Thomas Humphry Ward, ed. The English Poets. 1880–1918.rnVol. IV. The Nineteenth Century: Wordsworth to Rossetti

Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864)

The Death of Artemidora

‘ARTEMIDORA! Gods invisible,

While thou art lying faint along the couch,

Have tied the sandal to thy slender feet

And stand beside thee, ready to convey

Thy weary steps where other rivers flow.

Refreshing shades will waft thy weariness

Away, and voices like thy own come near

And nearer, and solicit an embrace.’

Artemidora sighed, and would have prest

The hand now pressing hers, but was too weak.

Trio stood over her dark hair unseen

While thus Elpenor spoke. He lookt into

Eyes that had given light and life erewhile

To those above them, but now dim with tears

And wakefulness. Again he spake of joy

Eternal. At that word, that sad word, joy,

Faithful and fond her bosom heaved once more;

Her head fell back; and now a loud deep sob

Swelled thro’ the darkened chamber; ’twas not hers.