Philothea:
A Grecian Romance.
By L. Maria Child.
Author Of Letters From New York, Flowers For Children, Etc.
The intelligible forms of ancient poets,
The fair humanities of old religion,
The Power, the Beauty, and the Majesty,
That had their haunts in dale or piny mountain.
Or forest by slow stream, or pabbly spring,
Or chasms and watery depths, all these have vanished—
They live no longer in the faith of Reason!
But still, the heart doth need a language—still
Doth the old instinct bring back the old names.COLERIDGE.
A Spirit hung,
Beautiful region! o'er thy towns and farms,
Statues, and temples, and memorial tombs,
And emanations were perceived.WORDSWORTH.
A NEW AND CORRECTED EDITION.
To
MY BELOVED BROTHER,
Dr. Francis,
OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY,
To whose Early Influence I owe my Love of Literature
THIS VOLUME
IS RESPECTFULLY AND AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED.
Preface
This volume is purely romance; and most readers will consider it romanceof the wildest kind. A few kindred spirits, prone to people space "withlife and mystical predominance," will perceive a light within theGrecian Temple.
For such I have written it. To minds of different mould, who may thinkan apology necessary for what they will deem so utterly useless, I havenothing better to offer than the simple fact that I found delight indoing it.
Chapter I.
Here let us seek Athenæ's towers,
The cradle of old Cecrops' race,
The world's chief ornament and grace;
Here mystic fanes and rites divine,
And lamps in sacred splendour shine;
Here the gods dwell in marble domes,
Feasted with costly hecatombs,
That round their votive statues blaze,
Whilst crowded temples ring with praise;
And pompous sacrifices here
Make holidays throughout the year.ARISTOPHANES.
The moon was moving through the heavens in silent glory; and Athens,with all her beautiful variety of villas, altars, statues, and temples,rejoiced in the hallowed light.
The white columns of the lofty Parthenon stood in distinct reliefagainst the clear blue sky; the crest and spear of Pallas Promachosglittered in the refulgent atmosphere, a beacon to the distant mariner;the line of brazen tripods, leading from the Theatre of Dionysus, glowedlike urns of fire; and the waters of the Illyssus glanced rightjoyfully, as they moved onward to the ocean. The earth was like aslumbering babe, smiling in its sleep, because it dreams of Heaven.
In the most ancient and quiet part of the city, not far from the gateDiocharis, was the modest mansion of Anaxagoras; and at this tranquilhour, the grand-daughter of the philosopher, with her beloved companionEudora, stood on the roof, enjoying the radiant landscape, and the balmyair.
Philothea's tall figure was a lovely union of majesty and grace. Thegolden hair, which she inherited from a Laconian mother, was tastefullyarranged on the top of her head, in a braided crown, over the sides ofwhich the bright curls fell, like tendrils of grapes from the edge of abasket. The mild brilliancy of her large dark eyes formed a beautifulcontrast to a complexion fair even to transparency. Her expression hadthe innocence of infancy; but it was tinged with something elevated andholy, which made it seem like infancy in Heaven.
Eudora had more sparkling eyes, lips more richly coloured, and a formmore slender and flexile. Her complexion might have seemed dark, had it