Soothing the mind with sweet familiar His sweeter voice a just accordance "And let us two henceforth together To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly feed On this green mountain slope and pastoral plain, The herds in litigation-they will breed Quickly enough to recompense 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 Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash. a crash Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook 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 should 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 The soul with sweetness, and like an By roguery:-now, Hermes, if you dare, adept By sacred Styx a mighty oath to swear LXXXIX "That you will never rob me, you will do To the unnumbered tribes of human kind. A thing extremely pleasing to my Let good to these, and ill to those be 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 Tospeak the fates by Jupiter designed; 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 missed 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 Its circling skirts-from these I have My father cared not. 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, With mighty Saturn's heaven-obscuring they mutter All plausible delusions; these to you I give;--if you inquire, they will not stutter; Child, On Taygetus, that lofty mountain wild, Brought forth in joy, mild Pollux void of blame, Delight your own soul with them:-any | And steed-subduing Castor, heirs of 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, Thus King Apollo loved the child of On yellow wings rushing athwart the sky, And lull the blasts in mute tranquillity, And strew the waves on the white YE wild-eyed Muses, sing the Twins of Where'er she spreads her many-beaming Jove, wings Whom the fair-ankled Leda mixed in The lampless air glows round her golden But when the Moon divine from Of great Hyperion, who to him did bear A race of loveliest children; the young 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 Curve back, she drives to a remoter sky A western Crescent, borne impetuously. Then is made full the circle of her light, And as she grows, her beams more bright and bright, Are poured from Heaven, where she is hovering then, A wonder and a sign to mortal men. The Son of Saturn with this glorious Mingled in love and sleep—to whom she bore, |
