endymion- a poetic romance-第2章
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Fill'd out its voice； and died away again。
Within a little space again it gave
Its airy swellings； with a gentle wave；
To light…hung leaves； in smoothest echoes breaking
Through copse…clad vallies；… ere their death； o'ertaking
The surgy murmurs of the lonely sea。
And now； as deep into the wood as we
Might mark a lynx's eye； there glimmered light
Fair faces and a rush of garments white；
Plainer and plainer showing； till at last
Into the widest alley they all past；
Making directly for the woodland altar。
O kindly muse！ let not my weak tongue faulter
In telling of this goodly company；
Of their old piety； and of their glee：
But let a portion of ethereal dew
Fall on my head； and presently unmew
My soul； that I may dare； in wayfaring；
To stammer where old Chaucer us'd to sing。
Leading the way； young damsels danced along；
Bearing the burden of a shepherd song；
Each having a white wicker over brimm'd
With April's tender younglings： next； well trimm'd；
A crowd of shepherds with as sunburnt looks
As may be read of in Arcadian books；
Such as sat listening round Apollo's pipe；
When the great deity； for earth too ripe；
Let his divinity o'erflowing die
In music； through the vales of Thessaly：
Some idly trail'd their sheep…hooks on the ground；
And some kept up a shrilly mellow sound
With ebon…tipped flutes： close after these；
Now coming from beneath the forest trees；
A venerable priest full soberly；
Begirt with ministring looks： alway his eye
Stedfast upon the matted turf he kept；
And after him his sacred vestments swept。
From his right hand there swung a vase； milk…white；
Of mingled wine； out…sparkling generous light；
And in his left he held a basket full
Of all sweet herbs that searching eye could cull：
Wild thyme； and valley…lillies whiter still
Than Leda's love； and cresses from the rill。
His aged head； crowned with beechen wreath；
Seem'd like a poll of ivy in the teeth
Of winter hoar。 Then came another crowd
Of shepherds； lifting in due time aloud
Their share of the ditty。 After them appear'd；
Up…followed by a multitude that rear'd
Their voices to the clouds； a fair wrought car；
Easily rolling so as scarce to mar
The freedom of three steeds of dapple brown：
Who stood therein did seem of great renown
Among the throng。 His youth was fully blown；
Showing like Ganymede to manhood grown；
And； for those simple times； his garments were
A chieftain king's： beneath his breast； half bare；
Was hung a silver bugle； and between
His nervy knees there lay a boar…spear keen。
A smile was on his countenance； he seem'd；
To common lookers on； like one who dream'd
Of idleness in groves Elysian：
But there were some who feelingly could scan
A lurking trouble in his nether lip；
And see that oftentimes the reins would slip
Through his forgotten hands： then would they sigh；
And think of yellow leaves； of owlets' cry；
Of logs piled solemnly。… Ah； well…a…day；
Why should our young Endymion pine away！
Soon the assembly； in a circle rang'd；
Stood silent round the shrine： each look was chang'd
To sudden veneration： women meek
Beckon'd their sons to silence； while each cheek
Of virgin bloom paled gently for slight fear。
Endymion too； without a forest peer；
Stood； wan； and pale； and with an awed face；
Among his brothers of the mountain chace。
In midst of all； the venerable priest
Eyed them with joy from greatest to the least；
And； after lifting up his aged hands；
Thus spake he： 〃Men of Latmos！ shepherd bands！
Whose care it is to guard a thousand flocks：
Whether descended from beneath the rocks
That overtop your mountains； whether come
From vallies where the pipe is never dumb；
Or from your swelling downs； where sweet air stirs
Blue hare…bells lightly； and where prickly furze
Buds lavish gold； or ye； whose precious charge
Nibble their fill at ocean's very marge；
Whose mellow reeds are touch'd with sounds forlorn
By the dim echoes of old Triton's horn：
Mothers and wives！ who day by day prepare
The scrip； with needments； for the mountain air；
And all ye gentle girls who foster up
Udderless lambs； and in a little cup
Will put choice honey for a favoured youth：
Yea； every one attend！ for in good truth
Our vows are wanting to our great god Pan。
Are not our lowing heifers sleeker than
Night…swollen mushrooms？ Are not our wide plains
Speckled with countless fleeces？ Have not rains
Green'd over April's lap？ No howling sad
Sickens our fearful ewes； and we have had
Great bounty from Endymion our lord。
The earth is glad： the merry lark has pour'd
His early song against yon breezy sky；
That spreads so clear o'er our solemnity。〃
Thus ending； on the shrine he heap'd a spire
Of teeming sweets； enkindling sacred fire；
Anon he stain'd the thick and spongy sod
With wine； in honour of the shepherd…god。
Now while the earth was drinking it； and while
Bay leaves were crackling in the fragrant pile；
And gummy frankincense was sparkling bright
'Neath smothering parsley； and a hazy light
Spread greyly eastward； thus a chorus sang：
〃O thou； whose mighty palace roof doth hang
From jagged trunks； and overshadoweth
Eternal whispers； glooms； the birth； life； death
Of unseen flowers in heavy peacefulness；
Who lov'st to see the hamadryads dress
Their ruffled locks where meeting hazels darken；
And through whole solemn hours dost sit； and hearken
The dreary melody of bedded reeds…
In desolate places； where dank moisture breeds
The pipy hemlock to strange overgrowth；
Bethinking thee； how melancholy loth
Thou wast to lose fair Syrinx… do thou now；
By thy love's milky brow！
By all the trembling mazes that she ran；
Hear us； great Pan！
〃O thou； for whose soul…soothing quiet； turtles
Passion their voices cooingly 'mong myrtles；
What time thou wanderest at eventide
Through sunny meadows； that outskirt the side
Of thine enmossed realms： O thou； to whom
Broad leaved fig trees even now foredoom
Their ripen'd fruitage； yellow girted bees
Their golden honeycombs； our village leas
Their fairest blossom'd beans and poppied corn；
The chuckling linnet its five young unborn；
To sing for thee； low creeping strawberries
Their summer coolness； pent up butterflies
Their freckled wings； yea； the fresh budding year
All its completions… be quickly near；
By every wind that nods the mountain pine；
O forester divine！
〃Thou； to whom every faun and satyr flies
For willing service； whether to surprise
The squatted hare while in half sleeping fit；
Or upward ragged precipices flit
To save poor lambkins from the eagle's maw；
Or by mysterious enticement draw
Bewildered shepherds to their path again；
Or to tread breathless round the frothy main；
And gather up all fancifullest shells
For thee to tumble into Naiads' cells；
And； being hidden； laugh at their out…peepin
