Chapter III

The royal galley's oars appeared to beOf lines dactyllic, and impelled by theseIt glided forth, and bounded o'er the sea;

The main-sail, bellying out to catch the breeze,Was formed of fancies, culled from every land,Whose varied threads were wove by Love at ease;

Now softly blew the amorous winds and blandFair on the stern, and all combined to cheerAnd speed the vessel on its voyage grand;

The Sirens gambolled round it far and near,And to the lusty barque gave impulse keen,That sent it bounding on in full career;

The waters of the hoary main, I ween,Seemed sheets of wavy silk that made displayOf azure colour through a field of green.

Thus whiled the voyagers the time away:Some took to gloss some hard and crabbed phrase,This chanted forth, and that composed a lay;

Some, who as dilettanti earned high praise,Recited sonnets, which behoved to toyWith Love's grand passion, every mood and phase;

Others, with palates they were wont to cloyWith sugared sweets, in voice of sweetest soundWhose honied accent filled their hearts with joy,

And in a tone that lulled the listeners round,Recited Eclogues, of the country sprung,A medley of the simple and profound.

A certain one in sweetest verses sungThe dulcet mouth that decked his lady's face,And eke the moisture dropping from her tongue;

A second gave to Love yet daintier place,And praised the fair one's haunches to the fullWith highest gusto, and no little grace;

A third bemoaned Love's flame, so hard to cool,That even in mid-water it would blaze,And make him bellow like a goaded bull!

And so from one to t'other in a mazeWent poesy, and this and that would tryTo chant in Latin or with Moorish phrase.

In such a fashion did the galley fly,And with such speed went cleaving thro' the sea,That not the wind itself could pass it by.

In course of time came looming on the leeValencia's plain, that vast and fertile floor,Through art and nature wondrous fair to see.

To our delight we spied upon the shoreGreat DON LUIS FERRER, his breast inlaidWith honour, and his soul with sacred lore;

Mercurius landed, and with nothing saidHe hugged him thousand times, and kissed his face,Right glad to see him, and receive his aid.

He turned him round; and gave an equal graceTo DON GUILLEN DE CASTRO, who was cheered,And proud to find himself in such embrace.

Then CHRISTOBAL DE VIRUES appearedWith PEDRO DE AGUILAR; both chiefs of fame,Whom Thuria on her teeming banks had reared;

To great Mercurius surely never came,Nor could he ever hope to find, a corpsOf men more honoured, or of higher name.

Now presently came trooping to the shoreOf stout Valencians a sturdy band,In haste the peerless galley to explore;

With quaint old instruments they came to hand,—Their styles and memorandum-books, I ween—Exulting in their wit and bearing grand;

On victory bent, and all alert and keen,To trample under foot earth's vermin base,And gain such triumph as was never seen;

But Mercury withstood them to the face,In sooth, he would not let them leave the land,He said not why, but such was e'en the case;

He feared lest such a mighty troop and grandShould storm Parnassus, and possess its height,And found thereon new empire and command.

On this there came, with gallant step and light,Great ANDRES REY DE ARTIEDA near,Whom age could not enfeeble nor affright;

They of the barque came swooping from the rear,And him, a willing captive, they conveyedOn board, more rich in valour than in gear.

The anchors then with sudden haste they weighed,The yards the main-top sailors gaily manned,And let the sails go free with grand parade;

Anew the clarions sound on every hand,Awakening echoes in the azure skies,While to their work the eager Sirens stand.

Apollo from the clouds, with beaming eyes,Beholds the barque, and calls that all may hear:"Here sail my hopes, and all the power I prize!"

By oars and Sirens driven, with good cheerThe bounding galley left the breeze behind,To seek its strange and prosperous career.

Upon their faces shone the easy mindWhich all the learnèd voyagers possessed,A calm content, but of a lasting kind;

Some doffed their garments, by the heat oppressed,While those, who had no Gothic dress to wear,In pilgrims' weeds were fain to look their best.

Through Neptune's halls the ship went gliding fair,As sails the crane with motion fine and free,When with its pinions spread it cleaves the air.

At length we reached that wide expanse of seaWhich forms Narbona's gulf: a watery sheetThat lies exposed to all the winds that be.

Great Mercury, in form and grace complete,Decked fine with sceptre and with royal crown,On six good reams of paper took his seat;

When lo! a pregnant cloud, big with renown,Produced four poets from its teeming womb,To speak more properly, it rained them down.

The first, LUIS DE CASANATE, whomApollo holds the guardian of his fame,To fill a loftier post may none presume;

So highly doth Apollo rate his name,Exalt his wit, and crown him with high grace,That praise from me would sound exceeding tame.

