Then spoke Miltiades. "And thee, best runner of Greece,
Whose limbs did duty indeed,-what gift is promised thyself?
Tell it us straightway,-Athens the mother demands of her son!"

Rosily blushed the youth: he paused: but, lifting at length

His eyes from the ground, it seemed as he gathered the rest of his strength
Into the utterance-"Pan spoke thus: 'For what thou hast done

Count on a worthy reward! Henceforth be allowed thee release
From the racer's toil, no vulgar reward in praise or in pelf!'1

"I am bold to believe, Pan means reward the most to my mind!
Fight I shall, with our foremost, wherever this fennel may grow,-
Pound-Pan helping us-Persia to dust, and under the deep
Whelm her away forever; and then-no Athens to save-
Marry a certain maid, I know keeps faith to the brave,—
Hie to my house and home: and, when my children shall creep
Close to my knees,-recount how the god was awful yet kind,
Promised their sire reward to the full-rewarding him-so!"

Unforeseeing one! Yes, he fought on the Marathon day:
So, when Persia was dust, all cried "To Akropolis!
Run, Pheidippides, one race more! the meed2 is thy due!
'Athens is saved, thank Pan,' go shout!" He flung down his shield,
Ran like fire once more: and the space 'twixt the fennel-field
And Athens was stubble again, a field which a fire runs through.
Till in he broke: "Rejoice, we conquer!" Like wine through clay,
Joy in his blood bursting his heart, he died-the bliss!

So, to this day, when friend meets friend, the word of salute
Is still "Rejoice!"-his word which brought rejoicing indeed.

So is Pheidippides happy forever, the noble strong man

Who could race like a god, bear the face of a god, whom a god loved so well;
He saw the land saved he had helped to save, and was suffered to tell
Such tidings, yet never decline, but gloriously as he began,

So to end gloriously-once to shout, thereafter be mute:
"Athens is saved!"-Pheidippides dies in the shout, for his meed.
(1879)

I pelf. Goods.

2 meed. Reward.

3 decline.

Weaken.

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