ast iuvenes quaerente moras Ceyce reducunt
ordinibus geminis ad fortia pectora remos
aequalique ictu scindunt freta: sustulit illa
umentes oculos stantemque in puppe recurva
concussaque manu dantem sibi signa maritum 465
prona videt redditque notas; ubi terra recessit
longius, atque oculi nequeunt cognoscere vultus,
dum licet, insequitur fugientem lumine pinum;
haec quoque ut haut poterat spatio submota videri,
vela tamen spectat summo fluitantia malo; 470
ut nec vela videt, vacuum petit anxia lectum
seque toro ponit: renovat lectusque torusque
Alcyonae lacrimas et quae pars admonet absit.
Portibus exierant, et moverat aura rudentes:
obvertit lateri pendentes navita remos 475
cornuaque in summa locat arbore totaque malo
carbasa deducit venientesque accipit auras.
aut minus, aut certe medium non amplius aequor
puppe secabatur, longeque erat utraque tellus,
cum mare sub noctem tumidis albescere coepit 480
fluctibus et praeceps spirare valentius eurus.
‘ardua iamdudum demittite cornua’ rector
clamat ‘et antemnis totum subnectite velum.’
hic iubet; inpediunt adversae iussa procellae,
nec sinit audiri vocem fragor aequoris ullam: 485
sponte tamen properant alii subducere remos,
pars munire latus, pars ventis vela negare;
egerit hic fluctus aequorque refundit in aequor,
hic rapit antemnas; quae dum sine lege geruntur,
aspera crescit hiems, omnique e parte feroces 490
bella gerunt venti fretaque indignantia miscent.
ipse pavet nec se, qui sit status, ipse fatetur
scire ratis rector, nec quid iubeatve vetetve:
tanta mali moles tantoque potentior arte est.
quippe sonant clamore viri, stridore rudentes, 495
undarum incursu gravis unda, tonitribus aether.
fluctibus erigitur caelumque aequare videtur
pontus et inductas aspergine tangere nubes;
et modo, cum fulvas ex imo vertit harenas,
concolor est illis, Stygia modo nigrior unda, 500
sternitur interdum spumisque sonantibus albet.
ipsa quoque his agitur vicibus Trachinia puppis
et nunc sublimis veluti de vertice montis
despicere in valles imumque Acheronta videtur,
nunc, ubi demissam curvum circumstetit aequor, 505
suspicere inferno summum de gurgite caelum.
saepe dat ingentem fluctu latus icta fragorem
nec levius pulsata sonat, quam ferreus olim
cum laceras aries balistave concutit arces,
utque solent sumptis incursu viribus ire 510
pectore in arma feri protentaque tela leones,
sic, ubi se ventis admiserat unda coortis,
ibat in alta ratis multoque erat altior illis;
iamque labant cunei, spoliataque tegmine cerae
rima patet praebetque viam letalibus undis. 515
ecce cadunt largi resolutis nubibus imbres,
inque fretum credas totum descendere caelum,
inque plagas caeli tumefactum ascendere pontum.
vela madent nimbis, et cum caelestibus undis
aequoreae miscentur aquae; caret ignibus aether, 520
caecaque nox premitur tenebris hiemisque suisque.
discutiunt tamen has praebentque micantia lumen
fulmina: fulmineis ardescunt ignibus imbres.
dat quoque iam saltus intra cava texta carinae
fluctus; et ut miles, numero praestantior omni, 525
cum saepe adsiluit defensae moenibus urbis,
spe potitur tandem laudisque accensus amore
inter mille viros murum tamen occupat unus,
sic ubi pulsarunt noviens latera ardua fluctus,
vastius insurgens decimae ruit impetus undae 530
nec prius absistit fessam oppugnare carinam,
quam velut in captae descendat moenia navis.
pars igitur temptabat adhuc invadere pinum,
pars maris intus erat: trepidant haud setius omnes,
quam solet urbs aliis murum fodientibus extra 535
atque aliis murum trepidare tenentibus intus.
