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The Mask Of Apollo
by
The face of the god shone through the face of the old man, and it was so full of secretness that, filled with awe, Damon, the herdsman, passed from the presence, and a strange fire was kindled in his heart. The songs that he sang thereafter caused childhood and peace to pass from the dwellers in the woods.
Then the two lovers, Dion and Nemra, came in and stood before Apollo, and Dion spake: “Father, you who are so wise can tell us what love is, so that we shall never miss it. Old Tithonus nods his gray head at us as we pass. He says only with the changeless gods has love endurance, and for men the loving time is short, and its sweetness is soon over.”
Neaera added: “But it is not true, father, for his drowsy eyes light when he remembers the old days, when he was happy and proud in love as we are.”
Apollo answered: “My children, I will tell you the legend how love came into the world, and how it may endure. On high Olympus the gods held council at the making of man, and each had brought a gift, and each gave to man something of their own nature. Aphrodite, the loveliest and sweetest, paused, and was about to add a new grace to his person; but Eros cried: ‘Let them not be so lovely without; let them be lovelier within. Put your own soul in, O mother.’ The mighty mother smiled, and so it was. And now, whenever love is like hers, which asks not return, but shines on all because it must, within that love Aphrodite dwells, and it becomes immortal by her presence.”
Then Dion and Neaera went out, and as they walked home through the forest, purple and vaporous in the evening light, they drew closer together. Dion, looking into the eyes of Neaera, saw there a new gleam, violet, magical, shining–there was the presence of Aphrodite; there was her shrine.
After came in unto Apollo the two grand-children of old Tithonus, and they cried: “See the flowers we have brought you! We gathered them for you in the valley where they grow best!” Apollo said: “What wisdom shall we give to children that they may remember? Our most beautiful for them!” And as he stood and looked at them the mask of age and secretness vanished. He appeared radiant in light. They laughed in joy at his beauty. Bending down he kissed each upon the forehead, then faded away into the light which is his home.
As the sun sank down amid the blue hills, the old priest awoke with a sigh, and cried out: “Oh, that we could talk wisely as we do in our dreams!”
1893