Conferr'd confusion: which received to The hellish monster. And now Phoebus' hand By Juno, instantly she gave command With many a misery (to maintain th' excess Of that inhuman monster) all the race grace. Till the far-working Phoebus at her sent Extreme short respirations; for which flew But came by power divine. And then she lay Tumbling her trunk, and winding every About her nasty nest, quite leaving then of men. Then Phoebus gloried, saying: "Thyself On men-sustaining earth, and putrefy; That storm'dst on men, the earth-fed, so In envy of the offspring they made breathe Their lives out on my altars: now from thee Not Typhon shall enforce the misery Of merited death; nor she, whose name implies He cast upon the blue sea, and beheld In which were men transferr'd, many and That in Minoian Cnossus eat their food, Such scathe Chimæra, but black Earth That all the sacrificing dues dispose, Like which he leap'd into their ship, and Dulichius, Samos, and, with timber graced, lay Shady Zacynthus. But when now they past As an ostent of infinite dismay. For none with any strife of mind could look Into the omen. All the ship-masts shook, And silent all sat with the fear they took. Arm'd not, nor strook they sail, but as before Went on with full trim, and a foreright Blore; Stiff, and from forth the south, the ship made fly. When first they stripp'd the Malean promontory, Touch'd at Laconia's soil, in which a town Their ship arrived at, that the sea doth crown, Called Tenarus, a place of much delight To men that serve Heaven's Comforter of sight. In which are fed the famous flocks that bear The wealthy fleeces, on a delicate lair Being fed and seated: where the merchants fain Would have put in, that they might out again To tell the miracle that chanced to them, And try if it would take the sacred stream, Rushing far forth, that he again might bear Peloponnesus all: and then when show'd The infinite vale of Crissa, that doth shroud All rich Morea with her liberal breast,— As all the sky discover'd; 'twas so great, The ship through full seas to her journey's end. From thence they sail'd, quite opposite, to the East, And to the region where Light leaves his rest : The Light himself being sacred pilot there; And made the sea-trod ship arrive them near The grape-full Crissa, where he rest doth take Close to her port and sands. And then forth brake The far-shot King, like to a star that strows His glorious forehead where the mid-day glows, That all in sparkles did his state attire, Whose lustre leap'd up to the sphere of fire. He trod where no way oped, and pierced the place That of his sacred tripods held the grace; At those fell fires of Phoebus' prodigies, That shaking fears through all their fancies threw. Then, like the mind's swift light, again he flew Back to the ship, shaped like a youth in height Of all his graces; shoulders broad and straight, And all his hair in golden curls enwrapp'd; And to the merchants thus his speech he shaped : "Ho! strangers! what are you? And from what seat Sail ye these ways, that salt and water sweat? To traffic justly? Or use vagrant scapes Void of all rule? conferring wrongs and rapes, We were for well-known parts bound; and from Crete (Our vaunted country) to the Pylian seat Vow'd our whole voyage; yet arrive we here, Quite cross to those wills that our motions steer; Wishing to make return some other way; Our frustrate sails, defeating what we will'd." Apollo answer'd: "Strangers! Though before Ye dwelt in woody Gnossus, yet no more Of wives and houses; but ye shall have here No ill intending, that will let ye make Upon yourselves, all that to me are given. And more, the counsels of the King of Heaven Yourselves shall know, and with his will receive Ever the honours that all men shall give. Do as I say then instantly; strike sail ; Take down your tackling; and your vessel hale Up into land; your goods bring forth, and all The instruments that into sailing fall; Into your ship), Delphinius, since I took Ingenuous offerings to the equal Gods Come all with me, and Io-pæans sing All the way's length, till you attain the state Where I, your opulent fane have con With zeal to him, and follow'd wondering all To Pythos; and upon his name did call With Io-paans, such as Cretans use. Voices of honey-harmony infuse. With never-weary feet their way they went, And made, with all alacrity, ascent Up to Parnassus; and