Penny Dreadfuls, 1812 · page 36 of 258
Psyche, and other poems — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 18 of a Victorian Penny Dreadful This is a page of running verse narrative, printed in double columns. The text describes a dramatic scene from what appears to be a retelling of the myth of Psyche: a milk-white bull is sacrificed at an altar, but breaks free and rushes through the crowd. A divine oracle pronounces that the maiden Psyche must be left on a mountaintop as a sacrifice to a fearsome winged monster whom even Jupiter obeys. Her father, initially refusing this terrible decree, eventually yields when Psyche herself tearfully accepts her fate and demands the sacrifice proceed without further delay.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
: 18 And now, the royal sacrifice prepared, | The milk-white bull they to the altar lead, - Whose youth the galling yoke as yet had spared, Now destined by the sacred knife to bleed : When lo! with sudden spring his horns he freed, And head-long rushed amid the frighted throng : While from the smoke-veiled shrine such sounds pro- ceed . | As well might strike with awe the soul most strong ; And thus divinely spoke the heaven inspired tongue. nn “On nuptial couch, in nuptial vest arrayed, “On a tall rock’s high summit Psyche place: ‘‘ Let all depart, and leave the fated maid ‘Who never must a mortal Hymen grace: ‘¢ A winged monster of no earthly race ‘¢ Thence soon shall bear his trembling bride away ; ‘‘ His power extends o’er all the bounds of space, ‘© And Jove himself has owned his dreaded sway, Whose flaming breath sheds fire, whom earth and heaven obey.” With terror, anguish, and astonishment i ' The oracle her wretched father hears; Now from his brow the regal honours rent, And now in frantic sorrow wild appears, - Nor threatened plagues, nor punishment he fears, Refusing long the sentence to obey, | Till Psyche, trembling with submissive tears, Bids them the sacrifice no more delay, Prepare the funeral couch, and leave the destined prey. COnMIE KOO KSaCOmn)