Fierce from his arm the' enormous load he flings; Sonorous through the shaded air it sings: Couch'd to the earth, tempestuous as it flies, The crowd gaze upward while it cleaves the skies. Beyond all marks, with many a giddy round Down rushing, it upturns a hill of ground. That instant Pallas, bursting from a cloud, Arise to throw the strongest throws in vain.' Stand forth, ye champions, who the gauntlet wield, Expert in every art, I boast the skill To give the feather'd arrow wings to kill; Should a whole host at once discharge the bow, Great Philoctetes taught the shaft to fly. Who bravely durst defy the bowyer god): [tongue Well hast thou spoke, and well thy generous With decent pride refutes a public wrong: Warm are thy words, but warm without offence; Fear only fools, secure in men of sense: Thy worth is known. Then hear our country's And bear to heroes our heroic fame; [claim, In distant realms our glorious deeds display; Repeat them frequent in the genial day; [end, When bless'd with ease thy woes and wanderings Teach them thy consort, bid thy sons attend; How loved of Jove he crown'd our sires with praise, How we, their offspring, dignify our race. 'Let other realms the deathful gauntlet wield, Or boast the glories of the' athletic field; We in the course unrival'd speed display, Or through cerulean billows plough the way; To dress, to dance, to sing, our sole delight, The feast or bath by day, and love by night: Rise then, ye skill'd in measures; let him bear Your fame to men that breathe a distant air, And faithful say, to you the powers belong To race, to sail, to dance, to chant the song. But, herald, to the palace swift repair, And the soft lyre to grace our pastimes bear.' Swift at the word, obedient to the king, The herald flies the tuneful lyre to bring. Up rose nine seniors, chosen to survey The future games, the judges of the day: With instant care they mark a spacious round, And level for the dance the' allotted ground: The herald bears the lyre: intent to play, The bard advancing meditates the lay: Skill'd in the dance, tall youths, a blooming band, Graceful before the heavenly minstrel stand; Light-bounding from the earth, at once they rise, Their feet half viewless quiver in the skies: Ulysses gazed, astonish'd to survey The glancing splendours as their sandals play. Mean time the bard, alternate to the strings, The loves of Mars and Cytherea sings; How the stern god, enamour'd with her charms, Clasp'd the gay panting goddess in his arms, By bribes seduced: and how the Sun, whose eye Views the broad heavens, disclosed the lawless joy. Stung to the soul, indignant through the skies To his black forge vindictive Vulcan flies: Arrived, his sinewy arms incessant place Come, my beloved! and taste the soft delights: Come, to repose the genial bed invites: Thy absent spouse, neglectful of thy charms, Then, nothing loath, the' enamour'd fair he led, Warn'd by the god who sheds the golden day, Stern Vulcan homeward treads the starry way: Arrived, he sees, he grieves, with rage he burns; Full horrible he roars, his voice all heaven returns. 'O Jove (he cried), O all ye powers above, See the lewd dalliance of the queen of love! Me, awkward me, she scorns, and yields her charms To that fair letcher, the strong god of arms. Meanwhile the gods the dome of Vulcan throng, Swift vengeance waits; and art subdues the strong! Dwells there a god on all the' Olympian brow More swift than Mars, and more than Vulcan slow? Yet Vulcan conquers, and the god of arms Must pay the penalty for lawless charms.' Thus serious they: but he who gilds the skies, The gay Apollo, thus to Hermes cries'Wouldst thou enchain'd like Mars, O Hermes, lie, And bear the shame like Mars, to share the joy?" O envied shame! (the smiling youth rejoin'd) Add thrice the chains, and thrice more firmly bind; Gaze, all ye gods, and, every goddess, gaze, Yet eager would I bless the sweet disgrace.' |