BDBBWBMBIMBW ■ ■SMbS iMmHmnMMiniBnEnifininNit «$!£ am M&EBB3& mum hNuIP H9nl 1 BBMBi I SHfli mUBBm ■ MBHSHi ■BUflPMfllPHWVmillM HBmBEIimSsimB HUHmBm HSImKK8lKl&9iBi8i NMWfiKMn BH ■HfiSBm raa m ■BHBBHHhBOmB b^ o ' /' ^ ^ A^ V V ^. ^ H «&. V Q V- or A / Jm 0' X s, V' * cv ' * * o5 ^ V* 1 ■V \/, /> POEMS. POEMS, CONTAINING Sketches of Northern Mythology, &c. B Y F. S A Y E R S, M. D. THE THIRD E D I T I O N. jSortoicf) : PRINTED BY STEVENSON AND MATCHETT, FOR MESSRS. CADELL AND DAVIES, LONDON. 1803. \ ffstn To Mr, W M . TAYLOR, Jun r . OF NORWICH, These Poems, the offering of an attachment early-formed and uninterrupted, are dedicated by his friend. Table of Contents. DRAMATIC SKETCHES OF NORTHERN MYTHOLOGY, viz. The Defcent of Frea, a Mafque - PAGE 1 Moina, a Tragedy - mm 3 l Ofwald, a Monodrama • - 89 Starno, a Tragedy - - 99 'vO-vO'vO^ O'vO'wO'V MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. The Cyclops - - - 151 Pandora, a Monodrama - - 211 Ode to Night *. - - 220 a 2 Epigram, / PAGE Epigram, (from the Greek) 223 War Song, (from the Gaelic) 224 To Cynthia, (from the Antholog.) 228 To Cynthia - 230 To Cynthia 231 The Invitation - 2 33 Ode to a Fly - 236 Ode of Anacreon - 239 Sonnet - - 240 Sonnet -* 241 DRAMATIC SKETCHES o F Northern Mythology, Fallor? an et radios nine quoque Phoebus habet? MILTON. PREFACE To the Third Edition of Dramatic Sk tehees of Northern Mythology. *&mmm<^3ap^>^&&+* A: MONG the variety of mythological sys- tems which have contributed at different periods to decorate the poetry of England, it is much to be lamented that we should dis- cover only the faintest traces of the splendid and PREFACE, and sublime religion of our Northern An- cestors. Mr. Gray is the only one among our more celebrated Poets who has deigned to notice the sacred fables of the Goths; he has touched them indeed with a masterly though sparing hand; yet, even the little which he has chosen to introduce, has re- paid his attention, by adding to some of his more popular performances both grandeur and novelty. It is certain, however, that the most magnificent features of Scandinavian superstition have hitherto been chiefly con- cealed in the Sagas of Iceland, or have ap- peared only in the tragedies of Klopstock and a few other pieces, little known except among the Germans and Danes, to whom they PREFACE. they owe their existence.* This being the case, I am tempted to publish the following Sketches, with a view of giving some slight idea of the neglected beauties of the Gothic religion, and of recommending a freer in- troduction of its imagery into the Poetry of the English nation. * Although the above assertions, which I have per- mitted to remain as pointing out the motives for the ori- ginal publication of this work, were, I believe, at the time they were written,* nearly accurate, yet it will not be improper to observe that they do not equally ap- ply at the present day, when the knowledge of the Go- thic Mythology and the use of it in poetical composi- tions have been much promoted by the productions of several living Authors of great merit. * In 1789, b it PREFACE. It is evident that to pieces of this kind, explanatory notes must be absolutely neces- sary; and such were consequently intro- duced into the earliest edition of this little work, Since the period of its first publica- tion I have at various times, as my inclina- tion or reading prompted me, added to the notes originally inserted; and if, in these additions, I should occasionally have wan- dered into an investigation of more circum- stances and minutiae than may be deemed interesting, I have no other apology to offer for myself than that common infirmity of mind, which so readily permits us to mag- nify into importance the trifles of a favourite pursuit. THE E S C E N T O F FREA. MASQUE, .Ov ■Mifcet preccs et fupplice cantu Novas vires pofcit. CLAUDIAN b2 INTRODUCTION. i^ SftMRfifiRBRMM M w * T HE Gods of the Northern nations were not, like thofe of the Greeks, imagined to be im- mortal i they were exempted neither from pain nor death, and thofe even who efcaped both during a feries of ages, were at length to be deftroyed at « The Twilight of the Gods :" till that time fhould arrive, they were fuppofed to dwell in Afgard, and to enjoy, in a fupreme degree, thofe luxuries and pleafures which their uncivilized worfhippers confidered as the moll defirable. Balder, INTRODUCTION. Balder, the Son of Odin, was