Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Greece and Turkey in Europe: Vol. XIX. 1876–79. | | | | Greece: Iolchos, Thessaly | | The Building of the Argo | | Catullus (c. 84–c. 54) |
| | (From On the Nuptials of Peleus, and Thetis)
Translated by F. Nott
WHEN Argos’ sons, the golden fleece to gain | |
| That hung in Colchis, dared the briny main | |
| In a swift vessel, and, the azure sea | |
| Cleaving with oars, urged on their rapid way, | |
| Then the tall pines that grew on Pelion’s steep | 5 |
| First learned to float along the watery deep, | |
| Far as where Phasis rolls its copious waves, | |
| And the wide realms of old Æétes laves: | |
| The inventive Goddess, whose imperial throne | |
| From the proud citadel o’erlooks the town, | 10 |
| First bade the ship each varying blast obey, | |
| And curved to floating hulks the obedient tree; | |
| Fair Amphitrite’s crystal bosom taught | |
| To bear the work her magic hands had wrought: | |
| Scarce its swift prow through the cleaved ocean flew; | 15 |
| And, vexed with oars, the billows whiter grew; | |
| Then rose the Nereids from the foamy tide, | |
| To see this wonder o’er their dwellings ride: | |
| Daily the enormous structure they beheld, | |
| To mortal eyes their naked frames revealed; | 20 |
| And full to view, emerging from the flood, | |
| Their swelling breasts and shapes half-human stood. * * * * * | | | | |
|
|
