Thy joyous pleasure out of many a fit

Of tranced sound-and with fleet fingers make Thy liquid-voiced comrade talk with thee,It can talk measured music eloquently.

LXXXII.

"Then bear it boldly to the revel loud,
Love-wakening dance, or feast of solemn state,
A joy by night or day-for those endowed
With art and wisdom who interrogate
It teaches, babbling in delightful mood,

All things which make the spirit most elate,
Soothing the mind with sweet familiar play,
Chasing the heavy shadows of dismay.

LXXXIII.

"To those who are unskilled in its sweet tongue, Though they should question most impetuously Its hidden soul, it gossips something wrongSome senseless and impertinent reply. But thou who art as wise as thou art strong, Canst compass all that thou desirest. Present thee with this music-flowing shell, Knowing thou canst interrogate it well,

LXXXIV.

I

"And let us two henceforth together feed On this green mountain slope and pastoral plain, The herds in litigation-they will breed

Quickly enough to recompense our pain, If to the bulls and cows we take good heed ;And thou, though somewhat over fond of gain, Grudge me not half the profit."-Having spoke, The shell he proffered, and Apollo took.

LXXXV.

And gave him in return the glittering lash,
Installing him as herdsman;-from the look
Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash;

And then Apollo with the plectrum strook
The chords, and from beneath his hands a crash
Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook
The soul with sweetness, and like an adept
His sweeter voice a just accordance kept.

LXXXVI.

The herd went wandering o'er the divine mead,
Whilst these most beautiful Sons of Jupiter
Won their swift way up to the snowy head
Of white Olympus, with the joyous lyre
Soothing their journey; and their father dread
Gathered them both into familiar

Affection sweet,-and then, and now, and ever,
Hermes must love Him of the Golden Quiver,

LXXXVII.

To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly sounded,
Which skilfully he held and played thereon.
He piped the while, and far and wide rebounded
The echo of his pipings; every one

Of the Olympians sat with joy astounded,

While he conceived another piece of fun,
One of his old tricks-which the God of Day
Perceiving, said :-"I fear thee, Son of May ;-

LXXXVIII.

"I fear thee and thy sly chameleon spirit,

Lest thou shouldst steal my lyre and crooked bow; This glory and power thou dost from Jove inherit, To teach all craft upon the earth below; Thieves love and worship thee-it is thy merit To make all mortal business ebb and flow By roguery-now, Hermes, if you dare By sacred Styx a mighty oath to swear,

LXXXIX.

"That you will never rob me, you will do
A thing extremely pleasing to my heart."
Then Mercury sware by the Stygian dew,

That he would never steal his bow or dart,
Or lay his hands on what to him was due,
Or ever would employ his powerful art
Against his Pythian fane. Then Phoebus swore
There was no God or man whom he loved more.

XC.

"And I will give thee as a good-will token

The beautiful wand of wealth and happiness;
A perfect three-leaved rod of gold unbroken,
Whose magic will thy footsteps ever bless;
And whatsoever by Jove's voice is spoken
Of earthly or divine from its recess,
It like a loving soul to thee will speak,
And more than this do thou forbear to seek:

XCI.

"For, dearest child, the divinations high

Which thou requirest, 'tis unlawful ever

That thou, or any other deity,

Should understand-and vain were the endeavour;

For they are hidden in Jove's mind, and I,

In trust of them, have sworn that I would never Betray the counsels of Jove's inmost will

To any God-the oath was terrible.

XCII.

"Then, golden-wanded brother, ask me not To speak the fates by Jupiter designed; But be it mine to tell their various lot

To the unnumbered tribes of human kind.

Let good to these and ill to those be wrought
As I dispense-but he who comes consigned
By voice and wings of perfect augury

To my great shrine, shall find avail in me.

XCIII.

"Him will I not deceive, but will assist;

But he who comes relying on such birds As chatter vainly, who would strain and twist The purpose of the Gods with idle words, And deems their knowledge light, he shall have mist His road whilst I among my other hoards

His gifts deposit. Yet, O son of May,

I have another wondrous thing to say:

XCIV.

"There are three Fates, three virgin Sisters, who,
Rejoicing in their wind-outspeeding wings,
Their heads with flour snowed over white and new,
Sit in a vale round which Parnassus flings

Its circling skirts-from these I have learned true
Vaticinations of remotest things.

My father cared not. Whilst they search out dooms, They sit apart and feed on honeycombs.

XCV.

