Thanksgiving-dances for the glad event, Whereupon all the friendly moralists Drew this conclusion: chirped, each beard to each: “Manifold are thy shapings, Providence! Many a hopeless matter Gods arrange. What we expected never came to pass: What we did not expect Gods brought to bear; So have things gone, this whole experience through!" Ah, but if you had seen the play itself! 695 700 They say, my poet failed to get the prize: Sophokles got the prize, great name! They say, 705 Model a new Admetos, a new wife: Success to him! One thing has many sides. The great name! But no good supplants a good, Nor beauty undoes beauty. Sophokles 710 Will carve and carry a fresh cup, brimful Of beauty and good, firm to the altar-foot, And glorify the Dionusiac shrine: Not clash against this crater in the place Where the God put it when his mouth had drained, 715 And praised Euripides forevermore The Human with his droppings of warm tears. TENNYSON. OENONE. THERE lies a vale in Ida, lovelier Than all the valleys of Ionian hills. The swimming vapor slopes athwart the glen, 5 In cataract after cataract to the sea. Behind the valley topmost Gargarus IO Stands up and takes the morning: but in front Of Paris, once her playmate on the hills. Her cheek had lost the rose, and round her neck 15 Floated her hair or seem'd to float in rest. She, leaning on a fragment twined with vine, 20 Sloped downward to her seat from the upper cliff. "O mother Ida, many-fountain'd Ida, 25 Rests like a shadow, and the winds are dead. My eyes are full of tears, my heart of love; Hear me, O Earth, hear me, O Hills, O Caves That house the cold crown'd snake! O mountain brooks, I am the daughter of a River-God, Hear me, for I will speak, and build up all My sorrow with my song, as yonder walls "O mother Ida, many-fountain'd Ida, 30 35 40 45 Beautiful Paris, evil-hearted Paris, Leading a jet-black goat white-horn'd, white-hooved, 50 Came up from reedy Simois all alone. "O mother Ida, harken ere I die. Far-off the torrent call'd me from the cleft: Far up the solitary morning smote The streaks of virgin snow. With downdropt eyes 55 I sat alone: white-breasted like a star Fronting the dawn he moved; a leopard skin Droop'd from his shoulder, but his sunny hair 60 And his cheek brighten'd as the foam-bow brightens "Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die. He smiled, and opening out his milk-white palm Beautiful-brow'd Enone, my own soul, Behold this fruit, whose gleaming rind ingrav'n For the most fair," would seem to award it thine, As lovelier than whatever Oread haunt The knolls of Ida, loveliest in all grace 65 70 And added This was cast upon the board, Of movement, and the charm of married brows.' "Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die. He prest the blossom of his lips to mine, 6 75 Rose feud, with question unto whom 't were due: 80 But light-foot Iris brought it yester-eve, Delivering, that to me, by common voice, Elected umpire, Heré comes to-day, Pallas and Aphrodité, claiming each This meed of fairest. Thou, within the cave 85 Behind yon whispering tuft of oldest pine, Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die. 90 Of this long glen. Then to the bower they came, Naked they came to that smooth-swarded bower, And at their feet the crocus brake like fire, Violet, amaracus, and asphodel, 95 Lotos and lilies: and a wind arose, And overhead the wandering ivy and vine, Ran riot, garlanding the gnarled boughs With bunch and berry and flower thro' and thro'. 100 "O mother Ida, harken ere I die. from many a vale And river-sunder'd champaign clothed with corn, 6 Honor,' she said, and homage, tax, and toll, 66 O mother Ida, harken ere I die. Still she spake on and still she spake of power, 6 Which in all action is the end of all; Power fitted to the season; wisdom-bred And throned of wisdom - from all neighbor crowns Fail from the sceptre-staff. Such boon from me, 105 110 115 120 From me, Heaven's Queen, Paris, to thee king-born, 125 Should come most welcome, seeing men, in power, "Dear mother Ida, harken ere I die. She ceased, and Paris held the costly fruit Out at arm's length, so much the thought of power 130 |