Gebir Part 4

Dalica stepped, and felt beneath her feet The slippery floor, with mouldered dust bestrewn; But Myrthyr seized with bare bold-sinewed arm The grey cerastes, writhing from her grasp, And twisted off his horn, nor feared to squeeze The viscous poison from his glowing gums.

Nor wanted there the root of stunted shrub Which he lays ragged, hanging o'er the sands, And whence the weapons of his wrath are death: Nor the blue urchin that with clammy fin Holds down the tossing vessel for the tides.

Together these her scient hand combined, And more she added, dared I mention more.

Which done, with words most potent, thrice she dipped The reeking garb; thrice waved it through the air: She ceased; and suddenly the creeping wool Shrunk up with crisped dryness in her hands.

"Take this," she cried, "and Gebir is no more."

SIXTH BOOK.

Now to Aurora borne by dappled steeds, The sacred gate of orient pearl and gold, Smitten with Lucifer's light silver wand, Expanded slow to strains of harmony: The waves beneath in purpling rows, like doves Glancing with wanton coyness tow'rd their queen, Heaved softly; thus the damsel's bosom heaves When from her sleeping lover's downy cheek, To which so warily her own she brings Each moment nearer, she perceives the warmth Of coming kisses fanned by playful dreams.

Ocean and earth and heaven was jubilee.

For 'twas the morning pointed out by Fate When an immortal maid and mortal man Should share each other's nature knit in bliss.

The brave Iberians far the beach o'erspread Ere dawn with distant awe; none hear the mew, None mark the curlew flapping o'er the field; Silence held all, and fond expectancy.

Now suddenly the conch above the sea Sounds, and goes sounding through the woods profound.

They, where they hear the echo, turn their eyes, But nothing see they, save a purple mist Roll from the distant mountain down the sh.o.r.e: It rolls, it sails, it settles, it dissolves-- Now s.h.i.+nes the nymph to human eye revealed, And leads her Tamar timorous o'er the waves.

Immortals crowding round congratulate The shepherd; he shrinks back, of breath bereft: His vesture clinging closely round his limbs Unfelt, while they the whole fair form admire, He fears that he has lost it, then he fears The wave has moved it, most to look he fears.

Scarce the sweet-flowing music he imbibes, Or sees the peopled ocean; scarce he sees Spio with sparkling eyes, and Beroe Demure, and young Ione, less renowned, Not less divine, mild-natured; Beauty formed Her face, her heart Fidelity; for G.o.ds Designed, a mortal too Ione loved.

These were the nymphs elected for the hour Of Hesperus and Hymen; these had strewn The bridal bed, these tuned afresh the sh.e.l.ls, Wiping the green that hoa.r.s.ened them within: These wove the chaplets, and at night resolved To drive the dolphins from the wreathed door.

Gebir surveyed the concourse from the tents, The Egyptian men around him; 'twas observed By those below how wistfully he looked, From what attention with what earnestness Now to his city, now to theirs, he waved His hand, and held it, while they spake, outspread.

They tarried with him, and they shared the feast.

They stooped with trembling hand from heavy jars The wines of Gades gurgling in the bowl; Nor bent they homeward till the moon appeared To hang midway betwixt the earth and skies.

'Twas then that leaning o'er the boy beloved, In Ocean's grot where Ocean was unheard, "Tamar!" the nymph said gently, "come awake!

Enough to love, enough to sleep, is given, Haste we away." This Tamar deemed deceit, Spoken so fondly, and he kissed her lips, Nor blushed he then, for he was then unseen.

But she arising bade the youth arise.

"What cause to fly?" said Tamar; she replied, "Ask none for flight, and feign none for delay."

"Oh, am I then deceived! or am I cast From dreams of pleasure to eternal sleep, And, when I cease to shudder, cease to be!"

She held the downcast bridegroom to her breast, Looked in his face and charmed away his fears.

She said not "Wherefore leave I then embraced You a poor shepherd, or at most a man, Myself a nymph, that now I should deceive?"

She said not--Tamar did, and was ashamed.

Him overcome her serious voice bespake.

"Grief favours all who bear the gift of tears!

Mild at first sight he meets his votaries And casts no shadow as he comes along: But after his embrace the marble chills The pausing foot, the closing door sounds loud, The fiend in triumph strikes the roof, then falls The eye uplifted from his lurid shade.

Tamar, depress thyself, and miseries Darken and widen: yes, proud-hearted man!

The sea-bird rises as the billows rise; Nor otherwise when mountain floods descend Smiles the unsullied lotus glossy-haired.

Thou, claiming all things, leanest on thy claim Till overwhelmed through incompliancy.

Tamar, some silent tempest gathers round!"

"Round whom?" retorted Tamar; "thou describe The danger, I will dare it."

"Who will dare What is unseen?"

"The man that is unblessed."

