New-York tribune., 1899-06-17
1.-THE CAGING OF ARES. y
THE VARIATION ON A THEME OF HOMER
BY GEORGE MEREDITH.


BY GEORGE MEREDITH
The story of THE Caging of Ares" is told IN
the Iliad by Dione to Aphrodite her oauBh-
ter, after that goddess has been wounueo oS
Diomed on the plains of Troy. IL tells no"
Ares the god OF war was overcome by otos anu
Ephialtes. and Gagged by them. He remained
captive for thirteen months. and might nave
been held forever
Had not Eeribea, the fair ore. the stepmother
Lot ont the secret TO Hermes, and he stole Ares
away, ,. ,s.uo
Sadly worn out already, for the bitter bondage
was breaking him down
Mr. George Meredith has borrowed this 'aie
and its title, and has written long poem "hich
he has printed in THE London Chronicle oeui-
eating 1t to the Peace Conference al Inc hasue'
How his wordy and turbid adaptation compares
with Homer's terse and lucid narrative may pe
Judged from the following fragments
How big of breast our Mother G@a laughed
At sight of her boy Giants on the leap
Each over other as they ne!ghboreo hone'
Fronting the days descent across green slopes,
And up fired mountain crags their SHADOWS .
danced. ,,
One with them In their fun. she scarce could
guess. , u.
Though these two bowy urchins reeked OF
craft, ,
II signaled some adventurous master trick
To set Olympians buzzing in DEBATE
Lest it might be their godhead undermined
The Tyranny menaced Ephialtes hgh
on shoulders of his brother Otos waved
For the bull bellowings given to grand good
news,
Compact complexioned in his gleefui roar
While Otos aped the prisoners wrlsts ana hheeS'
with doleful sniffs between recurrent howls.
Till Gaa's lap receiving them they stre.cIssu'
And both upon her bosom shaken 10 spes0n'
Burst the hot story out Of throats OF poth'
signifcation marvellous she caught
Through gurglings of triumphant jollity,
Which now engulphed and now gave eye' AT iaS'
Subsided and the serious naked deco, ,
With mountain cloud OF la lgnter Dailkeu d i"uu'
Stood in her sight confirmed: she couid peneve
That these her sprouts OF promise, her most
priced.
These two made up of lion, bear and fox
Her sportive sucking mammoths, her YOUNG JoS'
Still by the reckoning infants among men,
Had done the deed to strike the Titan most
In envy dumb. in envious heart elate: ,os
These two combining strength and cratt hao
shared. .,
Enmeshed. bound fast with thongs. discreety
Gagged
The blood -shedder. the terrible Lord Of War;
Destroyer ravager. superb in pluInes;
The barren turnover Of anointed fields
The scarlet heel in towns, foul smoke to sky,
Her hated enemy. too long her scourge;
Great Ares.
Breath to us. Powers of air. for laughter loudl
Cock of Olympus he superb in plumes!
Round like wheaton smear Dy lnOse l"o phocS
Because they knew our Mother G@a loatned
him,
Knew him the famine. pestilence and waste;
A desolating fire to blind the sight
With splendor built Of fruitful things IN asheS
Rut see her in the Seasons through that year..
That one glad year and the fair opening nonth'
Had never our Great Mother such sweet race!
War with her. gentle war with her. each day
Her sons and daughters urged: at eve were nung,
on the morrow stood to challenge; In their
strength
Renewed, indomitable; whereof they won.
From hourly wrestings up TO shut or llds'
Her ready secret: the aboundng lie
Returned for valiant labor: she and they
Defeated and victorious turn by turn;
BY loss enriched by overthrow restored.
Exchange OF powers Of this conflict came;
DETACHMENT none, nor ever squandered force
Is battle natures mandate. here II reigned.
AS music unto the hand that smote the strings;
And she the roster from their showery brows,
They fruitful from her ploughed and narrowed
breast
And when brown corn
swayed ARMED ranks with softened cricket
song,
with gold necks bent for any zephyrs kiss;
When vine-roots daily down a rubble soil
Drank fire of heaven athrst to swell the grape;
When sweed the grape, and In II held ray,
Rich issue OF the embrace Of heaven and earth;
The very eye Of passion drowsed by excess
And yet burning lion for the spring;
Then in that time of general chershment.
Sweet breathing balm and flutes by cool wood
side
He the harsh rouser OF ire being absent. Gagged,
Then did good GRa's children gratefully
Lift hymns TO Gods they Judged but praised for
peace.
Delightful Peace. that answers Reasons call
tremendously and images her Law;
Reflects and though short-lived as then, re-
vves
In memories made present the brain
BY natural yearnings all the happy scenes;
The picture Of an earth allied to heaven;
Between them the known smile behind black
masks:
Rightly their various moods Interpreted
And frolic because toilful children borne
With larger comprehension Of Earths aim
At loftier clearer. sweeter, by their aid