Laurel · Robert Bridges · The Growth of Love, and Other Poems

IN. Alas! Alas!

Robert Bridges (1844–1930) · 1873–1912

iambic pentameter · 416 lines · from The Growth of Love, and Other Poems

PR. Yet shall she live though lost; from human formChanged, that thou wilt not know thy daughter more.

IN. Woe, woe! my thought was praying for her death.

PR. In Hera's temple shall her prison beAt high Mycenæ, till from heaven be sentHermes, with song to soothe and sword to slayThe beast whose hundred eyes devour the door.

IN. Enough, enough is told, unless indeed,The beast once slain, thou canst restore our child.

PR. Nay, with her freedom will her wanderingsBegin. Come hither, child--nay, let her come:What words remain to speak will not offend her.And shall in memory quicken, when she looksTo learn where she should go;--for go she must,Stung by the venomous fly, whose angry flightShe still will hear about her, till she comeTo lay her sevenfold-carried burden downUpon the Æthiop shore where he shall reign.

PR. In snow-white hideOf those that feel the goad and wear the yoke.IN. Round-hoofed, or such as tread with cloven foot?

PR. Wide-horned, large-eyed, broad-fronted, and the feetCloven which carry her to her far goal.

IN. Will that of all these evils be the term?

PR. Ay, but the journey first which she must learn.Hear now, my child; the day when thou art free,Leaving the lion-gate, descend and strikeThe Trêtan road to Nemea, skirting wideThe unhunted forest o'er the watered plainTo walled Cleônæ, whence the traversed streamTo Corinth guides: there enter not, but passTo narrow Isthmus, where Poseidon wonA country from Apollo, and through the townOf Crommyon, till along the robber's roadPacing, thy left eye meet the westering sunO'er Geraneia, and thou reach the hillOf Megara, where Car thy brother's babeIn time shall rule; next past Eleusis climbStony Panactum and the pine-clad slopesOf Phyle; shun the left-hand way, and keepThe rocks; the second day thy feet shall treadThe plains of Græa, whence the roadway servesAulis and Mycalessus to the pointOf vext Euripus: fear not then the stream,Nor scenting think to taste, but plunging inBreast its salt current to the further shore.For on this island mayst thou lose awhileThy maddening pest, and rest and pasture find,And from the heafs of bold Macistus seeThe country left and sought: but when thou feelThy torment urge, move down, recross the flood,And west by Harma's fencèd gap arriveAt seven-gated Thebes: thy friendly goddessOngan Athenè has her seat without.

CHOR. Now if she may not stay thy toilsome destined steps,I pray that she may slay for thee the maddening fly.

PR. Keep not her sanctuary long, but seekBœotian Ascra, where the Muses' fount,Famed Aganippè, wells: OcaleaPass, and Tilphusa's northern steeps descendBy Alalcomenæ, the goddess' town.Guard now the lake's low shore, till thou have crossedHyrcana and Cephissus, the last streamsWhich feed its reedy pools, when thou shalt comeBetween two mountains that enclose the wayBy peakèd Abæ to Hyampolis.The right-hand path that thither parts the valeOpes to Cyrtonè and the Locrian lands;Toward Elateia thou, where o'er the marshA path with stones is laid; and thence beyondTo Thronium, Tarphè, and Thermopylæ,Where rocky Lamia views the Maliac gulf.

CHOR. If further she should go, will she not seeThat other Argos, the Dodonian land?

PR. Crossing the Phthian hills thou next shall reachPharsalus, and Olympus' peakèd snowsShall guide thee o'er the green Pelasgic plainsFor many a day, but to Argissa comeLet old Peneius thy slow pilot beThrough Tempè, till they turn upon his leftCrowning the wooded slopes with splendours bare.Thence issuing forth on the Pierian shoreNorthward of Ossa thou shalt touch the landsOf Macedon.

CHOR. Alas, we wish thee speed,But bid thee here farewell; for out of GreeceThou goest 'mongst the folk whose chattering speechIs like the voice of birds, nor home againWilt thou return.

PR. Thy way along the coastLies till it southward turn, when thou shalt seekWhere wide on Strymon's plain the hindered floodSpreads like a lake; thy course to his opposeAnd face him to the mountain whence he comes:Which doubled, Thrace receives thee: barbarous namesOf mountain, town and river, and a peopleStrange to thine eyes and ears, the Agathyrsi,Of pictured skins, who owe no marriage law,And o'er whose gay-spun garments sprent with goldTheir hanging hair is blue. Their torrent swimThat measures Europe in two parts, and goEastward along the sea, to mount the landsBeyond man's dwelling, and the rising steepsThat face the sun untrodden and unnamed.--Know to earth's verge remote thou then art come,The Scythian tract and wilderness forlorn,Through whose rude rocks and frosty silencesNo path shall guide thee then, nor my words now.There as thou toilest o'er the treacherous snows,A sound then thou shall hear to stop thy breath,And prick thy trembling ears; a far-off cry,Whose throat seems the white mountain and its passionThe woe of earth. Flee not, nor turn not back:Let thine ears drink and guide thine eyes to seeThat sight whose terrors shall assuage thy terror,Whose pain shall kill thy pain. Stretched on the rock,Naked to scorching sun, to pinching frost,To wind and storm and beaks of wingèd fiendsFrom year to year he lies. Refrain to askHis name and crime--nay, haply when thou see himThou wilt remember--'tis thy tyrant's foe,Man's friend, who pays his chosen penalty.Draw near, my child, for he will know thy need,And point from land to land thy further path.

O miserable man, hear now the worst.O weak and tearful race,Born to unhappiness, see now thy causeDoomed and accurst!

It surely were enough, the bad and goodTogether mingled, against chance and illTo strive, and prospering by turns,Now these, now those, now folly and now skill,Alike by means well understoodOr 'gainst all likelihood;Loveliness slaving to the unlovely willThat overrides the right and laughs at law.

But always all in aweAnd imminent dread:Because there is no mischief thought or said,Imaginable or unguessed,But it may come to be; nor home of rest,Nor hour secure: but anywhere,At any moment; in the air,Or on the earth or sea,Or in the fairAnd tender body itself it lurks, creeps in,Or seizes suddenly,Torturing, burning, withering, devouring,Shaking, destroying; till tormented lifeSides with the slayer, not to be,And from the cruel strifeFalls to fate overpowering.

