Sivut kuvina
PDF
ePub

C---------'S COLUTHUS LYCOPOLITES.

THE RAPE OF HELEN, &c.

Yɛ nymphs of Troy, for beauty fam'd, who

trace

From Xanthus' fertile ftreams your ancient race, Oft on whofe fandy banks your tires are laid, And many a trinket which your hands have made, What time to Ida's hallow'd mount ye throng, To join the festive choir in dance and fong; No longer on your favourite banks repofe, But come, the judgment of the swain disclose. Say from what hills, to tracklefs deeps unknown, Rush'd with impetuous zeal the daring clown; 10 Say to what end, with future ills replete, O'er diftant oceans fail'd a mighty fleet; What feas could this adventurous youth embroil, Sow difcord's feeds, o'er what disastrous foil? Say from what fource arofe the dire debate, Which fwains could end and goddesses create. What his decifion? Of the Grecian dame Who to the shepherd's ear convey'd the name ? Speak, for ye faw, on Ida's ftill retreat, Judicial Paris fill his fhepherd's feat; Venus ye faw, the graces' darling queen, As on her judge approv'd she smil'd ferene. What time Hæmonia's lofty mountains rung With hymeneal fongs for Peleus fung, Officious Ganymede, at Jove's requeft, Supplied with fparkling wine each welcome gueft; And all the gods to Thetis' nuptials came, Sifter of Amphitrite, honour'd dame. Earth-fhaking Neptune left his azure main, And Jove fupreme forfook his ftarry plain : 30 From Helicon, with odorous fhrubs o'erfpread, The mufes' tuneful choir Apollo led. Him Juno follow'd, wife of fovereign Jove: With harmony the fmiling queen of love Haften'd to join the gods of Chiron's feftive

grove.

1

20

}

Cupid's full quiver o'er her shoulder thrown,
Perfuafion follow'd with a bridal crown.
Minerva, though to nuptial rites a foe,
Came; but no helmet nodded o'er her brow.
Diana to the Centaur's grove reforts,
And for one day forgets her rural sports.
His loofe locks fhaking as the zephyrs play'd,
Not long behind convivial Bacchus ftay'd.
War's god, as when to Vulcan's dome he sped,
No fpear his hand sustain'd, no cafque his head,

40

[ocr errors]

Such now, without his helmet or his lance,
Smiling he look'd, and led the bridal dance.
But from thefe blifsful fcenes was discord warn'd;
Peleus rejected her, and Chiron scorn'd.

And by the gadfly ftung, the heifer strays 50
Far from its fields, through every devious maze;
Thus, ftung with envy, difcord roam'd, nor ceas'd
Her baneful arts to interrupt the feast.
Oft from her flinty bed fhe rufh'd amain,
Then ftood, then funk into her seat again :
With defperate hand the tore her fnaky head,
And with a ferpent-fcourge the lafl'd her flinty

bed.

To dart the forky lightning, and command
From bell's abyfs the Titans' impious band,
Jove from his throne with rebel-arm to wreft, 60
Were projects form'd within the fury's breast.
But, though incens'd she dreaded Vulcan's ire,
Who forms Jove's bolt, and checks the raging
fire,

Her purpose changing, she with rattling arms
Diffention meditates and dire alarms;

If haply clattering fhields can strike dismay,
And from the nuptials drive the gods away.
But Mars fhe dreaded, oft in arms array'd,
And this new project with complacence weigh'd.
The burnish'd apples, rich with golden rind, 70
Growth of Hefperian gardens ftruck her mind.
Refolv'd contention's bapeful feeds to fow,
She tore the blushing apple from its bough,
Grafp'd the dire fource whence future battles
fprung,

And midft the gods the golden mischief flung.
The ftately wife of Jove with wondering eyes
Beheld and wifh'd to grafp the golden prize.
Beauty's fair queen to catch the appie ftrove;
For 'tis the prize of beauty and of love.

