THE HERMAPHRODITE
Out of the deep, immortal night
Came to me the Hermaphrodite,
Moonlight-breasted, pale, antique,
He spoke to me in deathless Greek:
“Brother of mine, it has been thus
Since I came forth from Anthemus.
Before the Satyrs’ gate of gold
I stood with wingèd eyes grown bold,
Fire on my lips, music, light—
The unfathomable Hermaphrodite.
’Whither goest thou—whence?’ they prayed.
Then to their laurelled priests I said:
‘Behold me, who of gods am wrought,
Burning desire and profound thought;
I, where the star-brimmed evening falls,
Would follow my folk, the Bacchanals,
To Phrixæ, then to Sybaris,
Where their still-flowery worship is,
Then on and on to Pergamon,
A marble city in the sun.
Came to me the Hermaphrodite,
Moonlight-breasted, pale, antique,
He spoke to me in deathless Greek:
“Brother of mine, it has been thus
Since I came forth from Anthemus.
Before the Satyrs’ gate of gold
I stood with wingèd eyes grown bold,
Fire on my lips, music, light—
The unfathomable Hermaphrodite.
’Whither goest thou—whence?’ they prayed.
Then to their laurelled priests I said:
‘Behold me, who of gods am wrought,
Burning desire and profound thought;
I, where the star-brimmed evening falls,
Would follow my folk, the Bacchanals,
To Phrixæ, then to Sybaris,
Where their still-flowery worship is,
Then on and on to Pergamon,
A marble city in the sun.
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