From
eternal ages stood its mysterious structure. Beyond the red hills of the
morning, in the sacred bosom of the sea, dwelt the sun, the
all-enkindling, live luminary. An aged giant upbore the happy world.
Prisoned beneath mountains lay the first-born sons of mother Earth,
helpless in their destroying fury against the new, glorious race of gods,
and their kindred, glad-hearted men. Ocean's dusky, green abyss was the
lap of a goddess. In the crystal grottoes revelled a wanton folk. Rivers,
trees, flowers, and beasts had human wits. Sweeter tasted the wine, poured
out by youth impersonated; a god was in the grape-clusters; a loving,
motherly goddess upgrew in the full golden sheaves; love's sacred carousal
was a sweet worship of the fairest of the goddesses. Life revelled through
the centuries like one spring-time, an ever-variegated festival of the
children of heaven and the dwellers on the earth. All races childlike
adored the ethereal, thousandfold flame, as the one sublimest thing in the
world.
It was but a fancy, a horrible dream-shape--
That fearsome to the merry tables strode,
And wrapt the spirit in wild consternation.
The gods themselves here counsel knew nor showed
To fill the stifling heart with consolation.
Mysterious was the monster's pathless road,
Whoose rage would heed no prayer and no oblation;
Twas Death who broke the banquet up with fears,
With anguish, with dire pain, and bitter tears.
Eternally from all things here disparted
That sway the heart with pleasure's joyous flow,
Divided from the loved, whom, broken-hearted,
Vain longing tosses and unceasing woe--
In a dull dream to struggle, faint and thwarted,
Smeemed all was granted to the dead below!
Broke lay the merry wave of human glory
On Death's inevitable promontory.
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