in all goodliness they led her to the Immortals, who gave her greeting
when they beheld her, and welcomed her with their hands; and each God
prayed that he might lead her home to be his wedded wife, so much they
marvelled at the beauty of the fair-garlanded Cytherean. Hail, thou of
the glancing eyes, thou sweet winsome Goddess, and grant that I bear off
the victory in this contest, and lend thou grace to my song, while I
shall both remember thee and another singing.



VI. TO DIONYSUS


[Dionysus sailing in his sacred ship. (Interior Design on a Kylix by
Exekias in Munich.): lang213.jpg]

Concerning Dionysus the son of renowned Semele shall I sing; how once he
appeared upon the shore of the sea unharvested, on a jutting headland, in
form like a man in the bloom of youth, with his beautiful dark hair
waving around him, and on his strong shoulders a purple robe. Anon came
in sight certain men that were pirates; in a well-wrought ship sailing
swiftly on the dark seas: Tyrsenians were they, and Ill Fate was their
leader, for they beholding him nodded each to other, and swiftly leaped
forth, and hastily seized him, and set him aboard their ship rejoicing in
heart, for they deemed that he was the son of kings, the fosterlings of
Zeus, and they were minded to bind him with grievous bonds. But him the
fetters held not, and the withes fell far from his hands and feet. {214}
There sat he smiling with his dark eyes, but the steersman saw it, and
spake aloud to his companions: "Fools, what God have ye taken and bound?
a strong God is he, our trim ship may not contain him. Surely this is