The Complete Poetical Works, vol 3 | Page 3

resounding dell,?And flower-paven plains, great Hermes passed; _120 Till the black night divine, which favouring fell?Around his steps, grew gray, and morning fast?Wakened the world to work, and from her cell?Sea-strewn, the Pallantean Moon sublime?Into her watch-tower just began to climb. _125
17.?Now to Alpheus he had driven all?The broad-foreheaded oxen of the Sun;?They came unwearied to the lofty stall?And to the water-troughs which ever run?Through the fresh fields--and when with rushgrass tall, _130 Lotus and all sweet herbage, every one?Had pastured been, the great God made them move?Towards the stall in a collected drove.
18.?A mighty pile of wood the God then heaped,?And having soon conceived the mystery _135 Of fire, from two smooth laurel branches stripped?The bark, and rubbed them in his palms;--on high?Suddenly forth the burning vapour leaped?And the divine child saw delightedly.--?Mercury first found out for human weal _140 Tinder-box, matches, fire-irons, flint and steel.
19.?And fine dry logs and roots innumerous?He gathered in a delve upon the ground--?And kindled them--and instantaneous?The strength of the fierce flame was breathed around: _145 And whilst the might of glorious Vulcan thus?Wrapped the great pile with glare and roaring sound,?Hermes dragged forth two heifers, lowing loud,?Close to the fire--such might was in the God.
20.?And on the earth upon their backs he threw _150 The panting beasts, and rolled them o'er and o'er,?And bored their lives out. Without more ado?He cut up fat and flesh, and down before?The fire, on spits of wood he placed the two,?Toasting their flesh and ribs, and all the gore _155 Pursed in the bowels; and while this was done?He stretched their hides over a craggy stone.
21.?We mortals let an ox grow old, and then?Cut it up after long consideration,--?But joyous-minded Hermes from the glen _160 Drew the fat spoils to the more open station?Of a flat smooth space, and portioned them; and when?He had by lot assigned to each a ration?Of the twelve Gods, his mind became aware?Of all the joys which in religion are. _165
22.?For the sweet savour of the roasted meat?Tempted him though immortal. Natheless?He checked his haughty will and did not eat,?Though what it cost him words can scarce express,?And every wish to put such morsels sweet _170 Down his most sacred throat, he did repress;?But soon within the lofty portalled stall?He placed the fat and flesh and bones and all.
23.?And every trace of the fresh butchery?And cooking, the God soon made disappear, _175 As if it all had vanished through the sky;?He burned the hoofs and horns and head and hair,--?The insatiate fire devoured them hungrily;--?And when he saw that everything was clear,?He quenched the coal, and trampled the black dust, _180 And in the stream his bloody sandals tossed.
24.?All night he worked in the serene moonshine--?But when the light of day was spread abroad?He sought his natal mountain-peaks divine.?On his long wandering, neither Man nor God _185 Had met him, since he killed Apollo's kine,?Nor house-dog had barked at him on his road;?Now he obliquely through the keyhole passed,?Like a thin mist, or an autumnal blast.
25.?Right through the temple of the spacious cave _190 He went with soft light feet--as if his tread?Fell not on earth; no sound their falling gave;?Then to his cradle he crept quick, and spread?The swaddling-clothes about him; and the knave?Lay playing with the covering of the bed _195 With his left hand about his knees--the right?Held his beloved tortoise-lyre tight.
26.?There he lay innocent as a new-born child,?As gossips say; but though he was a God,?The Goddess, his fair mother, unbeguiled, _200 Knew all that he had done being abroad:?'Whence come you, and from what adventure wild,?You cunning rogue, and where have you abode?All the long night, clothed in your impudence??What have you done since you departed hence? _205
27.?'Apollo soon will pass within this gate?And bind your tender body in a chain?Inextricably tight, and fast as fate,?Unless you can delude the God again,?Even when within his arms--ah, runagate! _210 A pretty torment both for Gods and Men?Your father made when he made you!'--'Dear mother,'?Replied sly Hermes, 'wherefore scold and bother?
28.?'As if I were like other babes as old,?And understood nothing of what is what; _215 And cared at all to hear my mother scold.?I in my subtle brain a scheme have got,?Which whilst the sacred stars round Heaven are rolled?Will profit you and me--nor shall our lot?Be as you counsel, without gifts or food, _220 To spend our lives in this obscure abode.
29?'But we will leave this shadow-peopled cave?And live among the Gods, and pass each day?In high communion, sharing what they have?Of profuse wealth and unexhausted prey; _225 And from the portion which my father gave?To Phoebus, I will snatch my share away,?Which if my father will not--natheless I,?Who am the king of robbers, can but try.
30.?'And, if Latona's son should find me out, _230 I'll countermine