greek-mythology

"[He was] shorter in truth by a head than Atreus’ son Agamemnon, / but broader, it would seem, in the chest and across the shoulders /... / Truly, to some deep-fleeced ram would I liken him / who makes his way through the great mass of the shining sheep-flocks."

"[Odysseus was] tough, crafty, cheerful, of medium height, eloquent, and wise."

"In parts of their careers, Arjuna and Odysseus show similarities so numerous and detailed that they must be cognate figures, sharing an origin in the proto-hero of an oral proto-narrative."

"Is there not blood before thine eyes even now? Our lost Actaeon's blood, whom long ago His own red hounds through yonder forest dim Tore unto death, because he vaunted him Against most holy Artemis?"

"Ther saugh I Attheon an hert y-maked, For vengeaunce that he saugh Diane al naked; I saugh how that his houndes have him caught, And freten him, for that they knewe him naught."

"To bed my Love; Hymen will punish us For being slack performers of his rites."

"Mutines: When force fails To find man's weakness, trust a woman's fraud. This trap has caught the lion in the toils.Malcus: Ha! ha! The Lydian toils of Hercules Reserve for rougher labours scant to spare! Omphale's distaff left the hero lax."

"For it is related in our records how once upon a time your State stayed the course of a mighty host, which, starting from a distant point in the Atlantic ocean, was insolently advancing to attack the whole of Europe, and Asia to boot. For the ocean there was at that time navigable; for in front of the mouth which you Greeks call, as you say, 'the pillars of Heracles,' there lay an island which was larger than Libya and Asia together; and it was possible for the travelers of that time to cross from it to the other islands, and from the islands to the whole of the continent over against them which encompasses that veritable ocean. For all that we have here, lying within the mouth of which we speak, is evidently a haven having a narrow entrance; but that yonder is a real ocean, and the land surrounding it may most rightly be called, in the fullest and truest sense, a continent. Now in this island of Atlantis there existed a confederation of kings, of great and marvelous power, which held sway over all the island, and over many other islands also and parts of the continent."

"I think I see you when you wake, And rub your eyes for me, and shake My gold, in rising, from your hair, A Danaë for a moment there."

"Alass! alass! that loue should be a sinne! Euen now my blisse and sorrowe doeth beginne. Hould wyde thy lapp, my louelie Danae, And entretaine the golden shoure so free,That trikling falles into thy treasurie. As Aprill-drops not half so pleasant be, Nor Nilus overflowe to Ægipt plaines As this sweet-streames that all hir ioints imbaynes."

"Miss DANAE, when Fair and Young (As HORACE has divinely sung) Could not be kept from JOVE’s Embrace By Doors of Steel, and Walls of Brass. The Reason of the Thing is clear; (Would JOVE the naked Truth aver:) CUPID was with Him of the Party; And show’d himself sincere and hearty: For, give That Whipster but his Errand, He takes my Lord Chief Justice’ Warrant: Dauntless as Death away He walks; Breaks the Doors open; snaps the Locks; Searches the Parlour, Chamber, Study; Nor stops, ’till He has CULPRIT’s Body."

"Now lies the Earth all Danaë to the stars,"

"Thou like a sea of milke shalt lye display’d, Whilst I the smooth, calme Ocean, invade With such a tempest, as when Jove of old Fell downe on Danae in a storme of gold:"

"Danae in a Brazen Tower, Where no love was, lov’d a Showr."

"For know, that vnderneath this radiant floure Was Danaes statue in a brazen tower,"

"Ὅτε λάρνακι ἐν δαιδαλέᾳ, ..."

"Briseis, fair as golden Venus, saw Patroclus lying, pierced with mortal wounds, Within the tent; and with a bitter cry, She flung her down upon the corpse, and tore Her breast, her delicate neck, and beauteous cheeks; And, weeping, thus the lovely woman wailed: “Patroclus, dearly loved of this sad heart! When last I left this tent, I left thee full Of healthy life; returning now, I find Only thy lifeless corpse, thou Prince of men! So sorrow still, on sorrow heaped, I bear. The husband of my youth, to whom my sire And honoured mother gave me, I beheld Slain with the sword before the city walls: Three brothers, whom with me one mother bore, My dearly loved ones, all were doomed to death: Nor wouldst thou, when Achilles swift of foot My husband slew, and royal Mynês’ town In ruin laid, allow my tears to flow; But thou wouldst make me (such was still thy speech) The wedded wife of Pêleus’ godlike son: Thou wouldst to Phthia bear me in thy ship, And there, thyself, amid the Myrmidons, Wouldst give my marriage feast; then, unconsoled, I weep thy death, my ever-gentle friend!” Weeping, she spoke; the women joined her wail: Patroclus’ death the pretext for their tears, But each in secret wept her private griefs."

