Dryden's Palamon and Arcite Part 9

Thou gladder of the mount of Cytheron, Increase of Jove, companion of the Sun, If e'er Adonis touched thy tender heart, Have pity, G.o.ddess, for thou knowest the smart!

Alas! I have not words to tell my grief; To vent my sorrow would be some relief; Light sufferings give us leisure to complain; We groan, but cannot speak, in greater pain.

O G.o.ddess, tell thyself what I would say!

Thou knowest it, and I feel too much to pray.

So grant my suit, as I enforce my might, In love to be thy champion and thy knight, A servant to thy s.e.x, a slave to thee, A foe professed to barren chast.i.ty: Nor ask I fame or honour of the field, Nor choose I more to vanquish than to yield: In my divine Emilia make me blest, Let Fate or partial Chance dispose the rest: Find thou the manner, and the means prepare; Possession, more than conquest, is my care.

Mars is the warrior's G.o.d; in him it lies On whom he favours to confer the prize; With smiling aspect you serenely move In your fifth orb, and rule the realm of love.

The Fates but only spin the coa.r.s.er clue, The finest of the wool is left for you: Spare me but one small portion of the twine, And let the Sisters cut below your line: The rest among the rubbish may they sweep, Or add it to the yarn of some old miser's heap.

But if you this ambitious prayer deny, (A wish, I grant; beyond mortality,) Then let me sink beneath proud Arcite's arms, And, I once dead, let him possess her charms."

Thus ended he; then, with observance due, The sacred incense on her altar threw: The curling smoke mounts heavy from the fires; At length it catches flame, and in a blaze expires; At once the gracious G.o.ddess gave the sign, Her statue shook, and trembled all the shrine: Pleased Palamon the tardy omen took; For since the flames pursued the trailing smoke, He knew his boon was granted, but the day To distance driven, and joy adjourned with long delay.

Now morn with rosy light had streaked the sky, Up rose the sun, and up rose Emily; Addressed her early steps to Cynthia's fane, In state attended by her maiden train, Who bore the vests that holy rites require, Incense, and odorous gums, and covered fire.

The plenteous horns with pleasant mead they crown Nor wanted aught besides in honour of the Moon.

Now, while the temple smoked with hallowed steam, They wash the virgin in a living stream; The secret ceremonies I conceal, Uncouth, perhaps unlawful to reveal: But such they were as pagan use required, Performed by women when the men retired, Whose eyes profane their chaste mysterious rites Might turn to scandal or obscene delights.

Well-meaners think no harm; but for the rest, Things sacred they pervert, and silence is the best.

Her shining hair, uncombed, was loosely spread, A crown of mastless oak adorned her head: When to the shrine approached, the spotless maid Had kindling fires on either altar laid; (The rites were such as were observed of old, By Statius in his Theban story told.) Then kneeling with her hands across her breast, Thus lowly she preferred her chaste request.

"O G.o.ddess, haunter of the woodland green, To whom both heaven and earth and seas are seen; Queen of the nether skies, where half the year Thy silver beams descend, and light the gloomy sphere; G.o.ddess of maids, and conscious of our hearts, So keep me from the vengeance of thy darts, (Which Niobe's devoted issue felt, When hissing through the skies the feathered deaths were dealt,)

"As I desire to live a virgin life, Nor know the name of mother or of wife.

Thy votress from my tender years I am, And love, like thee, the woods and sylvan game.

Like death, thou knowest, I loathe the nuptial state, And man, the tyrant of our s.e.x, I hate, A lowly servant, but a lofty mate; Where love is duty on the female side, On theirs mere sensual gust, and sought with surly pride.

Now by thy triple shape, as thou art seen In heaven, earth, h.e.l.l, and everywhere a queen, Grant this my first desire; let discord cease, And make betwixt the rivals lasting peace: Quench their hot fire, or far from me remove The flame, and turn it on some other love; Or if my frowning stars have so decreed, That one must be rejected, one succeed, Make him my lord, within whose faithful breast Is fixed my image, and who loves me best.

But oh! even that avert! I choose it not, But take it as the least unhappy lot.

A maid I am, and of thy virgin train; Oh, let me still that spotless name retain!

Frequent the forests, thy chaste will obey, And only make the beasts of chase my prey!"

The flames ascend on either altar clear, While thus the blameless maid addressed her prayer.

When lo! the burning fire that shone so bright Flew off, all sudden, with extinguished light, And left one altar dark, a little s.p.a.ce, Which turned self-kindled, and renewed the blaze; That other victor-flame a moment stood, Then fell, and lifeless, left the extinguished wood; For ever lost, the irrevocable light Forsook the blackening coals, and sunk to night: At either end it whistled as it flew, And as the brands were green, so dropped the dew, Infected as it fell with sweat of sanguine hue.

The maid from that ill omen turned her eyes, And with loud shrieks and clamours rent the skies; Nor knew what signified the boding sign, But found the powers displeased, and feared the wrath divine.