Jove mark'd the contest, and, to crush debate, 80
Thus counsel'd Hermes, who befide him fat:
Paris, perchance, from Priam fprung, you

[ocr errors]

'know:

His herds he grazes on mount Ida's brow, And oft conducts them to the dewy meads, Through which his ftreams the Phrygian Xan • thus leads:

Show him yon prize, and urge him to declare Which of these goddeffes he deems most faira

[ocr errors]

91

In whom, of all his matchless skill can trace The close arch'd eyebrow and the roundest face, On fuch a face, where bends the circling bow, The golden apple, beauty's prize, bestow.' Thus fpoke the fire: the willing fon obey'd, And to their judge the deities convey'd. Each anxious fair her charms to heighten tries, And dart new luftre from her fparkling eyes. Her veil afide infidious Venus flung;

Loose from the clafp her fragrant ringlets hung; She then in golden cauls each curl comprefs'd, Summon'd her little loves, and thus addrefs'd:

[blocks in formation]

110

• Minerva dictates in th' embattled field;
And heroes tremble when the fhakes her fhield.
Of all the goddeffes that rule above,
Far most defenceless is the queen of love.
• Without or spear or fhield muft Venus live;
And crowns and fceptres fhe has none to give.
Yet why defpair? Though with no faulchion
C grac'd,

Love's filken chain furrounds my flender waist.
My bow this ceftus, this the dart I fling,
And with this ceftus I infix my fting.
My fting infix'd renews the lover's pain,
And virgins languish but revive again.'
Thus to her loves the rofy-finger'd queen
Told all her fears, and vented all her spleen:
To every word they lent a willing ear,
Round their fond mother clung, and ftrove to
cheer.

120

And now they reach mount Ida's graffy steep, Where youthful Paris feeds his father's fheep: What time he tends them in the plains below, Through which the waters of Anaurus flow, Apart he counts his cattle's numerous flock, Apart he numbers all his fleecy flock.

A wild goat's fkin, around his shoulders caft, 130
Loofe fell and flow'd below his girded waist.
A paftoral staff, which fwains delight to hold,
His roving herds protected and controll'd.
Accoutred thus, and warbling o'er his song,
He to his pipe melodious pac'd along.
Unnotted oft, while he renews his lay,
His flocks defert him, and his oxen stray.
Swift to his bower retires the tuneful man,
To pipe the praife of Hermes and of Pan.
Sunk is each animal in dead repose ;
No dog around him barks, no heifer lows:
Echo alone rebounds through Ida's hills,
And all the air with founds imperfe& fills.
The cattle, flunk upon their verdant bed,

Clofe by their piping lord repofe their head.
Beneath the fhades which sheltering thickets blend,
When Paris' eye approaching Hermes ken'd,
Back he retires, with fudden fear imprefs'd,
And shuns the prefence of the heavenly guest ;

To the thick fhrubs his tuneful reed conveys, 150 And all unfinish'd leaves his warbled lays. Thus winged Hermes to the shepherd faid, Who mark'd the gods approach with filent dread: 'Difmifs thy fears, nor with thy flocks adide; 'A mighty contest Paris must decide.

[ocr errors]

Hafte, judge announc'd; for whofe decifion wait 'Three lovely females, of celeftial state.

Hafte, and the triumph of that face declare, Which sweetest looks, and fairest midst the fair: 'Let her, whofe form thy critic eye prefers, 160 'Claim beauty's prize, and be this apple hers.

Thus Hermes fpoke; the ready fwain obey'd, And to decide the mighty cause effay'd. With keeneft look he mark'd the heavenly dames; Their eyes, quick flashing as the lightning's flames, Their fnowy necks, their garments fring'd with gold,

[ocr errors]

And rich embroidery wrought in every fold;
Their gait he mark'd, as gracefully they mov'd,
And round their feet his eye fagacious rov'd.
But, ere the smiling fwain his thoughts exprefs'd,
Grafping his hand him Pallas thus address'd; 171
Regard not Phrygian youth, the wife of Jove,
'Nor Venus heed the queen of wedded love :
But martial prowess if thy wisdom prize,
Know, I poffefs it; praise me to the skies.
Thee, fame reports, puissant states obey,
'And Troy's proud city owns thy fovereign fway;
Her fuffering fons thy conquering arm shall
'fhield,

