HERO AND LEANDER. SEEST thou yonder castles grey, Love alone they ne'er could shake. Hero and Leander's hearts With his fierce but pleasing smarts While Leander, in the chase, O'er the mountains boldly rov'd. But, cre long, parental wrath And the fruit by love brought forth See, on Sestos' rocky tower 'Gainst whose base with ceaseless power Hellespont's wild waters foam, Sits the maid, in sorrow lost, Looking tow'rd Abydos' coast, Where the lov'd one has his home. Ah, to that far-distant strand Bridge there was not to convey,— Not a bark was near at hand, Yet true love soon found the way. In the labyrinthine maze E'en the foolish makes he wise,Makes the savage monster bow,— To the adamantine plough Yokes the steers with flaming eyes. Styx, whose waters nine-times flow, Cannot bar his daring course; For from Pluto's house of woe Orpheus' bride he tore by force. Even through the boiling tide With deep longing's glowing spark Circled in her loving arms, As his bright reward at last; Wakes him from his vision blest, He must tempt the briny main Thirty suns had sped like this Ever young and ever fair, Who with daring hand has never Pluck'd the Heavenly fruits that grow On the brink of Hell's dark river. Hesper and Aurora bright Each, in turns, put forth their light, Winter fierce approach the spot. Joyfly they saw each day Lore and more it par reduce; For the right's now-lengthened sway, In their madness, they Zeus. Nicel-balanced, day and night, Held the scales of Heaven aright,— Gaz'd the gentle maid alone On the coursers of the sun, Hastening downwards through the sky. Still and calm the ocean lay, Like a pure, unsullied glass, Not a zephyr sought, in play, Dolphin-shoals, in joyous motion Gladly on the smiling sea Who thee false and faithless nam'd. Treach'rous is the human race, Cruel is my father's heart; Thou art mild and full of grace, And art mov'd by love's soft smart. "In these desert walls of stone Hadst not hither borne my friend. Dreaded though thy depths may be, Fierce the fury of thy wave, Love can ever soften thee, Thou art vanquish'd by the brave. "For the mighty dart of Love To thy realms from off his back. "As a Goddess,-happy lot! Hither bring my love to-day!" Dark the waters soon became, |