ORPHEUS ON GEMS. 385
Thus the Poeantean the seducer slew ;
But more his fate to Hèlenus was due,
Who taught the Greeks to bring, Ο treachery vile !
TTis brother's slayer from the lonely isle.
To him had Phoebus given the vocal stone,
Hight Sideritis, for true answers known ;
The living Ophite, some the wonder call,
Black, round, and ponderous, a portentous ball ;
Around its face, in many a mazy bend,
Like wrinkles deep the graven furrows trend.
360
For thrice seven days the mighty wizard fled The bath's refreshment and
his consort's bed ; For thrice seven days a solemn fast maintained, Nor
flesh of living thing Iris strength sustained. Then in the living fount
the gem he laves, And in soft garments like an infant swathes, As to a
god, he sacrifices brings, And potent spells in mystic murmurs sings,
Till moved by fervent prayer and mighty charms, A living soul the
prescient substance warms. Then in his hands he bears the thing divine
Where kindled lamps in his pure mansion shine, And as her infant son a
mother holds, So in his arms the talisman he folds. And thou, if thou
wouldst hear the mystic voice, Thus do, and in the wondrous thing
rejoice :
370
For when thou long hast dandled it on high, 'Twill utter forth a faint
and feeble cry, Like to a suckling's wail when roused from rest, It
seeks refreshment from the nurse's breast. But with courageous heart
perform the rite, Lest thou the anger of the gods excite, If from thine
hand, unnerved by panic fear, Down to the ground thou dash the magic
sphere. Be bold, and dare the oracle to test, A true response 'twill
yield to each request ; Then having bathed it, hold it to thine eye,
And mark in wondrous guise its spirit fly.
380
Through this the Trojan to the Atridae bold, The coming downfall of his
race foretold. Another virtue hath the stone, 'tis said, Since thou
still tremblest at the serpent dread :
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