deficit ars, animique cadunt, totidemque videntur,
quot veniunt fluctus, ruere atque inrumpere mortes.
non tenet hic lacrimas, stupet hic, vocat ille beatos,
funera quos maneant, hic votis numen adorat 540
bracchiaque ad caelum, quod non videt, inrita tollens
poscit opem; subeunt illi fraterque parensque,
huic cum pignoribus domus et quodcunque relictum est;
Alcyone Ceyca movet, Ceycis in ore
nulla nisi Alcyone est et, cum desideret unam, 545
gaudet abesse tamen; patriae quoque vellet ad oras
respicere inque domum supremos vertere vultus,
verum, ubi sit, nescit: tanta vertigine pontus
fervet, et inducta piceis e nubibus umbra
omne latet caelum, duplicataque noctis imago est. 550
frangitur incursu nimbosi turbinis arbor,
frangitur et regimen, spoliisque animosa superstes
unda, velut victrix, sinuataque despicit undas;
nec levius, quam siquis Athon Pindumve revulsos
sede sua totos in apertum everterit aequor, 555
praecipitata cadit pariterque et pondere et ictu
mergit in ima ratem; cum qua pars magna virorum
gurgite pressa gravi neque in aera reddita fato
functa suo est, alii partes et membra carinae
trunca tenent: tenet ipse manu, qua sceptra solebat, 560
fragmina navigii Ceyx socerumque patremque
invocat heu! frustra, sed plurima nantis in ore
Alcyone coniunx: illam meminitque refertque,
illius ante oculos ut agant sua corpora fluctus
optat et exanimis manibus tumuletur amicis. 565
dum natat, absentem, quotiens sinit hiscere fluctus,
nominat Alcyonen ipsisque inmurmurat undis.
ecce super medios fluctus niger arcus aquarum
frangitur et rupta mersum caput obruit unda.
Lucifer obscurus nec quem cognoscere posses 570
illa luce fuit, quoniamque excedere caelo
non licuit, densis texit sua nubibus ora.
Aeolis interea, tantorum ignara malorum,
dinumerat noctes et iam, quas induat ille,
festinat vestes, iam quas, ubi venerit ille, 575
ipsa gerat, reditusque sibi promittit inanes.
But the young men, though Ceyx sought excuses for delay, in double rows drew back the oars to their strong breasts and rent the waters with their rhythmic strokes. Then Alcyone lifted her tear-wet eyes and leaning forward saw her husband standing on the high-curved poop and waving his hand to her, and she waved back again. When the land drew further off, and her eyes could no longer make out his features, while yet she could she followed with her gaze the fast-receding ship. When even this was now so distant that it could not be seen, still she watched the sails floating along at the top of the mast. When she could not even see the sails, heavy-hearted she sought her empty bedroom and threw herself upon the bed. Bedroom and bed renewed her tears, for they reminded her of the part that was gone from her.
