Hæc ubi fatus eram, folennia ferre jubebam
Dona Sacerdotem, & facris fe accingere votis.
Jamque afcendebant centum ad delubra Juvenci,
Lecti omnes, rofeis evincti tempora fertis:
Rite chorum Juvenes ineunt, arguta periti
Tangere fila lyræ, calamofque inflare canoros:
Pone Puellarum nitidus fubit ordo, feritque
Tympana, & exercet choreas: quas deinde fecuti
Excipiunt orti venerandâ ftirpe Levitæ,
Carminaque alterno recitant folennia cantu:
Per templi spatia ampla inceffu pompa verendo
Ingreditur: claudit facrum Rex anxius agmen.
Finierant cælefte melos; cum debita folvens Vota, & poplitibus venerans altaria flexis,
Sic Ego: Magne Pater, qui terram & sydera torques;
Quo mandante ingens tenebris fefe extulit Orbis;
Cujus diffufas vires curamque paternam,
Omnia quæ fpirant, quæ funt ubicunque locorum,
Quotidie agnofcunt; fubitam fenfura ruinam,
Te vires revocante tuas! Rex maxime Regum,
Omnia qui nôfti, quique omnia numine comples,
Te fupplex precor: ô magni miferere doleris!
and inftant bad the Priefts prepare
The ritual Sacrifice, and folemn Pray'r.
Select from vulgar Herds, with Garlands gay,
A hundred Bulls afcend the Sacred Way.
The artful Youth proceed to form the Choir;
They breath the Flute, or ftrike the vocal Wire.
The Maids in comely Order next advance;
They beat the Tymbrel, and inftruct the Dance.
Follows the chofen Tribe from LEVI fprung,
Chanting by juft Return the holy Song;
Along the Choir in Solemn State they paft:
The Anxious King came last.
The Sacred Hymn perform'd, my promis'd Vow
I paid; and bowing at the Altar low,
Father of Heav'n! I faid, and Judge of Earth!
Whofe Word call'd out this Univerfe to Birth;
By whofe kind Pow'r and influencing Care
The various Creatures move, and live, and are;
But, ceafing once that Care, withdrawn that Pow'r,
They move (alas!) and live, and are no more:
Omni-fcient Mafter, Omni-prefent King,
To Thee, to Thee, my laft Distress I bring.
Qui potes infanos pelagi fedare tumultus, Luctantefque notos frænis nimbofque feroces Comprimere: ô animam hanc laceram defende procellis, Quas mifcent rapidi Affectus & iniqua Libido: Nec gravis obruat Ira, altifve Superbia faxis Illidat. Veftrum fed opus vaga Cymbula veftri Sentiat auxilii munus: vitæque per æftus Incertos, variafque vices, cæleftia curfum Ducant aufpicia, & tuto me in littore fistant.
Si, levis hos fragiles animet dum fpiritus artus,
Pertæfos vitæ, mortifque horrore trementes;
Si forte annueris, faltem ut breviufcula pacis
Attingam dona, & luctu ceffante quiefcam;
Nunc ô, Magne Pater, jam nunc deterge doloris
Ingratam hanc nubem, quâ mens onerata laborat;
O blandum diffunde jubar, tenebrifque fugatis
Pande oculis meliora; hinc Te modulamine multo,
Te citharâ celebrabo; hinc lingua animata recenti
Lætitiâ, effufo referet tua munera cantu.
Sin placet, his curis functo, ut nova vita fuperfit,
Expectentque aliæ fedes, da firma dolori
Pectora ut opponam, fuperemque adverfa ferendo.
Thou, that can'st Still the Raging of the Seas, Chain up the Winds, and bid the Tempefts cease; Redeem my ship-wreck'd Soul from raging Gufts Of cruel Paffions, and deceitful Lufts;
From Storms of Rage, and dang'rous Rocks of Pride:
Let Thy strong Hand this little Vessel guide
(It was Thy Hand that made it) thro' the Tide
Impetuous of this Life: let Thy Command
Direct my Course, and bring me fafe to Land.
If, while this weary'd Flesh draws fleeting Breath, Not fatisfy'd with Life, afraid of Death,
It hap❜ly be Thy Will, that I should know
Glimpse of Delight, or Pause from anxious Woe;
From Now, from inftant Now, great Sire, difpell
The Clouds that prefs my Soul; from Now reveal
A gracious Beam of Light; from Now inspire
My Tongue to fing, my Hand to touch the Lyre:
My open'd Thought to joyous Profpects raise;
And, for Thy Mercy, let me fing Thy Praise.
Or, if Thy Will ordains, I still shall wait...
Some New Here-after, and a future State;
Permit me Strength, my Weight of Woe to bear;
And raise my Mind fuperior to my Care.
Arcanafque vias quanquam explorare negabis
Interius, penitufque aditus invifere facros;
Da tamen, ut fervens pietate, humilique dolores
Spe minuens, fupplex venerabile numen adorem:
Imperio cedam Omnipotenti, & laudibus æquis
Juftitiæ meritos folvam tibi gratus honores.
Vix ea finieram: coelo nox ingruit atra; Intonat; ingenti nutant delubra fragore; Alta quies fubit, & tacitæ caliginis horror Infinuat facrum interius per corda pavorem. Nec mora; fe erumpit multo fulgore corufcans Clara Dies; ultro conceptis ignibus ardent Robora, & involvunt fubitis altaria flammis. Dives, opimus odor (qualem neque balsama spirant Thuriferis Arabum terris, neque blanda Sabææ Labra rofæe) latè diffunditur aera circum; Irriguumque folum cœlefti rore madescit. Quin melos ætherium (quod fruftra æquare canendo Felides certet, Miriæ vel tympana) miris Pertentat numeris trepidantes fuaviter aures,
Et ferit attonitos nimiâ dulcedine fenfus.
En! oculos quæ Forma rapit? Quæ tanta repente
Lux animam invadit? coelo delapfus aperto
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