5299 5 a3 1 8 e '*i. v\Nr ^p>i THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES ', -. I S ■ f ■ :. - •■;<.■■<■ E G E U S cVc. E G E U S AND OTHER POEMS BY RICHARD HILL SANDYS, U.K. OF Lincoln's inn, barrister-at-law AUTHOR OF 'in THE BEGINNING' ' ANTITHEISM ' ETC. LONDON KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, & CO., i PATERNOSTER SQUARE 1886 ( 7 he rigkls of Iranslation and of rcpyoduction arc resa-'ed) CONTENTS. — •<>« I'AGK EGEUS I THE DEATH OF PRIAM . . . . . . . 25 ACHILLES AT THE TREN'CHES ..... 29 ACHILLES ARMING . . . . . . . . 3I CEDIPUS 34 LABERIUS ..... 36 THE THREE HOROLOGES 39 LINES .......... 40 A MORNING WALK 43 THE STROLLERS 54 PALINODIUM 55 THE ALMSMAN . . . . . . . . . 58 THE nANAIOE ........ 61 LINES ON THE DEATH ni' THE PRINCE IMI'ERIAL . . 65 RELICS . . . . ' 68 KIVER VIEWS 70 942003 vi CONTENTS PAGE SEA VIEWS 72 THE COASTGUARD STATION 74 SKETCHES 17 THE BREAK OK GAUGE 81 DULCE DOMUM 83 AN INVOCATION ■ . . 85 A CHARADE 89 ANSWER 92 l'amour fanfaron 93 infans expositus 9^ the parish register : baptisms 97 an arabesque 99 the sicilian gossips i07 EGEUS. Theseus, on parting for Crete on his expedition against Minos, agreed with hia>^ther, Egeus, king of Athens, that if successful he would on his return show a white sail as a signal of victory. He did return successful, but forgot to display the promised sign. On Sunium's height, unhallowed yet by fame Of glorious deeds, there sat from morn till eve An aged man, of stately port, whose brow Serene, and steadfast glance far more than all Form and appliances of splendid place Avouched him to be one that never yet Moved at the bidding of created man ; When men were all but gods, a king. — But now From day to day upon the restless wave That skirts the sea, too soon to bear his name, lo He looked to where Minoian Cretb lay Beyond the blue and scattered Cyclades ; Waiting the triumph of his warrior son. 2 EGEUS Who without triumph should return no more. He, at his country's need, in arms had borne Terms of reprisal and defiance high To the dread Cretan king, the pirates' scourge, The mighty ruler of the seas, a shade In distant councils and a word of fear ; The breaker up of thrones, the iron rule, 20 Measure for measure, without mercy just. And now he tarried long, and by degrees Care and uncertainty and racking dread. Like winged harpies borne by all the winds, Preyed on the aged father's lonely heart. Before his eyes the glancing waters broke Day's universal beam with pleasing change ; Fair isles in distance softening far away From point to point to heaven's own proper hue ; And all his own ; and jutting promontory, 3^ And bending coast, and havens half-concealed, And many a snowy sail and burnished prow Of argosy and galley that for him Sped on their courses in the cheerful day. But now he saw them not : — behind him spread ECEUS 3 The land of the olive groves, and arts, and arms, The eye of Greece, Athene's throne on earth ; Where, in the shade of their immortal rock, The Acropolis, the proud Autochthones, Created there, nor soiled with duller climes, 40 Walked, delicate in thought, in spirit high, In form and gesture like the very gods, And all his own ; but now he had no eyes Save for his son — sense, thought of joy, except In some remembered grace of his dear son. Silent and stern the livelong day he sat ; And not a shadow on the ruffled wave, Nor the sad moaning by the idle wind Made through the bending rushes as it past. But found true answer in his troubled breast. 5° And if at times his aged servitor. Of faith long proved, and scarred in the self-same wars, Should press some gentle service, hopeful word, Entreaty mild, or loving-kind reproof For state neglected and too stubborn grief. Resentful he at first, and all the king. Would like an angry lion chafe ; but soon B 2 4 EGEUS Resumed his better nature, and conceived For slight wrong disproportionate remorse, As in requital, being kindly ever, 60 Turn, faintly smiling, to some gracious tale Of their own primes, well spent, nor wanting praise ; But rounding ever with his son — his form, His grace, his bearing — how he struck the boar. How he would wind the fiery steed, in all The exercise of youth how perfect he ! How he reproved the saucy embassy ! And, had he marked, with what fine modesty He stayed his youthful counsels, nor would take The applause that sought but welcome, without first 70 The full approval of a father's eye. He was all spotless ; what to rival him, Young CEdipus, the glozing boy of Thebes, Or all the Argonauts and robber sons Of Tantalus, or, but for the blood of Jove, His hidden privilege, Alcides' self ! Then would he plan how best to grace his son When he returned, as sure he would, and soon ; EGEUS 5 And how his hunting spears, in order ranged By his own hands and sacred to his touch, 80 Should rust no more ; and that his faithful dog, The good Molossian slumbering at his feet, That at the sound of his young master's name Lifted intelligent hi^ stately head To wait his sign, should service take again. And wake Cithaeron with his deep-toned cry ; That Dian well should deem Orion come. Lit from the Zodiac — should she not, old