"But wherefore thou? It threatens not thyself, Nor me, but Gebir and the Gadite host."

"The more I know, the more a wretch am I."

Groaned deep the troubled youth, "still thou proceed."

"Oh, seek not destined evils to divine, Found out at last too soon! cease here the search, 'Tis vain, 'tis impious, 'tis no gift of mine: I will impart far better, will impart What makes, when winter comes, the sun to rest So soon on ocean's bed his paler brow, And night to tarry so at spring's return.

And I will tell sometimes the fate of men Who loosed from drooping neck the restless arm Adventurous, ere long nights had satisfied The sweet and honest avarice of love; How whirlpools have absorbed them, storms o'er-whelmed, And how amid their struggles and their prayers The big wave blackened o'er the mouths supine: Then, when my Tamar trembles at the tale, Kissing his lips half open with surprise, Glance from the gloomy story, and with glee Light on the fairer fables of the G.o.ds.

Thus we may sport at leisure where we go Where, loved by Neptune and the Naiad, loved By pensive Dryad pale, and Oread The spritely nymph whom constant Zephyr wooes, Rhine rolls his beryl-coloured wave; than Rhine What river from the mountains ever came More stately! most the simple crown adorns Of rushes and of willows interwined With here and there a flower: his lofty brow Shaded with vines and mistletoe and oak He rears, and mystic bards his fame resound.

Or gliding opposite, th' Illyrian gulf Will harbour us from ill." While thus she spake, She touched his eyelashes with libant lip, And breathed ambrosial odours, o'er his cheek Celestial warmth suffusing: grief dispersed, And strength and pleasure beamed upon his brow.

Then pointed she before him: first arose To his astonished and delighted view The sacred isle that shrines the queen of love.

It stood so near him, so acute each sense, That not the symphony of lutes alone, Or coo serene or billing strife of doves, But murmurs, whispers, nay the very sighs Which he himself had uttered once, he heard.

Next, but long after and far off, appear The cloud-like cliffs and thousand towers of Crete, And further to the right, the Cyclades: Phoebus had raised and fixed them, to surround His native Delos and aerial fane.

He saw the land of Pelops, host of G.o.ds, Saw the steep ridge where Corinth after stood Beckoning the serious with the smiling arts Into the sunbright bay; unborn the maid That to a.s.sure the bent-up hand unskilled Looked oft, but oftener fearing who might wake.

He heard the voice of rivers; he descried Pindan Peneus and the slender nymphs That tread his banks but fear the thundering tide; These, and Amphrysos and Apida.n.u.s And poplar-crowned Spercheus, and reclined On restless rocks Enipeus, wh.o.r.e the winds Scattered above the weeds his h.o.a.ry hair.

Then, with Pirene and with Panope, Evenus, troubled from paternal tears, And last was Achelous, king of isles.

Zacynthus here, above rose Ithaca, Like a blue bubble floating in the bay.

Far onward to the left a glimmering light Glanced out oblique, nor vanished; he inquired Whence that arose, his consort thus replied - "Behold the vast Erida.n.u.s! ere long We may again behold him and rejoice.

Of n.o.ble rivers none with mightier force Rolls his unwearied torrent to the main."

And now Sicanian Etna rose to view: Darkness with light more horrid she confounds, Baffles the breath and dims the sight of day.

Tamar grew giddy with astonishment And, looking up, held fast the bridal vest; He heard the roar above him, heard the roar Beneath, and felt it too, as he beheld, Hurl, from earth's base, rocks, mountains, to the skies.

Meanwhile the nymph had fixed her eyes beyond, As seeing somewhat, not intent on aught.

He, more amazed than ever, then exclaimed, "Is there another flaming isle? or this Illusion, thus pa.s.sed over un.o.bserved?"

"Look yonder," cried the nymph, without reply, "Look yonder!" Tamar looked, and saw afar Where the waves whitened on the desert sh.o.r.e.

When from amid grey ocean first he caught The heights of Calpe, saddened he exclaimed, "Rock of Iberia! fixed by Jove and hung With all his thunder-hearing clouds, I hail Thy ridges rough and cheerless! what though Spring Nor kiss thy brow nor cool it with a flower, Yet will I hail thee, hail thy flinty couch, Where Valour and where Virtue have reposed."

The nymph said, sweetly smiling, "Fickle man Would not be happy could he not regret!

And I confess how, looking back, a thought Has touched and tuned or rather thrilled my heart, Too soft for sorrow and too strong for joy: Fond foolish maid, 'twas with mine own accord It soothed me, shook me, melted, drowned, in tears.

But weep not thou; what cause hast thou to weep?

Wouldst thou thy country? wouldst those caves abhorred, Dungeons and portals that exclude the day?

Gebir, though generous, just, humane, inhaled Rank venom from these mansions. Rest, O king In Egypt thou! nor, Tamar! pant for sway.

