Of glorious deeds, to heed thy gentle She might, no more from human union flame.

free, Diana

golden-shafted queen, Burn for a nursling of mortality. Is tamed not by thy smiles ; the shadows For once, amid the assembled Deities, green

The laughter-loving Venus from her eyes Of the wild woods, the bow, the ... Shot forth the light of a soft starlight And piercing cries amid the swift pursuit smile, Of beasts among waste mountains, such And boasting said, that she, secure the delight

while, Is hers, and men who know and do the Could bring at will to the assembled right.

gods Nor Saturn's first-born daughter, Vesta The mortal tenants of earth's dark chaste,

abodes, Whom Neptune and Apollo wooed the And mortal offspring from a deathless

last, Such was the will of ægis-bearing Jove, She could produce in scorn and spite of But sternly she refused the ills of Love,

them. And by her mighty father's head she Therefore he poured desire into her

breast An oath not unperformed, that evermore of young Anchises, A virgin she would live 'mid deities Feeding his herds among the mossy Divine : her father, for such gentle ties

fountains Renounced, gave glorious gifts, thus in of the wide Ida's many-folded mounthis hall

ains, She sits and feeds luxuriously. O'er all Whom Venus saw, and loved, and the In every fane, her honours first arise

love clung From men- -the eldest of Divinities. Like wasting fire her senses wild among.

stem

swore

weaves

EURIPIDES

These spirits she persuades not, nor deceives,

THE CYCLOPS; But none beside escape, so well she

A SATYRIC DRAMA Her unseen toils; nor mortal men, nor gods

TRANSLATED FROM THE GREEK OF Who live secure in their unseen abodes. She won the soul of him whose fierce

SILENUS.

ULYSSES. delight

1

CHORUS OF SATYRS. THE CYCLOPS. Is thunder—first in glory and in might. And, as she willed, his mighty mind Silenus. O Bacchus, what a world deceiving,

of toil, both now With mortal limbs his deathless limbs And ere these limbs were overworn with inweaving,

age, Concealed him from his spouse and sister Have I endured for thee! First, when fair,

thou fled'st Whom to wise Saturn ancient Rhea bare The mountain-nymphs who nurst thee, but in return,

driven afar In Venus Jove did soft desire awaken, By the strange madness Juno sent upon That by her own enchantments over

thee; taken,

Then in the battle of the sons of Earth,

see

measures

and song

STROPHE

When I stood foot by foot close to thy With this great iron rake, so to receive side,

My absent master and his evening sheep No unpropitious fellow-combatant, In a cave neat and clean.

Even now I And driving through his shield my winged spear,

My children tending the flocks hitherSlew vast Enceladus. Consider now,

ward. Is it a dream of whic I speak to thee Ha! what this? are your Sicinnian By Jove it is not, for you have the trophies !

Even now the same, as when with dance And now I suffer more than all before. For when I heard that Juno had de. You brought young Bacchus to Althæa's vised

halls ? A tedious voyage for you, I put to sea With all my children quaint in search of

Chorus of Satyrs you, And I myself stood on the beaked prow And fixed the naked mast, and all my Where has he of race divine boys

Wandered in the winding rocks? Leaning upon their oars, with splash Here the air is calm and fine and strain

For the father of the flocks ;Made white with foam the green and Here the grass is soft and sweet, purple sea,

And the river-eddies meet And so we sought you, king. We were in the trough beside the cave, sailing

Bright as in their fountain wave.— Near Malea, when an eastern wind | Neither here, nor on the dew arose,

Of the lawny uplands feeding? And drove us to this wild Ætnean rock; Oh, you come a stone at you The one-eyed children of the Ocean Will I throw to mend your breedGod,

ing; The man-destroying Cyclopses inhabit, Get along, you hornèd thing, On this wild shore, their solitary caves,

Wild, seditious, rambling ! And one of these, named Polypheme,

has caught us To be his slaves; and so, for all delight An Iacchic melody Of Bacchic sports, sweet dance and

To the golden Aphrodite melody,

Will I lift, as erst did I We keep this lawless giant's wandering Seeking her and her delight flocks.

