JEALOUSY. OR THE STORY OF ŒDON.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1084, 27 May 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

JEALOUSY. OR THE STORY OF ŒDON.

The story of ffidon,' daughter, of Pandarus'arid., site of'NioW.-will be familiar, to all students of classic literature, I havo thought it not.unlikely, that a series of stories, in a form, and pf alike classic origin, might serve very' pleasantly;' to'illustrate the disastrous otfccls.bf the, human" passibnffj' in fact, "toi'pdtnt amOr'ali" if not. J' to. adorn a tale."' Acting on this hypothesis,'! have ventured to relate the'tragie story of.CEdon,' as an illustration of tlie:cffeots 'ofi-unrcstrainid jealousy) and as initiatory.rto swhat,:l trust-may, bo deemeda series of.pleasantries.-,.,,,; •, •! ~.■,;■,.,,:; i/, ,' .|P.W.Scp.IY?NOB.) : Fair'rose the^uri'.' ! The golden : gaM i: ; '• Were opened wide in Orient 'sky j :,: '.':, The glad trees tossed' their' emerald leaves,' ' And wal'bluj'gsbngbirds mounted high;'' ' ' The bright dew.'meltihg oh the grass',-', ;; ■'• Shone diamond-like 1 in ; limpid air. ;';. ; I Myvery'heart'leaj)t'up]tnjoy''', ; . ':, / •' | ■"; To look upon a scene so fair, • ; :■''}" j ; "0 Heaveri!" icried; "thy dohie how bright! O'earth.l thy'surfaiie fresh'and'gay 1 .'." j J Say, : could foul bnyyenterhere,' .•:" , - : \ ' Or sin o'ereloud iso'fair a day ?" t --. : ,'. 1 ' ; ;' ; j When at my feet, all trembling,-lay;'; \ A little bird; with 'bleeding breast,'' " . ; : Staining the verdant bosom' bf the earthj'; ' Struggling .with death in pitiful unrest. ] ' Down pri my .knees'beside I, fell, ' l ' :,,| ;' ; , Aridsyjnpathetic'te^rabedewed' :: ':" l; i - Mine'eyes, and niblted was rriy.heart'; ; ; For this was death that'now I viewed, ; : Then I-"0 bird of bitter fate, ' ' If gift of speech to thee .were given, Then: woiild'st ,thbu' tell me if thy paip i'; • Is' ; due'tb man or angry Heaveri 1" '..'" i\\ Wlien', tdmy great flilrp'rise,' upapoke^j ,r ' j '■'' This tiny, fluttering, dying bird. " ': '• Ah me 1 the story tliatsbe told; '' ! . None'half, so'te'artul have'l heard. ;;. j ■ "Dear'youth'," she cried; "those falling tears Betray thy sympathetic pain', : '' :,,: i-, : Know that I once a woman was: : Of Zethus' wife jCEdon'my name. ' Two'noble 'sons Hvith pride Iborp j With pride I say; alas l : my fate • ■'.. From pride arose, arid jealousy Hath brought me'to this, wretched Btato, : Fair'NiobiS, ; my sister dear, ' ! Wiis blest with many children more Than I, Tlrtis rose'my jcaloiis'y, 'That, now too late, I vain deplore: ; With growihg'hate to see her blest ''"'., , With progeny miioh mote than i ( - ! ' ! The black thought dwelt within my heart ■'■ That one of her fi\ir brood should die,. ' The sih took root and blossomed forth. Within my sinfulj treacherous heart,. Till mother, sistorj wife— Resolved to act a'murderer's part. ; '

The inglit-owl : shrieked, the' hous»-dog 11 mohned, . ': •■'•'■ ; ■ ,; Th'e pale inoo'n shrank into the sky, When, in our.children's sleeping rflom, 'Withmrirderoushandupraisedonhigh,, ' With trembling knees arid'vengeful joy,: ; ' I sought the couch wherb used to sleep'- • Her eldest, fairest boy,- ; ' ' '.' i Istrufck." Ah! Heaven 11heard his moan, : Then flew 'with rapid, trembling feet Into the dark and: cloudy night, 'Revenge!' I cried,-' Revenge is' sweet 1'

The morning broke, Fair rose the day: It seemed as if the God of light ' : •' Had. watched concealed, yet in full view, 1 Of all that'l had/done that night: 1 ' ' ' , Then Suddenly uprose a cry :' Thatlpke like thurider'o'er nty Head—' ; ' Woe,' woe to CEdon!'—rose on high j'.. 1 Her eMestboy is dead, ' ' • My blood ran thick, • 1 Myheart grew dry, " ■ For on lus .cousin's couch there lay, With crimjon blood Upon his breast, My own, my darling, lovely boy. Killed by his mother's hand he lay, j A cherrib smiling in his sleep: A night no more 'to turn to day, A slumber measurelessly deep, ' Oh, Heaven!' I cried, with upturned ej>es, ' I own the justness of my, fate. Oh ! bitter lesson unto all Whose hearts with envy are inflate!' Then, as I spoke, my nerveless armi .' Down to my sides all pendant hung. My blooming cheeks with feathers clad, My hands with sprouting'claws began Till shrunk into a little bird, No more my useless voice I raise, But, piping forth my sad complaint, A goldfinch lonely pass my days, Thus Heaven, in anger just and fair, Punished my sin, by envy moved, Forgot by all, in fear I fly, Unknown, unsought for, and onlovert; I'ill now, a sportsman aiming high, To kill some bird of nobler state, His weapon, turned by Heaven kind, Hath terminated thus my fate," She spoke, and, with a tender sigh, Sank back, of further speech denied; And, as my tears foil thick and fast, she died,