For there they saw and knew Him from afar,
Vanquished and in no honourable plight,
No less a god than Ares god of war,
Ares the red and royal in all fight;
But now quite shorn indeed of arms and fame,
Spoiled of his helm and harness of each limb;
Yea, quite inglorious and brought to shame
For a mere love, with such rude stratagem!
The golden peals of god-like laughter brake
And rang down beautiful beneath the sun;
For well they saw, indeed, for whose fair sake
Their brother was so fallen and undone.
Phœbus himself, with many a secret pride
Of love—unshamed in any of his loves—
Leant on his golden bow, and laughed aside,
And made some fair light saying that still moves
From lips to lips at all the mirthful feasts
Of them above who have eternal rights
To joys and loves, and wine that never wastes,
And life never to end their days or nights.
Page:An epic of women and other poems (IA epicofwomenother00osha).pdf/94
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