Towards her lover's distant home.
Ah, no bridge from yonder region
O'er the sea with safe arch lay;
From the shore no vessel ventures,
Yet can love discern its way.
Love, with safely-warning thread, From the labyrinth has led; Love can make the timid dare, Tame the beasts of wildest ire, Bind the bulls, though breathing fire, To the plough with diamond share. E'en o'er Styx bold love hath ventured, Where its ninefold circles flowed; And with fearless arm the loved one Raised from Pluto's dark abode.
Thus, the god, whose strong desire
E'en in floods preserves its fire,
Courage to Leander gave;
And when day's last beams grew dim,
Led by love, he dared to swim
O'er the Pontus' sombre wave.
With strong arm the stream dividing,
See, he toils the shore to gain,
Where, on highest turret burning,
Shines the beacon o'er the main.
And in safe affection's arm,
There the happy youth grew warm,
When the chilling course was o'er;
There he gains the guerdon high,
Reads his welcome in love's eye,
And is blest for all he bore:
Till his joys and blissful visions
At Aurora's coming flee;
Then he turns from love's soft bosom,
Plunging in the chilly sea.
And thus flew the thirtieth day,
Mid concealed delights away,
Swiftly for the happy pair,
Swift as marriage revelry,
Such a gods with envy see,
Gods forever young and fair.
Happiness ye ne'er have tasted,
Ye, who ne'er on danger's brink
Plucked the heavenly fruit, and feared not
In the gulf of death to sink.
In the scale that hangs in Heaven
Now the days and nights were even;
And the maid, with anxious eye,
Watched the coursers of the sun
Through the brilliant pathway run,
Till they sank beneath the sky.
As a pure transparent mirror
Lay the smooth still sea beneath;
And the plain of crystal moved not
With the zephyr's softest breath.
Gayly at the close of day
Bounding light, the dolphins play
On the water's silvery plain;
And in crowds of sombre gray,
From the deep in strange array,
Rise serenely Thetis' train.
Faithful lovers' secret nuptials,
They and they alone may see,
But their lips are ever silent;
Such is Hecate's decree.
O'er smooth seas fair rose the night,
And the maid in still delight
Gazed, and spoke in flattering tone; "Beauteous God! cans't thou deceive?
No' 'tis impious to believe
Thee a false and faithless one.
'Tis the race of man is faithless,
Cruel is a father's heart;
But in thee I trust; thou'rt gentle,
And true lovers would'st not part.
"Joylessly each lonely day
Passed for me immured away;
Life's sweet flower 'gan droop and bend
But thou on thy waves dost bear,
Though nor bridge nor ship be there,
Safe to my embrace my friend.
Fathomless are thy still waters,
Fearfully thy billows swell;
But to love thou'lt deign to listen;
Thee the hero's arm can quell.
"Cold thy rapid streams may flow,
Yet on thee love bent his bow,
When the ram, that dared to sweep
High in air from Europe's shore,
Helle and her brother bore
Far above thy dangerous deep.
By her beauty thou wer't conquered,
As they soared aloft in air,
And the maiden to thy caverns
From the golden ram did'st bear.
"There the goddess dwells with thee
In the grots beneath the sea,
Lives and blooms thy deathless bride;
Oft thine anger she hath stayed,
Oft doth lend lorn love her aid,
Oft to port the seaman guide.
Beauteous Helle! lovely goddess!
Blest one! hear me as pray;
Bring me safely my beloved
Through his wonted path to-day."
Darkness veils the sea and land
From the tower at her command,
Lo! the kindled torches shine,
That high o'er the barren tide
Burn the wanderer's course to guide,
Giving love's appointed sign.
Now the sea, in darkness swelling,
Foams and menaces afar;
And the near approaching tempest
Shrouds the light of every star.
O'er the Hellespont's wide plain
Night descends, and streams of rain
Gush from every sweeping cloud;
Thunder peals; the wild wind raves ;
Bursting from their rocky caves
Storms break loose and roar aloud.
In the troubled waste of waters
Hideous eddies hurl and hiss;
Like the opening jaws of Oreus
Widely yawns the sea's abyss.
Then she cried, "great Jove relent!
Calm the raging element;
Ah, what have I dared implore?
If the gods have heard my prayer,
If amidst the storm he dare
Plunge to gain the distant shore!
See, the strongest sea-birds gather,
And for refuge haste away;
E'en the ships that ride the tempest,
Fly to gain the sheltered bay.
And the fearless will not shun
Still to do what he hath done,
By his strong affection led;
This he swore by love's own oath,
And at parting pledged his troth;
He will venture, or he's dead.
Now, perchance, e'en now he's wrestling
With the wildness of the storm,
And the angry flood uplifted
Now entombs his noble form.
Faithless Pontus, thou did'st smile
Fair as mercy's self awhile;
Like a mirror smooth and pure;
Calmly spread thy waters lay,
But more surely to betray,
And within thy realms allure.
Now, when struggling with thy current,
Hope discerns no saving shore,
On the youth, whose heart could trust thee,
All thy horrors thou dost pour.
And the tempest louder yells;
High the mountain billow swells;
On the shore the breakers dash,
Beat the cliffs with mighty stroke;
Hark! the ships, whose ribs are oak,
Perish with a fearful crash.
And the storm hath quenched the beacon
Kindled by love's guiding hand;
Horror broods above the waters,
Horror rests upon the land.
She to Venus lifts her prayer;
"Bid the hurricane forbear;
Calm the waves, the strong winds hold.”
In distress her hands she wrings,
Vows the winds rich offerings,
Bullocks decked with horns of gold.
All the goddesses of ocean,
All the gods, in heaven that dwell,
She invokes, the tempest's fury
With mild words of peace to quell.
Hear! the voice of sorrow calls;
Hear, and rise from thy green halls,
Thou, Leucothea, thrice blest!
Whom the seaman oft has found,
When the storms were gathering round,
Kind to rescue the distrest.
Lend, oh lend the sacred garment,
Woven by thy secret care;
Sent from thee that garment safely
Yet from death the youth may bear.
And the wild winds had repose;
Bright on heaven's far skirt uprose
Morning's steeds o'er hill and lea;
And the waters peaceful pour
In their ancient course once more;
Cheerly smile the land and sea.
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