Or if some patient heart,In toilsome steps of duty tread apart,Thinking to win her peace within herself,And thus awhile succeed:She must see others bleed,At others' misery moan,And learn the common suffering is her own,From which it is no freedom to be freed:Nay, Nature, her best nurse,Is tender but to breed a finer sense,Which she may easier wound, with smart the worseAnd torture more intense.

And no strength for thee but the thought of duty,Nor any solace but the love of beauty.O Right's toil unrewarded!O Love's prize unaccorded!

I say this might suffice,O tearful and unstableAnd miserable man,Were't but from day to dayThy miserable lot,This might suffice, I say,To term thee miserable.But thou of all thine ills too must take thought,Must grow familiar till no curse astound thee,With tears recall the past,With tears the times forecast;With tears, with tears thou hastThe scapeless net spread in thy sight around thee.

How then support thy fate,O miserable man, if this befall,That he who loves thee and would aid thee, daringTo raise an arm for thy deliverance,Must for his courage suffer worse than all?

IN. Bravest deliverer, for thy prophecyHas torn the veil which hid thee from my eyes,If thyself art that spirit, of whom some thingsWere darkly spoken,--nor can I doubt thou art,Being that the heaven its fire withholds not from theeNor time his secrets,--tell me now thy name,That I may praise thee rightly; and my lateUnwitting words pardon thou, and these who stillIn blinded wonder kneel not to thy love.

PR. Speak not of love. See, I am moved with hate,And fiercest anger, which will sometimes spurThe heart to extremity, till it forgetThat there is any joy save furious war.Nay, were there now another deed to do,Which more could hurt our enemy than this,Which here I stand to venture, here would I leave theeConspiring at his altar, and fly offTo plunge the branding terror in his soul.But now the rising passion of my willAlready jars his reaching sense, alreadyFrom heaven he bids his minion Hermes forthTo bring his only rebel to his feet.Therefore no more delay, the time is short.IN. I take, I take. 'Tis but for thee to give.

PR. O heavenly fire, life's life, the eye of day,Whose nimble waves upon the starry nightOf boundless ether love to play,Carrying commands to every gliding spriteTo feed all things with colour, from the rayOf thy bright-glancing, whiteAnd silver-spinning light:Unweaving its thin tissue for the bowOf Iris, separating countless huesOf various splendour for the grateful flowersTo crown the hasting hours,Changing their special garlands as they choose.

O spirit of rage and might,Who canst unchain the links of winter stark,And bid earth's stubborn metals flow like oil,Her porphyrous heart-veins boil;Whose arrows pierce the cloudy shields of dark;Let now this flame, which did to life awakenBeyond the cold dew-gathering veils of morn,And thence by me was taken,And in this reed was borne,A smothered theft and gift to man below,Here with my breath revive,Restore thy lapsèd realm, and be the sireOf many an earthly fire.

O flame, flame bright and live,Appear upon the altar as I blow.

CHOR. 'Twas in the marish reed.See to his mouth he sets its hollow fluteAnd breathes therein with heed,As one who from a pipe with breathings muteWill music's voice evoke.--See, the curl of a cloud.IN. The smoke, the smoke!

SEMICHORUS. Thin clouds mounting higher.

IN. 'Tis smoke, the smoke of fire.

SEMICHORUS. Thick they come and thicker,Quick arise and quicker,Higher still and higher.Their wreaths the wood enfold.--I see a spot of gold.They spring from a spot of gold,Red gold, deep amongThe leaves: a golden tongue.O behold, behold,Dancing tongues of gold,That leaping aloft flicker,Higher still and higher.

IN. 'Tis fire, the flame of fire!

SEMICHORUS. The blue smoke overheadIs turned to angry red.The fire, the fire, it stirs.Hark, a crackling sound,As when all aroundRipened pods of furzeSplit in the parching sunTheir dry caps one by one,And shed their seeds on the ground.--Ah! what clouds arise.Away! O come away.The wind-wafted smoke,Blowing all astray,Blinds and pricks my eyes.

Ah! I choke, I choke.--All the midst is rent:See, the twigs are allBy the flaming spentWhite and gold, and fall.How they writhe, resist,Blacken, flake, and twist,Snap in gold and fall.--See the stars that mount,Momentary brightFlitting specks of lightMore than eye can count.Insects of the air,As in summer nightShow a fire in flyingFlickering here and there,Waving past and dying.--Look, a common coneOf the mountain pineSolid gold is grown;Till its scales outshine,Standing each aloneIn the spiral rowsOf their fair design,All the brightest showsOf the sun's decline.--Hark, there came a hiss,Like a startled snakeSliding through the brake.Oh, and what is this?Smaller flames that fleeSidelong from the tree,Hark, they hiss, they hiss.--How the gay flames flicker,Spurting, dancing, leapingQuicker yet and quicker,Higher yet and higher,--Flaming, flaring, fuming,Cracking, crackling, creeping,Hissing and consuming:Mighty is the fire.

IN. Stay, stay, cease your rejoicings. Where is he,The prophet,--nay, what say I,--the god, the giver?CHOR. He is not here--he is gone.

IN. Search, search around.Search all, search well.

IN. The palace gate lies open: go, Argeia,Maybe he went within: go seek him there.

Look down the sea road, down the country road:Follow him if ye see him.CHOR. He is not there.

IN. Strain, strain your eyes: look well: search everywhere.Look townwards--is he there?Other part returning. He is not there.

Argeia re-entering.

CHOR. See where?

CHOR. See on the altar--see!

CHOR. What see ye on the altar?

CHOR. Here in frontWords newly writ.

CHOR. What words?

IN. Ay true--There is the name. How like a child was I,That I must wait till these dumb letters gaveThe shape and soul to knowledge: when the godStood here so self-revealed to ears and eyesThat, 'tis a god I said, yet wavering still,Doubting what god,--and now, who else but he?I knew him, yet not well; I knew him not:Prometheus--ay, Prometheus. Know ye, my children,This name we see was writ by him we seek.'Tis his own name, his own heart-stirring name,Feared and revered among the immortal gods;Divine Prometheus: see how here the largeCadmeian characters run, scoring outThe hated title of his ancient foe,--To Zeus 'twas made,--and now 'tis to Prometheus--Writ with the charrèd reed--theft upon theft.He hath stolen from Zeus his altar, and with his fireHath lit our sacrifice unto himself.Ió Prometheus, friend and firegiver,For good or ill thy thefts and gifts are ours.We worshipped thee unknowing.CHOR. But now where is he?