With horrid chorus, Pain, Diseases, Death, Stamp on the slippery pavement of the proud, And ring their sounding emptiness through earth.

Possess the ocean, me, thyself, and peace."

And now the chariot of the Sun descends, The waves rush hurried from his foaming steeds, Smoke issues from their nostrils at the gate, Which when they enter, with huge golden bar Atlas and Calpe close across the sea.

SEVENTH BOOK.

What mortal first by adverse fate a.s.sailed, Trampled by tyranny or scoffed by scorn, Stung by remorse or wrung by poverty, Bade with fond sigh his native laud farewell?

Wretched! but tenfold wretched who resolved Against the waves to plunge th' expatriate keel Deep with the richest harvest of his land!

Driven with that weak blast which Winter leaves Closing his palace gates on Caucasus, Oft hath a berry risen forth a shade; From the same parent plant another lies Deaf to the daily call of weary hind; Zephyrs pa.s.s by and laugh at his distress.

By every lake's and every river's side The nymphs and Naiads teach Equality; In voices gently querulous they ask, "Who would with aching head and toiling arms Bear the full pitcher to the stream far off?

Who would, of power intent on high emprise, Deem less the praise to fill the vacant gulf Then raise Charybdis upon Etna's brow?"

Amid her darkest caverns most retired, Nature calls forth her filial elements To close around and cruel that monster VOID: Fire, springing fierce from his resplendent throne, And Water, das.h.i.+ng the devoted wretch Woundless and whole with iron-coloured mace, Or whirling headlong in his war-belt's fold.

Mark well the lesson, man! and spare thy kind.

Go, from their midnight darkness wake the woods, Woo the lone forest in her last retreat: Many still bend their beauteous heads unblest And sigh aloud for elemental man.

Through palaces and porches evil eyes Light upon e'en the wretched, who have fled The house of bondage or the house of birth; Suspicions, murmurs, treacheries, taunts, retorts, Attend the brighter banners that invade; And the first horn of hunter, pale with want, Sounds to the chase, the second to the war.

The long awaited day at last arrived, When, linked together by the seven-armed Nile, Egypt with proud Iberia should unite.

Here the Tartesian, there the Gadite tents Rang with impatient pleasure: here engaged Woody Nebrissa's quiver-bearing crew, Contending warm with amicable skill; While they of Durius raced along the beach And scattered mud and jeers on all behind.

The strength of Baetis too removed the helm And stripped the corslet off, and staunched the foot Against the mossy maple, while they tore Their quivering lances from the hissing wound.

Others push forth the prows of their compeers, And the wave, parted by the pouncing beak, Swells up the sides, and closes far astern: The silent oars now dip their level wings, And weary with strong stroke the whitening wave.

Others, afraid of tardiness, return: Now, entering the still harbour, every surge Runs with a louder murmur up their keel, And the slack cordage rattles round the mast.

Sleepless with pleasure and expiring fears Had Gebir risen ere the break of dawn, And o'er the plains appointed for the feast Hurried with ardent step: the swains admired What so transversely could have swept the dew; For never long one path had Gebir trod, Nor long, unheeding man, one pace preserved.

Not thus Charoba: she despaired the day: The day was present; true; yet she despaired.

In the too tender and once tortured heart Doubts gather strength from habit, like disease; Fears, like the needle verging to the pole, Tremble and tremble into certainty.

How often, when her maids with merry voice Called her, and told the sleepless queen 'twas morn, How often would she feign some fresh delay, And tell them (though they saw) that she arose.

Next to her chamber, closed by cedar doors A bath of purest marble, purest wave, On its fair surface bore its pavement high: Arabian gold enchased the crystal roof, With fluttering boys adorned and girls unrobed: These, when you touch the quiet water, start From their aerial sunny arch, and pant Entangled mid each other's flowery wreaths, And each pursuing is in turn pursued.

Here came at last, as ever wont at morn, Charoba: long she lingered at the brink, Often she sighed, and, naked as she was, Sat down, and leaning on the couch's edge, On the soft inward pillow of her arm Rested her burning cheek: she moved her eyes; She blushed; and blus.h.i.+ng plunged into the wave.

Now brazen chariots thunder through each street, And neighing steeds paw proudly from delay.

While o'er the palace breathes the dulcimer, Lute, and aspiring harp, and lisping reed; Loud rush the trumpets bursting through the throng And urge the high-shouldered vulgar; now are heard Curses and quarrels and constricted blows, Threats and defiance and suburban war.

Hark! the reiterated clangour sounds!

Now murmurs, like the sea or like the storm, Or like the flames on forests, move and mount From rank to rank, and loud and louder roll, Till all the people is one vast applause.

Yes, 'tis herself, Charoba--now the strife To see again a form so often seen!