Onward it |came from the |southward, as |bulky and |black as a |galley,
Lazily |coasting a|long, as the |fish fled |leaping be|fore it;
Lazily |breasting the |ripple, and |watching by |sandbar and |headland,
Listening for |laughter of |maidens at |bleaching, or |song of the |fisher,
Children at |play on the |pebbles, or |cattle that |pawed on the |sandhills.
Rolling and |dripping it |came, where |bedded in |glistening |purple
Cold on the |cold sea-|weeds lay the |long white |sides of the |maiden,
Trembling, her |face in her |hands, and her |tresses a|float on the |water.

As when an |osprey a|loft, dark-|eyebrowed, |royally |crested,
Flags on by |creek and by |cove, and in |scorn of the |anger of |Nereus
Ranges, the |king of the |shore; if he |see on a |glittering |shallow,
Chasing the |bass and the |mullet, the |fin of a |wallowing |dolphin,
Halting, he |wheels round |slowly, in |doubt at the |weight of his |quarry,
Whether to |clutch it a|live, or to |fall on the |wretch like a |plummet,
Stunning with |terrible |talon the |life of the |brain in the |hindhead:
Then rushes |up with a |scream, and |stooping the |wrath of his |eyebrows
Falls from the |sky like a |star, while the |wind rattles |hoarse in his |pinions.

Over him |closes the |foam for a |moment; |then from the |sand-bed
Rolls up the |great fish, |dead, and his |side gleams |white in the |sunshine.
Thus fell the |boy on the |beast, un|veiling the |face of the |Gorgon;
Thus fell the |boy on the |beast; thus |rolled up the |beast in his |horror,
Once, as the |dead eyes |glared into |his; then his |sides, death-|sharpened,
Stiffened and |stood, brown |rock, in the |wash of the |wandering |water.

Beautiful, |eager, tri|umphant, he |leapt back a|gain to his |treasure;
Leapt back a|gain, full |blest, towards |arms spread |wide to re|ceive him.

Brimful of |honour he |clasped her, and |brimful of |love she ca|ressed him,
Answering |lip with |lip; while a|bove them the |queen Aphro|dite
Poured on their |foreheads and |limbs, un|seen, am|brosial |odours,
Givers of |longing, and |rapture, and |chaste con|tent in e|spousals.
Happy whom |ere they be |wedded a|noints she, the |Queen Aphro|dité!

Laughing she |called to her |sister, the |chaste Tri|tonid A|thené,
Seest thou |yonder thy |pupil, thou |maid of the |Ægis-|wielder,
How he has |turned himself |wholly to |love, and ca|resses a |damsel,
Dreaming no |longer of |honour, or |danger, or |Pallas A|thené?
Sweeter, it |seems, to the |young my |gifts are; so |yield me the |stripling;
Yield him me |now, lest he |die in his |prime, like |hapless A|donis.’

Loosing his |arms from her |waist he flew |upward, a|waiting the |sea-beast.