With the Mænads, whose white feet My sons indeed, on far declivities, To the music glance and fleet. Young things themselves, tend on the Bacchus, O beloved, where, youngling sheep,

Shaking wide thy yellow hair, But I remain to fill the water casks,

Wanderest thou alone, afar?
Or sweeping the hard floor, or minis- To the one-eyed Cyclops, we,
tering

Who by right thy servants are,
Some impious and abominable meal Minister in misery,
To the fell Cyclops. I am wearied of In these wretched goat-skins clad,
it!

Far from thy delights and thee. And now I must scrape up the littered Silenus. Be silent, sons; command floor

EPODE

cave.

The gathered flocks into the rock-roofed Silenus. How touched you not at

your paternal shore ? Chorus. Go! But what needs this Ulysses. The strength of tempests serious haste, O father?

bore me here by force. Silenus, I see a Grecian vessel on Silenus. The self-same accident octhe coast,

cured to me. And thence the rowers with some general Ulysses. Were you then driven here Approaching to this cave. --About their by stress of weather ? necks

Silenus. Following the Pirates who Hang empty vessels, as they wanted had kidnapped Bacchus. food,

Ulysses. What land is this, and who And water - flasks.

Oh
miserable

inhabit it?
strangers!

Silenus. Ætna, the loftiest peak in Whence come they, that they know not Sicily, what and who

Ulysses. And are there walls, and My master is, approaching in ill hour

tower-surrounded towns ? The inhospitable roof of Polypheme, Silenus. There are not.-These lone And the Cyclopian jaw-bone, man-de

rocks are bare of men. stroying ?

Ulysses. And who possess the land ? Be silent, Satyrs, while I ask and the race of beasts? hear

Silenus. Cyclops, who live in caverns, Whence coming, they arrive the Ætnean not in houses. hill.

Ulysses. Obeying whom? Or is the Ulysses. Friends, can you show me state popular? some clear water spring,

Silenus. Shepherds: no one obeys The remedy of our thirst ? Will any any in aught.

Ulysses. How live they ? do they sow Furnish with food seamen in want of it ?

the corn of Ceres ? Ha! what is this? We seem to be Silenus. On milk and cheese, and arrived

on the flesh of sheep. At the blithe court of Bacchus. I

Ulysses. Have they the Bromian observe

drink from the vine's stream? This sportive band of Satyrs near the Silenus. Ah! no; they live in an

ungracious land. First let me greet the elder. -Hail ! Ulysses. And are they just to Silenus.

Hail thou, strangers ?-hospitable ? O Stranger! tell thy country and thy Silenus. They think the sweetest

thing a stranger brings Ulysses. The Ithacan Ulysses and Is his own flesh. the king

Ulysses.

What! do they or Cephalonia.

eat man's flesh ? Silenus. Oh! I know the man, Silenus. No one comes here who is Wordy and shrewd, the son of Sisyphus.

not eaten up. Ulysses. I am the same, but do not Ulysses. The Cyclops now — where rail upon me. —

is he? Not at home? Silenus. Whence sailing do you come Silenus. Absent on Ætna, hunting to Sicily?

with his dogs. Ulysses. From Ilion, and from the

Ulysses. Know'st thou what thou Trojan toils.

one

caves.

race.

very nails.

Silenus. I know not: we will help Ulysses. Taste, that you may not you all we can.

praise it in words only. Ulysses. Provide us food, of which Silenus. Babai! Great Bacchus calls we are in want.

me forth to dance ! Silenus. Here is not anything, as I Joy! joy! said, but meat.

Ulysses.

Did it flow sweetly Ulysses. But meat is a sweet remedy down your throat ? for hunger.

Silenus. So that it tingled to my Silenus. Cow's milk there is, and store of curdled cheese.

Ulysses. And in addition I will give Ulysses. Bring out:-I would see all

you gold. before I bargain.

Silenus. Let gold alone! only unlock Silenus, But how much gold will

the cask. you engage to give ?

Ulysses. Bring out some cheeses now, Ulysses. I bring no gold, but Bacchic or a young goat. juice.