IN. No need to search--we shall not see him more.We look in vain. The high gods when they choosePut on and off the solid visible shapeWhich more deceives our hasty sense, than whenSeeing them not we judge they stand aloof.And he, he now is gone; his work is done:'Tis ours to see it be not done in vain.

CHOR. What is to do? speak, bid, command, we fly.

In. Go some and fetch more wood to feed the fire;And some into the city to proclaimThat fire is ours: and send out messengersTo Corinth, Sicyon, Megara and AthensAnd to Mycenæ, telling we have fire:And bid that in the temples they prepareTheir altars, and send hither careful menTo learn of me what things the time requires.

The rest remain to end our feast; and nowSeeing this altar is no more to Zeus,But shall for ever be with smouldering heatFed for the god who first set fire thereon,Change ye your hymns, which in the praise of ZeusYe came to sing, and change the prayer for fireWhich ye were wont to raise, to high thanksgiving,Praising aloud the giver and his gift.

Part of CHORUS. Now our happy feast hath ending,While the sun in heaven descendingSees us gathered round a lightBorn to cheer his vacant night.Praising him to-day who cameBearing far his heavenly flame:Came to crown our king's desireWith his gift of golden fire.

SEMICHORUS. My heart, my heart is freed.Now can I sing. I loose a shaft from my bow,A song from my heart to heaven, and watch it speed.It revels in the air, and straight to its goal doth go.I have no fear. I praise distinguishing duly:I praise the love that I love and I worship truly.Goodness I praise, not might,Nor more will I speak of wrong,But of lovingkindness and right;And the god of my love shall rejoice at the sound of my song.I praise him whom I have seen:As a man he is beautiful, blending prime and youth,Of gentle and lovely mien,With the step and the eyes of truth,As a god,--O were I a god, but thus to be man!As a god, I set him aboveThe rest of the gods; for his gifts are pledges of love,The words of his mouth rare and precious,His eyes' glance and the smile of his lips are love.He is the oneAlone of all the gods,Of righteous Themis the lofty-spirited son,Who hates the wrongs they have done.He is the one I adore.For if there be love in heaven with evil to cope,--And he promised us more and more,--For what may we not hope?

Words in this poem 77

shall v. i.: To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
soothe v. t.: To assent to as true. Testament of Love. [Originally, to assent to as true; OE. so to verify, AS. ges to prove the truth of, to bear witness. See Sooth, a.]
angry a.: Troublesome; vexatious; rigorous. [See Anger.]
sevenfold a.: Repeated seven times; having seven thicknesses; increased to seven times the size or amount.
skirting n.: A skirting board.
westering a.: Passing to the west.
babe n.: An infant; a young child of either sex; a baby. [Cf. Ir. bab, baban, W. baban, maban.]
clad v.: To clothe. Holland.
phyle n.: A local division of the people in ancient Athens; a clan; a tribe.
roadway n.: A road; especially, the part traveled by carriages.
euripus n.: A strait; a narrow tract of water, where the tide, or a current, flows and reflows with violence, as the ancient fright of this name between Eubæa and Bæotia. Hence, a flux and reflux. Burke.
awhile adv.: For a while; for some time; for a short time. [Adj. a + while time, interval.]
pest n.: A fatal epidemic disease; a pestilence; specif., the plague. [L. pestis: cf. F. peste.]
recross v. t.: To cross a second time.
shalt: 2d per. sing. of Shall.
enclose v. t.: To inclose. See Inclose. [F. enclos, p. p. of enclore to enclose; pref. en- (L. in) + clore to close. See Close, and cf. Inclose, Include.]
vale n.: A tract of low ground, or of land between hills; a valley. [OE. val, F. val, L. vallis; perhaps akin to Gr. Avalanche, Vail to lower, Valley.]
lamia n.: A monster capable of assuming a woman's form, who was said to devour human beings or suck their blood; a vampire; a sorceress; a with.
pelasgic a.: Of or pertaining to the Pelasgians, an ancient people of Greece, of roving habits.
pierian a.: Of or pertaining to Pierides or Muses. [L. Pierius, from Mount Pierus, in Thessaly, sacred to the Muses.]
northward a.: Toward the north; nearer to the north than to the east or west point. [AS. noredhweard.]
folk n.: In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
chattering n.: The act or habit of talking idly or rapidly, or of making inarticulate sounds; the sounds so made; noise made by the collision of the teeth; chatter.
pictured a.: Furnished with pictures; represented by a picture or pictures; as, a pictured scene.
forlorn a.: Deserted abandoned; lost. [OE., p.p. of forlesen to lose utterly, AS. forleósan (p.p. forloren); pref. for- + leósan (in comp.) to lose; cf. D. verliezen to lose, G. verlieren, Sw. förlor]
scorching a.: Burning; parching or shriveling with heat.
haply adv.: By hap, chance, luck, or accident; perhaps; it may be.
tearful a.: Abounding with tears; weeping; shedding tears; as, tearful eyes.
accurst p. p.: Doomed to destruction or misery; cursed; hence, bad enough to be under the curse; execrable; detestable; exceedingly hateful; -- as, an accursed deed.
likelihood n.: Appearance; show; sign; expression. [Likely + -hood.]
loveliness n.: The state or quality of being lovely. [From Lovely.]
unlovely a.: Not lovely; not amiable; possessing qualities that excite dislike; disagreeable; displeasing; unpleasant.
imminent a.: Threatening to occur immediately; near at hand; impending; -- said especially of misfortune or peril. [L. imminens, p. pr. of imminere to project; pref. im- in + minere (in comp.) to jut, project. See Eminent.]
imaginable a.: Capable of being imagined; conceivable. [L. imaginabilis: cf. F. imaginable.]
withering a.: Tending to wither; causing to shrink or fade.
slayer n.: One who slays; a killer; a murderer; a destrroyer of life.
strife n.: The act of striving; earnest endeavor. [OF. estrif. See Strive.]
solace n.: Comfort in grief; alleviation of grief or anxiety; also, that which relieves in distress; that which cheers or consoles; relief. [OF. solas, ssoulaz, L. solacium, solatium, fr. solari to comfort, console. Cf. Console, v. t.]
suffice v. i.: To be enough, or sufficient; to meet the need (of anything); to be equal to the end proposed; to be adequate. [OE. suffisen, OF. soufire, F. suffire (cf. suffisant, p.pr.), L. sufficere to put under, to substitute, to avail for, to suffice; sub under + facere to make. Se]
astound a.: Stunned; astounded; astonished. [OE. astouned, astound, astoned, p. p. of astone. See Astone.]
forecast v. t.: To plan beforehand; to scheme; to project.
hast: , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
scapeless a.: Destitute of a scape.
deliverer n.: One who delivers or rescues; a preserver.
rightly adv.: Straightly; directly; in front. [AS. richtlice.]
unwitting a.: Not knowing; unconscious; ignorant.
kneel v. i.: To bend the knee; to fall or rest on the knees; -- sometimes with down. [OE. knelen, cneolien; akin to D. knielen, Dan. knæle. See Knee.]
rebel a.: Pertaining to rebels or rebellion; acting in revolt; rebellious; as, rebel troops. [F. rebelle, fr. L. rebellis. See Rebel, v. t.]
starry a.: Abounding with stars; adorned with stars.
sprite n.: A spirit; a soul; a shade; also, an apparition. See Spright. [OE. sprit, F. esprit, fr. L. spiritus. See Spirit, and cf. Sprightly.]
glancing a.: Shooting, as light.
countless a.: Incapable of being counted; not ascertainable; innumerable.
splendour n.: Great brightness; brilliant luster; brilliancy; as, the splendor ot the sun. B. Jonson. [L. fr. splendere to shine: cf. F. splendeur.]
unchain v. t.: To free from chains or slavery; to let loose. Prior. [1st pref. un- + chain.]
stark adv.: Wholly; entirely; absolutely; quite; as, stark mind.
morn n.: The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
sire n.: A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.]
marish n.: Low, wet ground; a marsh; a fen; a bog; a moor. [Cf. F. marais, LL. marascus. See Marsh.]
evoke v. t.: To call out; to summon forth. [L. evocare; e out + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice: cf. F évoquer. See Voice, and cf. Evocate.]
semichorus n.: A half chorus; a passage to be sung by a selected portion of the voices, as the female voices only, in contrast with the full choir.
enfold v. t.: To infold. See Infold.
flicker v. i.: To flutter; to flap the wings without flying. [OE. flikeren, flekeren, to flutter, AS. flicerian, flicorian, cf. D. flikkeren to sparkle. Flacker.]
parching a.: Scorching; burning; drying.
flake n.: A paling; a hurdle. [prov. Eng.] [Cf. Icel. flaki, fleki, Dan. flage, D. vlaak.]
flitting n.: A flying with lightness and celerity; a fluttering.
outshine v. i.: To shine forth.
sidelong adv.: Laterally; obliquely; in the direction of the side. [See Sideling, adv.]
giver n.: One who gives; a donor; a bestower; a grantor; one who imparts or distributes.
maybe adv.: Perhaps; possibly; peradventure. [For it may be.]
went n.: Course; way; path; journey; direction.
smouldering a.: Being in a state of suppressed activity; quiet but not dead.
thereon adv.: On that or this. [AS. . See There, and On.]
thanksgiving n.: The act of rending thanks, or expressing gratitude for favors or mercies.
aloud adv.: With a loud voice, or great noise; loudly; audibly. [Pref. a- + loud.]
blending n.: The act of mingling.
themis n.: The goddess of law and order; the patroness of existing rights.
adore v. t.: To worship with profound reverence; to pay divine honors to; to honor as deity or as divine. [OE. aouren, anouren, adoren, OF. aorer, adorer, F. adorer, fr. L. adorare; ad + orare to speak, pray, os, oris, mouth. In OE. confused with honor, the French pr]

Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.

About this text

IN. Alas! Alas! is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Poetical Works of Robert Bridges, Excluding the Eight Dramas, Project Gutenberg ebook #37804; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.

Cite as: Robert Bridges, IN. Alas! Alas!, in The Growth of Love, and Other Poems (1873–1912), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #37804, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/bridges-shorter-poems/in-alas-alas.html, id L01725.

Form and metre

IN. Alas! Alas! is 416 lines in 52 stanzas. The metre is iambic pentameter, measured from the stress the words themselves fix (confidence 86%). 94% of its stressed syllables fall where the metre puts the beat. The lines average 8.7 syllables. 58 lines end on an unstressed syllable, a feminine ending. 39% of the lines run on without a stop at the line end.

See other poems in iambic pentameter.

Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.

Rhyme words, stanza by stanza

The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.

5 -A----A-- wanderings · come^A · her · looks · must · flight · come^A · down · reign
9 -A---B-C--C--------B----A----- learn · free^A · strike · wide · plain · stream^B · pass · won^C · town · road · sun^C · hill · babe · climb · slopes · keep · tread · serves · point · stream^B · in · shore · awhile · find · see^A · feel · flood · arrive · goddess · without
15 -----------------A-A-B--B---------- coast · seek · flood · oppose · comes · names · people · agathyrsi · law · gold · swim · go · lands · steeps · unnamed · come · forlorn · silences^A · now · snows^A · breath · cry^B · passion · back · see^B · terror · rock · frost · fiends · ask · him · foe · penalty · need · path
16 A--A worst^A · race · cause · accurst^A
17 AB-BAAB- good^A · ill^B · turns · skill^B · understood^A · likelihood^A · will^B · law
18 -AABBCCDC---EDE- awe · dread^A · said^A · unguessed^B · rest^B · anywhere^C · air^C · sea^D · fair^C · in · suddenly · devouring · life^E · be^D · strife^E · overpowering
19 AA-BBCCBDEDE heart^A · apart^A · herself · succeed^B · bleed^B · moan^C · own^C · freed^B · nurse^D · sense^E · worse^D · intense^E
20 AABB duty^A · beauty^A · unrewarded^B · unaccorded^B
21 ---ABA-BCDDDC suffice · unstable · man · day^A · lot^B · say^A · miserable · thought^B · thee^C · past^D · forecast^D · hast^D · thee^C
22 -A--A fate · befall^A · daring · deliverance · all^A
25 ABABABB-CDDC day^A · night^B · play^A · sprite^B · ray^A · white^B · light^B · bow · hues^C · flowers^D · hours^D · choose^C
26 -ABBACDCD--EE might · stark^A · oil^B · boil^B · dark^A · awaken^C · morn^D · taken^C · borne^D · below · revive · sire^E · fire^E
28 ABABC-C reed^A · flute^B · heed^A · mute^B · evoke^C · cloud · smoke^C
31 AABCCCDDCCAB thicker^A · quicker^A · higher^B · enfold^C · gold^C · gold^C · among^D · tongue^D · behold^C · gold^C · flicker^A · higher^B
33 AA-BB-CCBDE-ED overhead^A · red^A · stirs · sound^B · around^B · furze · sun^C · one^C · ground^B · arise^D · away^E · smoke · astray^E · eyes^D
34 -ABABCC-DEEDFEGFGHIHIHJIJIKLLKMMKNONPQOQP choke · rent^A · all^B · spent^A · fall^B · resist^C · twist^C · fall · mount^D · bright^E · light^E · count^D · air^F · night^E · flying^G · there^F · dying^G · cone^H · pine^I · grown^H · outshine^I · alone^H · rows^J · design^I · shows^J · decline^I · hiss^K · snake^L · brake^L · this^K · flee^M · tree^M · hiss^K · flicker^N · leaping^O · quicker^N · higher^P · fuming^Q · creeping^O · consuming^Q · fire^P
39 AAA everywhere^A · there^A · there^A
46 ------A---------------A true · i · gave · god · eyes · still · he^A · not · children · seek · name · gods · large · out · foe · prometheus · theft · fire · himself · firegiver · ours · unknowing · he^A
49 A---A--- fire^A · proclaim · messengers · athens · fire^A · prepare · men · requires
50 -A--A--- now · zeus^A · heat · thereon · zeus^A · fire · thanksgiving · gift
51 AABBCCDD ending^A · descending^A · light^B · night^B · came^C · flame^C · desire^D · fire^D
52 ABABCCDEDEFGFG-HH-HI-IIJKJK freed^A · bow^B · speed^A · go^B · duly^C · truly^C · might^D · wrong^E · right^D · song^E · seen^F · youth^G · mien^F · truth^G · man · above^H · love^H · precious · love^H · one^I · gods · son^I · done^I · adore^J · cope^K · more^J · hope^K

