a's strand wave-resonant, ever-regarding
Theseus borne from sight outside by fleet of the fleetest,
Stands Ariadne with heart full-filled with furies unbated,
Nor can her sense as yet believe she 'spies the espied, 55
When like one that awakes new roused from slumber deceptive,
Sees she her hapless self lone left on loneliest sandbank:
While as the mindless youth with oars disturbeth the shallows,
Casts to the windy storms what vows he vainly had vowed.
Him through the sedges afar the sad-eyed maiden of Minos, 60
Likest a Bacchant-girl stone-carven, (O her sorrow!)
'Spies, a-tossing the while on sorest billows of love-care.
Now no more on her blood-hued hair fine fillets retains she,
No more now light veil conceals her bosom erst hidden,
Now no more smooth zone contains her milky-hued paplets: 65
All gear dropping adown from every part of her person
Thrown, lie fronting her feet to the briny wavelets a sea-toy.
But at such now no more of her veil or her fillet a-floating
Had she regard: on thee, O Theseus! all of her heart-strength,
All of her sprite, her mind, forlorn, were evermore hanging. 70
Ah, sad soul, by grief and grievance driven beside thee,
Sowed Erycina first those brambly cares in thy bosom,
What while issuing fierce with will enstarkened, Theseus
Forth from the bow-bent shore Piraean putting a-seawards
Reacht the Gortynian roofs where dwelt th' injurious Monarch. 75
For 'twas told of yore how forced by pestilence cruel,
Eke as a blood rite due for th' Androgeonian murthur,
Many a chosen youth and the bloom of damsels unmarried
Food for the Minotaur, Cecropia was wont to befurnish.
Seeing his narrow walls in such wise vexed with evils, 80
Theseus of freest will for dear-loved Athens his body
Offered a victim so that no more to Crete be deported
Lives by Cecropia doomed to burials burying nowise;
Then with a swifty ship and soft breathed breezes a-stirring,
Sought he Minos the Haughty where homed in proudest of Mansions. 85
Him as with yearning glance forthright espied the royal
Maiden, whom pure chaste couch aspiring delicate odours
Cherisht, in soft embrace of a mother comforted all-whiles,
(E'en as the myrtles begot by the flowing floods of Eurotas,
Or as the tincts distinct brought forth by breath of the springtide) 90
Never the burning lights of her eyes from gazing upon him
Turned she, before fi