dry for the Godheads governing the Main.
9
Discover th’ undiscovered depths of sea
Courts strewn with gravels of fine silver hoar;
and lofty turrets crown that Ocean-lea,
crystalline masses of diaph’anous ore:
However near the curious eye may be,
so much its judgment shall be less secure
an it be crystal, or the diamant-stone
that doth such clearness and such radiance own.
10
The gates of purest gold, where lies inlaid
rich seed of pearl that in the sea-shell breedeth,
with rarest shapes of sculpture are portray’d
whereon hot Bacchus pleasèd glances feedeth:
There ’mid the foremost, limned in light and shade,
old Chaos’ face confus’d the stranger readeth:
the fourfold El’ements eke he sees translate,
each in his several office and estate.
11
There Fire sublimely held supremest height,
who by no grosser substance was sustainèd;
lending to living things his life and light,
since by Prometheus stolen and detainèd.
Behind him, standing high ’yond mortal sight,
invis’ible Air a lower place maintainèd—
Aether, which conquered ne by Heat ne Cold,
ne’er suff’ereth Earth a vacuous space t’ enfold.
12
There deckt with mount and boscage Terra stood
Yclad in grass, shrub, tree of blossom’d head;
affording life, affording divers food
to ev’ery breathing thing her surface bred:
The glassy figure, eke, ensculptur’ed stood
of Water, veining Earth and interspread,
creating fishes in their varied norm,
and by her humour holding all in form.
13
Carved on another panel showed the fight,
waged by the Gods against the Giantry;
Typhoeus lies ’neath Aetna’s serried height,
far flashing crepitant artillery:
There sculptured cometh gravid Earth to smite
Neptune, when taught the salvage Man t’ apply
his gift, the Courser, and to worlds first shown
the peaceful Olive-tree, Minerva’s boon.
14
With scanty tardance vext Lyaeus eyed
these varied marvels: Soon he past the gate
of Neptune’s Palace, who had thither hied
the God’s expected visit to await:
Him at the threshold greets he, ’companied
by Nymphs, who marvel at the freak of Fate
to see, attempting such unusèd road,
the Wine-god seek the Water-god’s abode.
15
“O Neptune!” crièd he, “Regard not strange
that Bacchus comes a guest within thy Reign;
even we highest pow’ers who reck no change
are prone to suffer Fortune’s fell disdain:
Summon, I pray, the Gods who Ocean range
ere say I more, if more to hear thou deign;
they shall behold what ills the Gods befall—
all hear what evils overhang us all.”
16
Already Neptune, deeming worth his heed
a case so novel, sends in hottest haste,
Triton to call the cold Sea-gods with speed,
that govern Ocean’s breadth from east to west:
Triton—that boasts him of the Sea-king’s seed,
who had the reverend nymph, Salatia, prest—
was a tall, huge-limb’d Carle, young, swart of hue,
his Father’s trumpet and his courier too.
17
The feltred beard, and matted locks that fell
adown his head and o’er his shoulders strown,
were water-pregnant weeds, and seemed it well
no soft’ening comb had e’er their tangles known:
Nor lacketh jet-black fringe of mussel-shell,
pendent from points where mingled growths are grown:
For cap and cowl upon his head he wore
the crusty spoils erst a huge lobster bore.
18
Naked his body, and of cloth are clear
his loins, to swim without impediment;
yet pygmy sea-things clothe with sea-born gear
his limbs, in hundred hundreds spread and sprent;
with shrimps, and crabs, and many such small deer
which from cool Phoebe take their increment;
oysters, and moss-fouled mussels, while each rib
glistens with periwinkles glazed and glib.
19
His Conch, that mighty writhèd shell, in hand
he bore, and forceful blew with draughty throat;
whose harsh canorous voice, at his command,
heard ev’ery Ocean, ech’oing far the note:
Now by his summons warned, the god-like band
straight for the Palace left their seats, and sought
the Deity who reared Dardania’s wall,
by Grecian fury doomed anon to fall.
20
Came Father Ocean, whom accompanied
the sons and daughters gotten in the Main:
Comes Nereus, who led Doris for a bride,
she who replenisht with her Nymphs his Reign:
And, eke, prophetick Proteus thither hied,
leaving his herd to browse the bitter plain:
He came, that wizard; yet right well knew he
what Father Bacchus wanted of the Sea.
21
Came from another quarter Neptune’s fere,
begot by Coelus, borne by Vesta’s womb,
of gesture grave yet gay, fair sans compeer,
the wond’ering waves were blandisht by her bloom:
A light Cymár of costly weft her wear,
subtle as though ’twere wove in airy loom,
that bared the crystal charms to longing eyne—
charms ne’er create in jealous shade to pine:
22
And Amphitrité, bright as flow’ers in spring,
in such conjuncture could not stay away;
bringing the Dolphin, who her heart did bring
her kingly lover’s wish and will t’ obey;
with glorious orbs that conquer ev’erything,
and steal his splendours from the Lord of Day:
Hand clasping hand the coupled Consorts trod
the sister spouses of the two-wived God.
23
She, who from furious Athamas of yore
a fugitive, uprose to god-degree,
her son, a lovely youngling, with her bore,135
fated to sit in Heaven’s consistory:
They linger sporting on the pebbly shore
with pearly conchlets, which the briny sea
aye breeds, and now he stays his sport, and rests
pillow’d on Panope’s delicious breasts.
24
And eke the God,136 once made in mould of man,
who by the magick simples’ potent spell
changèd to fish, and from such chance began
a thing of time ’mid timeless Gods to dwell,
came still bewailing tricksy Fortune’s ban,
which the fair maid by Circe’s spite befell,
Scylla he lovèd as by her belovèd;
for love pervert pure hate hath often provèd.
25
And now the Godheads all in Council meet
amid the vasty Hall, superb, divine;
Goddesses seated on rich dais seat
Gods throned on tall estrados crystalline;
when rose their awful Host his guests to greet
who by the Theban sat on level line:
Fumeth the Palace with the rich sea-mass137
Araby’s odours never shall surpass.
26
At length, when tumult sinks to stilly rest,
and when the De’ities all their greetings close,
to them Thyóneus opes his hidden breast,
and
