Specimens of the Classic Poets in a Chronolgical Series from Homer to Tryphiodorus. Tr. Into Engl. Verse, with Biogr. and Critical Notices by C.A. Elt

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1814. Excerpt: ... THE FIRST PYTHIAN ODE. TO HIERO OF Jetna, TYRANT OF SYRACUSE, ON HIS VICTORY IN THE CHARIOT-RACE. I. 1. Oh lyre of gold: Which Phoebus, and that sister choir, With crisped locks of darkest violet hue, Their seemly heritage for ever hold: The cadenc'd step hangs listening on thy chime; Spontaneous joys ensue; The vocal troop obey thy signal notes: While sudden from the shrilling wire To lead the solemn dance thy murmur floats In its preluding flight of sound: And in thy stream of music drown'd The forked light'ning in Heaven's azure clime Quenches its ever-flowing fire. I. 2. The monarch eagle then hangs down On either side his flagging wing, And on Jove's sceptre rocks with slumbering head: Hovering vapours darkling spread O'er his arch'd beak, and veil his filmy eye: Thou pour'st a sweet mist from thy string; And, as thy music's thrilling arrows fly, He feels soft sleep effuse From every pore its balmy-stealing dews, And heaves his ruffled plumes in slumber's ecstacy. Stern Mars hath dropp'd his sharp'd and barbed spear; And starts, and smiles to hear Thy warbled chaunt, while joy flows in upon his mind: Thy music's weapons pierce, disarm The demons of celestial kind, By Apollo's music-charm, And accent of the zoned, full-bosom'd, maids That haunt Pieria's shades. L 3. But they, whom Jove abhors, with shuddering ear The voices of the Muses hear; Whether they range the earth or tossing sea: Such is that hundred-headed giant, he Of blessed Gods an enemy, Typhon; who lies in chasm of Tartarus drear: To whom Cilicia's legend-fabled cave His nourish'd being gave: Now on his shaggy breast Sicilia's isle and Cuma's sea-girt shore Are ponderously prest; And that round pillar of the sky With congelation hoar, iEtna, crushes him from high; While the year rolls slo...