VIII.

At-dawn-of-day he counts his men,
At-dawn-of dayw he counts his ships:
When he returned at eve, how-little

Did he then see left unto himself?

EXERCISE CXV.

ALCAICS.

Suns that set and moons that wane

Rise and are restored again :

Stars that orient day subdues

Night at her return renews;

Herbs and flowers the beauteous fruit

Of the genial womb of earth
Suffer but a transient death,
From the cruel winter's breath:
Zephyr speaks, serener skies
Warm the globe, and they arise;
We alas! Earth's haughty kings,
We that promise mighty things,
Losing soon life's happy prime
Droop and fade in little time.
Spring returns, but not our bloom:

Still 'tis winter in the tomb.

CowPER.

I.

Suns rise-again: nor do reviving

Moons kuow-not how to fill their horns:

And at night's advent gleam

The stars that radiant Phoebus overwhelms.

▾ Ortâ luce.

w Sole novo.

x Idem.

y Reparabilis.

And flowers and herbs, the purple offspring
Of genial Earth, a transient death surprisesa
Beneath cruel Winter; soon,

Zephyr recalling warmth, they rise-afresh.

III.

We alas proud, and threatening mighty
Things to vanquished lands, soon droop:b
Nor does our bloom flourish in spring:
Nor do the tomb's chills fly.

EXERCISE CXVI.

ALCAICS.

Strike the harp, my comrade! warble a symphony,
Waking the numbers sweetly melodious,

Which often have moved us to rapture,
While in a shady valley reclining.

Crown we the cup with roses on its lips,
Wreathing myrtle flexibly round the sides!

Stern Care with his gloom shall not harm us,
By melody and merry lays delighted!

Soothe and protect us, beauteous arbitress
Of mortal hopes and changeable destiny!
With Graces and immortal Hebe
Glide on a silvery cloud to charm us!

Without the witching mystery that pleasure
Winds round the senses, lovely-bosomed woman
Were vainly by man's wise Creator

Sent as a help to his hour of anguish.

O hear aloft, thou Queen of the beautiful!
Serene the soft airs tremble at her coming:
Delightful enchantment awakens

All the bosom's tremulous devotion.

HERBERT.

1.

Strike the musical lyre, sweet companion,
Pouring-forth tunes, with-whose-resonance
Pleasant Suns have often setd to me,
Reclined beneath the shade.

II.

It is-welle to crown the cup with many a rose,
Nor does myrtle unbecome joyous goblets,

While the Muse smiles, nor with severe
Brow silent Care oppresses.

III.

Guard us, Goddess, of changeable fate

The Queen Goddess, parent of propitious Hope! Let Grace, sent-down from the fulgent sky,

Let Hebe attend thee!

VI.

If Pleasure, mysterious arbitress, did not touch

The senses, the gods in-vain would have

Given the social grace, and the

Feminine boon of purple beauty.

e Queis resonantibus.

d Cecidere.

e Fas.

f Muliebris.

V.

O Queen, glide from the highest peaks!
The trembling air breathes-on her wheels:
And Pleasure, sweetly thrilling,

Quivers in the breasts of her votaries.h

EXERCISE CXVII.

ALCAICS.

Fly not yet, 'tis just the hour

When pleasure, like the midnight flower
That scorns the eye of vulgar light,
Begins to bloom for sons of night,

And maids who love the Moon.

'Twas but to bless these hours of shade
That Beauty and the Moon were made:
'Tis then their soft attractions glowing
Set the tides and goblets flowing.

Fly not yet, the fount that play'd
In times of old thro' Ammon's shade,
Though icy cold by day it ran,
Yet still, like souls of mirth, began

To burn when night was near.

And thus should woman's heart and looks

At noon be cold as winter brooks,
Nor kindle, till the night returning,
Brings the genial hour for burning.

I.

Depart not yet! now as a floweret,

Shunning the solar ray,

Pleasure shines-forth beneath Diana's light,
For virgins and the crowd of youths.

II.

Only that they might consecrate the hours of Eve,
Diana and Venus' choir glittered:

That, brilliant in the gloom-ofk night,

They might fulfil the duties of Lyæus.

III.

Depart not yet! Jove's renowned fount,
Though by day it was-icedm with cold,

Is related, as the comrades of Comus,

To have grown-warm through midnight.

IV.

Thus let women's breasts at-noon"

Surpass the wintry water;

But let them glow beneath night's shade
With caresses and the Cyprian flame.