Canto I.]
Orion.
47
Of Artemis. Her name, if thou wouldst know,
'T is Merope, daughter of Chios' king,
The proud Œnopion, lord of an hundred ships."
'T is Merope, daughter of Chios' king,
The proud Œnopion, lord of an hundred ships."
Orion to the palace of the king
Forthwith departed. Merope once seen,
His eyes resign their clear external power,
And see through feeling, utterly possessed
With her rare image; and his deep desire,
Deeper by energies so long confused,
When half his earth-born nature was subdued,
Struggled, and bounded onward to the goal.
Forthwith departed. Merope once seen,
His eyes resign their clear external power,
And see through feeling, utterly possessed
With her rare image; and his deep desire,
Deeper by energies so long confused,
When half his earth-born nature was subdued,
Struggled, and bounded onward to the goal.
Her beauty awed the common race of men.
Hers was a shape made for a serpent dance,
Which charmed to stillness and to burning dreams,
But she herself the illusive charm o'er-ruled
As doth an element, merging for a time,
Ne'er lost; and none could steadily confront
Her sphynx-like bosom, and high watchful head.
Dark were her eyes, and beautiful as Death's,
With a mysterious meaning, such as lurks
In that pale Ecstasy, the Queen of Shades.
All deemed her passion was a mortal flame,
Hers was a shape made for a serpent dance,
Which charmed to stillness and to burning dreams,
But she herself the illusive charm o'er-ruled
As doth an element, merging for a time,
Ne'er lost; and none could steadily confront
Her sphynx-like bosom, and high watchful head.
Dark were her eyes, and beautiful as Death's,
With a mysterious meaning, such as lurks
In that pale Ecstasy, the Queen of Shades.
All deemed her passion was a mortal flame,
