16
Orion.
[Book I.
For its wrong doings!" Wherefore all the grain
From friendly islands they, with scorn, sent back.
A famine soon in Ithaca spread wide,
And hungry people prowled about at night,
Then clamoured, and took arms—their war-cry "bread!"
Thus was the dormant evil of their hearts
Attested, and the King his people knew,
And bitterly their want of reverence felt.
From friendly islands they, with scorn, sent back.
A famine soon in Ithaca spread wide,
And hungry people prowled about at night,
Then clamoured, and took arms—their war-cry "bread!"
Thus was the dormant evil of their hearts
Attested, and the King his people knew,
And bitterly their want of reverence felt.
Encolyon, in his stature tall confiding,
Though Akinetos warned him not to move,
Went gravely forth the rebel throngs to meet.
The politic giant's staid demeanour awed
The angry mass at first, and with their eyes
They seemed to listen, doubtful of their ears,
So puzzling was his speech. He to the King
And his chief heroes then discoursed apart,
Convincing them that all the wheels went well.
With head bent sideways from the light, he looked
Like to some statesman of consummate mind
Working an ancient problem; and then spake
In language critical, final, stolid, astute,
Concluding with affectionate appeal
To common sense, and all we hold most dear.
Though Akinetos warned him not to move,
Went gravely forth the rebel throngs to meet.
The politic giant's staid demeanour awed
The angry mass at first, and with their eyes
They seemed to listen, doubtful of their ears,
So puzzling was his speech. He to the King
And his chief heroes then discoursed apart,
Convincing them that all the wheels went well.
With head bent sideways from the light, he looked
Like to some statesman of consummate mind
Working an ancient problem; and then spake
In language critical, final, stolid, astute,
Concluding with affectionate appeal
To common sense, and all we hold most dear.
