1082

THE WORLD A DEN OF MERE DESPIGHT

WHO

HO looks upon this world and not beyond
on the abodes it leads to, must believe it
the bloody slaughter-house of some ill power,
rather than the contrivance of a good one.
Everything here breeds misery to man;

the sea breeds storms to sink him: if he flees
to shore for aid, the shore breeds rocks to tear him:
the earth breeds briars to rend him, trees to hang him.
Those things that seem his friends are false to him:
the air that gives him breath gives him infection:
meat takes his health away, and drink his reason:
his reason is so great a plague to him,

he never is so pleased as when he's robbed on't
by drink or madness.

J. CROWNE

1083

1084

THI

HIS lamp must be replenished; but even then it will not burn so long as I must watch: my slumbers-if I slumber—are not sleep, but a continuance of enduring thought, which then I can resist not in my heart there is a vigil, and these eyes but close to look within; and yet I live, and bear the aspect and the form of breathing men; but grief should be the instructor of the wise. Sorrow is knowledge. They who know the most must mourn the deepest o'er the fatal truth.

CYRIL TO IDA

FAIR and strong and terrible! Lioness

that with your long locks play the Lion's mane! but Love and Nature, these are two more terrible and stronger. See, your foot is on our necks, we vanquish'd, you the Victor of your will. What would you more? give her the child! remain orb'd in your isolation: he is dead,

or all as dead: henceforth we let you be:

win you the hearts of women; and beware
lest, when you seek the common love of these,
the common hate with the revolving wheel
should drag you down, and some great Nemesis
break from a darken'd future, crown'd with fire,
and tread you out for ever.

A. TENNYSON

1085

COMMUNION WITH OUR FELLOW-MEN

IS nature's law,

'TIS

that none, the meanest of created things, of forms created the most vile and brute,

the dullest or most noxious, should exist

divorced from good,-a spirit and pulse of good,-
a life and soul, to every mode of being
inseparably linked. Then be assured
that least of all can aught that ever own'd
the heaven-regarding eye and front sublime
which man is born to, sink, howe'er depressed,
so low as to be scorned without a sin,
without offence to God, cast out of view,
like the dry remnant of a garden-flower
whose seeds are shed, or as an implement
worn out and useless.

W. WORDSWORTH

PASSAGES FOR TRANSLATION

INTO GREEK TRAGIC TROCHAIC VERSE

1086

RICHARD PLANTAGENET DUKE OF YORK

NOW, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,

and change misdoubt to resolution :

be that thou hop'st to be; or what thou art
resign to death, it is not worth the enjoying:
let pale-fac'd fear keep with the mean-born man,
and find no harbour in a royal heart.

Faster than spring-time showers, comes thought on

thought;

and not a thought but thinks on dignity.

My brain, more busy than the labouring spider,
weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.

Well, nobles, well, 'tis politicly done,

to send me packing with a host of men:

I fear me, you but warm the starvéd snake,

who, cherish'd in your breasts, will sting your hearts.
'Twas men I lack'd, and you will give them me:
I take it kindly; yet, be well assur'd

you put sharp weapons in a madman's hands.

W. SHAKESPEARE

1087

ISABELLA-HER TWO SONS, DON CÆSAR AND
DON MANUEL

I CAN no more: my prayers-my tears are vain :

'Tis well! obey the demon in your hearts!

fulfil your dread intent, and stain with blood
the holy altars of your household Gods;-
these halls, that gave you birth, the stage where
Murder

Passages for Translation into Greek Trochaics 431
shall hold his festival of mutual carnage
beneath a mother's eye!-then foot to foot,
close, like the Theban pair, with maddening gripe,
and fold each other in a last embrace !

each press with vengeful thrust the dagger home,
and 'Victory!' be your shriek of death:-Nor then
shall discord rest appeased; the very flame

that lights your funeral pyre shall tower dissevered in ruddy columns to the skies, and tell

with horrid image-' thus they lived and died!' 1088 C. THOU art my elder-speak-without dishonour I yield to thee.

One gracious word, and instant,
my tongue is rival in the strife of love!
I am the guiltier-weaker-

Say not so!

who doubts thy noble heart, knows thee not well;
thy words were prouder, if thy soul were mean.
It burns indignant at the thought of wrong;
but thou-methinks, in passion's fiercest mood,
'twas aught but scorn that harboured in thy breast.
Oh, had I known thy spirit thus to peace
inclined, what thousand griefs had never torn
a mother's heart!

C.

I find thee just and true:

men spoke thee proud of soul.

M.

The curse of greatness!

ears ever open to the babbler's tale.

Thou art too proud to meanness I to falsehood!
We were deceived, betrayed!

The sport of frenzy!

And said my mother true, false is the world?
Believe her, false as air.

And thine be ever next my heart!

Give me thy hand!

T. MARTIN from Schiller

1089 AS they heard her lamentation, in their troubled

anguish deep,

wept the father, wept the mother, 'gan the daughter

too to weep;

then the little son beheld them, and their doleful

moan he heard,

and with both his eyes wide open lisp'd he thus his broken word:

'Weep not, father, weep not, mother, oh my sister, weep not so !'

First to one and then to the other smiling went he to and fro.

Then a blade of spear-grass lifting, thus in bolder glee he said:

'With this spear-grass will I kill him, this man-eating giant, dead.'

Though o'erpower'd by bitterest sorrow, as they heard their prattling boy,

stole into the parents' bosom mute and inexpressive joy.

H. H. MILMAN

1090

Sta.

STAUFFACHER-WILHELM TELL

WHIT

THITHER away? Oh, leave us not so soon.
Tell They look for me at home. So fare
ye well.

Sta. My heart's so full and has so much to tell you.
Tell Words will not make a heart that's heavy light.
Sta. Yet words may possibly conduct to deeds.
Tell All we can do is to endure in silence.

Sta. But shall we bear what is not to be borne?
Tell Imperious rulers have the shortest reigns.

When the fierce southwind rises from his chasms,
men cover up their fires, the ships in haste
make for the harbour and the mighty spirit
sweeps o'er the earth, and leaves no trace behind.
Let every man live quietly at home;

peace to the peaceful rarely is denied.
Sta. And is it thus you view our grievances?
Tell The serpent stings not till it is provoked.

Let them alone; they'll weary of themselves, whene'er they see we are not to be roused. Sta. Much might be done-did we stand fast together. Tell When the ship founders, he will best escape, who seeks no other's safety but his own. Sta. And you desert the common cause so coldly? Tell A man can safely count but on himself. Sta. Nay, even the weak grow strong by union.