highly cele- brated among the Gods for his exquifite beauty and confummate eloquence ; his office, as a Deity, was to guide the horfe of day, called Skinfax, in his diurnal courfe, and he is there- fore properly to be confidered as the God of the Sun. The death of Balder was effected by the artifice of Lok, the moil malicious and baneful of the Gothic Deities : Lok, however, dared not openly to deftroy him with his own hand, but for this purpofe he prefented a fpear of peculiar power to another of the Sons of Odin, Hoder, who, with this enchanted weapon, unintention- ally pierced his brother to the heart, As Balder fell not in battle, his ihade, in conformity to the tenets of the Gothic religion, was fuppofed to defcend to the dwelling of Hela, the Goddefs of the infernal realms. Great was the grief in Afgard on account of his death, and Frea*, the * Hermod, or Herman, is the perfon fuppofed to have defcended in fearch of Balder, but fome licence will be granted to poetical compofitions. Goddefs INTRODUCTION. Goddefs of Beauty, peculiarly afflicled by the lofs of her lover, refolved to undertake a journey to his gloomy habitation, in hopes of obtaining his releafe. This defcent of Frea, and the fuo cefs which attended it, are the fubjecls of the following Mafque. PERSONS OF THE MASQUE. Odin, God of War, and King of the other Deities. Thor, God of the Air. Surtur, God of Fire. Niord, God of the Sea. Balder, God of the Sun. Lok, an evil Daemon. Hertha, Goddefs of Fertility, and wife of Odin. Frea, Goddefs of Beauty. Hela, Goddefs of the Infernal Regions. THE DESCENT OF FREA, ^3&50^0^ act i. SCENE. — The Infernal Regions. BALDER. JL HOU land of horror ! where unyielding froll Piles high the mountain-ice, and dims the air With ever-hiding fleet, where piercing blafls Sweep on ftorm-laden wing o'er folid feas, Mud Balder here for ever moan unheard ? Or pour his fighs the feoff of fhivering ghofts Shrill-fhrieking Thou land of horror /] The kingdom of Hela or Death, is defcribed as being in a ftate of continual darknefs, and opprefled with a fevere and pernetual winter. Noxious animals inhabited it, together with the ghofts of perjurers, sflaflins, and adulterers, and of all thofe who died not in B battle 3 Shrill-fhrieking from their caves? Muft Balder' s foul For ever fhudder at the howl of wolves, And, fhrink from fcaly fnakes that round him twine battle, or of a violent death.* This idea of the punifh- ment of the fouls of the guilty by fevere cold, has been admitted into certain monkifh legends ;§ and it is very remarkable that it fhould alio be found among the tenets of the Effenes.T The howl of Wolves.~] See Mallet's Northern Antiqui- ties. Vol. ii } p. 165. * In order to prevent the frequent quotation of the fame writers, I would obferve here, that the Notes to which no au- thority is annexed in this and the tnvo following Pieces, will generally be found confirmed by one or other of the following works, viz. Edda Ssemundar — Edda Refenii — Bartholinus de Caus. contempt, mort. — Schedius de Dis Germanis. — Olaus Magnus de Gent. Septentrional — Wormii Monument. Danic. — Keyfler Antiquit. Septentrion. — and (Percy's) Mallet's Northern Antiquities. § See Farmers Note in Reed's Johnfon and Steevens' Shakf- peare, (1785) vol. ii. p. 88. -f- Jofephus (fpeaking of thedo&rines of this feci: with refpett to the future ftate of wicked fouls), fays, De Bell. Jud. Lib. ii. Their Their clammy folds and point their quivering flings ? Bright fcenes of blifs! farewell! — ye glittering domes, For ever echoing with the gladfome noife Of revelry and fong harmonious, feats Of happy gods, where from the gold-tipt horn They quaff the fcented nectar of the bee, And thrill with rapture, while the flrains of mirth Rufh on fonorous wings their hall among — No more (hall Balder in your fpacious courts Catch with tranfported foul the focial joy, And mix exulting with celeftial bands — Groves of Valhalla ! haunts of kindred gods ! Oft have I wander'd in your flowery paths, Ye glittering domes.'] The hall of Odin ; it was called Valhalla, and is thus described in Saemund's Edda, Grim- nifmal 9. " Perfacile dignofcitur iis qui ad Odinum ve- niunt sedes adfpetlu, haftarum manubriis contabulatum eft laquear, clypeis fuperne conte&a eft domus, loricas per fcamna ftratae." — In this place the gods aflembled, and amufed themfelves with feafting, drinking mead, and liftening to mufic. B 2 Cool'd Cool'd