No More Learning

Shall I climb the Idomenean
crags? but the truculent sea stretching amain with its whirlings of waters
separates us. Can I quest help from my father, whom I deserted to follow a
youth besprinkled with my brother's blood? Can I crave comfort from the
care of a faithful yokeman, who is fleeing with yielding oars, encurving
'midst whirling waters. If I turn from the beach there is no roof in this
tenantless island, no way sheweth a passage, circled by waves of the sea;
no way of flight, no hope; all denotes dumbness, desolation, and death.
Natheless mine eyes shall not be dimmed in death, nor my senses secede from
my spent frame, until I have besought from the gods a meet mulct for my
betrayal, and implored the faith of the celestials with my latest breath.
Wherefore ye requiters of men's deeds with avenging pains, O Eumenides,
whose front enwreathed with serpent-locks blazons the wrath exhaled from
your bosom, hither, hither haste, hear ye my plainings, which I, sad
wretch, am urged to outpour from mine innermost marrow, helpless, burning,
and blind with frenzied fury. And since in truth they spring from the
veriest depths of my heart, be ye unwilling to allow my agony to pass
unheeded, but with such mind as Theseus forsook me, with like mind, O
goddesses, may he bring evil on himself and on his kin. "

After she had poured forth these words from her grief-laden bosom,
distractedly clamouring for requital against his heartless deeds, the
celestial ruler assented with almighty nod, at whose motion the earth and
the awe-full waters quaked, and the world of glittering stars did quiver.
But Theseus, self-blinded with mental mist, let slip from forgetful breast
all those injunctions which until then he had held firmly in mind, nor bore
aloft sweet signals to his sad sire, shewing himself safe when in sight of
Erectheus' haven. For 'tis said that aforetime, when Aegeus entrusted his
son to the winds, on leaving the walls of the chaste goddess's city, these
commands he gave to the youth with his parting embrace.

"O mine only son, far dearer to me than long life, lately restored to me at
extreme end of my years, O son whom I must perforce dismiss to a doubtful
hazard, since my ill fate and thine ardent valour snatch thee from
unwilling me, whose dim eyes are not yet sated with my son's dear form: nor
gladly and with joyous breast do I send thee, nor will I suffer thee to
bear signs of helpful fortune, but first from my breast many a plaint will
I express, sullying my grey hairs with dust and ashes, and then will I hang
dusky sails to the swaying mast, so that our sorrow and burning lowe are
shewn by Iberian canvas, rustily darkened. Yet if the dweller on holy
Itone, who deigns defend our race and Erectheus' dwellings, grant thee to
besprinkle thy right hand in the bull's blood, then see that in very truth
these commandments deep-stored in thine heart's memory do flourish, nor any
time deface them. Instant thine eyes shall see our cliffs, lower their
gloomy clothing from every yard, and let the twisted cordage bear aloft
snowy sails, where splendent shall shine bright topmast spars, so that,
instant discerned, I may know with gladness and lightness of heart that in
prosperous hour thou art returned to my face. "

These charges, at first held in constant mind, from Theseus slipped away as
clouds are impelled by the breath of the winds from the ethereal peak of a
snow-clad mount.
But his father as he betook himself to the castle's
turrets as watchplace, dimming his anxious eyes with continual weeping,
when first he spied the discoloured canvas, flung himself headlong from the
top of the crags, deeming Theseus lost by harsh fate. Thus as he entered
the grief-stricken house, his paternal roof, Theseus savage with slaughter
met with like grief as that which with unmemoried mind he had dealt to
Minos' daughter: while she with grieving gaze at his disappearing keel,
turned over a tumult of cares in her wounded spirit.

But on another part [of the tapestry] swift hastened the flushed Iacchus
with his train of Satyrs and Nisa-begot Sileni, thee questing, Ariadne, and
aflame with love for thee. * * * * These scattered all around, an inspired
band, rushed madly with mind all distraught, ranting "Euhoe," with tossing
of heads "Euhoe. " Some with womanish hands shook thyrsi with wreath-covered
points; some tossed limbs of a rended steer; some engirt themselves with
writhed snakes; some enacted obscure orgies with deep chests, orgies of
which the profane vainly crave a hearing; others beat the tambours with
outstretched palms, or from the burnished brass provoked shrill tinklings,
blew raucous-sounding blasts from many horns, and the barbarous pipe droned
forth horrible song.

With luxury of such figures was the coverlet adorned, enwrapping the bed
with its mantling embrace. After the Thessalian youthhood with eager
engazing were sated they began to give way to the sacred gods. Hence, as
with his morning's breath brushing the still sea Zephyrus makes the sloping
billows uprise, when Aurora mounts 'neath the threshold of the wandering
sun, which waves heave slowly at first with the breeze's gentle motion
(plashing with the sound as of low laughter) but after, as swells the wind,
more and more frequent they crowd and gleam in the purple light as they
float away,--so quitting the royal vestibule did the folk hie them away
each to his home with steps wandering hither and thither.

After they had wended their way, chief from the Pelion vertex Chiron came,
the bearer of sylvan spoil: for whatsoever the fields bear, whatso the
Thessalian land on its high hills breeds, and what flowers the fecund air
of warm Favonius begets near the running streams, these did he bear
enwreathed into blended garlands wherewith the house rippled with laughter,
caressed by the grateful odour.

Speedily stands present Penios, for a time his verdant Tempe, Tempe whose
overhanging trees encircle, leaving to the Dorian choirs, damsels
Magnesian, to frequent; nor empty-handed,--for he has borne hither lofty
beeches uprooted and the tall laurel with straight stem, nor lacks he the
nodding plane and the lithe sister of flame-wrapt Phaethon and the aerial
cypress. These wreathed in line did he place around the palace so that the
vestibule might grow green sheltered with soft fronds.

After him follows Prometheus of inventive mind, bearing diminishing traces
of his punishment of aforetime, which of old he had suffered, with his
limbs confined by chains hanging from the rugged Scythian crags. Then came
the sire of gods from heaven with his holy consort and offspring, leaving
thee alone, Phoebus, with thy twin-sister the fosterer of the mountains of
Idrus: for equally with thyself did thy sister disdain Peleus nor was she
willing to honour the wedding torches of Thetis. After they had reclined
their snow-white forms along the seats, tables were loaded on high with
food of various kinds.

In the meantime with shaking bodies and infirm gesture the Parcae began to
intone their veridical chant. Their trembling frames were enwrapped around
with white garments, encircled with a purple border at their heels, snowy
fillets bound each aged brow, and their hands pursued their never-ending
toil, as of custom.