The Complete Poetical Works, vol 3 | Page 4

him by a deeper plan;?I'll pierce the Pythian temple-walls, though stout,?And sack the fane of everything I can--?Caldrons and tripods of great worth no doubt,?Each golden cup and polished brazen pan, _235 All the wrought tapestries and garments gay.'--?So they together talked;--meanwhile the Day
31.?Aethereal born arose out of the flood?Of flowing Ocean, bearing light to men.?Apollo passed toward the sacred wood, _240 Which from the inmost depths of its green glen?Echoes the voice of Neptune,--and there stood?On the same spot in green Onchestus then?That same old animal, the vine-dresser,?Who was employed hedging his vineyard there. _245
32.?Latona's glorious Son began:--'I pray?Tell, ancient hedger of Onchestus green,?Whether a drove of kine has passed this way,?All heifers with crooked horns? for they have been?Stolen from the herd in high Pieria, _250 Where a black bull was fed apart, between?Two woody mountains in a neighbouring glen,?And four fierce dogs watched there, unanimous as men.
33.?'And what is strange, the author of this theft?Has stolen the fatted heifers every one, _255 But the four dogs and the black bull are left:--?Stolen they were last night at set of sun,?Of their soft beds and their sweet food bereft.--?Now tell me, man born ere the world begun,?Have you seen any one pass with the cows?'-- _260 To whom the man of overhanging brows:
34.?'My friend, it would require no common skill?Justly to speak of everything I see:?On various purposes of good or ill?Many pass by my vineyard,--and to me _265 'Tis difficult to know the invisible?Thoughts, which in all those many minds may be:--?Thus much alone I certainly can say,?I tilled these vines till the decline of day,
35.?'And then I thought I saw, but dare not speak _270 With certainty of such a wondrous thing,?A child, who could not have been born a week,?Those fair-horned cattle closely following,?And in his hand he held a polished stick:?And, as on purpose, he walked wavering _275 From one side to the other of the road,?And with his face opposed the steps he trod.'
36.?Apollo hearing this, passed quickly on--?No winged omen could have shown more clear?That the deceiver was his father's son. _280 So the God wraps a purple atmosphere?Around his shoulders, and like fire is gone?To famous Pylos, seeking his kine there,?And found their track and his, yet hardly cold,?And cried--'What wonder do mine eyes behold! _285
37.?'Here are the footsteps of the horned herd?Turned back towards their fields of asphodel;--?But THESE are not the tracks of beast or bird,?Gray wolf, or bear, or lion of the dell,?Or maned Centaur--sand was never stirred _290 By man or woman thus! Inexplicable!?Who with unwearied feet could e'er impress?The sand with such enormous vestiges?
38.?'That was most strange--but this is stranger still!'?Thus having said, Phoebus impetuously _295 Sought high Cyllene's forest-cinctured hill,?And the deep cavern where dark shadows lie,?And where the ambrosial nymph with happy will?Bore the Saturnian's love-child, Mercury--?And a delightful odour from the dew _300 Of the hill pastures, at his coming, flew.
39.?And Phoebus stooped under the craggy roof?Arched over the dark cavern:--Maia's child?Perceived that he came angry, far aloof,?About the cows of which he had been beguiled; _305 And over him the fine and fragrant woof?Of his ambrosial swaddling-clothes he piled--?As among fire-brands lies a burning spark?Covered, beneath the ashes cold and dark.
40.?There, like an infant who had sucked his fill _310 And now was newly washed and put to bed,?Awake, but courting sleep with weary will,?And gathered in a lump, hands, feet, and head,?He lay, and his beloved tortoise still?He grasped and held under his shoulder-blade. _315 Phoebus the lovely mountain-goddess knew,?Not less her subtle, swindling baby, who
41.?Lay swathed in his sly wiles. Round every crook?Of the ample cavern, for his kine, Apollo?Looked sharp; and when he saw them not, he took _320 The glittering key, and opened three great hollow?Recesses in the rock--where many a nook?Was filled with the sweet food immortals swallow,?And mighty heaps of silver and of gold?Were piled within--a wonder to behold! _325
42.?And white and silver robes, all overwrought?With cunning workmanship of tracery sweet--?Except among the Gods there can be nought?In the wide world to be compared with it.?Latona's offspring, after having sought _330 His herds in every corner, thus did greet?Great Hermes:--'Little cradled rogue, declare?Of my illustrious heifers, where they are!
43.?'Speak quickly! or a quarrel between us?Must rise, and the event will be, that I _335 Shall hurl you into dismal Tartarus,?In fiery gloom to dwell eternally;?Nor shall your father nor your mother loose?The bars of that black dungeon--utterly?You shall be cast out from the light of day, _340 To rule the ghosts of men, unblessed as they.
44.?To whom thus Hermes slily answered:--'Son?Of great Latona, what a speech is this!?Why come you here to ask me what is done?With the wild oxen which it seems you miss? _345 I have not seen them, nor from any one?Have heard