THE morning star revealed the shining day,
Night fled, the east wind fell, the rain-clouds rose,
A steady south wind speeded the return
Of Cephalus with the Aeginetan force.
Their passage prospered and the fair breeze brought
Them sooner than their hopes to Athens' port.
Minos by now was laying waste the shores
Of Megara, testing his martial strength
Against the city of Alcathous,^*
Where Nisus reigned, a venerable king
Upon whose head, crowning his locks of white,
There gleamed a purple tress, the talisman
And magic guarantee of his great realm.

Six times the crescent of the rising moon
Had climbed the sky and still the fate of war
Hung in the balance, and on doubtful wings
Long hovered victory between each side.
There was a royal turret, built above
The singing walls where once Latona's son,
So the tale goes, laid down his golden lyre
And still its music lingers in the stones.^*
Here Nisus' daughter often used to climb
And with a little pebble set the stones
A-singing; that was in the days of peace.
And when war came, she often used to watch
From there the stubborn strife and clash of arms;
And, as the war dragged on, she came to know
The captains' names, their blazons, arms and steeds,
And Cretan quivers. Best of all she knew--
Knew more than well enough--their general,
Europa's son, King Minos. When he wore
His fine plumed casque that hid his face, she thought
Him splendid helmeted; if he put on
His shield of shining bronze, the shining shield
Enhanced his beauty; when with arm drawn back

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