Canto II.]
Orion.
61
Of this event. Not long Orion paused:
"Though all may fail, the utmost shall be tried:
Secure is he who on himself relies."
This, hastening to his work, was all he said.
"Though all may fail, the utmost shall be tried:
Secure is he who on himself relies."
This, hastening to his work, was all he said.
Four days remain. Fresh trees he felled, and wove
More barriers and fences; inaccessible
To fiercest charge of droves, and to o'erleap
Impossible. These walls he so arranged,
That to a common centre each should force
The flight of those pursued; and from that centre
Diverged three outlets. One, the wide expanse,
Which from the rocks and inland forests led;
One, was the clear-skied windy gap above
A precipice; the third, a long ravine
Which, through steep slopes, down to the sea shore ran
Winding, and then direct into the sea.
More barriers and fences; inaccessible
To fiercest charge of droves, and to o'erleap
Impossible. These walls he so arranged,
That to a common centre each should force
The flight of those pursued; and from that centre
Diverged three outlets. One, the wide expanse,
Which from the rocks and inland forests led;
One, was the clear-skied windy gap above
A precipice; the third, a long ravine
Which, through steep slopes, down to the sea shore ran
Winding, and then direct into the sea.
Two days remain. Orion, in each hand
Waving a torch, his course at night began,
Through wildest haunts and lairs of savage beasts.
With long-drawn howl, before him trooped the wolves,—
Waving a torch, his course at night began,
Through wildest haunts and lairs of savage beasts.
With long-drawn howl, before him trooped the wolves,—
