And Hymen, Iö Hymen, rung around. Raised altars shone with holy fires; the bride, Lovely herself (and lovely by her side A bevy of bright nymphs, with sober grace,) Came glittering like a star, and took her place; Her heavenly form beheld, all wished her joy, And little wanted, but in vain their wishes all employ.[33] For one, most brutal of the brutal blood, Or whether wine or beauty fired his blood, Or both at once, beheld with lustful eyes The bride; at once resolved to make his prize. Down went the board, and, fastening on her hair, He seized with sudden force the frighted fair. 'Twas Eurytus began; his bestial kind His crime pursued; and each as pleased his mind, Or her, whom chance presented, took; the feast An image of a taken town expressed. The cave resounds with female shrieks: we rise, Mad with revenge, to make a swift reprise: And Theseus first:--What frenzy has possessed, O Eurytus, he cried, thy brutal breast, To wrong Pirithous, and not him alone, But, while I live, two friends conjoined in one? To justify his threat, he thrusts aside The crowd of Centaurs, and redeems the bride. The monster nought replied; for words were vain, And deeds could only deeds unjust maintain; But answers with his hand, and forward pressed, With blows redoubled, on his face and breast. An ample goblet stood, of antique mould, And rough with figures of the rising gold; The hero snatched it up, and tossed in air Full at the front of the foul ravisher: He falls, and falling vomits forth a flood Of wine, and foam, and brains, and mingled blood. Half roaring, and half neighing through the hall, Arms, arms! the double-formed with fury call, To wreak their brother's death. A medley flight Of bowls and jars, at first, supply the fight, Once instruments of feasts, but now of fate; Wine animates their rage, and arms their hate. Bold Amycus from the robbed vestry brings The chalices of heaven, and holy things Of precious weight; a sconce, that hung on high, With tapers filled, to light the sacristy, Torn from the cord, with his unhallowed hand He threw amid the Lapithæan band. On Celadon the ruin fell, and left His face of feature and of form bereft; So, when some brawny sacrificer knocks, Before an altar led, an offered ox, His eye balls, rooted out, are thrown to ground, } His nose dismantled in his mouth is found, } His jaws, cheeks, front, one undistinguished wound. } This, Belates, the avenger, could not brook; But, by the foot, a maple-board he took, And hurled at Amycus; his chin is bent Against his chest, and down the Centaur sent Whom, sputtering bloody teeth, the second blow Of his drawn sword dispatched to shades below. Grineus was near; and cast a furious look