Leto and Niobe (Way)

In the childhood of time, in the infancy
Of Heaven and Earth and Ocean's tide,
Dear friends were Leto and Niobe;
And these twain paced together beside
A river whose banks were bright with the sheen
Of flame-like flowers whose cups of gold
Dew-brimmed flashed out of the shimmering green.
And there unto Niobe Leto told
The tale of a bridal of long agone
Ere Hera was throned, when as yet was none
Crowned Heaven's Queen.
She told how Zeus had led her, his bride,
To a palace Olympian of stately pride,
Told of the spousal feast divine
Whereat the bowl of ambrosia-wine
Was mingled, and Hermes' self brimmed up
For God and Goddess the blessing-cup;
And hands celestial upheld on high
Each golden chalice, and pealed the cry
From celestial lips—"May happiness
Bridegroom and bride with all good bless!"
And they summoned to meet in the dancing-ring
The feet that flash and the lips that sing—
"Come, Graces roseate-armed, draw near!
O daughters of Zeus, at his bridal appear,
Ye bright-haired Muses, acclaim him here!"
Then garlands of soft-petalled flowers did they twine,
Those Graces, with lovely hands divine.
So with pleachèd wreaths they softly bound
The Muses' necks, and their own heads crowned.
And she told how the glorious dance-array
Would in wildering circles swing and sway,
Even as when in the latter day
Around fair altars the daughters of Crete
Float in the mystic measure, with feet
Scarce seeming to touch the velvet grass
Whereover the white robes rippling pass.
So danced the Muses, so danced the Graces
Till the low sun flushed the bridal feast
All rosy, and golden uprose in the east
The moon. Then silent, with reverent faces
Those wedded divine ones did they enring
Like unto worshippers compassing
The altar whereunto their gifts they bring.
And Niobe listened as one spell-bound;
And her ears were thrilled with the tale as with sound
Of harpings unearthly; and sigh upon sigh
Brake from her lips, she knew not why.
But when in the darkness she lay on her bed,
Sleep dusky-eyed, the child of Night,
Who on all eyes presses with fingers light,
Upon Niobe's eyes no sleep-dews shed;
But through hush of the darkness ever she heard
Ravishing-sweet the voice of a bird,
Of the nightingale, messenger-herald of Spring;
And to her through the notes did a message ring
Sweet, sweet—yet she could not interpret the thing.
But she waited in trance of expectancy,
Till lo, the star-sown canopy
Of the heavens was cloven, and Eros came
From the brightness beyond; a crimson flame
Was the mantle that vestured him. Came at his side
Zeus in his glory of beauty, to claim
By the right of his love an earthly bride.
And Niobe envied her friend no more.
Yea, now did she know, taught by love's lore—
Now, when her heart was satisfied—
For what cause she had sighed.