THE VIRGIN
59
The handmaidens
of Aphrodite gather round them ,
and their silver voices
rise in one of those sweet
clear
songs , already so familiar to our ears , set like a gem
in
the gold of the narrative .
The following
rondel
I
choose for
its
simplicity and sweetness
:
Sing
,
little bird
,
it
is
dawn
;
Cry
!
with
the day the woods
ring
;
Now
in
the blush
of
the morn
,
Sing
!
Love doth
enchain
me and cling
,
Love
,
of
the breeze
that
is
born
,
Love
,
with
the breeze
that takes wing
.
Love that
is
lighter than
scorn
,
Love that
is
strong
as
a
king
,
Love
,
through
the gate that
is
horn
,
Sing
!
The
anger
of
Zeus
is
aroused
.
Aphrodite
bids
Charicles
flee
,
but his passion
is
too great
,
he
defies
the
powers
.
(
They
are
only gods
;
would
he
have
succeeded
had they been Grundy
?)
The curse
of
Zeus
is
reversed
:
His form did change
,
and
,
writhing from
her clasp
,
Fled hissing outward
,
a
more hateful
asp
Than India breeds
to
-
day
.
till day
Dropped her blue pinions
,
and the night drew
on
,
And sable clouds
banked
out the weary sun
.
The whole course
of
events
is
now reversed
,
Char
icles
a
venomous adder
,
Archais
once again her own
divine
and glorious self
.
And this
is
how we find her
the second
time
:
The Tale
of
Archais
,
vol
.
i,
p
.
14
.
2
Ibid
.
vol
.
i,
p
.
16
.