SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
Some other sounds unto the listening ear
Than all day long they had been hearkening—
The land-born signs of many a well-known thing".
Thereat Medea trembled, for she knew
That nigh the dreadful sands at last they drew, 3°
For certainly the Sirens1 song she heard,
Though yet her ear could shape it to no word,
And by their faces could the queen behold
How sweet it was, although no tale it told,
To those worn toilers o'er the bitter sea. 35
Now, as they sped along, they presently,
Rounding a headland, reached a little bay,
Walled from the sea by splintered cliffs and grey,
Capped by the thymy hills* green wind-beat head,
Where 'mid the whin the burrowing rabbits fed. 4°
And 'neath the cliff they saw a belt of sand,
;Twixt Xereus* pasture and the high scarped land,
Whereon, yet far off, could their eyes behold
White bodies moving, crowded and girt with gold,
Wherefrom it seemed that lovely music welled. 45
So when all this the grey-eyed queen beheld,
She said: * O Jason, I have made thee wise
In this and other things; turn then thine eyes
Seaward, and note the ripple of the sea,
Where there is hope as well as fear for thee. 50
Nor look upon the death that lurketh there
'Neath the grey cliff, though sweet it seems and fair;
For thou art young upon this day to die.
Take then the helm, and gazing steadily
Upon the road to Greece, make strong thine hand 55
And steer us toward the lion-haunted land:
And thou, O Thracian! if thou e'er hast moved
Men's hearts, with stories of the Gods who loved,
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