Sappho — The Cretan Dance

As the moon in all her splendor Slowly rose above the forest, Silent stood the Cretan women         Round the altar. Girdled close their clinging tunics, Made of some transparent fabric, Traced the every curve and lissome         Of their bodies. With revering eyes uplifted To the round and rising planet, Soon its drifting beams of silver         Lit their faces. Soft and clear its sphere effulgent, Full defined above the treetops, Steeped in pale unearthly glamor         All the landscape. When the argent glimmer rested On the altar piled with garlands, And its glow unveiled the marble         Aphrodite; Linking hands, the Cretan women Moving gracefully with metric Steps began to dance a measure         To the Goddess. All so light their feet unsandalled Pressed the velvet grass in treading, That they scarcely bruised its tender         Blooming verdure. Slowly turning in a circle To the east, their voices chanted In a plaintive note the sacred         Ithyphallics; Then they paused, their steps retracing Toward the west, and answered strophe By antistrophe with choric         Tones accordant; With the aftersong epodic, Standing all before the altar, Lo! the hymn in praise of Paphos         Was completed.