She ranges freely through each fold, And licks the fleecy slaughter; And, when her humour waxes wild, No flesh she spares of man or child, Echidna’s gory daughter. Now hear me, noble Glaucus’ son, Most valiant knight, Bellerophon; Thou hast a face that seems to court A dangerous business as a sport— This thing I ask thee then; Wilt thou go forth, and dare to tame This murtherous monster breathing flame, And win thyself a deathless name Among the Xanthian men?” VII. Thus he—(for in his heart he thought Such venture must with life be bought). But brave Bellerophon Guileless received the guileful plan, And, as an eager-purposed man, Buckled his armour on. Alone he went: of such emprise With this bold-breasted stranger No one shall share, a herald cries, The glory or the danger. By Xanthus’ stream he wends him then, And leftward up the hollow glen Where Pandarus’ city, like a tower, Rises begirt with rocky power; Then upward, still he goes, Where black-browed mountains round him lower, And ‘neath chill winter’s grisly bower The sunless water flows. Upon a steep rock hoar with eld A yawning cave his eye beheld, High-perched; and to that cave no trace Of road upon the mountain’s face, But, like an eagle’s nest, Sublime it hung. He looked again, And from the cave a tawny mane Shook o’er the rocky crest; And now a lion’s head forth came, And now, O Heaven! long tongues of flame Ran wreathing round the hill. No fear the son of Glaucus knew, But pricked his forward will The rock-perched monster to pursue: On right, on left, he sought a clue To thread that steep-faced hill; But though the day had much ado, When night came down with sable hue It found him searching still. Hid in the tangled brakes around Next morn a rugged chasm he found, That oped into an archway wide Right through the hollow mountain-side; Here plunged the knight; and then With eager foot emerging speeds Along a rocky ledge that leads To dire Chimera’s den. The monster hears his coming tread, And with a hideous roar Trails forth its length, and shows its head And mouth all daubed with gore.