Andromache's Wedding

‘HECTOR and his men bring the girl, her eyes gleaming,
From Thebe the Holy, from Placia fount unfailing,
Andromache the beautiful over the salt sea sailing,
With whorls and roundlets golden, with treasure of arraying,
Purple, of fine embroidering, away on the wind streaming,
With silver cups uncountable and carven ivory.’
This was the herald’s story.
And Hector’s father heard it, and gay he rose, and the saying
Went the round of Troy town for all friends’ knowing.
Then the men of Troy put their mules into harnessing
Under the wheeling chariots, and then mounted pressing
The rout of young women and of light-foot girls going;
Then Priam’s daughters apart, and then the soldiers
Were harnessing their horses under the chariot rim,
The young men in their prime. . . .
And then sweet piping with lyre play was blending,
With castanets clashing, and the maidens high singing
Sang the holy song to Heaven ascending
With strange din ringing. . . .
There were myrrh and cassia with frankincense smoking;
There the older women their chant were choiring,
There all the men sang their high song invoking
The God far darting, Peean of the lyring,
Singing for Hector and Andromache divine.