That Saturn's fons receiv'd the three-fold empire
Of Heaven, of Ocean, and deep Hell beneath,
As the dark urn and chance of lot determin'd,
Old poets mention, fabling. Things of moment,
Well-nigh equivalent and neighbouring value,
By lot are parted: but high heaven, thy share,
In equal balance laid 'gainst sea or hell,
Flings up the adverse scale, and shuns proportion.
Wherefore not chance, but power, above thy brethren
Exalted thee their king. When thy great will
Commands thy chariot forth; impetuous ftrength.
And fiery fwiftnefs wing the rapid wheels,
Inceffant; high the eagle flies before thee.
And oh as I and mine confult thy augur,
Grant the glad omen; let thy favourite rife
Propitious, ever foaring from the right.
Thou to the leffer Gods haft well affign'd
Their proper fhares of power: thy own, great Jove,
Boundless and univerfal. Those who labour
The fweaty forge, who edge the crooked scythe,
Bend stubborn steel, and harden gleening armour,
Acknowledge Vulcan's aid. The early hunter
Bleffes Diana's hand, who leads him fafe
O'er hanging cliffs; who fpreads his net fuccessful,
And guides the arrow through the panther's heart.
The foldier, from fuccefsful camps returning
With laurel wreath'd, and rich with hoftile spoil,
Severs the bull to Mars. The skilful bard,
Striking the Thracian harp, invokes Apollo,
To make his hero and himself immortal.
Those, mighty Jove, mean time, thy glorious care,
Who model nations, publifh laws, announce
Or life or death, and found or change the empire.
Man owns the power of kings; and kings of Jove.
And, as their actions tend fubordinate
To what thy will defigns, thou giv'ft the means
Porportion'd to the work; thou fee'st impartial
How they thofe means employ. Each monarch rules
His different realın, accountable to thee,
Great ruler of the world: these only have
To speak and be obey'd; to those are given
Affiftant days to ripen the defign;
To fome whole months; revolving years to fome:
Others, ill-fated, are condemn'd to toil
Their tedious life, and mourn their purpose blasted
With fruitless act, and impotence of council.
Hail! greatest son of Saturn, wife disposer
Of every good thy praife what man yet born
Has fung? or who that may be born shall sing?
Again, and often hail! indulge our prayer,
Great father! grant us virtue, grant us wealth:
For, without virtue, wealth to man avails not;
And virtue without wealth exerts lefs power,
And lefs diffufes good. Then grant us, gracious,
Virtue and wealth; for both are of thy gift!
The Second HYMN of CALLIMACHUS. To APOLLO.
HA! how the laurel, great Apollo's tree,
And all the cavern shakes! far off, far off, The man that is unhallow'd: for the God, The God approaches. Hark! he knocks; Feel the glad impulfe: and the fever'd bars Submiffive clink against their brazen portals. Why do the Delian palms incline their boughs, Self-mov'd and hovering fwans, their throats releas'd From native filence, carol founds harmonious? Begin, young men, the hymn: let all your harps Break their inglorious filence; and the dance, In myftic numbers trod, explain the mufic. But first, by ardent prayer, and clear lustration, Purge the contagious fpots of human weakness : Impure no mortal can behold Apollo. So may ye flourish, favour'd by the God, In youth with happy nuptials; and in age With filver hair, and fair defcent of children! So lay foundations for afpiring cities, And blefs your spreading colonies increase! Pay facred reverence to Apollo's fong; Left wrathful the far-fhooting God emit
Silent Nature stands;
And feas fubfide, obedient to the found
Of Iö, Iö Pean! nor dares Thetis
Longer bewail her lov'd Achilles' death:
For Phoebus was his foe. Nor muft fad Niobe
In fruitless forrow perfevere, or weep
Ev'n through the Phrygian marble. Haplefs mother! Whofe fondness could compare her mortal offspring To those which fair Latona bore to Jove.
Iö! again repeat ye, Iö Pean!
Against the Deity 'tis hard to strive.
He, that refifts the power of Ptolemy,
Refifts the power of heaven: for power from heaven
Derives; and monarchs rule by Gods appointed.
Recite Apollo's praise, till night draws on,
The ditty still unfinish'd; and the day
Unequal to the Godhead's attributes
Various, and matter copious of your fongs.
Sublime at Jove's right-hand Apollo fits,
And thence diftributes honour, gracious king,
And theme of verse perpetual. From his robe
Flows light ineffable: his harp, his quiver,
And Lictian bow, are gold: with golden fandals
His feet are fhod; how rich! how beautiful!
Beneath his steps the yellow mineral rifes ;
And earth reveals her treasures. Youth and beauty
Eternal deck his cheeks: from his fair head
Perfumes diftill their fweets; and chearful Health,
His duteous handmaid, through the air improv'd,
With lavish hand diffufes fcents ambrofial.
The fpearman's arm by thee, great God, directed,
Sends forth a certain wound. The laurel'd bard,
Infpir'd by thee, compofes verfe immortal.
Taught by thy art divine, the fage phyfician
Eludes the urn; and chains or exiles death.
Thee, Nomian, we adore; for that, from Heaven Defcending, thou on fair Amphryfus' banks Didst guard Admetus' herds. Sithence the cow Produc'd an ampler fiore of milk; the fire-goat Not without pain dragg'd her diftended udder ; And ewes, that erft brought forth but fingle lambs, Now dropp'd their two-fold burthens. Bleft the cattle, On which Apollo caft his favouring eye!
But, Phoebus, thou to man beneficent,
Delight'ft in building cities. Bright Diana,
Kind fifter to thy infant deity
New-wean'd, and just arising from the cradle,
Brought hunted wild-goats heads, and branching antlers
Of ftags, the fruit and honour of her toil.
Thefe with difcerning hand thou knew ft to range
(Young as thou waft), and in the well-fram'd models,
With emblematic fkill, and myftic order,
Thou fhew'ft, where towers or battlements fhould rife; Where gates fhould open; or where walls fhould com
While from thy childish pastime man receiv'd
The future ftrength and ornament of nations.
Battus, our great progenitor, now touch'd
The Libyan ftrand; when the foreboding crow
Flew on the right before the people, marking
The country deftin'd the aufpicious feat
Of future kings, and favour of the God,
Whofe oath is fure, and promise stands eternal.
|