Silenus. That will I do, despising Silenus. Oh joy!

any master. 'Tis long since these dry lips were wet Yes, let me drink one cup, and I will with wine.

give Ulysses. Maron, the son of the God, All that the Cyclops feed upon their gave it me.

mountains, Silenus. Whom I have nursed a baby in my arms.

Chorus. Ye have taken Troy and Ulysses. The son of Bacchus, for laid your hands on Helen ? your clearer knowledge.

Ulysses. And utterly destroyed the Silenus. Have you it now?-or is it race of Priam.

in the ship? Ulysses. Old man, this skin contains Silenus. The wanton wretch: she it, which you see.

was bewitched to see Silenus. Why this would hardly be The many-coloured anklets and the a mouthful for me.

chain Ulysses. Nay, twice as much as you of woven gold which girt the neck of can draw from thence.

Paris, Silenus. You speak of a fair foun- And so she left that good man Menelaus. tain, sweet to me.

There should be no more women in the Ulysses. Would you first taste of the world unmingled wine ?

But such as are reserved for me alone. Silenus. 'Tis just-tasting invites the See, here are sheep, and here are goats, purchaser.

Ulysses, Ulysses. Here is the cup, together Here are unsparing cheeses of pressed

with the skin. Silenus. Pour : that the draught may Take them; depart with what good speed fillip my remembrance.

ye may; Ulysses. See !

First leaving my reward, the Bacchic Silenus. Papaiax ! what a

dew sweet smell it has !

Of joy-inspiring grapes. Ulysses. You see it then ?--

Ulysses.

Ah me! Alas! Silenus.

By Jove, no! but I | What shall we do? the Cyclops is at smell it.

milk;

recesses

Old man, we perish! whither can we So you may drink a tunful if you will. fly?

Cyclops. Is it ewe's milk or cow's Silenus. Hide yourselves quick with

milk, or both mixed ?in that hollow rock.

Silenus. Both, either; only pray
Ulysses.' 'Twere perilous to fly into don't swallow me.
the net.

Cyclops. By no means.--
Silenus.
The cavern

has
numberless;

What is this crowd I see beside the Hide yourselves quick.

stalls ? Ulysses. That will I never do! Outlaws or thieves ? for near my cavernThe mighty Troy would be indeed home, disgraced

I see my young lambs coupled two by two If I should fly one man. How many With willow bands; mixed with my times

cheeses lie Have I withstood, with shield immov- Their implements; and this old fellow able,

here Ten thousand Phrygians !---if I needs Has his bald head broken with stripes. must die,

Silenus.

Ah me! Yet will I die with glory ;-if I live, I have been beaten till I burn with The praise which I have gained will yet

fever. remain.

Cyclops. By whom? Who laid his Silenus. What, ho! assistance, com

fist upon your head ? rades, haste, assistance !

Silenus. Those men, because I would

not suffer them The Cyclops, SILENUS, ULYSSES; To steal your goods. CHORUS

Cyclops.

Did not the rascals Cyclops. What is this tumult? Bacchus is not here,

I am a God, sprung from the race of Nor tympanies nor brazen castanets.

heaven? How are my young lambs in the cavern? Silenus. I told them so, but they Milking

bore off your things, Their dams or playing by their sides? And ate the cheese in spite of all I said, And is

And carried out the lambs--and said, The new cheese pressed into the bull- moreover, rush baskets ?

They'd pin you down with a three-cubit Speak! I'll beat some of you till you rain tears

And pull your vitals out through your Look up, not downwards when I speak

one eye,

Torture your back with stripes, then Silenus. See! I now gape at Jupiter binding you, himself,

Throw you as ballast into the ship's I stare upon Orion and the stars.

hold, Cyclops. Well, is the dinner fitly And then deliver you, a slave, to move cooked and laid ?

Enormous rocks, or found a vestibule. Silenus. All ready, if your throat is Cyclops. In truth? Nay, haste, and ready too.

place in order quickly Cyclops. Are the bowls full of milk The cooking knives, and heap upon the besides?

hearth, Silenus. O’er-brimming; | And kindle it, a great faggot of wood

know

collar,

to you.