Came the godlike hero to Mount Oeta
With a lengthy train, for he would offer
Solemn sacrifice to the dread Father
Jove, who rules supreme o'er gods and mortals.
And with Hercules there came to Oeta
Iole the fair, the well-beloved.
Timidly she followed in his footsteps,
For she gazed in fear upon her lover,
He, the dread, th' infuriate destroyer
Of her kingly sire and gallant brothers.
Up the mountain side the band advances
Till they reach a prominence majestic
Frowning o'er the joyous dark blue waters,
Here they rest, for this the spot selected
To uprear the sacrificial altar.
Soon the work of piety commences.
Ready hands the altar roughly fashion,
While close by the milk-white bulls are stationed
With the goats and sheep, the destined victims
Of the sacrifice to Jove the Father.
Turns the hero to his servant Lichas --
"Haste thee, Lichas, hast to Dejanira,
"To my wife the fair-cheeked Dejanira,
"Tell that Hercules an altar raiseth
"To the Thunderer, th' eternal Ruler;
"But before the holy rite commenceth
"He would don the sacrificial tunic
"Wherewith he is wont to be invested;
"Then into thy keeping will she give it.
"Tarry not, O Lichas, in thy mission."
Swift as arrow sped the faithful Lichas
Till he stood before King Oeneus' daughter,
And his errand from the godlike hero
Poured into the ears of Dejanira.
"Comest thou," she said, "from lofty Oeta?
"Who accompanies my husband thither?"
And he answers her with words evasive,
But the jealous dame persistent urges,
And compels the truth from him unwilling,
"Iole is Hercules' companion."
Bitter is the smile of Dejanira.
Silently she seeks an inner chamber,
Fetches thence a blood-besprinkled tunic
Nessus' deadly gift; she fondly deeming
That the wearer of this fated garment
Purified must be from love unlawful.
In the hands of Lichas then she placed it
And with rev'rence low the youth departed.
To the presence of his Lord majestic
Stationed earnest by the votive altar
Came young Lichas with the vengeful tunic.
Hurriedly did Hercules invest him
With the deadly robe, he all unconscious
That within its folds a baneful poison
Lurked deceitful -- lo! upon the instant
Shot the pangs of quick distemper through him,
And his limbs were seized of sudden tremor.
Gazed he then on the unwonted tunic,
Gazed he next upon the bearer Lichas,
And his glance with vengeful wrath was kindled;
In his grasp he seized his trembling servant,
And afar with mighty arm he hurled him
From the mountain side to the blue waters.
But the gods beheld, and, seeing, pitied,
For they drew the spirit of young Lichas
Upward to their midst, the while his body
Fell precipitate into the Ocean,
To a rock transformed, -- such their compassion
For the victim of insensate fury.
Loud and terrible the cries of anguish
From the godlike Hercules extorted
By the venom of the fated tunic;
Hurriedly he cast it from his shoulders.
All too late! the subtle foe had entered
To his veins and held insidious lodgment --
Surely, surely Death was preying on him.
To his train then turned he; "Mine no longer
"Be the solemn purpose here to offer
"Sacrifice to Jove, but haste ye upward
"To the highest peak of lofty Oeta,
"There to raise a pile of wood and resin,
"And await ye one and all my coming --
"Tarry not, 'tis Hercules commandeth."
So he spake, and they in awe and wonder
Journeyed to the summit of the mountain
Leaving mighty Hercules behind them.
But the damsel glancing furtive downward
Saw her lover with his arms extended,
While his lips as if in prayer were moving;
And she well nigh loved him in his anguish.
To and fro roamed Hercules despairing,
While the pyre rose on Mount Oeta's summit;
Now his haughty soul was held of fury,
Now his mood was changed to wailing sorrow,
Now he supplicated, now he threatened;
All in vain! the gods unmoved did listen
And he felt the hand of Death was on him.
To and fro upon the rugged mountain
Night and day he wandered, woes unceasing
Goading the strong flesh and lusty sinews.
Rest was not for him, nor grateful slumber,
And he 'gan to turn afaint and weary.
Came he then -- but slow his steps and laggard --
Came he to the summit of Mount Oeta,
Where the pile was reared as he had ordered.
Round the pile his train and friends were stationed,
But they gazed upon him in amazement,
Such the havoc deadly pain and torture
Had inflicted on the frame majestic,
Scarcely might they earnest recognize him.
