For he alone is brave who bends the branch...

I came across a poem and thought I'd share. I don't know if this is the full poem or not, as site I am using to view it is only allowing preview of this one page and oddly, I can't find the poem anywhere else online. Here's what I could see of it:

Herakles Archer

A tense and whittled thundershaft he pulls
Within his supple crescent,
To send the bolt among the gulls
Or drop the pheasant.

The padding fox has heard the leather sing
Against his restless hand,
The swallow bends a slow and cautious wing
Above the hunter's land.

The stag with horny trees upon his brow
Has seen the arrow gleam,
The otter plunges to elude the bow
Under the stream.

For he alone is brave who bends the branch
And draws the fatal dart
To send a fire no blood can ever quench
Into the innocent heart.

-- Morton Dauwen Zabel
Poetry Magazine, JANUARY 1930.
(Source)

Painting: Hercules and Omphale

Hercules and Omphale. 1862. Charles Gabriel Gleyre. 

I still have two weeks until I can jump back into the PaganBlogProject, but in the meantime I wanted to post something. I plan on writing more about Herakles and Omphale later either for an O or S (for slavery/servitude).

Virgil Aeneid 8.301-2

Hail, Hercules, true son of Jove, an added Glory for the Gods are you.
Come now, and dance at your holy rites with skillful feet.

Young Herakles

Herakles by ~sawak on DeviantArt.com

Source