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

And ftern Bellona fhall to Paris yield. Comply; her fuccour will Minerva lend, 180 Teach thee war's fcience, and in fight defend.' Thus Pallas ftrove to influence the swain, Whofe favour Juno thus attempts to gain : • Should'st thou with beauty's prize my charms reward,

All Afia's realms fhall own thee for their lord. Say, what from battles but contention springs? Such contefts fhun; for what are wars to kings? But him, whose hands the rod of empire fway, • Cowards revere, and conquerors obey. Minerva's friends are oft Bellona's flaves, 190 And the fiend flaughters whom the goddes 'faves.'

Proffers of boundlefs fway thus Juno made; And Venus thus, contemptuous fmiling, said: But first her floating veil aloft fhe threw, And all her graces to the fhepherd fhew; Loofen'd her little loves' attractive chain, And tried each art to captivate the swain.

Accept my boon' (thus fpoke the smiling dame),

Battles forget, and dread Bellona's name. Beauty's rich meed at Venus' hand receive, And Afia's wide domain to tyrants leave. 201 The deathful fight, the din of arms I fear; Can Venus' hand direct the martial fpear? Women with beauty ftoutest hearts affail, Beauty, their best defence, their strongest mail. Prefer domeftic eafe to martial strife, And to exploits of war a pleafing wife, To realms extenfive Helen's bed prefer, • And fcoff at kingdoms, when oppos'd to her,

[ocr errors]

210

Thy price with envy Sparta fhall forvey, And Troy to Paris tune the bridal jay.' The shepherd, who aftonish'd food and mute, Confign'd to Venus the Hefperian iru, The claim of beauty, and the fource of woes; For dire debates from this decifion rofe. Uplifting in her hand the glowing prize, She rallied thus the vanquish'd deities:

To me, ye martial dames, the prize refign; 'Beauty I court, and beauty's prize is mine. Mother of mighty Mars and Vulcan too, 220 'Fame fays, the choir of graces sprung from 'you:

'Yet diftant far, this day, your daughters stray'u,

And no one grace appear'd to lend you aid.

'Mars too declin'd t'affert his mother's right, Though oft his brandifh'd fword decides the fight.

'His boafted flames why could not Vulcan caft, And at one blaze his mother's rivals blaft? 'Vain are thy triumphs, Pallas, vain thy scorn; Thou, not in wedlock, nor of woman born. 'Jove's teeming head the monstrous birth con'tains,

230 ' And the barb'd iron ripp'd thee from his brains. 'Brac'd with th' unyielding plaits of ruthlefs 'mail,

She curfes Cupid and the filken veil. 'Connubial blifs and concord the abhors, In difcord glories, and delights in wars. 'Yet know, virago, not in feats of arms Triumph weak women, but in beauty's charms. 'Nor men nor women are those mungrels bafe, Like you, equivocal in form and face.'

239

In terms like thefe the laughter-loving queen Rallied her rivals, and increas'd their spleen, As, lifting high, the view'd with fecret joy Her beauty's triumphs, and the bane of Troy. Infpir'd with love for her, the fair unknown, By beauty's conquering queen pronounc'd his

[blocks in formation]

Now. far remote, they view Pangrea's height:
Now Phillis' rifing tomb attracts their fight,
And the dull round fhe nine times trod in vain,
To view the faithlefs wanderer again. 271
Hæmonia's meads remote, the Trojan spies
Th' Achaian cities unexpected life:
Phthia, with heroes far renown'd replete ;
Mycenæ, fam'd for many a spacious street.
Befide the meads, where Erymanthus glides,
Sparta afpires, that boafts her beauteous brides;
Sparta with joy th' expecting fwain furvey'd,
Lav'd by Eurotas, by Atrides fway'd.
Nor distant far, o'erfhaded by a wood,
Beneath a mountain's brow Therapne flood.
Short was their voyage now: the bending oar
Was heard to lafh the foamy furge no more.
The failors, fafe embofom'd in the bay,
Firm to the beach confine the corded stay.
In purifying waters plung'd the swain,
And, rifing thence, pac'd flowly o'er the plain;
For much he fear'd, left his incautious tread
O'er his wafh'd feet the fpatter'd mire fhould

fpread :

