WHO will away to Athens with me? who Loves choral songs and maidens crown'd with flowers, Unenvious? mount the pinnace; hoist the sail. I promise ye, as many as are here, 1 Prefixed to the second edition of Landor's Hellenics, 1847. It is here given slightly out of the exact chronological order, that it may stand as an introduction to the chief poems from the Hellenics, those of 1816 as well as those of 1847. Other poems of Landor's, such as The Death of Artemidora, Cleone to Aspasia, The Shades of Agamemnon and Iphigeneia, etc., though originally published in other collections, and therefore not given here with the Hellenics, were ultimately included by Landor among them. His sister borne from the Cecropian port By Thrasymedes. And reluctantly? Ask, ask the maiden; I have no reply. "Brother! O brother Hippias! O, if love, If pity, ever touch'd thy breast, forbear! Strike not the brave, the gentle, the be loved, My Thrasymedes, with his cloak alone Protecting his own head and mine from harm." "Didst thou not once before," cried Hippias, Regardless of his sister, hoarse with wrath At Thrasymedes, “didst not thou, dogeyed, Dare, as she walk'd up to the Parthenon, Ay, before all the gods, Arise, my spouse! Arise! and let my lips quaff purity From thy fair open brow." The sword was up, Some God And yet he kiss'd her twice. withheld The arm of Hippias; his proud blood seeth'd slower And smote his breast less angrily; he laid [spake thus: His hand on the white shoulder, and Pirate of virgin and of princely hearts ! Before the people and before the Goddess Thou hadst evinced the madness of thy passion, And now wouldst bear from home and plenteousness To poverty and exile this my child." Then shuddered Thrasymedes, and exclaim'd, "I see my crime; I saw it not before. The daughter of Peisistratos was born Neither for exile nor for poverty, Ah! nor for me!" He would have wept. but one Might see him, and weep worse. The prince unmoved Strode on, and said, "To-morrow shall the people, All who beheld thy trespasses, behold He spake; and on the morrow they 1846. were one. Of the pale maiden. She looked up and saw The fillet of the priest and calm cold eyes. Then turned she where her parent stood, and cried "O father! grieve no more: the ships can sail." 1846. THE HAMADRYAD1 RHAICOS was born amid the hills wherefrom Gnidos the light of Caria is discern'd, And small are the white-crested that play near, And smaller onward are the purple waves. Thence festal choirs were visible, all crown'd With rose and myrtle if they were inborn; If from Pandion sprang they, on the coast Where stern Athenè raised her citadel, Then olive was intwined with violets Cluster'd in bosses, regular and large. For various men wore various coronals; But one was their devotion; 'twas to her Whose laws all follow, her whose smile withdraws The sword from Ares, thunderbolt from Zeus, And whom in his chill caves the mutable Of mind, Poseidon, the sea-king, re Her cheek, but never mountain-ash display'd Berries of color like her lip so pure, "What dost thou here?" Echeion, halfafraid, Half-angry cried. She lifted up her eyes, But nothing spake she. Rhaicos drew one step Backward, for fear came likewise over him, But not such fear: he panted, gasp'd, drew in His breath, and would have turn'd it into words, But could not into one. "O send away That sad old man!" said she. The old man went Without a warning from his master's |