Noi Cato, he of Utica, holds placeBeside the second poet who came down,Nor Phœbus' self has friend of nobler race:

GASPAR DE BARRIONUEVO'S high renown,As Treasurer, above my mark hath soared,My scanty wit adds little to his crown.

The vessel's vacant room was fully storedWhen great FRANCISCO DE RIOJA came,And from the cloudlet lightly leapt on board.

At Mercury's feet, to give Apollo fame,Sat CHRISTOBAL DE MESA, who in truthWas but a living transcript of the same.

Up to the main-top climbed a gallant youthWho holloed out: "Lo! Genoa comes in sight,To which god Janus gave his name, in sooth!"

"Leave it upon the left, that town of might,"Cried Mercury, "and turn the vessel's head,To take its course with bearing to the right!"

Anon we saw the stream of Tiber's bed,Fresh from the wide and perilous Roman plain,Glide on into the sea like silvery thread;

Far off, dark clouds seemed rising from the main,Of densest smoke that Stromboli could vent,Where sulphur, flames, and dismal demons reign.

They flee the cursèd isle; with sweet intentThe western breeze begins to woo the barque,Which glides along light-hearted and content.

We coasted onward and the spot did mark,Where great Æneas' nurse the passage took,The last, the unavoidable, the dark.

A little distance off we spied the nookWhere stands the famed hill of our hemisphere,On statelier and on fairer none may look;

The first of mountains; where the ashes dearOf Tityrus and eke Sincerus lie,For this it bears the palm both far and near.

Beyond, a range of peaks we could descry,Where the remains of Nature's grandeur meetTo form a composite of vast and high:

Now burst upon our view the unrest sweetOf fair Parthenope, who sits as queenBeside the sea, that laves and links her feet;

Fair towers and castles crown her brow serene,And she is held by all a gem complete,Whose like for strength and beauty ne'er was seen;

Now gave command, he of the wingèd feet,That I should haste on shore without delay,And in his stead the two LUPERCIOS greet;

And tidings of the dreaded war convey,And bid them with us to the combat hie,To join our serried ranks, and face the fray!"

"My lord," I said, "if there be other nighUpon this embassy of thine to go,More grateful to the brothers twain than I,

Thy business will be better done, I know!"Quoth Mercury: "Thy words are strange indeed,For go thou must, and quickly too, I trow;"

"I fear," cried I, "they'll give me little heed!Although thy bidding I would gladly do,My visit there would have but sorry speed;

Some have assured me, though I know not who,That their good will for me has grown as weakAs is their eyesight, and it seemeth true;

Were this not so, I had no cause to seekA passage here in such a beggar's suit,Nor bear a part in such a foolish freak:

Had one of all the promises ta'en rootThey gave on parting, never God me aidIf in thy galley I had e'er set foot;

I hoped for much, when much protest they made,But it may be, that strange affairs and newHave caused them to forget the thing they said!

My lord, within this galley thou canst viewEnow to draw thy foot from out the hole;Set out, and make of this no more ado!"

"Speak not so pertly!" said the god in dole,"For if I land me, then by Jove I swearI'll seize the Count and carry off the whole;

Of these two famous men I have a fear,That, having raised to such a lofty lineThe art of poesy, as doth appear,

They now with lazy tyranny inclineTo hold, forsooth, within their sole command,The lofty science that makes men divine.

Now by Apollo's throne, the great and grand,I swear .... and say no more!" and, much irate,He plucked his beard with this and t'other hand.

"The DOCTOR MIRA," he went on to state,"I'll wager now, without the Count's behest,Is also pricked with scruples delicate;

Sir gallant, shew thy face! where hast thy nest?Yet if, i'faith, he hath no heart to go,I'll neither woo nor wile him, let him rest!

Is this emprise, forsooth, so very lowThat they, who have a nice and narrow creed,Should cast disdainful looks, and spurn it so?

Of holy Bards doth Heaven stand in need,When sprouting from the soil at every paceSpring up as good, and better far indeed?

Have sacred hymns in Heaven now no place?Is not the harp of David sounding there,Diffusing comfort round and sweet solace?

A curse on scruples: let the yards go fair,And set the sails!" And, hurrying at his call,The eager crew obeyed, and did not spare.

Short time elapsed when on our ears did fallA horrid noise, like to the barking drearOf furious dogs, most fitted to appal.

Mercurius paled: the folk grew dumb with fearBefore the dismal sound; the stoutest breastBeat quicker as the thunder-growl came near;

On this we spied that narrow strait compressed,The same which Scylla, and Charybdis fell,Have made so dreaded by their wild unrest;

"These waves ye see that in presumption swell,To claim acquaintance with the clouds of light,And e'en to kiss the very heavens as well—

These waves," quoth Mercury, "were vanquished quiteBy fair Calypso's lover, worldly wise,What time he took this passage in his flight;

Let us prepare for them a like surprise,And cast into the sea some tempting bait,To keep them busy while the good ship flies;

For while they rive, and rend, and masticateThe writhing wretch that wriggles in the sea,I'm sure they'll leave us free to pass the strait!