280

[ocr errors]

Or left his hair, beneath his cafque confin'd, 290,
Should, if he ran, be ruffled with the wind.
The city's fplendour Paris' eye detains,
The citizen's abodes, and glistering fanes.
Here Pallas' form, in mimic gold pourtray'd,
Here Hyacinthus' image he furvey'd.
Him with delight the Amicleans view'd,
Parfuing Phoebus, and by him purfu'd;
But, fore difpleas'd at jealous Zephyr's spite,
They urg'd the ftripling to unequal fight;
For Phoebus' efforts ineffectual prov'd,
To fave from Zephyr's rage the youth he lov'd.
Earth with compaffion heard Apollo's cries,
And from her bofom bade a flower arife,
His favourite's name, imprefs'd upon whofe
leaf,

Still, as the god contemplates, fooths his grief.

300

Now Priam's fon before Atrides' dome
Exulting flood in beauty's purple bloom.
Not Semele, by Jove's careffes won,
On Jove beftow'd fo beautiful a fon:
(Forgive me, Bacchus, feed of fove fuprenie)
Such peerlefs graces round his perfon beam. 311
Touch'd by fair Helen's hand, the bolts recede;
She to the fpacious hall repair'd with (peed:
Her form diftinct th' unfolded portals show;
She look'd, the ponder'd, and again withdrew.
Then on a radiant feat fhe bade him reft,
And, ftill infatiate, gaz'd upon her guest.
Awhile the likens him in graceful mien
To love, attendant on the Cyprian queen.
But 'tis not love, the recollects again;
Nor bow nor quiver deck this gallant fwain.
'Tis Bacchus fure, the god of wine, the faid;
For o'er his cheeks a rofy bloom is spread.
Daring at length her faultering voice to raife,
She thus exprefs'd her wonder and her praife:
Whence art thou, ftranger? whence thy
comely race?

[ocr errors]

320

Thy country tell me, and thy natal place.
In thee I mark the majesty of kings:
But not from Greece, thy lofty lineage fprings;

330

Not fandy Pyle thine origin can fhow; 'I know not thee, though Neftor's fon I know. Phthia, the nurfe of heroes, train'd not thee; For known are all th' acide to me, Peleus, and Telamon renown'd in fight, Patroclus' courtesy, Achilles' might.' Infpir'd by love, thus fpoke the gentle dame; And he thus answering, fann'd the rifing flame: "If e'er recording fame, illuftrious maid, "Hath to thine ear great Ilion's name convey'd, "Ilion, whose walls on Phrygian frontiers ftand, "Rear'd by Apollo's and by Neptune's hand; "Him if thou know'ft, moft opulent of kings, "Who reigns o'er Ilion, and from Saturn fprings; "I to hereditary worth afpire;

"The wealthy Priam is my honour'd fire.

[ocr errors]

338

My high defcent from Dardanus I prove; "And ancient Dardanus defcends from Jove. "Th' immortals thus for fake the realms of light, "And mix with mortals in the focial rite.

[ocr errors]
[blocks in formation]

410

'Where, fair attendants, is my mother fled, Who left me fleeping in her lonely bed? For yefternight she took her trusty key, Turn'd the strong bolt, and flept fecure with me.' Her hapless fate the pensive train deplore, And in thick circles gather round the door; Here all contend to moderate her grief, And by their kind condolence give relief: Unhappy princess, check the rifing tear; Thy mother, abfent now, will foon appear. 'Soon as thy forrow's bitter source she knows, 'Her fpeedy prefence will difpel thy woes. 'The virgin-check, with forrow's weight o'er

[ocr errors]

· 351

Neptune and Phoebus thus forfook the sphere, "Firm on its bafe my native Troy to rear. "But know, on three fair goddeffes, of late, "Sentence I pafs'd, and clos'd the long debate. "On Venus, who with charms fuperior fhone, "I lavish'd praises, and conferr'd my boon. "The Cyprian goddefs, pleas'd with my decree, "Referv'd this recompence, O queen, for me; "Some faithful fair, poffefs'd of heavenly charms, Should, the protefted, blefs my longing arms; "Helen her name, to beauty's qucen ally'd; 360 "Helen, for thee I ftemm'd the troubled tide. "Unite we now in Hymen's mystic bands: "Thus love infpires, and Venus thus commands. "Scorn not my fuit, nor beauty's queen defpife: "More need I add to influence the wife?