Scansion, line by line

Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.

Line	Syl.	Stress
PR. Yet shall she live though lost; from human form	11	········/˘·
Changed, that thou wilt not know thy daughter more.	10	·······/˘·
IN. Woe, woe! my thought was praying for her death.	11	······/˘···
PR. In Hera's temple shall her prison be	11	··/˘/˘··/˘·
At high Mycenæ, till from heaven be sent	10	······/˘··
Hermes, with song to soothe and sword to slay	10	/˘········
The beast whose hundred eyes devour the door.	10	···/˘·˘/··
IN. Enough, enough is told, unless indeed,	11	·˘/˘/····˘/
The beast once slain, thou canst restore our child.	10	······˘//·
PR. Nay, with her freedom will her wanderings	11	····/˘··/˘˘
Begin. Come hither, child--nay, let her come:	10	˘/·/˘·····
What words remain to speak will not offend her.	11	··˘/····˘/·
And shall in memory quicken, when she looks	10	···/˘/˘···
To learn where she should go;--for go she must,	10	··········
Stung by the venomous fly, whose angry flight	10	···/˘··/˘·
She still will hear about her, till she come	10	··········
To lay her sevenfold-carried burden down	11	···/˘·/˘/˘·
Upon the Æthiop shore where he shall reign.	9	·········
PR. In snow-white hide	5	·····
Of those that feel the goad and wear the yoke.	10	··········
IN. Round-hoofed, or such as tread with cloven foot?	11	········/˘·
PR. Wide-horned, large-eyed, broad-fronted, and the feet	11	······/˘···
Cloven which carry her to her far goal.	10	/˘·/˘·····
IN. Will that of all these evils be the term?	11	······/˘···
PR. Ay, but the journey first which she must learn.	11	····/˘·····
Hear now, my child; the day when thou art free,	10	··········
Leaving the lion-gate, descend and strike	10	/˘·/˘·˘/··
The Trêtan road to Nemea, skirting wide	10	·······/˘·
The unhunted forest o'er the watered plain	11	····/˘··/˘·
To walled Cleônæ, whence the traversed stream	10	··˘···/˘˘·
To Corinth guides: there enter not, but pass	10	·/˘··/˘···
To narrow Isthmus, where Poseidon won	10	·/˘/˘·˘/˘·
A country from Apollo, and through the town	11	·/˘·˘/˘····
Of Crommyon, till along the robber's road	10	····˘/·/˘·
Pacing, thy left eye meet the westering sun	10	/˘·····/˘·
O'er Geraneia, and thou reach the hill	9	·········
Of Megara, where Car thy brother's babe	10	·······/˘·
In time shall rule; next past Eleusis climb	10	··········
Stony Panactum and the pine-clad slopes	10	/˘········
Of Phyle; shun the left-hand way, and keep	9	·········
The rocks; the second day thy feet shall tread	10	···/˘·····
The plains of Græa, whence the roadway serves	9	······/··
Aulis and Mycalessus to the point	10	··········
Of vext Euripus: fear not then the stream,	10	··˘/˘·····
Nor scenting think to taste, but plunging in	10	·/˘····/˘·
Breast its salt current to the further shore.	10	···/˘··/˘·
For on this island mayst thou lose awhile	10	···/˘···˘/
Thy maddening pest, and rest and pasture find,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And from the heafs of bold Macistus see	10	··········
The country left and sought: but when thou feel	10	·/˘·······
Thy torment urge, move down, recross the flood,	10	·/····˘/··
And west by Harma's fencèd gap arrive	9	·······˘/
At seven-gated Thebes: thy friendly goddess	11	·/˘/˘··/˘/˘
Ongan Athenè has her seat without.	9	·········
CHOR. Now if she may not stay thy toilsome destined steps,	13	········/˘/˘·
I pray that she may slay for thee the maddening fly.	12	·········/˘·
PR. Keep not her sanctuary long, but seek	11	····/˘·˘···
Bœotian Ascra, where the Muses' fount,	9	······/˘·
Famed Aganippè, wells: Ocalea	9	·˘·······
Pass, and Tilphusa's northern steeps descend	10	·····/˘·˘/
By Alalcomenæ, the goddess' town.	9	······/˘·
Guard now the lake's low shore, till thou have crossed	10	··········
Hyrcana and Cephissus, the last streams	10	··········
Which feed its reedy pools, when thou shalt come	10	···/˘·····
Between two mountains that enclose the way	10	···/˘·˘/··
By peakèd Abæ to Hyampolis.	7	·······
The right-hand path that thither parts the vale	10	·····/˘···
Opes to Cyrtonè and the Locrian lands;	9	·········
Toward Elateia thou, where o'er the marsh	10	··········
A path with stones is laid; and thence beyond	10	··········
To Thronium, Tarphè, and Thermopylæ,	8	········
Where rocky Lamia views the Maliac gulf.	10	·/˘/˘·····
CHOR. If further she should go, will she not see	11	··/˘·······
That other Argos, the Dodonian land?	10	·/˘/˘·····
PR. Crossing the Phthian hills thou next shall reach	10	·/˘·······
Pharsalus, and Olympus' peakèd snows	9	····˘/˘··
Shall guide thee o'er the green Pelasgic plains	10	··········
For many a day, but to Argissa come	10	·/········
Let old Peneius thy slow pilot be	9	······/˘·
Through Tempè, till they turn upon his left	9	·········
Crowning the wooded slopes with splendours bare.	10	/˘·/˘··/˘·
Thence issuing forth on the Pierian shore	11	·/˘···˘/˘˘·
Northward of Ossa thou shalt touch the lands	10	/˘·/˘·····
Of Macedon.	4	····
CHOR. Alas, we wish thee speed,	7	·˘/····
But bid thee here farewell; for out of Greece	10	·····/····
Thou goest 'mongst the folk whose chattering speech	10	······/˘˘·