Look now if in the galley ye can seeSome wretched bard, who may perchance by rightA fitting victim for the monsters be!"

They found him in that man, LOFRASO hight,Sardinian martial poet, who now layCurled in a corner, and in dismal plight;

In his 'Ten books of Fortune' all the dayImmersed; to add yet other ten to theseHe strove, to while the idle hours away;

Cried all the crew as one: "LOFRASO seize!Down with him to the deep, and leave him there!""Perdy," cried Mercury, "I do not please!

What? Can my soul the heavy burden bearOf casting to the sea such poesy,Although its foaming wrath demands our care?

Long live LOFRASO, while the day we seeSpring from Apollo's light, and men can smileAnd hold as wisdom sprightly fantasy!

To thee belong, LOFRASO without guile,The epithets of subtle and sincere,My 'boatswain' henceforth be thy name and style!"

Thus said Mercurius to our cavalier,Who in the gangway quick assumed his grade,Armed with a rattan, cutting and severe;

Of his own verse, I fancy, it was made,And in a twinkling, how I do not know,Whether by Heaven's or LOFRASO's aid,

On through the strait we safe and sound did go,Without immersing any poet there;Such strength lay in the good Sardinian's blow.

But presently there loomed another scare,Had not Mercurius shouted with avail,And with a roar that rent the very air:

"Helmsman, to windward! Easy, shorten sailAt once!" And in a trice the whole was done;And danger fled, though fiercely blew the gale.

"These hills ye see, that seem to join in one,Are styled th' Acroceraunian, fatal name;A worse repute, I trow, than these have none."

Took to the oars the honoured men of fame,The tender, gothic, they of honied song,And those who cool their drinks to damp their flame;

The bards cold-blooded, and the frisky throng,The hot-brained also to the work did warm,And those with hosen short, and hosen long.

The gloom o'erhanging filled them with alarm,And all, as one, did make the galley go,With flaccid muscle, or with brawny arm.

The Sirens in their turn dived down belowThe barque, from which to part they had no mind,And each with unaccustomed strength did glow;

And in brief space they bore it with the windIn sight of Corfu; and upon the rightThey left the isle impregnable behind;

And to the left they turned the galley quite,And coasted all along the shores of Greece,Where beams the sky, with beauty wondrous bright.

The light waves wooed the barque, and would not ceaseWith flattering touch and soft to kiss its prow,Like wits that trifle with some stately piece.

And as the Sun 'bove our horizon nowBegan to show his glorious head, bedightWith ruby rays, the tresses of his brow,

"The hill, the hill!" sang out a watch-boy bright,"I spy the hill, where that great man, I ween,Bellorophon doth stall his steed of might!

Apollo down the hill with eager mienDoth haste to welcome us." "Zounds! I believe,"LOFRASO cried, "He's got to Hippocrene!

From here I almost, yea, I do perceiveThe Muses walking on the verdant floors,And 'neath the bushes taking sweet reprieve;

Some are of old aspect, and some with storesOf youth: and with a slow or lithesome gaitFive walk on foot, and four upon all fours!"

"Sardinian Bard!" cried Mercury irate,"If such thou seest, may villains slit my ears,And brand the name of bastard on my pate!

Say, scurvy one, why dost not with thy yearsLeave off thy folly, and with wisdom scanWhat thine own rhymes are chanting thro' thy tears?

Why with thy lies dost thou disturb our plan,Of giving Phœbus a reception rareFor having turned thee out a better man?"

On this, more quickly than the wind could bear,The bright Apollo hied him to the shoreOn foot, for with his car he would not dare:

The beams from off his face divine he tore,In hose and comely doublet was he seen,That simply dressed he all might please the more.

Behind him came a bevy, o'er the green,Of damsels gaily tripping one by one,Of middling stature, yet of sprightly mien;

I knew these maidens, dancing as they run,—Most of them blooming, and ill-fared the rest—To be the Hours of Time and of the Sun:

The half-dishevelled were the Hours unblest,The blooming were the lucky; and withalThey tripped along with measureless unrest.

Apollo now, with joy that was not small,Embraced the soldiers, whose embattled hostHad come for lofty service at his call;

But not with equal warmth did he accostEach one; a certain shade of differenceWas shewn to such as he affected most:

He gave to those of lordly excellenceA fresh embrace; and from his mouth there throngedWords full of dignity and lofty sense.

DON JUAN DE ARGUIJO to this class belonged;I know not when, nor by what means conveyed,He made the voyage, toilsome and prolonged;

With him Apollo in the highest gradeWas satisfied, whose thoughts confirmed his own:He bade, forbade, unbound, made and unmade.

