The Complete Poetical Works, vol 3 | Page 7

winged with his swift delight:?'You heifer-stealing schemer, well do you _580 Deserve that fifty oxen should requite?Such minstrelsies as I have heard even now.?Comrade of feasts, little contriving wight,?One of your secrets I would gladly know,?Whether the glorious power you now show forth _585 Was folded up within you at your birth,
75.?'Or whether mortal taught or God inspired?The power of unpremeditated song??Many divinest sounds have I admired,?The Olympian Gods and mortal men among; _590 But such a strain of wondrous, strange, untired,?And soul-awakening music, sweet and strong,?Yet did I never hear except from thee,?Offspring of May, impostor Mercury!
76.?'What Muse, what skill, what unimagined use, _595 What exercise of subtlest art, has given?Thy songs such power?--for those who hear may choose?From three, the choicest of the gifts of Heaven,?Delight, and love, and sleep,--sweet sleep, whose dews?Are sweeter than the balmy tears of even:-- _600 And I, who speak this praise, am that Apollo?Whom the Olympian Muses ever follow:
77.?'And their delight is dance, and the blithe noise?Of song and overflowing poesy;?And sweet, even as desire, the liquid voice _605 Of pipes, that fills the clear air thrillingly;?But never did my inmost soul rejoice?In this dear work of youthful revelry?As now. I wonder at thee, son of Jove;?Thy harpings and thy song are soft as love. _610
78.?'Now since thou hast, although so very small,?Science of arts so glorious, thus I swear,--?And let this cornel javelin, keen and tall,?Witness between us what I promise here,--?That I will lead thee to the Olympian Hall, _615 Honoured and mighty, with thy mother dear,?And many glorious gifts in joy will give thee,?And even at the end will ne'er deceive thee.'
79.?To whom thus Mercury with prudent speech:--?'Wisely hast thou inquired of my skill: _620 I envy thee no thing I know to teach?Even this day:--for both in word and will?I would be gentle with thee; thou canst reach?All things in thy wise spirit, and thy sill?Is highest in Heaven among the sons of Jove, _625 Who loves thee in the fulness of his love.
80.?'The Counsellor Supreme has given to thee?Divinest gifts, out of the amplitude?Of his profuse exhaustless treasury;?By thee, 'tis said, the depths are understood _630 Of his far voice; by thee the mystery?Of all oracular fates,--and the dread mood?Of the diviner is breathed up; even I--?A child--perceive thy might and majesty.
81.?'Thou canst seek out and compass all that wit _635 Can find or teach;--yet since thou wilt, come take?The lyre--be mine the glory giving it--?Strike the sweet chords, and sing aloud, and wake?Thy joyous pleasure out of many a fit?Of tranced sound--and with fleet fingers make _640 Thy liquid-voiced comrade talk with thee,--?It can talk measured music eloquently.
82.?'Then bear it boldly to the revel loud,?Love-wakening dance, or feast of solemn state,?A joy by night or day--for those endowed _645 With art and wisdom who interrogate?It teaches, babbling in delightful mood?All things which make the spirit most elate,?Soothing the mind with sweet familiar play,?Chasing the heavy shadows of dismay. _650
83.?'To those who are unskilled in its sweet tongue,?Though they should question most impetuously?Its hidden soul, it gossips something wrong--?Some senseless and impertinent reply.?But thou who art as wise as thou art strong _655 Canst compass all that thou desirest. I?Present thee with this music-flowing shell,?Knowing thou canst interrogate it well.
84.?'And let us two henceforth together feed,?On this green mountain-slope and pastoral plain, _660 The herds in litigation--they will breed?Quickly enough to recompense our 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, _665 The shell he proffered, and Apollo took;
85.?And gave him in return the glittering lash,?Installing him as herdsman;--from the look?Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash.?And then Apollo with the plectrum strook _670 The chords, and from beneath his hands a crash?Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook?The soul with sweetness, and like an adept?His sweeter voice a just accordance kept.
86.?The herd went wandering o'er the divine mead, _675 Whilst these most beautiful Sons of Jupiter?Won their swift way up to the snowy head?Of white Olympus, with the joyous lyre?Soothing their journey; and their father dread?Gathered them both into familiar _680 Affection sweet,--and then, and now, and ever,?Hermes must love Him of the Golden Quiver,
87.?To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly sounded,?Which skilfully he held and played thereon.?He piped the while, and far and wide rebounded _685 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;-- _690
88.?'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 _695