HERMONAX

Gods of the sea;

Ino,

Leaving warm meads

For the green, grey-green fastnesses

Of the great deeps;

And Palemon,

Bright striker of sea-shaft,

Hear me.

Let all whom the sea loveth,

Come to its altar front,

And I

Who can offer no other sacrifice to thee

Bring this.

Broken by great waves,

The wavelets flung it here,

This sea-gliding creature,

This strange creature like a weed,

Covered with salt foam,

Torn from the hillocks

Of rock.

I, Hermonax,

Caster of nets,

Risking chance,

Plying the sea craft,

Came on it.

29Thus to sea god

Cometh gift of sea wrack;

I, Hermonax, offer it

To thee, Ino,

And to Palemon.

H. D.

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