Banished thus from the court of his father, the only consolation for a long
time that Hippolytus possessed, was the consciousness of innocence.
Remorse, however, at last preyed upon the bosom of Phaedra; after taking
poison she confessed to Theseus the crime of which she had been guilty, and
Hippolytus was restored to the affections of his father.
The name of Theseus had been rendered by his bravery so conspicuous and so
dreaded by his enemies, that a tradition became popular, to the effect that
he appeared at the battle of Marathon to fight for the Greeks, who seemed
likely to be overwhelmed by the numbers of their opponents.
"Know ye not when our dead
From sleep to battle sprung?
When the Persian charger's tread
On their covering greensward rung!
When the trampling march of foes
Had crushed our vines and flowers,
When jewelled crests arose
Through the holy laurel bowers,
When banners caught the breeze,
When helms in sunlight shone,
When masts were on the seas,
And spears in Marathon.
{206}
"There was one a leader crowned,
And armed for Greece that day;
But the falchions made no sound
On his gleaming war array.
In the battle's front he stood,
With his tall and shadowy crest;
But the arrows drew no blood,
Though their path was thro' his breast.
When banners caught the breeze, &c.
"His sword was seen to flash
Where the boldest deeds were done;
But it smote without a clash;
The stroke was heard by none!
His voice was not of those
That swelled the rolling blast,
And his steps fell hushed like snows,--
'Twas the shade of Theseus passed!
When banners caught the breeze, &c.
"Far sweeping thro' the foe,
With a furious charge he bore,
And the Mede left many a bow
On the sounding ocean shore,
And the foaming waves grew red,
And the sails were crowded fast,
When the sons of Asia fled
As the shade of Theseus passed!
When banners caught the breeze,
When helms in sunlight shone,
When masts were on the seas,
And spears in Marathon!"