Deianira
672
For you shall hear it. Know then, the white wool
Wherein 1 wrapped th' anointed vest, untouched
By any hand, dropped self -consumed away,
And down the stone, e'en like a liquid, flowed
Dissolving — but 'tis fit I tell you all —
Whate'er the wounded centaur did enjoin me
Mindful to practise, sacred as the laws
On brazen tablets graved, I have performed :
Far from the fire, and from the sun's warm beams
He bade me keep the charm ; from every eye
In secret hid, till time should call on me
To anoint and use it. This was done : and now,
The fleece m secret plucked, the charm prepared,
Long from the sun within a chest concealed ;
At length I brought it forth, and sent the gift
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To my Alcides, when behold a wonder,
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Most strange for tongue to tell, or heart of man
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E'en to conceive ! Perchance the wool I cast
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Into the sunshine ; soon as it grew warm
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It fell to dust, consuming all away
In most strange manner, then from th' earth uprose
In frothy bubbles, e'en as from the grape
In yellow autumn jBlows the purple wine.
I know not what to thinly ; but much I fear
I've done a horrid deed. For, why, my friends,
Why should the dying savage wish to serve
His murderer ? That could never be. Oh no !
He only meant by flattery to destroy
Me, his destroyer. Truth is come too late,
And I alone have slain my dear Alcides ;
I know that by his arrows Chiron fell,
I know whate'er they touched they still were fatal,
That very poison mingled with the blood
Of dying Nessus, will not that too kill
My Hercules? It must : but if he dies,
My resolution is to perish with him ;
Those, who their honour and their virtue prize,
Can never live with infamy and shame.