that long'd-for place Where they should live, and be of men the grace. When, all the way, Apollo show'd them still Their far-stretch'd valleys, and their twotopp'd hill, Their famous fane, and all that all could raise To a supreme height of their joy and praise. And then the Cretan captain thus inquired Of King Apollo: "Since you have re tired, O sovereign, our sad lives so far from friends And native soil (because so far extends Your dear mind's pleasure), tell us how we shall Live in your service? To which question call Our provident minds; because we see not crown'd This soil with store of vines, nor doth abound In wealthy meadows, on which we may live, As well as on men our attendance give." He smiled, and said: "O men that nothing know And so are follow'd with a world of woe; That needs will succour care and curious moan, And pour out sighs without cessation, To your simplicities an easy way Bravely bestowing, evermore see mann'd With killing sheep, that to my fane will flow From all far nations. On all which bestow Good observation; and all else they give To me, make you your own all; and so live. For all which, watch before my temple well; And all my counsels, above all, conceal. If any give vain language,—or to deeds, Yea or as far as injury, proceeds,Know that, at losers' hands, for those that gain, It is the law of mortals to sustain. Besides, ye shall have princes to obey, Which still ye must; and (so ye gain) ye may. All now is said; give all thy memory's stay." And thus to thee, Jove and Latona's son, Be given all grace of salutation! THE END OF THE HYMN to apollo. A HYMN TO HERMES. Jove HERMES, the son of Jove and Maia, sing, | And living in the same dark cave, where Inform'd at midnight the effect of love, Of Juno, deck'd with wrists of ivy. summate, The tenth month had in heaven ned the date Of Maia's labour; and into the sight Could turn and wind to wish'd events assays. A fair-tongued, but false-hearted counsellor, Rector of ox-stealers; and for all stealths bore A varied finger. Speeder of night's spies, Amongst th' Immortals, that wing'd Deity At night stole all the oxen of the Sun; And all this in his birth's first day was done, Which was the fourth of the increasing moon. Because celestial limbs sustain'd his strains, His sacred swathe-bands must not be his chains. So, starting up, to Phoebus' herd he stept, Found straight the high-roof'd cave where they were kept, And th entry passing, he th' invention found Of making lutes; and did in wealth abound Near the cave's inmost overture did lurk vert To profitablest uses all desert Claim'd in this instrument. From whence shall spring Play fair and sweet, to which may Graces sing. A pretty painted coat thou putt'st on here, O Tortoise, while thy hill-bred vital sphere Confines thy fashion; but, surprised by me, I'll bear thee home, where thou shalt ever be A profit to me; and yet nothing more Left goods and honours every fool may have. And since thou first shalt give me means to live I'll love thee ever. Virtuous qualities give To live at home with them enough content, Where those that want such inward ornament Fly out for outward, their life made their load. 'Tis best to be at home, harm lurks abroad. And certainly thy virtue shall be known, 'Gainst great-ill-causing incantation To serve as for a lance or amulet. And where, in comfort of thy vital heat, Thou now breathest but a sound confused, for song, Exposed by nature, after death, more strong Thou shalt in sounds of art be; and command Song infinite sweeter." Thus with either hand He took it up, and instantly took flight Back to his cave, with that his homedelight. Where (giving to the mountain tortoise vents Of life and motion) with fit instruments Forged of bright steel, he straight inform'd a lute. "Thou movest in me a note of excellent Put neck and frets to it; of which a suit use, Which thy ill form shall never so seduce He thus saluted: "All joy to the kind ts, and following banquets, graced na blest For bea ng light to all the interest VOL. II. He made of splitted quills, in equal space Imposed upon the neck, and did embrace Both back and bosom. At whose height (as gins T' extend and ease the strings) he put in pins. Seven strings of several tunes he then applied, Made of the entrails of a sheep well-dried, And throughly twisted. Next he did provide A case for all, made of an ox's hide, U |