by the ftream of Mimer, oft I've fought Your thickefl (hade, and catch'd with eager ear The notes which foftly ftole from Braga's harp Attun'd to love ; and there the beauteous form Of Frea blooming as the orient day Would bluflhing meet her Balder's fleps retir'd, Enamour'd gaze upon my graceful limbs, And drink the honied accents of my lips — Then from her melting eyes the glance of love Quick fhot — dear fcenes of fleeting joy, farewell ! What now avails the form that Frea lov'd? What now avail the winning words that charm'd Cool'd by the jlream of Mimer.] The waters of Mimer ran through Afgard, or the habitation of the gods; they infpired the drinker with wifdom, eloquence, and a poeti- cal fpirit. Braga.] Braga was the god of mufic and poetry : his wife Iduna was celebrated for potTefling " the apples of youth," which the deities ta" a when advancing to old age, and which inftantly reflored them to vigour and bloom. Frea.'] Frea, or Freya, the goddefs of beauty, was the daughter of Niord, god of the fea, Encircling Encircling gods ? — amid the giant-brood, Amid the yelling ghofts of murderers Forlorn I dwell — no (ilver-founding voice Melodious warbles to my forrowing foul, The footy raven fails around my head, And harfhly chants her hoarfeft defcant here ; Ah wretch ! no more the chearful light of heaven Shall meet thy wandering eyes, for here no ray Of morning plays with foftefl luftre round, Nor here ambrofial eve with fragant hand Scatters her fweets — Thou flaming fleed of day ! whofe golden mane Waves in the air and pours the flood of light; Oft have I fprung upon thy gloffy back To trace the radiant path, then mounted high The blue expanfe of heaven, and girt with beams The giant -brood. ,] The giants of Frofr. were inhabitants of this dreary kingdom : Rimer was their chief. Steed of day.~] The name of this horfe was Skin-fax, ox Shining;- locks. Girt with beams.~\ Balder wore a belt in his oourfe round the earth, which communicated to it light and heat. Of 6 Of dazzling glory wing'd my courfe rejoicing — Alas! how chang'd! in midnight gloom enwrapt The lord of fplendour groans in Hela's halls, Hurl'd, hurl'd for ever from the blazing Iky — And hurl'd by whom? — a much-lov'd brother's hand Blafted my blifs, and dahYd me from the height Of joy to mifery — amid my pangs A figh (hall rife for him — what poifon'd darts Of anguifh rankle in his guiitlefs foul, While (lowly wandering from the thronged courts He feeks the lonely vale, and loudly weeps His hateful bloody deed. — Ye cruel maids, When firO: ye *gan to weave my woof of fate, Ye dy'd it with the rofeate hues of fpring — Ye cruel ma ids. ~\ The Fatal Sifters, or Nornies; they were three in number. Urd, who prefided over the paft, Verandi, over the prefent, and Schulda, over the future. They were fuppofed to weave for every human being a woof on which his fate depended. — An account of the temples of the Fatal Siflcrsj and of the mode of confult- ing them, may be found in Olaus Magnus, De Gent. Septentrion. Lib. 3, cap. 10. At At length the raven croak'd — with joy ye fnatch'd The cords of woe, and dipp'd the unfinifh'd web Deep in the pitchy water of defpair. — O thou ! who iitt'fl upon thy mining throne Array'd in fplendour ! Odin, Odin! hear The forrows of a fon, and turn thine eye, Moifl with paternal grief, from fcenes of glory, Pierce through the thickeft horrors which fur- round me, Extend thy daring arm and drag thy child From caves of darknefs to thy beamy hall — Father, I a(k in vain — it is not thine To break the harm, decrees of Fate unchanging, But Balder, wretched Balder here muft mourn For endlefs years — What flickering ray of light Shoots from on high? What wafted perfume fcents The dufky air? Some pitying god defcends To vifit thefe fad fcenes — 'Tis (he ! 'tis fhe !