"Captive Briseis in a foraign Tongue More by her blots, than words, sets forth her wrong And yet these blots, which by my tears are made, Above all words, or writing should perswade. Subjects (I know) must not their Lords accuse; Yet prayers and tears we lawfully may use."

"Shall I release the Prize I gain’d by Right, In taken Towns, and many a bloody Fight, While thou detain’st Briseis in thy Bands, By priestly glossing on the God’s Commands? Resolve on this, (a short Alternative) Quit mine, or, in Exchange, another give; Else I, assure thy Soul, by Sov’reign Right Will seize thy Captive in thy own Despight."

"“For we sat down in leaguer overseas Doing great feats of arms, while Aegisthus at ease Deep in horse-pasturing Argos won the soul Of Agamenmon's wife with flatteries.“And glorious Clytemnestra first for long Rejected utterly the deed of wrong: For her own mind was right; and by her side She had for guardian a man skilled in song,“Into whose keeping Atreus' son had lent His wife, when to the Trojan land he went, Charging him well to guard her: but when fate Ordained her fall and her entanglement,“He to an island not inhabited Bore off the minstrel, and there left him dead, A prey to birds, and to his house the Queen, Her will consenting to his will, he led."

"Beneath the sable veil’s disguise, Had you not hid your killing eyes, It had been worse for me. My Nun had then appear’d like Jove, I had been light’ning-struck for love, And died like Semele."

"Man’s mind in a woman’s heart."

"Where e’re you walk, the Belides you meet; And Clytemnestra’s grow in ev’ry Street: But here’s the difference; Agamemnon’s Wife Was a gross Butcher, with a bloody Knife; But Murther, now, is to perfection grown, And subtle Poysons are employ’d alone: Unless some Antidote prevents their Arts, And lines with Balsom all the Noble parts: In such a case, reserv’d for such a need, Rather than fail, the Dagger does the Deed."

"From thy own Tent, proud Man, in thy despight, This Hand shall ravish thy pretended Right. Briseis shall be mine, and thou shalt see, What odds of awful Pow’r I have on thee:"

"Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter When he appear’d to hapless Semele;"

"There is the sea—shall any stanch it up?— Still breeding, for its worth of silver weight, Abundant stain, freshly renewable, For purpling robes withal: nay, Heaven be praised, The house, my lord, affords us plenty such; ’Tis not acquainted yet with penury. I had vowed the trampling of a thousand robes, Had the oracles enjoined it when I sought Means for recovery of a life so precious! Still from the living root the mantling green Against the Dog-star spreads a leafy screen,— So thou returning to thy hearth and home, Warmth as in winter cries Behold me come! Aye and when mellowing Zeus makes ripe and sweet Wine from the young grape’s bitter, cool in heat Reigns within walls where moves the man complete:— [As Agamemnon goes in. O Zeus completer, now complete my prayer, Completion of thy plans be now thy care!"

"Not thus I burn’d for either Theban dame: (Bacchus from this, from that Alcides came:)"

"With my frailty, don’t upbraid me, I am woman as you made me; Causeless doubting, or despairing, Rashly trusting, idly fearing: If obtaining, Still complaining; If consenting, Still repenting; Most complying, Then denying: And to be followed, only flying.With my frailty, don’t upbraid me: I am woman as you made me."

"Helen, thy beauty is to me Like those Nicèan barks of yore That gently, o’er a perfumed sea, The weary way-worn wanderer bore To his own native shore.On desperate seas long wont to roam, Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face, Thy Naiad airs have brought me home To the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome.Lo, in yon brilliant window-niche How statue-like I see thee stand, The agate lamp within thy hand, Ah! Psyche, from the regions which Are holy land!"

"I should have rather guess’d that here Another brood of Helens were Begot by Jove upon the playnes Watchd by some Læda of the Swans."

"' led the Way, To light him to his Prey, And, like another Hellen, fir’d another Troy."

