Page:Poems and ballads (IA poemsballads00swinrich).pdf/296

 That he was stifled after in hard sea. And some said that this wine-shedding should be Made of the falling of Adonis' blood, That curled upon the thorns and broken wood And round the gold silk shoes on Venus' feet; The taste thereof was as hot honey sweet And in the mouth ran soft and riotous. This was the holiness of Venus' house. It was their worship, that in August days Twelve maidens should go through those Roman ways Naked, and having gold across their brows And their hair twisted in short golden rows, To minister to Venus in this wise: And twelve men chosen in their companies To match these maidens by the altar-stair, All in one habit, crowned upon the hair. Among these men was chosen Theophile. This knight went out and prayed a little while, Holding queen Venus by her hands and knees; I will give thee twelve royal images Cut in glad gold, with marvels of wrought stone For thy sweet priests to lean and pray upon, Jasper and hyacinth and chrysopras, And the strange Asian thalamite that was Hidden twelve ages under heavy sea Among the little sleepy pearls, to be A shrine lit over with soft candle-flame Burning all night red as hot brows of shame,