They had left the harbour and the breeze had set the cordage rattling. At that the captain shipped his oars, ran the yard up to the top of the mast and spread all his sails to catch the freshening breeze. The ship was now skimming along about midway of the sea, and the land on either side was far away, when, as night came on, the water began to whiten with the roughening waves and the wind, driving ahead, to blow with increased violence. “Lower the yard at once,” the captain cries, “and tight reef the sail.” So he orders, but the blast blowing in his face drowns out his orders, nor does the uproar of the sea let his voice be heard. Still, of their own will, some hastily draw in the oars, some close the oar-holes, and some reef the sails. Here one is bailing out the water and pouring the sea into the sea, while another hastily secures the spars. While these things are being done, all in confusion, the storm is increasing in violence and from every quarter the raging winds make their attacks and stir up the angry waves. The captain himself is in terror and admits that he does not know how the vessel stands, nor what either to order or forbid; so great is the impending weight of destruction, so much more mighty than all his skill. All is a confused uproar—shouts of men, rattling of cordage, roar of the rushing waves, and crash of thunder. The waves run mountain-high and seem to reach the very heavens, and with their spray to sprinkle the lowering clouds. Now the water is tawny with the sands swept up from the bottom of the sea, and now blacker than the very waters of the Styx. At other times the waves spread out, white with the hissing foam. The Trachinian ship herself also is driven on in the grasp of chance. Now, lifted high, as from a mountain-top she seems to look down into deep valleys and the pit of Acheron; now, as she sinks far down and the writhing waters close her in, she seems to be looking up to the top of heaven from the infernal pools. Often with mighty thuds the vessel’s sides resound, beaten by crashing waves as heavily as when sometimes an iron ram or ballista smites a battered fortress. And as savage lions, gaining new strength as they come rushing to the attack, are wont to breast the hunters’ arms and ready spears; so, when the waves had been lashed to fury by the opposing winds, they rushed against the ship’s high parts and towered high over them. And now the tightening wedges of the hull spring loose and yawning chinks appear, their covering of pitch clean washed away, and give passage to the deadly tide. Behold, the rain falls in sheets from the bursting clouds; and you would think that the whole heavens were falling down into the sea and that the swollen sea was leaping up into the regions of the sky. The sails are soaked with rain, and with the waters from the sky the ocean’s floods are mingled. No stars gleam in the sky and the black night is murky with its own and the tempest’s gloom. Still flashing fires cleave the shadows and give light, and the falling rain glitters from the lightning’s glare. Now also the flood comes pouring within the vessel’s hollow hull; and as a soldier, more eager than his fellows, when he has often essayed to scale a beleaguered city’s walls, at last succeeds and, fired with the passion for praise, o’erleaps the wall and stands one man amidst a thousand; so, when the waves nine times have battered at the lofty sides, the tenth wave, leaping with a mightier heave, comes on, nor does it cease its attack upon the weary ship until over the ramparts of the conquered barque it leaps within. So now a part of the sea still tries to invade the ship and part is already within its hold. All are in terrified confusion, just as a city is confused when some from without seek to undermine its walls and some hold the walls within. Skill fails and courage fails; and as many separate deaths seem rushing on and bursting through as are the advancing waves. One cannot restrain his tears; another is struck dumb; still another cries they are fortunate whom burial rites await; one calls on the gods in prayer and lifts unavailing arms to the unseen heavens, begging for help; one thinks upon his brothers and his sire, one on his home and children, and each on that which he has left behind. But Ceyx thinks on Alcyone: upon the lips of Ceyx there is no one save Alcyone; and, though he longs for her alone, yet he rejoices that she is far away. How he would love to see his native shores again and turn his last gaze upon his home. But where he is he knows not; for the sea boils in such whirling pools and the shadows of the pitchy clouds hide all the sky and double the darkness of the night. The mast is broken by a whirling rush of wind; the rudder, too, is broken. One last wave, like a victor rejoicing in his spoils, heaves itself high and looks down upon the other waves; and, as if one should tear from their foundations Athos and Pindus and hurl them bodily into the open sea, so fell this wave headlong, and with its overwhelming weight plunged the ship down to the very bottom; and with the ship the great part of the sailors perished, sucked down in the eddying flood, nevermore to see the light of day. But some still clung to broken pieces of the vessel. Ceyx himself, with the hand that was wont to hold the sceptre, clung to a fragment of the wreck, and called upon his father-in-law and on his father, alas! in vain. But most of all is the name of Alcyone on the swimmer’s lips. He remembers her and names her o’er and o’er. He prays that the waves may bear his body into her sight and that in death he may be entombed by her dear hands. While he can keep afloat, as often as the waves allow him to open his month he calls the name of his Alcyone, far away, and murmurs it even as the waves close over his lips. See, a dark billow of waters breaks over the surrounding floods and buries him deep beneath the seething waves. Dim and unrecognizable was Lucifer that dawn; and since he might not leave his station in the skies, he wrapped his face in thick clouds.
Meanwhile the daughter of Aeolus, in ignorance of this great disaster, counts off the nights; now hastens on to weave the robes which he is to put on, and now those which she herself will wear when he comes back, and pictures to herself the home-coming which can never be.