Then shook the sacred shrine, and sudden light Sprung through the vaulted roof, and made the temple bright.

The Power, behold! the Power in glory shone, By her bent bow and her keen arrows known; The rest, a huntress issuing from the wood, Reclining on her cornel spear she stood.

Then gracious thus began: "Dismiss thy fear, And Heaven's unchanged decrees attentive hear: More powerful G.o.ds have torn thee from my side, Unwilling to resign, and doomed a bride; The two contending knights are weighed above; One Mars protects, and one the Queen of Love: But which the man is in the Thunderer's breast; This he p.r.o.nounced, 'Tis he who loves thee best.'

The fire that, once extinct, revived again Foreshows the love allotted to remain.

Farewell!" she said, and vanished from the place; The sheaf of arrows shook, and rattled in the case.

Aghast at this, the royal virgin stood, Disclaimed, and now no more a sister of the wood: But to the parting G.o.ddess thus she prayed: "Propitious still, be present to my aid, Nor quite abandon your once favoured maid."

Then sighing she returned; but smiled betwixt, With hopes, and fears, and joys with sorrows mixt.

The next returning planetary hour of Mars, who shared the heptarchy of power, His steps bold Arcite to the temple bent, To adorn with pagan rites the power armipotent: Then prostrate, low before his altar lay, And raised his manly voice, and thus began, to pray: "Strong G.o.d of Arms, whose iron sceptre sways The freezing North, and Hyperborean seas, And Scythian colds, and Thracia's wintry coast, Where stand thy steeds, and thou art honoured most: There most, but everywhere thy power is known, The fortune of the fight is all thy own: Terror is thine, and wild amazement, flung From out thy chariot, withers even the strong; And disarray and shameful rout ensue, And force is added to the fainting crew.

Acknowledged as thou art, accept my prayer!

If aught I have achieved deserve thy care, If to my utmost power with sword and shield I dared the death, unknowing how to yield, And falling in my rank, still kept the field; Then let my arms prevail, by thee sustained, That Emily by conquest may be gained.

Have pity on my pains; nor those unknown To Mars, which, when a lover, were his own.

Venus, the public care of all above, Thy stubborn heart has softened into love: Now, by her blandishments and powerful charms, When yielded she lay curling in thy arms, Even by thy shame, if shame it may be called, When Vulcan had thee in his net enthralled; O envied ignominy, sweet disgrace, When every G.o.d that saw thee wished thy place!

By those dear pleasures, aid my arms in fight, And make me conquer in my patron's right: For I am young, a novice in the trade, The fool of love, unpractised to persuade, And want the soothing arts that catch the fair, But, caught my self, lie struggling in the snare; And she I love or laughs at all my pain Or knows her worth too well, and pays me with disdain.

For sure I am, unless I win in arms, To stand excluded from Emilia's charms: Nor can my strength avail, unless by thee Endued with force I gain the victory; Then for the fire which warmed thy generous heart, Pity thy subject's pains and equal smart.

So be the morrow's sweat and labour mine, The palm and honour of the conquest thine: Then shall the war, and stern debate, and strife Immortal be the business of my life; And in thy fane, the dusty spoils among, High on the burnished roof, my banner shall be hung, Ranked with my champion's bucklers; and below, With arms reversed, the achievements of my foe; And while these limbs the vital spirit feeds, While day to night and night to day succeeds, Thy smoking altar shall be fat with food Of incense and the grateful steam of blood; Burnt-offerings morn and evening shall be thine, And fires eternal in thy temple shine.

The bush of yellow beard, this length of hair, Which from my birth inviolate I bear, Guiltless of steel, and from the razor free, Shall fall a plenteous crop, reserved for thee.

So may my arms with victory be blest, I ask no more; let Fate dispose the rest."

The champion ceased; there followed in the close A hollow groan; a murmuring wind arose; The rings of iron, that on the doors were hung, Sent out a jarring sound, and harshly rung: The bolted gates blew open at the blast, The storm rushed in, and Arcite stood aghast: The flames were blown aside, yet shone they bright, Fanned by the wind, and gave a ruffled light.

Then from the ground a scent began to rise, Sweet smelling as accepted sacrifice: This omen pleased, and as the flames aspire, With odorous incense Arcite heaps the fire: Nor wanted hymns to Mars or heathen charms: At length the nodding statue clashed his arms, And with a sullen sound and feeble cry, Half sunk and half p.r.o.nounced the word of Victory.

For this, with soul devout, he thanked the G.o.d, And, of success secure, returned to his abode.

These vows, thus granted, raised a strife above Betwixt the G.o.d of War and Queen of Love.

She, granting first, had right of time to plead; But he had granted too, nor would recede.

Jove was for Venus, but he feared his wife, And seemed unwilling to decide the strife: Till Saturn from his leaden throne arose, And found a way the difference to compose: Though sparing of his grace, to mischief bent, He seldom does a good with good intent.