friend ? And he would lay his weary greatness down ; With his own hands the golden circle place 90 Upon his son's fair brow, and render up With willing bend, half homage, half caress. His state, well changed to live awhile in him ; Then at no distant day, upon the close Of some new triumph worthily achieved. Breathe happily his perfect soul away. So fondly thus the old man garrulous, Would cheat awhile his sore foreboding thoughts. But ever and anon, the venomed dart 6 EGEUS Struck by the shadowy arm of watchful grief, loo All keener for his short uneasy rest, Would reach his quivering soul, and with a start And stern repulse, for suffering quickens hate. Drawn to himself, the unhappy king would take His state once more in wilful loneliness. Nor needed great occasion then to strike From his deep sorrow rash unsteady wrath. ' This was their doing — slaves and dastards all — Had they no sons ? no safety but their fears ? Must he alone live desolate for them, no Lutists and revellers, and their effeminate homes ? Theirs was the quarrel — what were they to him ? His sceptre was from Jove, his strength on high ; And, by the gods ! he was too merciful ; But he would fling that mercy to the winds, And teach his thoughts such plagues to vex their souls. That they should deem the Cretan come indeed. Though he were fitter judge for raging hell. EGEUS 7 And he would hold the universal state But his son's hostage ; look they to themselves.' 120 But now a sail, a snow-white sail, draws on, Scarce seen at first, but brightening as it comes. From height to height the joyous signal springs, From these to rest, but through no weary flight. Upon the sacred hill ; from that to flash Its signal to the skies, as thus once more, To draw new favours by new merits down. From door to door the busy rumour spreads : And many a fluttered matron clasps her child ; And at the fountains many an urn runs o'er, 130 Where maidens stand and smile with downcast eyes, Lost in sweet fancies, sighing yet not sad. And blushing deep though not a soul be near. And Athens wakens to her proper life, And turns her ever-restless people forth. Now in her market-place are clasping hands, Greetings and questionings, and raised brows : Old grudges die ; the peaceful citizen 8 EGEUS Sets his cicada with a martial air ; The warrior grimly smiles, and counts his turn ; 140 No churl so base, that grinds his soul for gain, But takes some glow of gentle rivalry ; But all too soon, his hasty cha'ff burnt out, Turns with some scurrile jibe of wounds and death. And sorry feasts, contentment and full sleep, Back to his villain-craft : the nobler slave Pants for his freedom now with nearer hope. The startled minstrels prove their golden lyres ; The priesthood fret, and on the sacred way The wreathed victims, as they feel the god, 150 Turning their curled fronts and gilded horns, Submissive to the hand, and perfect all, Pace gently to the very altar's foot. And on the triumph swells ; each glittering speck Spread to its full proportions now rides on A stately galley, every bank complete ; Fretting with glistening oars the silver tide, That on its quivering surface still reflects The glowing pageant as it flies along, EGEUS 9 Set in white spray that beams around hke stars : 160 Straight to the port they glide ; upon the decks Stand well-known forms, distinct in order true, That with their spears upon their dinted shields, In cadence just, with voices well attuned, Raise high the paean note of victory ; That with her thousa'^ds Athens catching up Sends from her busy shores to all her hills : So happily they come — but not his son. 'Twas but some idle armament that brought Spoils and submission from some rebel isle. 170 And now his spirit fell ; and the deep grief That charms the meaner sense from taste of pain. O'er the wide gap of his dejected hope. Rushed on his heart and set its temple there. No feeling now : the season touched him not ; He spoke, he heard no more ; and to his side Drew wandering death, at whose unseen approach Men fall into strange shudderings, and break off The tale, and, staring into vacancy, 179 Stand wrapt and listening, though no sound be heard ; lo EGEUS As if a summoning spirit spoke their names Home to the inner sense ; with sometimes tears Unbidden, or wild laughter without cause. So at his side the despot of the world Stood, and with bony finger proved his dart : From which dry contact issue fiery pain. Dread and despondency, and sharp regret — But healing sure ; rare visions and sweet sounds ; For heaven opens when a good man dies, And without voice, nor yet to outward view 190 Vouchsafed, but wakening still in holy dream, The memories of all clinging charities, The very forms and graces most endeared Of the long past, that seem on us to smile. To charm from earth the weary soul away. Unnumbered spirits from their seats of bliss Speed on the untiring ministry of grace From God to man ; and as the sun's rich beams. Upon the pathless wood, at glowing noon. Through yielding boughs or lightly falling leaves, 200 Pierce to some deep neglected solitude. Some chilly wilderness of damp and shade. EGEUS II Soon where they light the rugged