And when they were but striving to undo
Delicious bonds of love that needs no chain,
Then were they held:—though love had let them go
A stronger bond than love’s bade them remain.
And, spite of many a throe of sudden strength,
And all their tortuous striving to be free;
Yea, they were held:—till the sun came at length,
And all the gods came out of heaven to see.
For there they saw and knew Him from afar,
Vanquished and in no honourable plight,
No less a god than Ares god of war,
Ares the red and royal in all fight;
But now quite shorn indeed of arms and fame,
Spoiled of his helm and harness of each limb;
Yea, quite inglorious and brought to shame
For a mere love, with such rude stratagem!
The golden peals of god-like laughter brake
And rang down beautiful beneath the sun;
For well they saw, indeed, for whose fair sake
Their brother was so fallen and undone.
Phœbus himself, with many a secret pride
Of love—unshamed in any of his loves—
Leant on his golden bow, and laughed aside,
And made some fair light saying that still moves
From lips to lips at all the mirthful feasts
Of them above who have eternal rights
To joys and loves, and wine that never wastes,
And life never to end their days or nights.
And well they knew Hephæstus where, hard by,
He stood, inglorious, daring all their eyes:
The gods all beautiful—they laughed on high
At him, his woes and all his blasphemies.
But surely never was there such a play
For mirth of idle gods!—Nor such a shame
Ever become of love, as on that day
In sight of all the gods their love became!
Who were betrayed so,—in whatever sin
Lips could with lips, face could with face commit,
Yea lips or limbs of lovers could begin,—
That they were bound and kept quite close in it: