Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANDROMACHE'S WEDDING, by SAPPHO



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANDROMACHE'S WEDDING, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Hector and his men bring the girl, her eyes gleaming
Last Line: Singing for hector and for andromache divine.
Subject(s): Aphrodite; Love - Erotic; Love; Marriage; Mythology - Classical; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


'HECTOR and his men bring the girl, her eyes gleaming,
From Thebe the Holy, from Placia fount unfailing,
Andromache the beautiful, over the salt sea sailing
With whorls and roundlets golden, with robes for her arraying
Purple embroidered daintily, away on the wind streaming;
And silver cups uncountable and carven ivory.'
This was the herald's story.
And Hector's father heard it, and gay he rose, and the saying
Went the round of Troy Town for all friends' knowing.
Then the men of Troy put their mules into harnessing
Back against the chariots, and then mounted pressing
The rout of young women, and of lightfoot girls going,
Then Priam's daughters apart; and then the soldiers
Were harnessing their horses under the chariot rim,
The young men in their prime. . . .

And the sweet piping with lyreplay was blending,
With castanets clashing; and the maidens high singing
Sang the holy song to heaven ascending
With strange din ringing. . . .

There were myrrh and cassia with frankincense smoking;
There the elder women their chant were choiring;
There all the men sang their high song invoking
The God far-darting, Paean of the lyring,
Singing for Hector and for Andromache divine.





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