The Cretan Dance

As the moon in all her splendor Slowly rose above the forest, Silent stood the Cretan women Round the altar.

Girdled close their clinging tunics, Made of some transparent fabric, Traced the every curve and lissome Of their bodies.

With revering eyes uplifted To the round and rising planet, Soon its drifting beams of silver Lit their faces.

Soft and clear its sphere effulgent, Full defined above the treetops, Steeped in pale unearthly glamor All the landscape.

When the argent glimmer rested On the altar piled with garlands, And its glow unveiled the marble Aphrodite;

Linking hands, the Cretan women Moving gracefully with metric Steps began to dance a measure To the Goddess.

All so light their feet unsandalled Pressed the velvet grass in treading, That they scarcely bruised its tender Blooming verdure.

Slowly turning in a circle To the east, their voices chanted In a plaintive note the sacred Ithyphallics;

Then they paused, their steps retracing Toward the west, and answered strophe By antistrophe with choric Tones accordant;

With the aftersong epodic, Standing all before the altar, Lo! the hymn in praise of Paphos Was completed.

TO ALCÆUS

Countless are the cups thou drainest In thy hymns to Dionysos, O Alcæus!

War and wine alone thou singest;-- Whereforenot of Aphrodite, O Alcæus!

Spacious halls are thine where many Trophies hang in Ares’ honor, O Alcæus!

Brazen shields and shining helmets, Plates of brass, Chalcidian broad-swords, O Alcæus!

When with winter roars the Thracian North wind through the leafless forest, O Alcæus!

Thou dost heap the fire and banish Care with many a tawny goblet, O Alcæus!