To his chosen friend, his armour-bearer
Philoctetes, beckoned he, and gave him,
With a sigh, his bow, and gall-tipped arrows
World renowned, whose slightest wound was mortal --
And he gave command to Philoctetes
When 'twas signalled, to apply the firebrand
To the pile prepar'ed for the burning.
Then the awful pyre the hero mounted
Brazen club in hand, while from his shoulders
Fell the skin of the Nemaean lion,
Trophy of his might, but now discarded
-- Earth and earthly triumphs his no longer --
And he spake, his eye uplift to Heaven.
"Father Jove, thine ally and thy servant
"In his hour of need craves thy protection,
"Hercules, they faithful son, invokes thee;
"Hercules who warred with the Gigantes
"when they impious dared to scale thy kingdom,
"He whose mortal arm drove forth th' invaders
"Baffled and dismayed, thy once Protector
"Calls on thee to aid him in his anguish.
"Since mine eyes first saw the light of Heaven
"Persecution ever was my portion,
"For thy Queen, the restless lynx-eyed Juno
"Loathed the son of Jove, and toils unceasing
"Were for me the hapless one provided.
"I have borne, unmurmuring, undaunted --
"World-renowned my prowess and my labours.
"Am I brought to this, I Heaven-descended,
"Like a sickly child to pine and perish
"Of malignant venomous distemper?
"I, who conquered kings and mighty heroes,
"I, who slew the dread Lernean Hydra,
"Monsters and vile prodigies unnumbered,
"I, who taught fierce Hippolyte submission,
"I, who into gloomy Hell descended
"Dragging thence the watchful dog of Pluto,
"I, whose arm was ever raised to conquer,
"Am I brought to this, to die ignobly
"Of a foul conspiracy the victim?
"Nay! I, Hercules, invoke high Heaven,
"And the Deities whom I have aided,
"For my just reward. Hell I have vanquished,
"From the thrall of Hell I claim exemption;
"Fields Elysian and their tranquil pleasures?
"I reject them. By my deeds immortal
"Father Jove, unfailing Font of Justice,
"Claim I immortality -- receive me --
"Purged of earthly dross straight to thy Presence."
So he spake: the gods above applauded
And with watchful eyes surveyed the hero.
On the skin of the Menaean lion
Hercules than laid him, and he motioned
To his friend the faithful Philoctetes
To apply the ready blazing firebrand --
Then upon the brazen club his forehead
Leaned he, and his doom awaited calmly.
Swiftly round the pile the fire is twisting
To the summit, eager for its victim
Leaps the greedy flame with horrid crackling;
But immovable the hero resteth,
And he deigneth not to mark its progress.
Placid there he, fire-encircled, resteth,
Till a mighty shroud of smoke conceals him
From the earnest gaze of the bystanders.
Overhead the King of Heaven thunders,
And the cloud-aspiring Oeta trembles.
Peal on peal the awful thunders rattle,
And the shrinking band in fear and wonder
Gaze aloft -- lo! from a cloud's black bosom
Vivid lightnings issue; now it opens,
And a fiery chariot descendeth.
O'er the pyre the heaven-sent chariot circles,
near and nearer drawing; steeds majestic
Wheel but burnished car, their pace disdainful,
By celestial driver guided surely.
Now the veil of smoke that clusters thickly
Round the blazing fun'ral pile is entered;
Now the car emerges, upward mounting.
Lo! beside the charioteer is stationed
Hercules irradiate -- his visage
Glorified, his eyes uplift t Heaven,
And the while Jove's thunder tolls unceasing;
Now they pierce the vasty clouds; black centre
And the hero disappears for ever.
When the Band, recovered from their stupor,
Searched with eager haste the smould'ring ashes
For the bones of him they feared, yet rev'renced,
Vain their toil, no trace their search rewarded
Of his mighty frame, the wide world's wonder --
With his soul had sped that form gigantic,
Sacred by its deeds, to high Olympus.
So, devout, they straightway reared an altar
On the spot whence Hercules ascended;
And the solemn tones of adoration,
And the loudly-swelling sacred paean
Sweetly to the Courts of Heaven were wafted
'Ere they turned their laggard footsteps homeward.
I'd love to have you drop by!--Barbara
