Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And unburied remain Inglorious on the plain: Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew! Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes, And glitt'ring temples of their hostile gods!" The princes applaud with a furious joy, And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fired another Troy. CHORUS And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fired another Troy. VII Thus, long ago, Ere heaving bellows learned to blow, Timotheus, to his breathing flute And sounding lyre, Could swell the soul to rage or kindle soft desire. At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame: The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, 140 145 150 155 160 And added length to solemn sounds, 165 With Nature's mother-wit and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown: He raised a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down. 170 GRAND CHORUS At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame: The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, 175 With Nature's mother-wit and arts unknown before. PALAMON AND ARCITE Arcite returned, and, as in honour tied, 5 ΙΟ 15 This while he thinks, he lifts aloft his dart; A gen'rous chillness seizes ev'ry part The veins pour back the blood, and fortify the heart. Thus pale they meet; their eyes with fury burn; 20 None greets, for none the greeting will return, Against each other, armed with sword and lance; 25 They lash, they foin, they pass, they strive to bore Their corslets, and the thinnest parts explore. Thus two long hours in equal arms they stood, And, wounded, wound, till both were bathed in blood; And not a foot of ground had either got, 30 As if the world depended on the spot. Fell Arcite, like an angry tiger fared, And like a lion Palamon appeared: Or as two boars, whom love to battle draws, With rising bristles and with frothy jaws, 35 40 Comes with resistless force, and finds or makes her way; Nor kings, nor nations, nor united pow'r One moment can retard th' appointed hour; 45 And some one day some wondrous chance appears, Which happened not in centuries of years: For sure, whate'er we mortals hate or love, Or hope or fear, depends on pow'rs above; 50 In Theseus this appears, whose youthful joy Was beasts of chase in forests to destroy: This gentle knight, inspired by jolly May, Forsook his easy couch at early day, 55 And to the wood and wilds pursued his way. Beside him rode Hippolyta the queen, And Emily attired in lively green, With horns and hounds and all the tuneful cry, To hunt a royal hart within the covert nigh; 60 And as he followed Mars before, so now He serves the goddess of the silver bow. Where the two knights in cruel battle stood; The laund on which they fought, th' appointed place 65 In which th' uncoupled hounds began the chase. Thither forth-right he rode to rouse the prey, And, thence dislodged, was wont to leave the wood 1698-99. FROM 1700. TRANSLATIONS FROM HOMER Now when twelve days complete had run their race, The gods bethought them of the cares belonging to their place. Jove at their head ascending from the sea, A shoal of puny pow'rs attend his way. Then Thetis, not unmindful of her son, 5 Emerging from the deep, to beg her boon, Pursued their track, and, wakened from his rest, Him in the circle, but apart, she found; The rest at awful distance stood around. ΤΟ She bowed; and ere she durst her suit begin, One hand embraced his knees, one propped his chin. Then thus: "If I, celestial sire, in aught One glimpse of glory to my issue give, 15 Graced for the little time he has to live. Dishonoured by the king of men he stands; ANNE, COUNTESS OF WINCHILSEA His rightful prize is ravished from his hands. Let Troy prevail, till Greece th' affront has paid 61 20 1698-99. 1700. HUNTING SONG DIANA With horns and hounds I waken the day, I tuck up my robe, and am buskined soon, I course the fleet stag, and unkennel the fox, And chase the wild goats o'er the summits of rocks; CHORUS With shouting and hooting we pierce through the sky, 1700. 1700. ANNE, COUNTESS OF WINCHILSEA THE TREE Fair tree, for thy delightful shade 5 10 5 If travellers beneath thee stay Till storms have worn themselves away, 10 |