Along his road
Arrive at Saturn's rais'd abode,
Where soft sea-breezes breathe
Round the island of the bless'd, where gay 159
The trees with golden blossoms glow,
Where their brows and arms to wreathe
Bright garlands on ev'ry side blow,
For springing thick in ev'ry field,
The earth does golden flow'rs spontaneous yield,
And in ev'ry limpid stream
The budding gold is seen to gleam:
EPODE IV. Measures 10.
Fair heritage ! by righteous Rhadamanth's award,
Who coequal takes his seat
With Saturn, sire divine!
160
Thy consort, Rhea! who above the rest dost shine
High thron'd, thou matron-goddess great!
These among,
(Blissful throng!)
Does Peleus and does Cadmus find regard;
And, thro' his mother's winning pray'r
To Jove, Achilles dwells immortal there :
STROPHE v. Measures 16.
He who Hector did destroy,
The pillar firm, the whole support of Troy,
And Cycnus gave to die,
179 And Aurora, Æthiop's son. My arm benea h yet many darts have I,
All swift of flight,
Within my quiver sounding right
To ev'ry skilful ear;
But of the multitude not one
Discerns the myst'ry unexplain'd. you
He transcendent does appear
In knowledge from Nature, who gain'd
His store ; but the dull-letter'd crowd,
In censure vehement, in nonsense loud,
Clamour idly, wanting skill,
Like crows, in vain provoking still
ANTISTROPHE V. Measures 16.
The celestial bird of Jove.
But to the mark address thy bow, nor rove,
My Soul! And whom do I
Single out with fond desire
At him to let illustrious arrow's fiy ?
My fix'd intent,
My aim, on Agrigentum bent,
A solemn oath I plight,
Sincere as honest minds require,
That thro' an hundred circling years,
With recorded worthies bright,
No rivalling city appears
To boast a man more frank t'impart
Kind offices to friends with open heart,
Or with hand amidst his store
Delighting to distribute more
EPODE V. Measures 10. Than Theron : yet foul calumny, injurious blame, Did the men of rancour raise
201 Against his fair renown; Defamers, who by evil actions strove to drown | His good, and 10 conceal his praise.
Can the sand
On the strand
Be number'd o'er? then true to Therou's fame
His favours, show'ring down delight
On thousands, who is able to recite?'
209
THE FIRST ODE OF ANACREON.
ON HIS LUTE.
The line of Atreus will I sing,
To Cadmus will I tune the string;
But as from string to string I move,
My Lute will only sound of love.
The chords I change thro' ev'ry screw,
And model the whole Lule anew.
Once more in song my voice I raise,
And, Hercules ! ihy toils I praise.
My Lute dues still my voice deny,
And in the tones of love reply.
Ye Heroes! then at once farewell;
Loves only echo from my shell.
ON WOMEN.
Nature the bull with horns supplies,
'The horse with hoofs she fortifies,
The fleeting foot on hares bestows,
On lions teeth, two dreadful rows!
Grants fish to swim and birds to fly,
And on their skill bids men rely.
Women alone defenceless live,
To Women what does Natures give?
Beauty she gives instead of darts,
Beauty instead of shields imparts;
Nor can the sword nor fire oppose
The fair, victorious where she goes.
One midnight, when the Bear did stand
A-level with Bootes' hand,
And, with their labour sore opprest,
The race of men were laid to rest,
Then to my doors at unawares
Came Love, and try'd to force the bars,
56 Who thus assails my doors ?"' I cry'd;
« Who breaks my slumbers ?” Love'reply'd,
“ Open; a child-alone is here,
“ A little child;---you need not fear:
" Here thro' the moonless night I stray,
66 And drench'd in rain have lost my way.".
Then, mov'd 10 pity by his plight,
Too much in haste my lamp I light, .
And open; when a child I see,
A little child lie seem'd to me,
Who bore a quiver and a bow,
And wings did to his shoulders grow.
Within the hearth I bid him stand,
Then chafe and cherish either hand,
Between my palms, and wring with care
The trickling water from his hair.
“Now come,” said he, no longer chill, « We'll bend this bow and try our skill, “ And prove the string, how far iis pow's " Remains unslacken'd by the show'r.”
He bends his bow and culls his quiver, And pierces like a breeze my liver; Then leaping, laughing, as he fled, “ Rejoice with me, my Host,” he said; “ My bow is sound in ev'ry part, “ And you shall rue it at your heart.”'
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