Is like the voice of birds, nor home again	10	········˘/
Wilt thou return.	4	··˘/
PR. Thy way along the coast	7	···˘/··
Lies till it southward turn, when thou shalt seek	10	···/˘·····
Where wide on Strymon's plain the hindered flood	10	·······/˘·
Spreads like a lake; thy course to his oppose	10	········˘/
And face him to the mountain whence he comes:	10	·····/˘···
Which doubled, Thrace receives thee: barbarous names	10	·/˘·˘/·/˘·
Of mountain, town and river, and a people	11	·/˘··/˘··/˘
Strange to thine eyes and ears, the Agathyrsi,	11	···········
Of pictured skins, who owe no marriage law,	10	·/˘····/˘·
And o'er whose gay-spun garments sprent with gold	10	·····/˘···
Their hanging hair is blue. Their torrent swim	10	·/˘····/˘·
That measures Europe in two parts, and go	10	·/˘/˘·····
Eastward along the sea, to mount the lands	10	/˘˘/······
Beyond man's dwelling, and the rising steeps	10	···/˘··/˘·
That face the sun untrodden and unnamed.--	10	········˘/
Know to earth's verge remote thou then art come,	10	····˘/····
The Scythian tract and wilderness forlorn,	10	·/˘··/˘˘˘/
Through whose rude rocks and frosty silences	10	·····/˘/˘˘
No path shall guide thee then, nor my words now.	10	··········
There as thou toilest o'er the treacherous snows,	10	···/˘··/˘·
A sound then thou shall hear to stop thy breath,	10	··········
And prick thy trembling ears; a far-off cry,	10	···/˘·····
Whose throat seems the white mountain and its passion	11	·····/˘··/˘
The woe of earth. Flee not, nor turn not back:	10	··········
Let thine ears drink and guide thine eyes to see	10	··········
That sight whose terrors shall assuage thy terror,	11	···/˘·˘/·/˘
Whose pain shall kill thy pain. Stretched on the rock,	10	··········
Naked to scorching sun, to pinching frost,	10	/˘·/˘··/˘·
To wind and storm and beaks of wingèd fiends	9	·········
From year to year he lies. Refrain to ask	10	······˘/··
His name and crime--nay, haply when thou see him	11	·····/˘····
Thou wilt remember--'tis thy tyrant's foe,	10	··˘/˘··/˘·
Man's friend, who pays his chosen penalty.	10	·····/˘/˘˘
Draw near, my child, for he will know thy need,	10	··········
And point from land to land thy further path.	10	·······/˘·
O miserable man, hear now the worst.	10	·/˘˘˘·····
O weak and tearful race,	6	···/˘·
Born to unhappiness, see now thy cause	10	··˘/˘˘····
Doomed and accurst!	4	····
It surely were enough, the bad and good	10	·/˘·˘/····
Together mingled, against chance and ill	10	˘/˘/˘·····
To strive, and prospering by turns,	8	···/˘˘··
Now these, now those, now folly and now skill,	10	·····/˘···
Alike by means well understood	8	˘/····˘/
Or 'gainst all likelihood;	6	···/˘·
Loveliness slaving to the unlovely will	11	/˘˘/˘··˘/˘·
That overrides the right and laughs at law.	10	·/˘·······
But always all in awe	6	·/····
And imminent dread:	5	·/˘˘·
Because there is no mischief thought or said,	10	·····/˘···
Imaginable or unguessed,	9	˘/˘˘˘···˘
But it may come to be; nor home of rest,	10	··········
Nor hour secure: but anywhere,	9	·/˘˘/·/˘·
At any moment; in the air,	8	·/˘/˘···
Or on the earth or sea,	6	······
Or in the fair	4	····
And tender body itself it lurks, creeps in,	11	·/˘/˘˘/····
Or seizes suddenly,	6	·/˘/˘˘
Torturing, burning, withering, devouring,	11	/˘/˘/˘˘˘/˘˘
Shaking, destroying; till tormented life	10	/˘˘/˘·/·˘·
Sides with the slayer, not to be,	8	···/˘···
And from the cruel strife	6	···/˘·
Falls to fate overpowering.	7	···/˘/˘
Or if some patient heart,	6	···/˘·
In toilsome steps of duty tread apart,	10	·/˘··/˘·˘/
Thinking to win her peace within herself,	10	/˘······˘/
And thus awhile succeed:	6	··˘/˘/
She must see others bleed,	6	···/˘·
At others' misery moan,	7	·/˘/˘˘·
And learn the common suffering is her own,	10	···/˘/˘···
From which it is no freedom to be freed:	10	·····/˘···
Nay, Nature, her best nurse,	6	·/˘···
Is tender but to breed a finer sense,	10	·/˘····/˘·
Which she may easier wound, with smart the worse	10	···/˘·····
And torture more intense.	6	·/˘·˘/
And no strength for thee but the thought of duty,	11	·········/˘
Nor any solace but the love of beauty.	11	·/˘/˘····/˘
O Right's toil unrewarded!	7	·······
O Love's prize unaccorded!	7	·······
I say this might suffice,	6	····˘/
O tearful and unstable	7	·/˘·˘/˘
And miserable man,	6	·/˘˘˘·
Were't but from day to day	7	·······
Thy miserable lot,	6	·/˘˘˘·
This might suffice, I say,	6	··˘/··
To term thee miserable.	7	···/˘˘˘
But thou of all thine ills too must take thought,	10	··········
Must grow familiar till no curse astound thee,	11	··˘/˘···˘/·
With tears recall the past,	6	··/···
With tears the times forecast;	6	····/·
With tears, with tears thou hast	6	······
The scapeless net spread in thy sight around thee.	11	·/˘········
How then support thy fate,	6	··˘/··
O miserable man, if this befall,	10	·/˘˘˘···˘/
That he who loves thee and would aid thee, daring	11	·········/˘
To raise an arm for thy deliverance,	10	······˘/˘˘
Must for his courage suffer worse than all?	10	···/˘/˘···
IN. Bravest deliverer, for thy prophecy	11	·/˘˘/˘··/˘˘
Has torn the veil which hid thee from my eyes,	10	··········
