Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Greece and Turkey in Europe: Vol. XIX. 1876–79. | | | Turkey in Europe, and the Principalities
Dardanelles (Hellespont) | | The Loves of Hero and Leander | | Musæus the Grammarian |
| | Translated by F. Fawkes
SING, Muse! the conscious torch, whose nightly ray | |
| Led the bold lover through the watery way, | |
| To share those joys which mutual faith hath sealed, | |
| Joys to divine Aurora unrevealed. | |
| Abydos, Sestos, ancient towns, proclaim, | 5 |
| Where gentlest bosoms glowed with purest flame. | |
| I hear Leander dash the foaming tide! | |
| Fixed high in air, I see the glimmering guide! | |
| The genial flame, the love-enkindling light, | |
| Signal of joy that burned serenely bright; | 10 |
| Whose beams, in fair effulgency displayed, | |
| Adorned the nuptials of the Sestian maid: | |
| Which Jove, its friendly office to repay, | |
| Should plant, all-glorious, in the realms of day, | |
| To blaze forever midst the stars above, | 15 |
| And style it gentle harbinger of Love. | |
| Against Abydos sea-beat Sestos stood, | |
| Two neighboring towns, divided by the flood: | |
| Here Cupid proved his bow’s unerring art, | |
| And gained two conquests with a single dart: | 20 |
| On two fond hearts the sweet infection preyed, | |
| A youth engaging and a beauteous maid: | |
| Of Sestos she, fair Hero was her name; | |
| The youth, Leander, from Abydos came. | |
| Their forms divine a bright resemblance bore, | 25 |
| Each was the radiant star of either shore. * * * * * | | | | |
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