Rossetti Archive Textual Transcription
Document Title: Astarte Syriaca
Author: Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Date of Composition: 1877
Type of Manuscript: fair copy
The full Rossetti Archive record for this transcribed document is available.
Manuscript Addition: Ashley 1420
Note: Bookplate with standing female angel blowing trumpet and seated female
angel. Between the two figures is a flowing banner on which is inscribed
the owner's name. Below the figures and the owner's name is an inscribed
poem.
THOMAS
JAMES WISE
HIS BOOK
JAMES WISE
HIS BOOK
- BOOKS BRING ME FRIENDS
- WHERE'ER ON EARTH I BE.
- SOLACE OF SOLITUDE-
- BONDS OF SOCIETY!
Manuscript Addition: $673B.32
![Image of page [recto]](http://www.rossettiarchive.org/img/1-1877.s249.blms.2.jpg)
- Mystery: lo! betwixt the sun and moon
- Astarte of the Syrians: Venus Queen
- Ere Grecian Venus was. In silver sheen
- Her twofold girdle clasps the infinite boon
- Of bliss whereof the heaven & earth commune:
- And from her neck's inclining flower-stem lean
- Full-freighted lips, and eyes that of the unseen
- Have sight no power malignant dare impugn.
- Torch-bearing, her sweet ministers compel
- 10 All thrones of light, beyond the sky and sea,
- The witnesses of Beauty's face to be:
- That face, of Love's all-penetrative spell
- Amulet, talisman and oracle,—
- Betwixt the sun and moon a mystery.
![Image of page [verso]](http://www.rossettiarchive.org/img/1-1877.s249.blms.3.jpg)
Note: These prose notes seem to indicate that the manuscript was part of a
letter.
P.S. variation on lines 7 & 8—
- Full-freighted lips, & eyes that see the unseen,
- With softly ominous favour opportune.
I am not sure that the above
is not better—it is certainly
more musical. Give me your
opinion at leisure—
is not better—it is certainly
more musical. Give me your
opinion at leisure—
Transcription Gap: Ballads and Sonnets text (relevance to document questionable)
Note: In this bound volume, Wise included the text from the fourth edition (1882) of
DGR's
Ballads and Sonnets, which has been omitted.
Also omitted are two letters from
May Morris to Wise, dated 9 March 1930 and 16 March 1930, offering the MS to
Wise and stating that Rossetti had written it for her mother.
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
Source File:
1-1877.blms.rad.xml