The flight of Helen and Paris from Lacedaemon, and of what things befell them in their voyaging, and how they came to Troy.
I.
The grey Dawn's daughter, rosy Morn awoke In old Tithonus' arms, and suddenly Let harness her swift steeds beneath the yoke, And drave her shining chariot through the sky.
Then men might see the flocks of Thunder fly, All gold and rose, the azure pastures through, What time the lark was carolling on high Above the gardens drench'd with rainy dew.
II.
But Aphrodite sent a slumber deep On all in the King's palace, young and old, And one by one the women fell asleep, -Their lamentable tales left half untold, -Before the dawn, when folk wax weak and cold, But Helen waken'd with the shining morn, Forgetting quite her sorrows manifold, And light of heart as was the day new-born.
III.
She had no memory of unhappy things, She knew not of the evil days to come, Forgotten were her ancient wanderings, And as Lethaean waters wholly numb The sense of spirits in Elysium, That no remembrance may their bliss alloy, Even so the rumour of her days was dumb, And all her heart was ready for new joy.
IV.
The young day knows not of an elder dawn, Joys of old noons, old sorrows of the night, And so from Helen was the past withdrawn, Her lord, her child, her home forgotten quite, Lost in the marvel of a new delight:
She was as one who knows he shall not die, When earthly colours melt into the bright Pure splendour of his immortality.
V.
Then Helen rose, and all her body fair She bath'd in the spring water, pure and cold, And with her hand bound up her shining hair And clothed her in the raiment that of old Athene wrought with marvels manifold, A bridal gift from an immortal hand, And all the front was clasp'd with clasps of gold, And for the girdle was a golden band.
VI.
Next from her upper chamber silently Went Helen, moving like a morning dream.
She did not know the golden roof, the high Walls, and the shields that on the pillars gleam, Only she heard the murmur of the stream That waters all the garden's wide expanse, This song, and cry of singing birds, did seem To guide her feet as music guides the dance.
VII.
The music drew her on to the glad air From forth the chamber of enchanted death, And lo! the world was waking everywhere;The wind went by, a cool delicious breath, Like that which in the gardens wandereth, The golden gardens of the Hesperides, And in its song unheard of things it saith, The myriad marvels of the fairy seas.
VIII.
So through the courtyard to the garden close Went Helen, where she heard the murmuring Of water 'twixt the lily and the rose;For thereby doth a double fountain spring.
To one stream do the women pitchers bring By Menelaus' gates, at close of day;The other through the close doth shine and sing, Then to the swift Eurotas fleets away.
IX.
And Helen sat her down upon the grass, And pluck'd the little daisies white and red, And toss'd them where the running waters pass, To watch them racing from the fountain-head, And whirl'd about where little streams dispread;And still with merry birds the garden rang, And, MARRY, MARRY, in their song they said, Or so do maids interpret that they sang.
X.
Then stoop'd she down, and watch'd the crystal stream, And fishes poising where the waters ran, And lo! upon the glass a golden gleam, And purple as of robes Sidonian, Then, sudden turning, she beheld a man, That knelt beside her; as her own face fair Was his, and o'er his shoulders for a span Fell the bright tresses of his yellow hair.
XI.
Then either look'd on other with amaze As each had seen a God; for no long while They marvell'd, but as in the first of days, The first of men and maids did meet and smile, And Aphrodite did their hearts beguile, So hands met hands, lips lips, with no word said Were they enchanted 'neath that leafy aisle, And silently were woo'd, betroth'd, and wed.
XII.
Ah, slowly did their silence wake to words That scarce had more of meaning than the song Pour'd forth of the innumerable birds That fill the palace gardens all day long;So innocent, so ignorant of wrong, Was she, so happy each in other's eyes, Thus wrought the mighty Goddess that is strong, Even to make naught the wisdom of the wise.
XIII.
Now in the midst of that enchanted place Right gladly had they linger'd all day through, And fed their love upon each other's face, But Aphrodite had a counsel new, And silently to Paris' side she drew, In guise of Aethra, whispering that the day Pass'd on, while his ship waited, and his crew Impatient, in the narrow Gythian bay.
XIV.
For thither had she brought them by her skill;But Helen saw her not,--nay, who can see A Goddess come or go against her will?
Then Paris whisper'd, "Come, ah, Love, with me!
Come to a shore beyond the barren sea;
There doth the bridal crown await thy head, And there shall all the land be glad of thee!"Then, like a child, she follow'd where he led.
XV.
For, like a child's her gentle heart was glad.
So through the courtyard pass'd they to the gate;And even there, as Aphrodite bade, The steeds of Paris and the chariots wait;Then to the well-wrought car he led her straight, And grasped the shining whip and golden rein, And swift they drave until the day was late By clear Eurotas through the fruitful plain.
XVI.
But now within the halls the magic sleep Was broken, and men sought them everywhere;Yet Aphrodite cast a cloud so deep About their chariot none might see them there.
And strangely did they hear the trumpets blare, And noise of racing wheels; yet saw they nought:
Then died the sounds upon the distant air, And safe they won the haven that they sought.
XVII.
Beneath a grassy cliff, beneath the down, Where swift Eurotas mingles with the sea, There climb'd the grey walls of a little town, The sleepy waters wash'd it languidly, For tempests in that haven might not be.
The isle across the inlet guarded all, And the shrill winds that roam the ocean free Broke and were broken on the rocky wall.
XVIII.