Wayward, but wise; by long experience taught, To please both parties, for ill ends, he sought: For this advantage age from youth has won, As not to be outridden, though outrun.

By fortune he was now to Venus trined, And with stern Mars in Capricorn was joined: Of him disposing in his own abode, He soothed the G.o.ddess, while he gulled the G.o.d: "Cease, daughter, to complain, and stint the strife; Thy Palamon shall have his promised wife: And Mars, the lord of conquest, in the fight With palm and laurel shall adorn his knight.

Wide is my course, nor turn I to my place, Till length of time, and move with tardy pace.

Man feels me when I press the etherial plains; My hand is heavy, and the wound remains.

Mine is the shipwreck in a watery sign; And in an earthy the dark dungeon mine.

Cold shivering agues, melancholy care, And bitter blasting winds, and poisoned air, Are mine, and wilful death, resulting from despair.

The throttling quinsey 'tis my star appoints, And rheumatisms I send to rack the joints: When churls rebel against their native prince, I arm their hands, and furnish the pretence; And housing in the lion's hateful sign, Bought senates and deserting troops are mine.

Mine is the privy poisoning; I command Unkindly seasons and ungrateful land.

By me kings' palaces are pushed to ground, And miners crushed beneath their mines are found.

'Twas I slew Samson, when the pillared hall Fell down, and crushed the many with the fall.

My looking is the sire of pestilence, That sweeps at once the people and the prince.

Now weep no more, but trust thy grandsire's art, Mars shall be pleased, and thou perform thy part.

'Tis ill, though different your complexions are, The family of Heaven for men should war."

The expedient pleased, where neither lost his right; Mars had the day, and Venus had the night.

The management they left to Chronos' care.

Now turn we to the effect, and sing the war.

In Athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play, All proper to the spring and sprightly May: Which every soul inspired with such delight, 'Twas justing all the day, and love at night.

Heaven smiled, and gladded was the heart of man; And Venus had the world as when it first began.

At length in sleep their bodies they compose, And dreamt the future fight, and early rose.

Now scarce the dawning day began to spring, As at a signal given, the streets with clamours ring: At once the crowd arose; confused and high, Even from the heaven was heard a shouting cry, For Mars was early up, and roused the sky.

The G.o.ds came downward to behold the wars, Sharpening their sights, and leaning from their stars.

The neighing of the generous horse was heard, For battle by the busy groom prepared: Rustling of harness, rattling of the shield, Clattering of armour, furbished for the field.

Crowds to the castle mounted up the street; Battering the pavement with their coursers' feet: The greedy sight might there devour the gold Of glittering arms, too dazzling to behold: And polished steel that cast the view aside, And crested morions, with their plumy pride.

Knights, with a long retinue of their squires, In gaudy liveries march, and quaint attires.

One laced the helm, another held the lance; A third the shining buckler did advance.

The courser pawed the ground with restless feet, And snorting foamed, and champed the golden bit.

The smiths and armourers on palfreys ride, Files in their hands, and hammers at their side, And nails for loosened spears and thongs for shields provide.

The yeomen guard the streets in seemly bands; And clowns come crowding on, with cudgels in their hands.

The trumpets, next the gate, in order placed, Attend the sign to sound the martial blast: The palace yard is filled with floating tides, And the last comers bear the former to the sides.

The throng is in the midst; the common crew Shut out, the hall admits the better few.

In knots they stand, or in a rank they walk, Serious in aspect, earnest in their talk; Factious, and favouring this or t'other side, As their strong fancies and weak reason guide; Their wagers back their wishes; numbers hold With the fair freckled king, and beard of gold: So vigorous are his eyes, such rays they cast, So prominent his eagle's beak is placed.

But most their looks on the black monarch bend; His rising muscles and his brawn commend; His double-biting axe, and beamy spear, Each asking a gigantic force to rear.

All spoke as partial favour moved the mind; And, safe themselves, at others' cost divined.

Waked by the cries, the Athenian chief arose, The knightly forms of combat to dispose; And pa.s.sing through the obsequious guards, he sate Conspicuous on a throne, sublime in state; There, for the two contending knights he sent; Armed cap-a-pie, with reverence low they bent; He smiled on both, and with superior look Alike their offered adoration took.

The people press on every side to see Their awful Prince, and hear his high decree.

Then signing to their heralds with his hand, They gave his orders from their lofty stand.

Silence is thrice enjoined; then thus aloud The king-at-arms bespeaks the knights and listening crowd: "Our sovereign lord has pondered in his mind The means to spare the blood of gentle kind; And of his grace and inborn clemency He modifies his first severe decree, The keener edge of battle to rebate, The troops for honour fighting, not for hate.

He wills, not death should terminate their strife, And wounds, if wounds ensue, be short of life; But issues, ere the fight, his dread command, That slings afar, and poniards hand to hand, Be banished from the field; that none shall dare With shortened sword to stab in closer war; But in fair combat fight with manly strength, Nor push with biting point, but strike at length.