"Clearly the rest I behold of the dark-ey’d sons of Achaia; Known to me well are the faces of all; their names I remember; Two, two only remain, whom I see not among the commanders, Castor fleet in the car—Polydeukes brave with the cestus— Own dear brethren of mine—one parent lov’d us as infants. Are they not here in the host, from the shores of lov’d Lacedæmon, Or, tho’ they came with the rest in ships that bound thro’ the waters, Dare they not enter the fight or stand in the council of Heroes All for fear of the shame and the taunts my crime has awaken’d? So said she;—they long since in Earth’s soft arms were reposing, There, in their own dear land, their Father-land, Lacedæmon."

"However much Briseis towards Achilles Turned her white buttocks, fairer than twin lilies, He found below the smooth Patroclus' waist Enjoyment more congenial to his taste."

"And, as in well-growne woods, on trees, cold spinie Grashoppers Sit chirping, and send voices out, that scarce can pierce our eares, For softnesse, and their weake faint sounds: So (talking on the towre) These Seniors of the people sate: who when they saw the powre Of beautie, in the Queene ascend; even those cold-spirited Peeres, Those wise, and almost witherd men, found this heate in their yeares; That they were forc’t (though whispering) to say; what man can blame The Greekes, and Troians to endure, for so admir’d a Dame, So many miseries, and so long? In her sweet countenance shine Lookes like the Goddesses: and yet (though never so divine) Before we boast, unjustly still, of her enforced prise, And justly suffer for her sake, with all our progenies, Labor, and ruine; let her go: the profit of our land Must passe the beautie. Thus, though these could beare so fit a hand On their affections; yet when all their gravest powers were usde; They could not chuse but welcome her; and rather they accusde The Gods, then beautie; for thus spake the most fam’d king of Troy; Come, loved daughter, sit by me, and take the worthy joy Of thy first husbands sight; old friends, and Princes neare allyed: And name me some of these brave Greekes, so manly beautified. Come: do not thinke, I lay the warres, endur’d by us, on thee; The Gods have sent them, and the teares, in which they swumme to me."

"Was this the face that launch’d a thousand ships, And burnt the topless towers of Ilium— Sweet Helen, make me immortal with a kiss.— [Kisses her.] Her lips suck forth my soul: see, where it flies!— Come, Helen, come, give me my soul again. Here will I dwell, for heaven is in these lips, And all is dross that is not Helena. I will be Paris, and for love of thee, Instead of Troy, shall Wertenberg be sack’d; And I will combat with weak Menelaus, And wear thy colours on my plumed crest; Yea, I will wound Achilles in the heel, And then return to Helen for a kiss. O, thou art fairer than the evening air Clad in the beauty of a thousand stars; Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter When he appear’d to hapless Semele; More lovely than the monarch of the sky In wanton Arethusa’s azur’d arms; And none but thou shalt be my paramour!"

"Dust hath closde Helens eye."

"Who then can blame the amorous boy, Who, the fair Helen to enjoy, To quench his own, set fire on Troy?"

"Past ruin’d Ilion Helen lives, Alcestis rises from the shades; Verse calls them forth; ’tis verse that gives Immortal youth to mortal maids."

"Then furl your Sails, once more your Anchors cast; Leave not your Country, nor your Honour blast. But go, or stay; with you I ought to move, Made yours by Right of War, and Right of Love."

"Of all the gods who tread the spangled skies, Thou most unjust, most odious in our eyes! Inhuman discord is thy dire delight, The waste of slaughter, and the rage of fight;​"

"And so, all reverence and all joy to thee, Son of the sparkle-smiling Semele!"