"For well thou know'ft, how daftardly or base "Is Menelaus's degenerate race.

"And well I know, that Græca's ample coaft
"No fair like thee, for beauty fam'd, can boaft."
He said: on earth her sparkling eyes the caft,
Embarrass'd paus'd awhile, and spoke at laft: 371
To vifit Ilion, and her towers survey,
Rear'd by the god of ocean and of day,
(Stupendous labours by celeftials wrought)
Hath oft, illuftrious gueft, employ'd my thought,
Oft have I wish'd to faunter o'er the vales,
Whofe flowery pafture Phoebus' flocks regales;
Where, beneath Ilion's walls, along the meads,
The fhepherd-god his lowing oxen feeds.
To Ilion I'll attend thee: hafte, away;
For beauty's queen forbids our long delay.
No hufband's threats, no hufband's fearch I
' dread,

380

Though he to Troy fufpect his Helen fled.' The Spartan dame, of matchlefs charms poffefs'd,

Proffer'd thefe terms to her confenting guest. Night, which relieves our toils, when the bright fun,

In ocean funk, his daily course has run,
Now gives her fofteft flumbers, ere the ray
Of rifing morn proclaims th' approach of day.
Two gates of airy dreams fhe opens wide;
Of polish'd horn is this, where truths abide:

390

[ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]
[ocr errors]

gin plays.'

'Why talk ye thus? (the penfive maid replies, The tears of anguish trickling from her eyes) She knows each rofeate bower, each vale and • hill,

She knows the course of every winding rill. 'The stars are set; en rugged rocks she lies: 430 The ftars are up; nor does my mother rise. What hills, what dales thy devious steps detain? Hath fome relentless beaft my mother flain? But beafts, which lawless round the foreft rove,

'Revere the facred progeny of Jove. [brow, 'Or art thou fall'n from fome steep mountain's Thy corfe conceal'd in dreary dells below? But through the groves, with thickeft foliage 'crown'd, [ground, 'Beneath each fhrivell'd leaf that ftrews the 'Affiduous have I fought thy corfe in vain: 440 • Why should we then the guiltlefs grove arraign?

But have Eurotas' ftreams, which rapid flow, 'O'erwhelmed thee bathing in its deeps below? 'Yet in the. deeps below the Naiads live,

And they to womankind protection give."

Thus fpoke the forrowing, and reclin'd.her
head,

And fleeping feem'd to mingle with the dead;
For fleep his elder brother's afpect wears,
Lies mute like him, and undisturb'd by cares.
Hence the fwoln eyes of females, deep diftrefs'd,
Oft, when the tear is trickling, fink to reft. 453

In this delufive dream the fleeping maid
Her mother faw, or thought the faw, portray'd.
Aload the fhriek'd diftracted and amaz'd,
And utter'd thus her anguish as fhe gaz'd:

'Laft night far diftant from your daughter fled.
'You left me flumbering in my father's bed.
'What dangerous fteeps have not I ftrove to
'gain?

And troll'd o'er hills and dales for thee in vain?'
"Condemn me not (replied the wandering
“ dame) :
460

“ Pity my sufferings, nor augment my shame.
"Me yesterday, a lawless guest beguil'd,
"And diftant tore nie from my darling child.
"At Cytherea's high command I rove;
"And once more revel in the walks of love."
She faid: her voice the fleeping maid alarms;
The springs to clafp her mother in her arms.