If thyself art that spirit, of whom some things	10	·˘/··/····
Were darkly spoken,--nor can I doubt thou art,	11	·/˘/˘······
Being that the heaven its fire withholds not from thee	11	/··/·//····
Nor time his secrets,--tell me now thy name,	10	···/˘·····
That I may praise thee rightly; and my late	10	·····/˘···
Unwitting words pardon thou, and these who still	11	˘/˘·/˘·····
In blinded wonder kneel not to thy love.	10	·/˘/˘·····
PR. Speak not of love. See, I am moved with hate,	11	···········
And fiercest anger, which will sometimes spur	10	·/˘/˘··/··
The heart to extremity, till it forget	10	···˘/˘··˘/
That there is any joy save furious war.	10	···/˘··/˘·
Nay, were there now another deed to do,	10	····˘/˘···
Which more could hurt our enemy than this,	10	····//˘˘··
Which here I stand to venture, here would I leave thee	12	·····/˘·····
Conspiring at his altar, and fly off	10	˘/˘··/˘···
To plunge the branding terror in his soul.	10	···/˘/˘···
But now the rising passion of my will	10	···/˘/˘···
Already jars his reaching sense, already	11	˘/˘··/˘·˘/˘
From heaven he bids his minion Hermes forth	10	·/···/˘/˘·
To bring his only rebel to his feet.	10	···/˘/˘···
Therefore no more delay, the time is short.	10	····˘/····
IN. I take, I take. 'Tis but for thee to give.	11	···········
PR. O heavenly fire, life's life, the eye of day,	11	··/˘/······
Whose nimble waves upon the starry night	10	·/˘····/˘·
Of boundless ether love to play,	8	·/˘/˘···
Carrying commands to every gliding sprite	10	/˘˘/·/˘/˘·
To feed all things with colour, from the ray	10	·····/˘···
Of thy bright-glancing, white	6	···/˘·
And silver-spinning light:	6	·/˘/˘·
Unweaving its thin tissue for the bow	10	·····/····
Of Iris, separating countless hues	10	·/˘/˘·˘/˘·
Of various splendour for the grateful flowers	11	·/˘/˘··/˘/˘
To crown the hasting hours,	7	···/˘/˘
Changing their special garlands as they choose.	10	/˘·/˘/˘···
O spirit of rage and might,	7	·/˘····
Who canst unchain the links of winter stark,	10	··˘/···/˘·
And bid earth's stubborn metals flow like oil,	10	···/˘/˘···
Her porphyrous heart-veins boil;	7	·······
Whose arrows pierce the cloudy shields of dark;	10	·/˘··/˘···
Let now this flame, which did to life awaken	11	········˘/˘
Beyond the cold dew-gathering veils of morn,	10	·····/˘···
And thence by me was taken,	7	·····/˘
And in this reed was borne,	6	······
A smothered theft and gift to man below,	10	·/˘·······
Here with my breath revive,	6	····˘/
Restore thy lapsèd realm, and be the sire	10	˘/······/˘
Of many an earthly fire.	8	·/˘·/˘/˘
O flame, flame bright and live,	6	······
Appear upon the altar as I blow.	10	˘/···/˘···
CHOR. 'Twas in the marish reed.	7	····/˘·
See to his mouth he sets its hollow flute	10	·······/˘·
And breathes therein with heed,	6	······
As one who from a pipe with breathings mute	10	·······/˘·
Will music's voice evoke.--	6	·/˘·˘/
See, the curl of a cloud.	6	······
IN. The smoke, the smoke!	5	·····
SEMICHORUS. Thin clouds mounting higher.	9	/˘˘··/˘/˘
IN. 'Tis smoke, the smoke of fire.	8	······/˘
SEMICHORUS. Thick they come and thicker,	9	/˘˘····/˘
Quick arise and quicker,	6	·˘/·/˘
Higher still and higher.	6	/˘··/˘
Their wreaths the wood enfold.	6	····˘/
--I see a spot of gold.	6	······
They spring from a spot of gold,	7	·······
Red gold, deep among	5	·····
The leaves: a golden tongue.	6	···/˘·
O behold, behold,	5	·˘/˘/
Dancing tongues of gold,	5	/˘···
That leaping aloft flicker,	7	·/˘˘//˘
Higher still and higher.	6	/˘··/˘
IN. 'Tis fire, the flame of fire!	9	··/˘···/˘
SEMICHORUS. The blue smoke overhead	9	/˘˘···/˘/
Is turned to angry red.	6	···/˘·
The fire, the fire, it stirs.	8	·/˘·/˘··
Hark, a crackling sound,	5	··/˘·
As when all around	5	·····
Ripened pods of furze	5	/˘···
Split in the parching sun	6	···/˘·
Their dry caps one by one,	6	······
And shed their seeds on the ground.	7	·······
--Ah! what clouds arise.	5	···˘/
Away! O come away.	6	˘/··˘/
The wind-wafted smoke,	5	··/˘·
Blowing all astray,	5	/˘·˘/
Blinds and pricks my eyes.	5	·····
Ah! I choke, I choke.	5	·····
--All the midst is rent:	5	·····
See, the twigs are all	5	·····
By the flaming spent	5	··/˘·
White and gold, and fall.	5	·····
How they writhe, resist,	5	···˘/
Blacken, flake, and twist,	5	/˘···
Snap in gold and fall.	5	·····
--See the stars that mount,	5	·····
Momentary bright	5	/˘·˘·
Flitting specks of light	5	/˘···
More than eye can count.	5	·····
Insects of the air,	5	/····
As in summer night	5	··/˘·
Show a fire in flying	7	··/˘·/˘
Flickering here and there,	6	/˘˘···
Waving past and dying.	6	/˘··/˘
--Look, a common cone	5	··/˘·
Of the mountain pine	5	··/˘·
Solid gold is grown;	5	/˘···
Till its scales outshine,	5	···/·
Standing each alone	5	/˘·˘/
In the spiral rows	5	··/˘·
Of their fair design,	5	···˘/
All the brightest shows	5	··/˘·
Of the sun's decline.	5	···˘/
--Hark, there came a hiss,	5	·····
Like a startled snake	5	··/˘·
Sliding through the brake.	5	/˘···
Oh, and what is this?	5	·····
Smaller flames that flee	5	/˘···
Sidelong from the tree,	5	/˘···
Hark, they hiss, they hiss.	5	·····
--How the gay flames flicker,	6	····/˘
Spurting, dancing, leaping	6	/˘/˘/˘
