The Choruses from "Achilles in Scyros"

The earth loveth the spring, 
Nor of her coming despaireth, 
Withheld by nightly sting, 
Snow, and icy fling, 
The snarl of the North : 
But nevertheless she prepareth
And setteth in order her nurselings to bring them forth, 
The jewels of her delight, 
What shall be blue, what yellow or white, 
What softest above the rest, 
The primrose, that loveth best 
Woodland skirts and the copses shorn. 

O daughter of Nereus old,
Queen of the nymphs that swim 
By day in gleams of gold, 
By night in the silver dim, 
Forgive in pity, we pray. 
Forgive the ill we have done. 
Why didst thou hide this thing from us ? 
For if we had known thy son 
We had guarded him well to-day. 
Nor ever betrayed him thus. 
For though we may not ride
Thy tall sea-horses nor play 
In the rainbow-tinted spray. 
Nor dive down under the tide 
To the secret caves of the main. 
Among thy laughing train ; 
Yet had we served thee well as they. 
Had we thy secret shared : 
Nor ever had lost from garden and hall 
Pyrrha the golden-haired, 
Pyrrha beloved of all.

Now the glorious sun is sunk in the west. 
And night with shadowy step advances : 
As we, to the newly betrothed our song addrest. 
With musical verse and dances. 

In the order of them who established rites of old 
For maidens to sing this song, --
Pray the gifts of heaven to gifts of gold, 
Joy and a life long.

We live well-ruled by an honoured king. 
Beloved of the gods, in a happy isle ; 
Where merry winds of the gay sea bring 
No foe to our shore, and the heavens smile 

On a peaceful folk secure from fear,
Who gather the fruits of the earth at will. 
And hymn their thinks to the gods, and rear 
Their laughing babes unmindful of ill. 

And ever we keep a feast of delight. 
The betrothal of hearts, when spirits unite, 
Creating an offspring of joy, a treasure 
Unknown to the bad, for whom 
The gods foredoom 
The glitter of pleasure
And a dark tomb.

Blessed therefore O newly betrothed are ye. 
The' happy to-day ye be, 
Your happier times ye yet shall see. 
We make our prayer to the gods. 

The sun shall prosper the seasons' yield 
With fuller crops for the wains to bear, 
And feed our flocks in fold and field 
With wholesome water and sweetest air. 

Plenty shall empty her golden horn. 
And grace shall dwell on the brows of youth. 
And love shall come as the joy of morn,
To waken the eyes of pride and truth. 

Blessed therefore thy happy folk are we. 
Tho' happy to-day we be. 
Our happier times are yet to see. 
We render praise to the gods. 

But chiefest of all in the highest height 
To Love that sitteth in timeless might, 
That tameth evil, and sorrow ceaseth. 
And now we wish you again, 
Again and again. 
His joy that encreaseth. 
And a long reign. 

Go not, go not, Achilles; is all in vain? 
Is this the fulfilment of long delight?
The promise of favouring heaven, 
The praise of our song? 
The choice of Thetis for thee, 
Thy merry disguise,
And happy betrothal? 
We pray thee, O we beseech thee, all, 
Son of Thetis, we counsel well, 
Do not thy bride this wrong.
For if to-day thou goest, thou wilt go far, 
Alas, from us thy comrades away. 
To a camp of revengeful men. 
The accursed war 
By warning fate forbidden, 
To angry disdain, 
A death unworthy, 
We pray thee, O we beseech thee, all. 
Son of Peleus, we counsel well, 
This doom the oracle told.