They, having eaten the fresh honey, grow Drunk with divine enthusiasm, and utter With earnest willingness the truth they know; But, if deprived of that sweet food, they mutter All plausible delusions;-these to you

I give ;-if you inquire, they will not stutter; Delight your own soul with them :-any man You would instruct may profit if he can.

XCVI.

"Take these and the fierce oxen, Maia's childO'er many a horse and toil-enduring mule, O'er jagged-jawed lions, and the wild

White-tusked boars, o'er all, by field or pool, Of cattle which the mighty Mother mild

Nourishes in her bosom, thou shalt ruleThou dost alone the veil of death upliftThou givest not-yet this is a great gift."

XCVII.

Thus King Apollo loved the child of May

In truth, and Jove covered them with love and joy. Hermes with Gods and men even from that day

Mingled, and wrought the latter much annoy, And little profit, going far astray

Through the dun night. Farewell, delightful Boy, Of Jove and Maia sprung,--never by me,

Nor thou, nor other songs, shall unremembered be.

TO CASTOR AND POLLUX.

YE wild-eyed Muses, sing the Twins of Jove,
Whom the fair-ancled Leda mixed in love
With mighty Saturn's heaven-obscuring Child,
On Taygetus, that lofty mountain wild,

Brought forth in joy, mild Pollux void of blame,
And steel-subduing Castor, heirs of fame.

These are the Powers who earth-born mortals save
And ships, whose flight is swift along the wave.
When wintry tempests o'er the savage sea
Are raging, and the sailors tremblingly

Call on the Twins of Jove with prayer and vow,
Gathered in fear upon the lofty prow,

And sacrifice with snow-white lambs, the wind
And the huge billow bursting close behind,
Even then beneath the weltering waters bear
The staggering ship-they suddenly appear,
On yellow wings rushing athwart the sky,
And lull the blasts in mute tranquillity,
And strew the waves on the white ocean's bed,
Fair omen of the voyage; from toil and dread,
The sailors rest, rejoicing in the sight,
And plough the quiet sea in safe delight.

TO MINERVA.

I SING the glorious Power with azure eyes,
Athenian Pallas! tameless, chaste, and wise,
Trilogenia, town-preserving maid,

Revered and mighty; from this awful head

Whom Jove brought forth, in warlike armour drest, Golden, all radiant! wonder strange possessed

The everlasting Gods that shape to see,

Shaking a javelin keen, impetuously

Rush from the crest of Ægis-bearing Jove;
Fearfully Heaven was shaken, and did move
Beneath the might of the Cerulean-eyed;
Earth dreadfully resounded, far and wide,
And lifted from its depths, the sea swelled high
In purple billows, the tide suddenly

Stood still, and great Hyperion's sun long time

Checked his swift steeds, till where she stood sublime,

Pallas from her immortal shoulders threw

The arms divine; wise Jove rejoiced to view.

Child of the Ægis-bearer, hail to thee,

Nor thine nor others' praise shall unremembered be.

TO THE SUN.

OFFSPRING of Jove, Calliope, once more
To the bright Sun, thy hymn of music pour;
Whom to the child of star-clad Heaven and Earth
Euryphaessa, large-eyed nymph, brought forth;
Euryphaessa, the famed sister fair

Of great Hyperion, who to him did bear
A race of loveliest children; the young Morn,
Whose arms are like twin roses newly born,
The fair-haired Moon, and the immortal Sun,
Who, borne by heavenly steeds his race doth run
Unconquerably, illuming the abodes

Of mortal men and the eternal gods.

Fiercely look forth his awe-inspiring eyes,
Beneath his golden helmet, whence arise
And are shot forth afar clear beams of light;
His countenance with radiant glory bright,
Beneath his graceful locks far shines around,
And the light vest with which his limbs are bound,
Of woof ethereal, delicately twined

Glows in the stream of the uplifting wind.
His rapid steeds soon bear him to the west;

Where their steep flight his hands divine arrest,
And the fleet car with yoke of gold, which he

Sends from bright heaven beneath the shadowy sea

TO THE MOON.

DAUGHTERS of Jove, whose voice is melody,
Muses, who know and rule all minstrelsy!
Sing the wide-winged Moon. Around the earth,
From her immortal head in Heaven shot forth,
Far light is scattered-boundless glory springs,
Where'er she spreads her many-beaming wings
The lampless air glows round her golden crown.

But when the Moon divine from Heaven is gone
Under the sea, her beams within abide,
Till, bathing her bright limbs in Ocean's tide,
Clothing her form in garments glittering far,
And having yoked to her immortal car

The beam-invested steeds, whose necks on high