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Shrieks； yells； and groans of torture…pilgrimage；
Until their grieved bodies 'gan to bloat
And puff from the tail's end to stifled throat：
Then was appalling silence： then a sight
More wildering than all that hoarse affright；
For the whole herd； as by a whirlwind writhen；
Went through the dismal air like one huge Python
Antagonizing Boreas；… and so vanish'd。
Yet there was not a breath of wind： she banish'd
These phantoms with a nod。 Lo！ from the dark
Came waggish fauns； and nymphs； and satyrs stark；
With dancing and loud revelry；… and went
Swifter than centaurs after rapine bent。…
Sighing an elephant appear'd and bow'd
Before the fierce witch； speaking thus aloud
In human accent： 'Potent goddess！ chief
'Of pains resistless！ make my being brief；
'Or let me from this heavy prison fly：
'Or give me to the air； or let me die！
'I sue not for my happy crown again；
'I sue not for my phalanx on the plain；
'I sue not for my lone； my widow'd wife；
'I sue not for my ruddy drops of life；
'My children fair； my lovely girls and boys！
'I will forget them； I will pass these joys；
'Ask nought so heavenward； so too… too high：
'Only I pray； as fairest boon； to die；
'Or be deliver'd from this cumbrous flesh；
'From this gross； detestable； filthy mesh；
'And merely given to the cold bleak air。
'Have mercy； Goddess！ Circe； feel my prayer！'
〃That curst magician's name fell icy numb
Upon my wild conjecturing： truth had come
Naked and sabre…like against my heart。
I saw a fury whetting a death…dart；
And my slain spirit； overwrought with fright；
Fainted away in that dark lair of night。
Think； my deliverer； how desolate
My waking must have been！ disgust； and hate；
And terrors manifold divided me
A spoil amongst them。 I prepar'd to flee
Into the dungeon core of that wild wood：
I fled three days… when lo！ before me stood
Glaring the angry witch。 O Dis； even now；
A clammy dew is beading on my brow；
At mere remembering her pale laugh； and curse。
'Ha！ ha！ Sir Dainty！ there must be a nurse
'Made of rose leaves and thistledown； express；
'To cradle thee my sweet； and lull thee： yes；
'I am too flinty…hard for thy nice touch：
'My tenderest squeeze is but a giant's clutch。
'So； fairy…thing； it shall have lullabies
'Unheard of yet： and it shall still its cries
'Upon some breast more lilly…feminine。
'Oh； no… it shall not pine； and pine； and pine
'More than one pretty； trifling thousand years；
'And then 'twere pity； but fate's gentle shears
'Cut short its immortality。 Sea…flirt！
'Young dove of the waters！ truly I'll not hurt
'One hair of thine： see how I weep and sigh；
'That our heart…broken parting is so nigh。
'And must we part？ Ah； yes； it must be so。
'Yet ere thou leavest me in utter woe；
'Let me sob over thee my last adieus；
'And speak a blessing： Mark me！ Thou hast thews
'Immortal； for thou art of heavenly race：
'But such a love is mine； that here I chace
'Eternally away from thee all bloom
'Of youth； and destine thee towards a tomb。
'Hence shalt thou quickly to the watery vast；
'And there； ere many days be overpast；
'Disabled age shall seize thee； and even then
'Thou shalt not go the way of aged men；
'But live and wither； cripple and still breathe
'Ten hundred years： which gone； I then bequeath
'Thy fragile bones to unknown burial。
'Adieu； sweet love； adieu！'… As shot stars fall；
She fled ere I could groan for mercy。 Stung
And poison'd was my spirit： despair sung
A war…song of defiance 'gainst all hell。
A hand was at my shoulder to compel
My sullen steps； another 'fore my eyes
Moved on with pointed finger。 In this guise
Enforced； at the last by ocean's foam
I found me； by my fresh； my native home。
Its tempering coolness； to my life akin；
Came salutary as I waded in；
And； with a blind voluptuous rage； I gave
Battle to the swollen billow…ridge； and drave
Large froth before me； while there yet remain'd
Hale strength； nor from my bones all marrow drain'd。
〃Young lover； I must weep… such hellish spite
With dry cheek who can tell？ While thus my might
Proving upon this element； dismay'd；
Upon a dead thing's face my hand I laid；
I look'd… 'twas Scylla！ Cursed； cursed Circe！
O vulture…witch； hast never heard of mercy？
Could not thy harshest vengeance be content；
But thou must nip this tender innocent
Because I lov'd her？… Cold； O cold indeed
Were her fair limbs； and like a common weed
The sea…swell took her hair。 Dead as she was
I clung about her waist； nor ceas'd to pass
Fleet as an arrow through unfathom'd brine；
Until there shone a fabric crystalline；
Ribb'd and inlaid with coral； pebble； and pearl。
Headlong I darted； at one eager swirl
Gain'd its bright portal； enter'd； and behold！
'Twas vast； and desolate； and icy…cold；
And all around… But wherefore this to thee
Who in few minutes more thyself shalt see？…
I left poor Scylla in a niche and fled。
My fever'd parchings up； my scathing dread
Met palsy half way： soon these limbs became
Gaunt； wither'd； sapless； feeble； cramp'd； and lame。
〃Now let me pass a cruel； cruel space；
Without one hope； without one faintest trace
Of mitigation； or redeeming bubble
Of colour'd phantasy； for I fear 'twould trouble
Thy brain to loss of reason： and next tell
How a restoring chance came down to quell
One half of the witch in me。
〃On a day；
Sitting upon a rock above the spray；
I saw grow up from the horizon's brink
A gallant vessel： soon she seem'd to sink
Away from me again； as though her course
Had been resum'd in spite of hindering force…
So vanish'd： and not long； before arose
Dark clouds； and muttering of winds morose。
Old AEolus would stifle his mad spleen；
But could not： therefore all the billows green
Toss'd up the silver spume against the clouds。
The tempest came： I saw that vessel's shrouds
In perilous bustle； while upon the deck
Stood trembling creatures。 I beheld the wreck；
The final gulphing； the poor struggling souls：
I heard their cries amid loud thunder…rolls。
O the