Quicker yet and quicker,	6	/˘··/˘
Higher yet and higher,	6	/˘··/˘
--Flaming, flaring, fuming,	6	/˘/˘/˘
Cracking, crackling, creeping,	6	/˘/˘/˘
Hissing and consuming:	6	/˘·˘/˘
Mighty is the fire.	6	/˘··/˘
IN. Stay, stay, cease your rejoicings. Where is he,	11	·····˘/˘···
The prophet,--nay, what say I,--the god, the giver?	12	·/˘·······/˘
CHOR. He is not here--he is gone.	8	········
IN. Search, search around.	5	·····
Search all, search well.	4	····
IN. The palace gate lies open: go, Argeia,	11	··/˘··/˘···
Maybe he went within: go seek him there.	10	/˘········
Look down the sea road, down the country road:	10	·······/˘·
Follow him if ye see him.	7	/˘·····
CHOR. He is not there.	5	·····
IN. Strain, strain your eyes: look well: search everywhere.	11	········/˘·
Look townwards--is he there?	6	······
Other part returning. He is not there.	10	/˘·˘/˘····
Argeia re-entering.	6	···/˘˘
CHOR. See where?	3	···
CHOR. See on the altar--see!	7	····/˘·
CHOR. What see ye on the altar?	8	······/˘
CHOR. Here in front	4	····
Words newly writ.	4	·/˘·
CHOR. What words?	3	···
IN. Ay true--	3	···
There is the name. How like a child was I,	10	··········
That I must wait till these dumb letters gave	10	·······/˘·
The shape and soul to knowledge: when the god	10	·····/˘···
Stood here so self-revealed to ears and eyes	10	····˘/····
That, 'tis a god I said, yet wavering still,	10	·······/˘·
Doubting what god,--and now, who else but he?	10	/˘········
I knew him, yet not well; I knew him not:	10	··········
Prometheus--ay, Prometheus. Know ye, my children,	14	˘/˘˘·˘/˘˘···/˘
This name we see was writ by him we seek.	10	··········
'Tis his own name, his own heart-stirring name,	10	·······/˘·
Feared and revered among the immortal gods;	11	··˘/···˘/˘·
Divine Prometheus: see how here the large	11	˘/˘/˘˘·····
Cadmeian characters run, scoring out	9	··/˘˘·/˘·
The hated title of his ancient foe,--	10	·/˘/˘··/˘·
To Zeus 'twas made,--and now 'tis to Prometheus--	12	········˘/˘˘
Writ with the charrèd reed--theft upon theft.	9	·········
He hath stolen from Zeus his altar, and with his fire	13	··/˘···/˘···/
Hath lit our sacrifice unto himself.	10	··//˘···˘/
Ió Prometheus, friend and firegiver,	11	·˘/˘˘······
For good or ill thy thefts and gifts are ours.	11	·········/˘
We worshipped thee unknowing.	7	·/˘·˘/˘
CHOR. But now where is he?	6	······
IN. No need to search--we shall not see him more.	11	···········
We look in vain. The high gods when they choose	10	··········
Put on and off the solid visible shape	10	·····/˘/˘·
Which more deceives our hasty sense, than when	10	··˘///˘···
Seeing them not we judge they stand aloof.	10	/˘······˘/
And he, he now is gone; his work is done:	10	··········
'Tis ours to see it be not done in vain.	10	·/········
CHOR. What is to do? speak, bid, command, we fly.	11	·······˘/··
In. Go some and fetch more wood to feed the fire;	11	··········/
And some into the city to proclaim	10	·····/˘·˘/
That fire is ours: and send out messengers	11	·/·/˘···/˘˘
To Corinth, Sicyon, Megara and Athens	11	·/˘······/˘
And to Mycenæ, telling we have fire:	10	····/˘··/˘
And bid that in the temples they prepare	10	·····/˘·˘/
Their altars, and send hither careful men	10	·/˘··/˘/˘·
To learn of me what things the time requires.	11	········˘/˘
The rest remain to end our feast; and now	10	··˘/··/···
Seeing this altar is no more to Zeus,	10	/˘·/˘·····
But shall for ever be with smouldering heat	10	···/······
Fed for the god who first set fire thereon,	10	·······/˘/
Change ye your hymns, which in the praise of Zeus	10	··········
Ye came to sing, and change the prayer for fire	11	·········/˘
Which ye were wont to raise, to high thanksgiving,	11	·········/˘
Praising aloud the giver and his gift.	10	/˘˘/·/˘···
Part of CHORUS. Now our happy feast hath ending,	12	··/˘·//˘··/˘
While the sun in heaven descending	9	····/˘˘/˘
Sees us gathered round a light	7	··/˘···
Born to cheer his vacant night.	7	····/˘·
Praising him to-day who came	7	/˘·····
Bearing far his heavenly flame:	8	/˘··/˘˘·
Came to crown our king's desire	9	···/˘·˘/˘
With his gift of golden fire.	8	····/˘/˘
SEMICHORUS. My heart, my heart is freed.	9	/˘˘······
Now can I sing. I loose a shaft from my bow,	11	···········
A song from my heart to heaven, and watch it speed.	11	······/····
It revels in the air, and straight to its goal doth go.	13	·/˘··········
I have no fear. I praise distinguishing duly:	11	······˘/˘/˘
I praise the love that I love and I worship truly.	13	·········/˘/˘
Goodness I praise, not might,	6	/˘····
Nor more will I speak of wrong,	7	·······
But of lovingkindness and right;	7	··/˘˘··
And the god of my love shall rejoice at the sound of my song.	15	·······˘/······
I praise him whom I have seen:	7	·······

The first 400 of 416 lines; the reader marks them all.

The reader shows the same poem with its rhymes coloured and a stress row above each line, the notes beside their stanzas, and any word's definition on a tap; the analysis page takes the whole book apart. How every part of this site was made.

More by Robert Bridges

The Growth of Love, and Other Poems