"There laved the maid her limbs; her damsels too Plunged in the river: swift she skim’d the wave With oaring hand, and with experienced skill Rear’d high her head unwetted by the tide; Laid her bathed bosom level on the flood, And with alternate feet behind her threw The waters. Nor escaped she, while she swam, Jove’s all-discerning eye; but, suddenly Appearing from on high, he roll’d around His boundless orb of vision: opposite Stood Love; and on the father, gazing thus, Th’ incomprehensible archer drew in air His bow: the flower-wreathed weapon glanced a light As the stretch’d bow-string quiver’d: bent the bow, Th’ instinctive arrow shrill’d a Bacchic sound: Jove was the mark; and, mighty as he was, To that poor urchin Love bow’d down his neck. The arrow, gliding like a falling star, Flew, whispering nuptial sounds, and pierced the heart Of Jove, by subtle indirect approach, Grazing the bending thigh with wavering wound, Aslant; prognostic of the birth to come. Then Jove his mutable and rolling eye, Moist-swimming with necessity of love, Bent on the damsel: like a scourge he felt The cestus of her loveliness. He look’d On Semele, and panted in alarm, Lest he should recognize beside those banks Another fair Europa, and again His heart throb wild for a Phœnician maid. For Semele was moulded in the form Of elegance; the beauty of her race Shone in her forehead. Jupiter now changed His wily form; and, by the virgin smit, Soar’d like an eagle o’er Asopus’ flood; And bore the image of the eagle’s eye With vision keenly radiant; and he left The fields of ether and approach’d the banks, Measuring with fixed glance that naked shape Veil’d by her flowing tresses. Nor the wish Was his to gaze at distance, but to gaze O’er all the nigh-appearing nymph’s bare limbs Of glowing white; nor deem’d he that the scope So keen, so vast, of that orbicular eye, Roll’d in immensity, and with a glance Girding the world, sufficed to gaze on one Of unyoked nature, a mere mortal maid. The waters, dark from depth, transparent blush’d With crimsoning lustre of her rosy limbs; The river-mead became an amorous scene, Whose waters in voluptuous dalliance flash’d Graces like lightnings from their dimpling waves: The Naiad, wreathed with nodding sedges, look’d, And half-exclaiming held her tranced breath."

"All my politic speeches heretofore Shall nowise make me blush now to confess The truth and contrary:—how else indeed When studying hate’s act for a hated foe Supposed friend—how else pitch the toils of Doom To a height beyond o'erleaping? 'Twas not sudden; For me, ’twas but The test and trial of an ancient feud, Long thought on, and at last in time arrived:— I stand here now triumphant, where I struck! And so contrived it also—I'll avow it— As neither should he scape me nor resist: I wreathed around him, like a fishing-net, Swathing in a blind maze,—deadly Wealth of robe,— And struck two blows; and with a groan for each His limbs beneath him slacked; and as he lay, I gave him yet a third, for grace of prayer To God Safe-keeper—of the dead below. With that he lay still, panting his own life out: And as the gory jets he blasted forth, Rain of the sanguine drench bespattered me, Rejoicing, as in balm of heaven rejoices Cornland when the teeming ear gives birth!"

"However much Briseis lay with her bottom turned towards him, the son of Aeacus found his beardless friend more congenial to his tastes."

"Like as the rising morning shows a grateful lightening, When sacred night is past and winter now lets loose the spring, So glittering Helen showed among the maids, lusty and tall, As is the furrow in a field that far outstretcheth all, Or in a garden is a Cypress tree, or in a trace A steed of Thessaly, so she to Sparta was a grace, No damsel with such works as she her baskets used to fill, Nor in diverse coloured web a woof of greater skill Doth cut from off the loom: nor hath such songs and lays Unto her dainty harp, in Dian’s and Minerva’s praise, As Helen hath, in whose bright eyes all Loves and Graces be. O fair, O lovely maid, a matron now is made of thee; But we will every spring unto the leaves in meadows go To gather garlands sweet, and there not with a little woe, Will often think of thee, O Helen, as the suckling lambs Desire the strouting bags and presence of their tender dams; We all betimes for thee a wreath of Melitoe will knit, And on a shady plane for thee will safely fasten it, And all betimes for thee, under a shady plane below, Out of a silver box the sweetest ointment will bestow, And letters shall be written in the bark that men may see And read, ‘Do humble reverence, for I am Helen’s tree.’"

"Not Clytemnestra’s self in Beauties Bloom More charm’d, or better ply’d the various Loom:"

"Why should I blame her that she filled my days With misery, or that she would of late Have taught to ignorant men most violent ways, Or hurled the little streets upon the great, Had they but courage equal to desire? What could have made her peaceful with a mind That nobleness made simple as a fire, With beauty like a tightened bow, a kind That is not natural in an age like this, Being high and solitary and most stern? Why, what could she have done, being what she is? Was there another Troy for her to burn?"

"He said, and soon, obeying his Intent, Patroclus brought Briseis from her Tent; Then to th’ intrusted Messengers resign’d: She wept, and often cast her Eyes behind;"

"And Circe the daughter of Helius, Hyperion's son, loved steadfast Odysseus and bare Agrius and Latinus who was faultless and strong: also she brought forth Telegonus by the will of golden Aphrodite. And they ruled over the famous Tyrsenians, very far off in a recess of the holy islands."

"And Perseïs, the daughter of Ocean, bare to unwearying Helios Circe and Aeëtes the king."