A woman (Pallas) stands beside a centaur. A large cloth drapes over her right shoulder
and waist. She is covered in leaves and
her feet are bare. Pallas holds the centaur’s hair in her right hand; she holds a
large and decorated sagaris axe in her left hand.
The centaur holds a bow and has a quiver of arrows slung across his body. Full-page
illustration contained within a single-ruled
rectangular border.
PALLAS AND THE CENTAUR
AFTER A PICTURE BY BOTTICELLI
‘ Centaur, sweet Centaur, let me ride on you !’1
Her face set forward t’ward delightful hours,2
On feet uncertain as spring’s dancing showers,3
This Pallas like pale April finds things new ;4
Yet, conscious-half of much forgotten too,5
Asks sparkling questions–tentative of powers6
Visits her doings as bees visit flowers.–7
‘ Centaur, sweet Centaur, scatter far the dew !8
Round the grey sea, beyond the haunted rocks,9
Crunching clean pebbles call on Magdalen10
And Egypt’s Mary clothed in woolly locks ;11
Clamber on clouds to Mary-Mother then,12
Who, virgin still, there in a palace dwells,13
Its roof one silver mass of mellow bells !’14