Andromeda and Other Poems by Charles Kingsley
page 14 of 157 (08%)
page 14 of 157 (08%)
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Those whom the gods should love; so fear not; to chaste espousals
Only I woo thee, and swear, that a queen, and alone without rival By me thou sittest in Argos of Hellas, throne of my fathers, Worshipped by fair-haired kings: why callest thou still on thy mother? Why did she leave thee thus here? For no foeman has bound thee; no foeman Winning with strokes of the sword such a prize, would so leave it behind him.' Just as at first some colt, wild-eyed, with quivering nostril, Plunges in fear of the curb, and the fluttering robes of the rider; Soon, grown bold by despair, submits to the will of his master, Tamer and tamer each hour, and at last, in the pride of obedience, Answers the heel with a curvet, and arches his neck to be fondled, Cowed by the need that maid grew tame; while the hero indignant Tore at the fetters which held her: the brass, too cunningly tempered, Held to the rock by the nails, deep wedged: till the boy, red with anger, Drew from his ivory thigh, keen flashing, a falchion of diamond-- 'Now let the work of the smith try strength with the arms of Immortals!' Dazzling it fell; and the blade, as the vine-hook shears off the vine-bough, Carved through the strength of the brass, till her arms fell soft on his shoulder. Once she essayed to escape: but the ring of the water was round her, Round her the ring of his arms; and despairing she sank on his bosom. Then, like a fawn when startled, she looked with a shriek to the seaward. 'Touch me not, wretch that I am! For accursed, a shame and a hissing, Guiltless, accurst no less, I await the revenge of the sea-gods. Yonder it comes! Ah go! Let me perish unseen, if I perish! Spare me the shame of thine eyes, when merciless fangs must tear me Piecemeal! Enough to endure by myself in the light of the sunshine Guiltless, the death of a kid!' But the boy still lingered around her, |
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