114
Orion.
[Book III.
Within the gleaming Palace, and a voice
Followed melodious as it spake these words.
Followed melodious as it spake these words.
"Well hast thou striven, and due reward shall find;
For though reward held dalliance with thy hopes
Of former days, and for thyself thou wrought'st,
The suffering and the lesson have sufficed
To fit thee for more noble aims. Sigh not
That those companions of thine unformed youth,
Their rude career have closed: evil was all
They could have done without thee. Thou hast won
The love of Eos; doubt not of her truth,
And to thyself be constant, as to her."
For though reward held dalliance with thy hopes
Of former days, and for thyself thou wrought'st,
The suffering and the lesson have sufficed
To fit thee for more noble aims. Sigh not
That those companions of thine unformed youth,
Their rude career have closed: evil was all
They could have done without thee. Thou hast won
The love of Eos; doubt not of her truth,
And to thyself be constant, as to her."
He turned, and at his side the Goddess smiled,
With tenderness of grace, such as the soul
Can through the heart convey, where both accord
One object to exalt. Orion knelt,
And looked up in her face, then rose and clasped
Her yielding loveliness. As they retired,
An eye glanced fire-like through the clear blue air,
And saw the embrace!—and marked the glowing beams
On Eos' bosom, rosy yet all gold,
Like ripened peaches in the morning light.
With tenderness of grace, such as the soul
Can through the heart convey, where both accord
One object to exalt. Orion knelt,
And looked up in her face, then rose and clasped
Her yielding loveliness. As they retired,
An eye glanced fire-like through the clear blue air,
And saw the embrace!—and marked the glowing beams
On Eos' bosom, rosy yet all gold,
Like ripened peaches in the morning light.