In vain no mother meets her wistful eyes;
And now her tears redouble and her cries:

470

Ye feathery race, inhabitants of light,
To Crete's fam'd ifle direct your rapid flight.
There to my fire th' unwelcome truth proclaim,
How yesterday a defperate vagrant came,
Tore all he dotes on from his bridal bed,
And with his beauteous queen abruptly fled."
The reftless fair, her mother to regain,
Thus to the winds bewail'd and wept in vain.
The Thracian town diminish'd from their view,
And fleet o'er Helle's trait the veffel flew.
The bridegroom now his natal coaft defcry'd, 480
And to the Trojan port conducts his bride.
Caffandra from her tower beheld them fail,
And tore her locks, and rent her golden veil.
But hofpitable Troy unbars her gate,
Receives her citizen and feals her fate.

NOTES ON THE RAPE OF HELEN.

COLUTHUS LYCOPOLITES, a Theban poet, flou- | rifhed in the reign of the emperor Anaftafius, about five hundred years after Chrift. He is faid to have been the author of feveral poems; none of which have come down to us except this, which in many paffages is corrupt and mutilated. There is an excellent edition of this poem by Lennep. There is also an old translation of it by Sir Edward Sherburne; to whom I acknowledge myfelf indebted for fome of his ufeful annotations.

Did the infertion of this little poem ftand in need of an apology, it might be made by obferving, that the fubjects of the two poems are not wholly diffimilar. In the one is celebrated the rape of Medea, in the other the rape of Helen; two events of equal celebrity in ancient story.

[ocr errors]

king of Troy, is reprefented in this poem under the character of a fhepherd. In our times the care of flocks and herds is committed to the lowest orders of the people. Shepherd and clown are terms with us nearly fynonymous. But we must endeavour to feparate from them the ideas of churlishness and ill-breeding, when applied, as the ancients applied them, to heroes and kings.

Ver. 24. It was a fiction of the poets, that Peleus, the fon of Macus, and pupil of Chiron, married Thetis the daughter of Nereus; and that all the gods attended at their nuptials on mount Pelion, except Eris or Discord, in whose presence agreement and harmony could not long fubfift. See on this subject, Catullus de Nupt. Pel. & Thet. and Valerius Placcus, L.. i. v. 129.

Ver. 42. The correfpondent lines in the origiOn the title of this poem Sir Edward Sher-nal ought to be placed after v. 33. as Lennep burne makes the following not unpleafant re- rightly obferves: to that place (immediately afmark: "The word rape must not be taken in the ter the poet's mention of Diana) the tranflator common acceptation of the expreffion. For Paris has restored them. was more courtly than to offer, and Helen more kind-hearted than to fuffer fuch a violence. must be taken rather for a transporting of her with her confent from her own country to Troy: which Virgil feems to infinuate in the first book of his Æneid, where, speaking of Helen, he says,

[blocks in formation]

It

The word peteret implies that the quitting of her country, and going along with Paris, was an act fhe defired, as well as confented to; and thus much the enfuing poem makes good.

Ver. 2. The most celebrated river in Troas : it derived its fource from mount Ida.

Ver. 10. The ancients efteemed the art of hufbandry to be of all others the most honourable. The hands of princes fuftained at the fame time the crook and the fceptre. Paris the fon of Priam,

Ver. 56. The conjectural reading of Voffius is here preferred; as it feems to contain more sense and more poetry than any other. He reads,

- χειρὶ δὲ λαιῇ

Ον δὲ τὲ κόλλοπ ἔρυξε και ἣν ἐφυράσσατο πέτρην.

Ver. 79. Apples were esteemed the fymbol of love, and dedicated to Venus. They were also confidered as allurements of love, and were dif tributed among lovers. Hence the expreffions un20Co2siv and malo petere, in Theocritus, and Virgil.

Ver. 89. The ancients looked upon fuch eyebrows, which our poet calls βλεφάρων συνοχήν 33 effential to form a beautiful face. See Anacreon's defcription of his miftrefs, and Theocr. Id. viii. 12. Ver. 99. They were fuppofed to be very numerous.

« EdellinenJatka »