Classic and Contemporary Poetry
HERO AND LEANDER: THE LOVES OF HERO AND LEANDER, by GRAMMATICUS MUSAEUS Poet's Biography First Line: Sing, muse! The conscious torch, whose nightly ray Last Line: Each was the radiant star of either shore. Subject(s): Dardanelles; Hero And Leander; Hellespont | ||||||||
SING, Muse! the conscious torch, whose nightly ray Led the bold lover through the watery way, To share those joys which mutual faith hath sealed, Joys to divine Aurora unrevealed. Abydos, Sestos, ancient towns, proclaim, Where gentlest bosoms glowed with purest flame. I hear Leander dash the foaming tide! Fixed high in air, I see the glimmering guide! The genial flame, the love-enkindling light, Signal of joy that burned serenely bright; Whose beams, in fair effulgency displayed, Adorned the nuptials of the Sestian maid: Which Jove, its friendly office to repay, Should plant, all-glorious, in the realms of day, To blaze forever midst the stars above, And style it gentle harbinger of Love. Against Abydos sea-beat Sestos stood, Two neighboring towns, divided by the flood: Here Cupid proved his bow's unerring art, And gained two conquests with a single dart: On two fond hearts the sweet infection preyed, A youth engaging and a beauteous maid: Of Sestos she, fair Hero was her name; The youth, Leander, from Abydos came. Their forms divine a bright resemblance bore, Each was the radiant star of either shore. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE MARCH OF XERXES by LUIGI ALAMANNI DARDANELLES by THEODORE AUBANEL THE HELLESPONT by THEOPHILE GAUTIER HERO AND LEANDER by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT THE FLIGHT OF XERXES by MARIA JANE JEWSBURY XERXES by SAMUEL JOHNSON (1709-1784) HERO AND LEANDER by JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH VON SCHILLER XERXES AT HELLESPONT by RICHARD CHENEVIX TRENCH HERO AND LEANDER: LEANDER'S DEATH by GRAMMATICUS MUSAEUS MUSIC by STEPHEN VINCENT BENET THE FAERY FOREST by SARA TEASDALE LINES ON OBSERVING A BLOSSOM [ON THE FIRST OF FEBRUARY 1796] by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE |
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