scene grows mild ; The air wafts perfume as the tangled sward Turns by degrees its hidden treasures forth ! From the rude bent with them the lily peeps, In maiden state the blushing eglantine Adjusts her soft robe on her briery throne ; The violet lends its "Bloom, the thorn its may, The jasmin softly twines ; all loveliest flowers 210 Spring silent there, forsaken, yet how sweet ! Where without them were rottenness and death. . So they into the sullen heart of man. Wooing their welcome ever, so but once 111 passions, their fell purpose unfulfilled. Waver an instant, or the stubborn will Yield but a crevice, fling their living light ; At which strong charm the angry storm grows hushed ; The heavy mist rolls off and gives to view An opening paradise of peaceful thoughts. 220 And from their banishment come meekly home, The graces of the soul : yet one alone. Her mission sped, for now no future is — 12 EGEUS Enchanting Hope flits smilingly away. But Faith abides, and heavenly Charity, That bears so rich a charm, that where she comes Is earth no more, and might she but once place Her gentle footstep on the sulf 'rous plain Of raging Hell, itself were Hell no more. O holy Death, feigned hideous by our sins ! 230 Thou, that must come, perchance this instant art To me the dawn of the unsetting day ! — — What if the toll that marks this midnight hour, Be now my knell, and I must die — alone ? Yet come not sudden. Death ; nor when success, Delusive ever, chains more firmly down The spirit that but seems to mount ; nor when Defeat and shame in this our pleasant life Chill the soft current of our delicate joys, And the permitted fiends that by the side 240 Of sullen outlaws pace with equal steps, With swift suggestion whisper there unseen. Of pleasures fled, the wrongs and scorn of those That, meaner deemed, are yet our very selves ; EGEUS 13 And every circumstance of present suffering, Distorted so by their foul sorceries, That the smooth stream or bloody grave seems well To the racked soul a refuge sure, the realm Of dreamless sleep, and He, the God of all, Or chance or destiny, or else He rules 250 Careless alone, nor~lieeds the man He made. Then come not. Death, for there are but the love Of life disguised when life's delights are past. But saving thus, nor tainting thus the soul, Patient at last and teacher to itself. Come when and as thou wilt Yet is a sorrow sharper far than death. To higher natures, that, subduing self, Twine their strong loves in failing age, and live In younger souls, whose fair succession seems 260 Another life far sweeter than their own ; Ennobling thus by what embitters most. When fate untimely strikes ; and therefore he. Encircled close by sad and watchful friends. From day to day upon the restless wave 14 EGEUS That parted his dear son looked sadly on : He on the wave, they only upon him. But still the despot stayed the certain dart, Which in a tyrant's wantonness he oft Brandished on high, delaying still to strike. 270 Whilst at each moment fell some prop away. The royal spirit, nursed in empire, train'd By heroes that half worshipped as they taught, Rich in all virtues, practised in high deeds. To win all hearts beneath his happy rule, And make subjection seem but privilege To the proud equals of all kings beside. Passed with his hope to wander in a world Of shadows, where one only image now. In swiftly changing scenes of pain or joy, 280 But seeming all, that through his sickly brain Rushed like the drift of some wild hurricane, Stood present ever — yet how far removed ! Now nature gave her signs : the eye that late Beamed like a star on all the lesser world Now dim with sluggish tears looked dully round, EGEUS 15 Or from beneath its pent of snowy white, Glared wild and sudden, like the fiery glance Of some fell monster from its wintry den. All state declined, all order lost, he now 290 Reeled like a drunken man, or feebly crouched, Muttering inaudibly with vacant stare Some idle tale outrunning still his thoughts, Repeated oft, and all beside himself. Or he would turn and frame him auguries From flight of birds or falling leaves, and take Gladness or sorrow from the natural stir Of careless life ; or else, forgetting all. Set him to watch with childlike eagerness The worthless chances of some idle waif, 300 Helplessly driven by the eddying surge : Which he would freight with some poor phantasy Of his sick brain, that being but the shade Of his past sorrow long indulged, he thus Would mark, and yearning by degrees, and now Fairly distracted, take the puny stray For something undefined, but near his heart ; And at its wreck, the ready tears would start, 1 6 EGEUS Slow and unnoticed, but through that shght breach, Anon the bitter tide of his true sorrow 310 Would pour a wintry deluge on his soul, And he would bend and veil him in his robe. And weep apart, long, fast, and silently. Then — for the body that must pine with us. Has yet its privilege— at length, though but As one who takes a respite on the rack, Faintly restored, he slowly would unfold His anguished brow, and, seeing his true watch Saddening for him, and being kindly ever. Take an enforced show of patient hope, 