clouds, As doth a shepherd in a vacant mood. Oft to some highest peak would he ascend, And gaze below upon his giant friends, Who looked like moving spots, so dark and small; And oft, upon some green cliff ledge reclined, Watch with sad eye the jocund chase afar In the green landscape, where the quivering line Led by the stag—who drew its rout behind Of woodland shapes, confused as were their cries, And sparkling bodies of fleet-chasing hounds,— Passed like a magic picture, and was gone. His husbandry soon ceased; he hated toil Unvaried, ending always in itself, And to the Goddess pleaded thoughtful hours For his excuse, and indolent self-disgust. Small profit found his thought; his sympathies Were driven inward, and corroded there.

2Sometimes he wandered to the lowland fens, Where the wild mares toss their sharp manes in the blast, And scour through washy reeds and hollows damp— Hardened in after ages by long droughts; Arid and stony in the present time— And midst the elements he sought relief From inward tempests. Once for many hours, In silence, only broken from afar By the deep lowing of some straying herd, Moveless and without speech he watched a hind Weeding a marsh; a brutish clod, half built, Hog-faced and hog-backed with his daily toil, Mudded and root-stained by the steaming ooze, As he himself were some unnatural growth; Who yet, at times, whistled through broken fangs— "Happier than I, this hind," Orion thought.

2Once tow'rds the city outskirts strayed his steps, With a half purpose some relief to seek Midst haunts of men, and on the way he met A mastic-sifter with his fresh-oiled face. "O friend!" Orion said, "why dost thou walk With shining cheek so sadly in the sun?" Sighing, the melancholy man replied:— "The lentisk-trees have ceased to shed their gums; Their tears are changed for mine, since by that tree Myself and children live. My toil stands still. Hard lot for man, who something hath within More than a tree, and higher than its top, Or circling clouds, to live by a mere root And its dark graspings! Clearly I see this, And know how 't is that toil unequally Is shared on earth: but knowledge is not power To a poor man alone 'gainst all the world, Who, meantime, needs to eat. Like the hot springs That boil themselves away, and serve for nought, Which yet must have some office, rightly used, Man hath a secret source, for some great end, Which by delay seems wasted. Ignorance Chokes us, and time outwits us."—On he passed. "That soul hath greater cause for grief than I," Orion thought—yet not the less was sad.

2Away disconsolate the giant went, Now clambering forest slopes, now hurrying down Precipitous brakes, tearing the berried boughs For food, scarce tasted, and oft gathering husks, Or wind-eggs of strange birds dropt in the fens, To toss them in some rapid brook, and watch Their wavering flight. But now a tingling sound Wakes his dull ear!—a distant rising drone Upon the air, as of a wintry wind— And dry leaves rustle like a coming rain. The wind is here; and, following soon, descends A tempest, which relieves its rage in tears. Kneeling he stooped, and drank the hissing flood, And wished the Ogygian deluge were returned; Then sat in very wilfulness beside The banks while they o'erflowed, till starting up, Bounding he sought his early giant friends.

2Them, in their pastoral yet half savage haunts Found, as of yore, he with brief speech addressed, And bade them to an orgie on the plain, By rocks and forests amphitheatred. Such greeting high they with a gleeful roar Received, and forthwith rose to follow him, Save Akinetos, who seemed not to hear, But looked more grave still seated on a stone, While they betook them to the plains below.

2Thither at once they sped, and on the way Rhexergon tore down boughs, while Harpax slew Oxen and deer, more than was need; and soon On the green space Orion built the pile With cross logs, underwood, dry turf and ferns, And cast upon it fat of kine, and heaps Of crisp dry leaves; and fired the pile, and beat A hollow shield, and called the Bacchic train, Who brought their skins of wine, and loaded poles That bent with mighty clusters of black grapes Slung midway. In the blaze Orion threw Choice gums, and oil, that with explosion bright Of broad and lucid flame alarmed the sky, And fragrant spice, then set the Fauns to dance, While whirled the timbrels, and the reed-pipes blew A full-toned melody of mad delight. Down came the Mænads from the sun-brown hills, And flocked the laughing Nymphs of groves and brooks; With whom came Opis, singing to a lyre, And Sida, ivory-limbed and crowned with flowers. High swelled the orgie; and the roasting bulk Of bull and deer was scarce distinguishable 'Mid the loud-crackling boughs that sprawled in flame. Now richest odours rose, and filled the air— Made glittering with the cymbals spun on high Through jets of nectar upward cast in sport, And raging with songs and laughter and wild cries.

2In the first pause for breath and deeper draughts, A Faun who on a quiet green knoll sat Somewhat apart, sang a melodious ode, Made rich by harmonies of hidden strings, Unto bright Merope the island's pride, And daughter of the king; whereto a quire Gave chorus, and her beauties rare rehearsing, Wished that Orion shared with her the throne.

2The wine ran wastefully, and o'er the ears Of the tall jars that stood too near the fire, Bubbled and leapt, and streamed in crimsoning foam, Hot as the hissing sap of the green logs. But none took heed of that, nor anything. Thus song and feast, dance, and wild revelry, Succeeded; now in turn, now all at once Mingling tempestuously. In a blind whirl Around the fire Biastor dragged a rout In osier bands and garlands; Harpax fiercely The violet scarfs and autumn-tinted robes From Nymph and Mænad tore; and by the hoofs Autarces seized a Satyr, with intent, Despite his writhing freaks and furious face, To dash him on a gong, but that amidst The struggling mass Encolyon thrust a pine, Heavy and black as Charon's ferrying pole, O'er which they, like a bursting billow, fell.

2At length when night came folding round the scene, And golden lights grew red and terrible, Flashed torch and spear, while reed-pipes deeper blew Sonorous dirgings and melodious storm, And timbrels groaned and jangled to the tones Of high-sustaining horns,—then round the blaze, Their shadows brandishing afar and athwart Over the level space and up the hills, Six giants held portentous dance, nor ceased Till one by one in bare Bacchante arms, Brim-full of nectar, helplessly they rolled Deep down oblivion. Sleep absorbed their souls.

2Region of Dreams! ye seething procreant beds For germs of life's solidities and power; Whether ye render up from other spheres Our past or future beings to the ken Of this brief state; or, wiser, art designed, With all thy fleeting images confused, To scatter, during half our mortal hours, The concentrating passions and the thoughts Which else were madness; Oh maternal realm, Console each troubled heart!—with opiate hand Gently the senses charm, and lead astray The vulture thoughts by thy blest phantasies, Beckoning with vague yet irresistible smile!

2Sleep's God the prayer well pleased received, but said "Not such the meed of those who seek my courts Through Bacchanalian orgies." O'er the brain Of fallen Orion visions suitable Came with voluptuous gorgeousness, preceded By a dim ode; and as it nearer swelled, In rapturous beauty Merope swept by, Who on him gazed in ecstasy! He strove To rise—to speak—in vain. Yet still she gazed, And still he strove; till a voice cried in his ear, "Depart from Artemis!—she loves thee not— Thou art too full of earth! " He started awake! The piercing voice that cast him forth, still rang Within his soul; the vision of delight Still ached along each nerve; and slowly turning A look perplexed around the spectral air, Himself he found alone 'neath the cold sky Of day-break, midst black ashes and ruins drear.