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Emathian ports； to him We nymphs do reverence； ay； and Nereus old； For
all things knows the seer； both those which are And have been； or which
time hath yet to bring； So willed it Neptune； whose portentous flocks； And
loathly sea…calves 'neath the surge he feeds。 Him first； my son； behoves
thee seize and bind That he may all the cause of sickness show； And grant
a prosperous end。 For save by force No rede will he vouchsafe； nor shalt
thou bend His soul by praying； whom once made captive； ply With
rigorous force and fetters； against these His wiles will break and spend
themselves in vain。 I； when the sun has lit his noontide fires； When the
blades thirst； and cattle love the shade； Myself will guide thee to the old
man's haunt； Whither he hies him weary from the waves； That thou mayst
safelier steal upon his sleep。 But when thou hast gripped him fast with
hand and gyve； Then divers forms and bestial semblances Shall mock thy
grasp； for sudden he will change To bristly boar； fell tigress； dragon scaled；
And tawny…tufted lioness； or send forth A crackling sound of fire； and so
shake of The fetters； or in showery drops anon Dissolve and vanish。 But
the more he shifts His endless transformations； thou； my son； More
straitlier clench the clinging bands； until His body's shape return to that
thou sawest； When with closed eyelids first he sank to sleep。〃 So
saying； an odour of ambrosial dew She sheds around； and all his frame
therewith Steeps throughly； forth from his trim…combed locks Breathed
effluence sweet； and a lithe vigour leapt Into his limbs。 There is a cavern
vast Scooped in the mountain…side； where wave on wave By the wind's
stress is driven； and breaks far up Its inmost creeks… safe anchorage from
of old For tempest…taken mariners： therewithin； Behind a rock's huge
barrier； Proteus hides。 Here in close covert out of the sun's eye The youth
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she places； and herself the while Swathed in a shadowy mist stands far
aloof。 And now the ravening dog…star that burns up The thirsty Indians
blazed in heaven； his course The fiery sun had half devoured： the blades
Were parched； and the void streams with droughty jaws Baked to their
mud…beds by the scorching ray； When Proteus seeking his accustomed
cave Strode from the billows： round him frolicking The watery folk that
people the waste sea Sprinkled the bitter brine…dew far and wide。 Along
the shore in scattered groups to feed The sea…calves stretch them： while the
seer himself； Like herdsman on the hills when evening bids The steers
from pasture to their stall repair； And the lambs' bleating whets the
listening wolves； Sits midmost on the rock and tells his tale。 But Aristaeus；
the foe within his clutch； Scarce suffering him compose his aged limbs；
With a great cry leapt on him； and ere he rose Forestalled him with the
fetters； he nathless； All unforgetful of his ancient craft； Transforms himself
to every wondrous thing； Fire and a fearful beast； and flowing stream。 But
when no trickery found a path for flight； Baffled at length； to his own
shape returned； With human lips he spake； 〃Who bade thee； then； So
reckless in youth's hardihood； affront Our portals？ or what wouldst thou
hence？〃… But he； 〃Proteus； thou knowest； of thine own heart thou knowest；
For thee there is no cheating； but cease thou To practise upon me： at
heaven's behest I for my fainting fortunes hither come An oracle to ask
thee。〃 There he ceased。 Whereat the seer； by stubborn force constrained；
Shot forth the grey light of his gleaming eyes Upon him； and with fiercely
gnashing teeth Unlocks his lips to spell the fates of heaven： 〃Doubt not
'tis wrath divine that plagues thee thus； Nor light the debt thou payest； 'tis
Orpheus' self； Orpheus unhappy by no fault of his； So fates prevent not；
fans thy penal fires； Yet madly raging for his ravished bride。 She in her
haste to shun thy hot pursuit Along the stream； saw not the coming death；
Where at her feet kept ward upon the bank In the tall grass a monstrous
water…snake。 But with their cries the Dryad…band her peers Filled up the
mountains to their proudest peaks： Wailed for her fate the heights of
Rhodope； And tall Pangaea； and； beloved of Mars； The land that bowed to
Rhesus； Thrace no less With Hebrus' stream； and Orithyia wept； Daughter
of Acte old。 But Orpheus' self； Soothing his love…pain with the hollow
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shell； Thee his sweet wife on the lone shore alone； Thee when day dawned
and when it died he sang。 Nay to the jaws of Taenarus too he came； Of Dis
the infernal palace； and the grove Grim with a horror of great darkness…
came； Entered； and faced the Manes and the King Of terrors； the stone
heart no prayer can tame。 Then from the deepest deeps of Erebus； Wrung
by his minstrelsy； the hollow shades Came trooping； ghostly semblances
of forms Lost to the light； as birds by myriads hie To greenwood boughs
for cover； when twilight…hour Or storms of winter chase them from the
hills； Matrons and men； and great heroic frames Done with life's service；
boys； unwedded girls； Youths placed on pyre before their fathers' eyes。
Round them； with black slime choked and hideous weed； Cocytus winds；
there lies the unlovely swamp Of dull dead water； and； to pen them fast；
Styx with her ninefold barrier poured between。 Nay； even the deep
Tartarean Halls of death Stood lost in wonderment； and the Eumenides；
Their brows with livid locks of serpents twined； Even Cerberus held his
triple jaws agape； And； the wind hushed； Ixion's wheel stood still。 And
now with homeward footstep he had passed All perils scathless； and； at
length restored； Eurydice to realms of upper air Had well…nigh won；
behind him following… So Proserpine had ruled it… when his heart A sudden
mad desire surprised and seized… Meet fault to be forgiven； might Hell
forgive。 For at the very threshold of the day； Heedless； alas！ and
vanquished of resolve； He stopped； turned； looked upon Eurydice His own
once more。 But even with the look； Poured out was all his labour； broken
the bond Of that fell tyrant； and a crash was heard Three times like
thunder in the meres of hell。 'Orpheus！ what ruin hath thy frenzy wrought
On me； alas！ and thee？ Lo！ once again The unpitying fates recall me； and
dark sleep Closes my swimming eyes。 And now farewell： Girt with
enormous night I am borne away； Outstretching toward thee； thine； alas！
no more； These helpless hands。' She spake； and suddenly； Like smoke
dissolving into empty air； Passed and was sundered from his sight； nor him
Clutching vain shadows； yearning sore to speak； Thenceforth beheld she；
nor no second time Hell's boatman brooks he pass the watery bar。 What
should he do？ fly whither； twice bereaved？ Move with what tears the
Manes； with what voice The Powers of darkness？ She indeed even now
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Death…cold was floating on the Stygian barge！ For seven whole months
unceasingly； men say； Beneath a skyey crag； by thy lone wave； Strymon；
he wept； and in the caverns chill Unrolled his story； melting tigers' hearts；
And leading with his lay the oaks along。 As in the poplar…shade a
nightingale Mourns her lost young； which some relentless swain； Spying；
from the nest has torn unfledged； but she Wails the long night； and perched
upon a spray With sad insistence pipes her dolorous strain； Till all the
region with her wrongs o'erflows。 No love； no new desire； constrained his
soul： By snow…bound Tanais and the icy north； Far steppes to frost
Rhipaean forev