LITMIR.BIZ

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"Kaunians,"—our Captain judged his best reply,

       "The mainland-seaport that belongs to Rhodes;

       Rhodes that casts in her lot now with the League,

       Forsaking Athens—you have heard belike!"

       "Ay, but we heard all Athens in one ode

       Just now! we heard her in that Aischulos!

       You bring a boatful of Athenians here,

       Kaunians although you be: and prudence bids, 100

       For Kaunos' sake, why, carry them unhurt

       To Kaunos, if you will: for Athens' sake,

       Back must you, though ten pirates blocked the bay!

       We want no colony from Athens here,

       With memories of Salamis, forsooth,

       To spirit up our captives, that pale crowd

       I' the quarry, whom the daily pint of corn

       Keeps in good order and submissiveness."

       Then the grey Captain prayed them by the Gods,

       And by their own knees, and their fathers' beards, 110

       They should not wickedly thrust suppliants back,

       But save the innocent on traffic bound—

       Or, may be, some Athenian family

       Perishing of desire to die at home—

       From that vile foe still lying on its oars,

       Waiting the issue in the distance. Vain!

       Words to the wind! And we were just about

       To turn and face the foe, as some tired bird

       Barbarians pelt at, drive with shouts away

       From shelter in what rocks, however rude, 120

       She makes for, to escape the kindled eye,

       Split beak, crook'd claw o' the creature, cormorant

       Or ossifrage, that, hardly baffled, hangs

       Afloat i' the foam, to take her if she turn.

       So were we at destruction's very edge,

       When those o' the galley, as they had discussed

       A point, a question raised by somebody,

       A matter mooted in a moment—"Wait!"

       Cried they (and wait we did, you may be sure)

       "That song was veritable Aischulos, 130

       Familiar to the mouth of man and boy,

       Old glory: how about Euripides?

       The newer and not yet so famous bard,

       He that was born upon the battle-day

       While that song and the salpinx sounded him

       Into the world, first sound, at Salamis—

       Might you know any of his verses too?"

       Now, some one of the Gods inspired this speech:

       Since ourselves knew what happened but last year—

       How, when Gulippos gained his victory 140

       Over poor Nikias, poor Demosthenes,

       And Syracuse condemned the conquered force

       To dig and starve i' the quarry, branded them—

       Freeborn Athenians, brute-like in the front

       With horse-head brands—ah, "Region of the Steed"!—

       Of all these men immersed in misery,

       It was found none had been advantaged so

       By aught in the past life he used to prize

       And pride himself concerning—no rich man

       By riches, no wise man by wisdom, no 150

       Wiser man still (as who loved more the Muse)

       By storing, at brain's edge and tip of tongue,

       Old glory, great plays that had long ago

       Made themselves wings to fly about the world—

       Not one such man was helped so at his need

       As certain few that (wisest they of all)

       Had, at first summons, oped heart, flung door wide

       At the new knocking of Euripides,

       Nor drawn the bolt with who cried "Decadence!

       And, after Sophokles, be nature dumb!" 160

       Such—and I see in it God Bacchos' boon

       To souls that recognized his latest child,

       He who himself, born latest of the Gods,

       Was stoutly held impostor by mankind—

       Such were in safety: any who could speak

       A chorus to the end, or prologize,

       Roll out a rhesis, wield some golden length

       Stiffened by wisdom out into a line.

       Or thrust and parry in bright monostich,

       Teaching Euripides to Syracuse—170

       Any such happy man had prompt reward:

       If he lay bleeding on the battle-field

       They staunched his wounds and gave him drink and food;

       If he were slave i' the house, for reverence

       They rose up, bowed to who proved master now,

       And bade him go free, thank Euripides!

       Ay, and such did so: many such, he said,

       Returning home to Athens, sought him out,

       The old bard in the solitary house,

       And thanked him ere they went to sacrifice. 180

       I say, we knew that story of last year!

       Therefore, at mention of Euripides,

       The Captain crowed out "Euoi, praise the God!

       Oöp, boys, bring our owl-shield to the fore!

       Out with our Sacred Anchor! Here she stands,

       Balaustion! Strangers, greet the lyric girl!

       Euripides? Babai! what a word there 'scaped

       Your teeth's enclosure, quoth my grandsire's song!

       Why, fast as snow in Thrace, the voyage through,

       Has she been falUng thick in flakes of him! 190

       Frequent as figs at Kaunos, Kaunians said.

       Balaustion, stand forth and confirm my speech!

       Now it was some whole passion of a play;

       Now, peradventure, but a honey-drop

       That slipt its comb i' the chorus. If there rose

       A star, before I could determine steer

       Southward or northward—if a cloud surprised

       Heaven, ere I fairly hollaed 'Furl the sail!—'

       She had at finger's end both cloud and star;

       Some thought that perched there, tame and tuneable, 200

       Fitted with wings; and still, as off it flew,

       'So sang Euripides,' she said, 'so sang

       The meteoric poet of air and sea,

       Planets and the pale populace of heaven,

       The mind of man, and all that's made to soar!'

       And so, although she has some other name,

       We only call her Wild-pomegranate-flower,

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