hite
fangs, lowering, grim, bloody, and unapproachable, struggled for those
who were falling, for they all were longing to drink dark blood. So soon
as they caught a man overthrown or falling newly wounded, one of them
would clasp her great claws about him, and his soul would go down to
Hades to chilly Tartarus. And when they had satisfied their souls with
human blood, they would cast that one behind them, and rush back again
into the tumult and the fray. Clotho and Lachesis were over them and
Atropos less tall than they, a goddess of no great frame, yet superior
to the others and the eldest of them. And they all made a fierce fight
over one poor wretch, glaring evilly at one another with furious eyes
and fighting equally with claws and hands. By them stood Darkness of
Death, mournful and fearful, pale, shrivelled, shrunk with hunger,
swollen-kneed. Long nails tipped her hands, and she dribbled at the
nose, and from her cheeks blood dripped down to the ground. She
stood leering hideously, and much dust sodden with tears lay upon her
shoulders.

(ll. 270-285) Next, there was a city of men with goodly towers; and
seven gates of gold, fitted to the lintels, guarded it. The men were
making merry with festivities and dances; some were bringing home
a bride to her husband on a well-wheeled car, while the bridal-song
swelled high, and the glow of blazing torches held by handmaidens
rolled in waves afar. And these maidens went before, delighting in the
festival; and after them came frolicsome choirs, the youths singing
soft-mouthed to the sound of shrill pipes, while the echo was shivered
around them, and the girls led on the lovely dance to the sound of
lyres. Then again on the other side was a rout of young men revelling,
with flutes playing; some frolicking with dance and song, and others
were going forward in time with a flute player and laughing. The whole
town was filled with mirth and dance and festivity.

(ll. 285-304) Others again were mounted on horseback and galloping
before the town. And there were ploughmen breaking up the good soil,
clothed in tunics girt up. Also there was a wide cornland and some men
were reaping with sharp hooks the stalks which bended with the weight of
the cars--as if they were reaping Demeter's grain: others were binding
the sheaves with bands and were spreading the threshing floor. And some
held reaping hooks and were gathering the vintage, while others were
taking from the reapers into b