CHORUS. Happy, happy, happy pair! II. Amid the tuneful quire, And heavenly joys inspire, song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above, (Such is the power of mighty love.) A dragon's fiery form belied the god; Sublime on radiant spheres he rode, When he to fair Olympia pressed, And while he sought her snowy breast; world. With ravished ears, Affects to nod, CHORUS. Affects to nod, III. The jolly god in triumph comes; Flushed with a purple grace He shews his honest face: Now, give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes. Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain; Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, CHORUS. Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, IV. Fought all his battles o'er again; the slain. He chose a mournful muse, He sung Darius great and good, By too severe a fate, And weltering in his blood : utmost need, With not a friend to close his eyes. With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, Revolving, in his altered soul, The various turns of chance below; And, now and then, a sigh he stole, And tears began to flow. CHORUS. Revolving, in his altered soul, The various turns of chance below; V. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures : War, he sung, is toil and trouble; Honour, but an empty bubble; Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying: if the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think it worth enjoying; Lovely Thais sits beside thee, The many rend the skies with loud applause; Gazed on the fair, Who caused his care, Sighed and looked, and sighed again; CHORUS. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gazed on the fair, Who caused his care, Sighed and looked, and sighed again; VI. Hark, hark! the horrid sound Has raised up his head; As awaked from the dead, And amazed, he stares around. See the snakes, that they rear, How they hiss in their hair, Behold a ghastly band, Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And, unburied, remain To the valiant crew. How they point to the Persian abodes, Thais led the way, prey, CHORUS. And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy ; Thais led the way, To light him to his prey, VII. Thus, long ago, While organs yet were mute, And sounding lyre, came, Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, With nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; She drew an angel down. |