320 That his poor suffering friends afflicted more, Than all his waywardness and passion past. And they would turn their manly fronts aside. One to the other, weeping unrestrained, Rival on rival leaning, hand in hand. But on the stranger cast such threatening glance. As saints on sacrilege, that he should dare To look upon the ruin of their king. For they remembered all his gentle rule ; He was to them a god, his eye their star, 330 EGEUS 17 His strength their peace, sufficing fame his praise ; And there was not among them all one man Might ever tax him with a wilful wrong, Or fair endeavour met with curt reproof, Or biting taunt, that, from the kingly lip Unanswerable, drives Jiigh spirits mad. And meaner men to dark conspiracy. And therefore lived his image in their heart. And when men spoke his name, their thoughts grew proud, And when he ailed, was sorrow round their hearths, 340 Their homes were cold And something, too, of him. The lost, the long-desired, for whom they trained Their gallant boys, whose eyes swept not the ground, But looked erect and quailed not where they looked, That met reproof unflinching, though suffused With silent tears, that fell not to the ground. These daily now returning from their tasks, With bounding steps and looks elate, to tell Their prowess, and their praise how fairly won. They, happy fathers, with such softness met, 350 i8 EGEUS And womanly tenderness, as they were fain Lest they be quite unmanned, to hide beneath Some show of mirthful taunt, misprising thus, What gave their mellowed age its dearest charm ; Which they in turn, detecting quick how true And deep affection lurked in such disguise. Would answer in like mood ; and bid them all Look to their trophies, guard their honours well. For they would soon o'ertop the chief of all, And in despite would so acquit themselves, 360 That, by the gods ! when their good prince came back, He should not choose but lead them to the wars. ■ And these their youthful chief now wanted long ; And heavily in grief the days passed on. But in all time the changeful seasons roll. And now the autumn wanes ; beneath the shade The conscious beauties, each supporting each. Bashful by turns and serious, stand no more To hear the modest shepherd's artless tale ; And in the quiet grove, no youthful pair, 370 Pace hand in hand to tell their happy loves EGEUS 19 And plan their simple homes, and wonder where In such fair world should suffering be found, Whilst often their full hearts deny them words. Age stirs no more abroad : the twittering flight Of swallows now makes cheerful eve no more. The air grows thick, and every sullen gust Wrenches the brown leaves from their rugged stems, To scud before the gale, and wavering long, Sink by degrees, and rest in clammy heaps. 380 No more the seagull soars on moveless wing In the soft air upon its lazy watch ; But, wheeling close and frequent, breasts the spray With busy scream, and brushes oft the surge ; Or dips adroit, and flutters on the edge. Then turns aslant, and, yielding to the gale, Darts like an arrow and is seen no more. And seaward, o'er the dull horizon now Creep heavy mists, that, mounting in thick clouds. Hang overhead — a fitting canopy 390 For the last act of some deep tragedy. And o'er the wintry flood a lonely bark, c 2 20 EGEUS That, dimly viewed through cHnging vapours damp, Scarce held the sluggish air, comes slowly on Floating afar and hardly seen to move ; That to their dark imaginings seemed well Some thing of fate, or Charon's dismal raft. Yet they, for aye the generous and brave, Are slowly credulous of coming ill, When they would bind the wreath of honour on, 400 Such thoughts would banish as in scorn. But he — He saw it not ; his eye was filmed, his thoughts Afar, and commune held with sense no more. And yet he moved uneasily, and flung With trembling hand his snowy hair aside, Sighing as one who, in a feverish bed, Some new delusion takes in troubled dream. And onward still it came, with wreathless prow. Blank decks and tarnished sail, and drooping forms. And every symbol of disastrous flight. 410 For something not quite well — perchance the air Bore in its liquid void the wailing cry Of a wronged maiden, ere came wandering by He, the first tamer of the cruel Ind, EGEUS 21 Whose better spirit shared in Northern climes, Yet lives in chiefs of nations then unborn. And he, victorious, came as though he fled, A god was on his track, and in his heart The heavy thought of an unworthy deed ; And he forgot the token for his sire, 420 Perplexed thus, or else he did not dare To claim his triumph when he might not taste The very triumph he his country brought. Being such deep subjection in his soul. And they, beholding now the goodly ship Themselves had launched so hopeful, thus returned Assured well that he was dead : for how Should he from Crete and her bitter king. The rival of their princes, and the foe By field and flood of all their land, that held 43° With man no converse, nor regarded aught The cheerful gods that haunt the hill or grove Or sedgy stream, or guard the good man's hearth. The gloomy worshipper of Dis alone,' ' So Homer, of Achilles, Oi»Te riif ffir4v5f