Like matchless favour to that man was shown,LUIS DE BARAHONA of renown,Who hither came by good desert alone;

Apollo offered him a laurel crownUnfading, and a jar of water clearDrawn from Castalia and from Helicon.

With stately step he turned; and in his rearThe squadron marched, the eager and the grave,And by Parnassus' skirts their course did steer;

At length he reached Castalia's bubbling wave,And at its sight the crowds, with compact will,Rushed to its crystal stream, and 'gan to lave;

Some, not content their thirsty mouths to fill,Made eager haste to bathe their hands and feet,And sundry matters more uncomely still;

Others, with higher wisdom and discreet,Imbibed the savoury waters drop by drop,And paused and lingered to enjoy the treat;

For social toast the many would not stop,Nor quaffed the wholesome liquor with their lips,But bending earthward lapped it like a sop:

Others from hollowed hands took gulping sips,Whilst some, 'twixt mouth and water, on the spot,Trembled to meet a hundred thousand slips;

The fountain's water less and lesser gotAs down the drinkers' gullets it did pour;But still their thirst was like a furnace hot.

Apollo cried: "We have two fountains more,Fair Aganippe and bright Hippocrene,Both good to drink, and both with ample store;

Sweet and perennial are their streams, I ween,And each with qualities designed to makeThe lofty genius loftier and serene!"

They drink; and up the mountain's slope they takeTheir way, amid the palms and cedars high,And at their tramp the peaceful olives quake;

Filled to the full with good they onward hieBehind Apollo in a lengthened line—Some jog along, some leaping seem to fly.

Beneath an ancient oak I saw reclineALONSO DE LEDESMA, deep in thought,Anent some lay angelic and divine;

I knew him well; and running up I soughtTo clasp my friend, with open arms and free,But though I called he moved not as he ought;

Apollo said to me: "And dost not seeLEDESMA is not with himself to-day,He is beyond himself, he is with me!"

Beneath a myrtle's shade, with grand arrayOf green, JERÓNIMO DE CASTRO sate,A man of wit uncommon in our day;

I fancy he was chanting a motetWith dulcet voice; since in Madrid he stayed,I marvelled much to see him here in state.

Apollo answered to my thoughts and said:"It was not well, that soldier such as heShould buried lie in dreams and slothful shade;

I brought him and know how; no powers that beCan turn my rare power from its purpose fast,Nor aught malign can hinder my decree!"

It seemed to me the hour had come at last,For giving fresh supply and nutrimentTo my poor stomach, wearied of its fast;

But Delius' thoughts on higher things were bent,And, at his army's head, he would not stayA hungry wretch's cravings to content!

First to a garden rich he led the way,Where Nature's power the palm did fully shareWith Labour's skill to make a grand array;

The famed Hesperides were not so fair;The Hanging gardens held a lower scaleFor site, and loveliness, and grandeur rare;

Those of Alcinoüs were coldly paleCompared with it; though many wits sublimeHave of their beauty told a wondrous tale;

It changeth not at all with changing Time,For all the year Spring offers, in her glee,Not hopeful blooms, but fruits in all their prime.

Here Art and Nature strive for mastery,And still the doubt remains, which of the twoIs master yet, and which deserves to be;

The tongue most practised, and most apt to woo,Begins to stutter, crying in the darkFor words to praise it, adequate and true.

More than a garden, 'tis a pleasure park,A grove, an orchard, vale, and meadow sweet,For all these titles aptly hit the mark;

With such superb delights is it replete,That everywhere, throughout that wonder-land,A part of Heaven itself we seem to meet.

On this fair site Apollo took his stand,And here, that each one should himself installAt three hours after noon, he gave command;

And that each special seat might well recallThe sitters' genius and peculiar grace,And give no cause for strife, nor inward gall,

The god himself apportioned each his place,Upon the spot most fitting to his fame,And left Ambition nowhere in the race.

To full a hundred there the laurels came,Beneath whose leafy trunks and shades profoundA certain number sat, in happy frame;

Others among the palms a refuge found,While sundry poets sought for harbourageBeneath the myrtles, oaks, and ivy round;

The noblest seats were on a lofty stage,Humble, I ween, but high as thrones in pride,For this, O Envy, fume with double rage!

And so, throughout that circuit large and wide,The shady trunks were occupied at last,Which for the poets' use were set aside,

Before that I, among that number vast,Could find a seat; and so I stood aloneOn foot, with wonder and with rage aghast;

I inly said: "Is't possible that oneTo such extremes by Fortune can be stung,Who injures many, and hath fear of none?"

And turning to Apollo, with a tongueSomewhat confused, I said what may be heardBy him who lists, while part the fourth is sung

Of this grand work; for here ends part the third.