In this poem, it is obviously started that H.D is taking about Greek Mythology given the title but do we know exactly what she is trying to say and how this poem connects to either cultural or social context.
"Theseus sought Hippolyta;
she yielded not nor broke,"
In lines 8-10, on line 8 Dolittle brings up a mythical person, Theseus.
Theseus is a mythical king that saved Athens from destruction. Thesus tried for years to wed Hippolyta, but she also declined his offer till one day he kidnapped her and forced her into marriage. Luckily enough she got away in the night due to one of Theseus villagers from Athens.
"entreating cold white river,mountain-pool and salt:let all my veins be ice,until they break(strength of white beach,rock of mountain land,"
On line 56, the one aspect that breaks this particular river away from just a regular river is the description word 'white'. The water that streams through rivers are usually blue, but in Athens, the water was supposedly crystal white, only in one river that ran through Athens and that is 'llisos'.
This line in the poem represents Cultural Context, the setting aspect of it. The imagery paints a beautiful life-like picture of the setting in which this whole poem takes place in Athens, Greece.