— FREA. (Entering.) Where is the lovely god that Hoder tore From Frea'sfond embrace? — Again I'm near him, Again 8 Again my tear-worn eyes behold my Balder, Yes, fon of Odin, from the ftarry realm Above, I come to feek thy black abode, The mourning gods ftalk filent in their groves — Without thee heaven itfelf is mifery — The fiery horfe of Odin bore me hither, Nine days his rapid feet unceaung fcour'd A meafurelefs extent of vallies dark ; At length the foaming tide of Giall ftopp'd him, High o'er its waves a lofty bridge arofe On golden pedeftals a ileel-clad warrior For ever guards its entrance. — -Who art thou, He cried aloud, thus haftening to the halls Of gloomy death ? No livid palenefs flains The fiery horfe of Odin.'] The name of Odin's horfe was Sleipner; he was fuppofed to have had eight feet, and was celebrated for his wonderful fwiftnefs. Nine days.] The particulars of this defcent are chiefly- taken from Mallet's Northern Antiquities. Vol. II. Tide of Giall.] Giall was the name of the river which feparated the earth from the infernal regions. The 9 The rofes of thy cheeks, no deadly dimnefs Damps the keen luflre of thofe eyes that flafh With living fire, thou art no child of Hela — Away, I anfwered, 'tis a goddefs haftes To Hela's halls — I lafh'd my fnorting fleed — With thundering hoof he fpurn'd the rocking pile, Nor flopp'd till Hela's iron gates forbade His eager fleps ; then, like a flaming ftar, He fhot aloft in air and bore me fwift Above the towering walls.— I tremble (till. BALDER. Ah ! fear not Frea— FREA. Had this arm the power To force thee upward from the cave of death, Then would eternal joy reward my toil — But Hela's iron chains no hand can break Againfl her pleafure, and her haughty foul Joys in the anguifh of the tortur'd ghoft. C BALDER, / 10 BALDER. And can that winning form entreat in vain ? Can Hela hear unmov'd thy fuppliant voice ? No, Frea, no, upon thy rofy lips Perfuafion fits refiftlefs — hafte, accoft her. FREA. Come from thy murky cells, Where midnight darknefs dwells, Thou dreadful maid ; Come from thy chilly halls. -^ The weeping Frea calls, And feeks thy faving aid, HELA. (From within.) Hence, hence, away ; No foothing charms From Hela's arms Shall fnatch her prey. FREA. •X 11 FREA. By Allfather's facred head, Which bowing fliakes the lofty fky, And regions of the dead ; By the holy Afh which rears Its waving honours high, I charge thee, awful pow'r, To quit thy gloomy bow'r And yield to Frea's tears. HE LA. (Entering.) Hence to the fields of air — Hence, goddefs, quick depart, Nor think the lover's prayer Will bend rny iron heart. Allfather's facred kead.~] Allfader, or Father of all, was one of the titles of Odin. The holy afh which rears.^ The facred afh of an im- menfe fize which grew in the city t of the gods was called Hydrafil ; feated under its fhade, Odin adminiftered juf- tice; — one of its roots pierced to the dwelling of the Fates. C 2 FREA. 12 FREA. Deep in thy mifty caves my Balder lies; Alas ! how wither' d by the touch of woe ! Dim is the luflre of his fading eyes. And fullen fadnefs marks his manly brow. Quick through his frame divine chill langours moot, The boafted rofes of his cheeks are pale, The foothing tongue of eloquence is mute, O ht his tears, his frequent fighs avail. Come, gentle Pity, come unwonted gueft, And fpeed thy hafty flight to Hela's cave, Then fmiling hover o'er her melting bread, And teach her yielding heart to feel and fave. And can'ft thou, Hela, fee with ruthlefs look The faireft form that wails along thy fhore ? — Tear the black leaf from Fate's unerring book, The grief-worn Balder to my arms reflore. Together 13 Together let us climb the burning arch, Which darts aloft its many-colour'd light, Together let us fpeed the rapid march, And quit, for ever quit, the land of night. Yield, Hela, yield ; Valhalla's mournful courts No longer echo with the jocund found, The joylefs gods difdain their wonted fports And forrow cads her darkefl fhadows round. Since Balder funk untimely to the tomb, Dim are the lingering beams of rifmg day, The pale moon deeps her filver orb in gloom And fickly nature doffs her bright array— HELA. Frea, no more, When all the gods of nature lave With briny tears thy Balder's grave, Then Balder I reflore ; The burning arch.'] The Rainbow ; called by the Goths Bifroft, and fuppofed to burn. It was accounted the bridge from earth to heaven. Yes, 14 Yes, by AUfather's facred head, If all the gods of nature lave With briny tears thy Balder*s grave, Again the courts of heaven ftall echo to his tread. Hence, away, FREA. Enough, enough, I mount with fpeed, And lafh my winged fleed To realms of day. END OF ACT I, 15 2Ctt II. SCENE.— Valhalla. The Gods assembled in OdirCs IlalL ODIN. VV ELCOME, fair Queen of Love, to Odin's hall. Say, haft thou mov'd the flubborn foul of Hela, By foft perfuafion and reflftlefs fighs, To yield the much-lov'd Balder back to light ? FREA. Great king of gods and men, the only boon That Hela granted to my forrowing foul Was this ; when all the gods of nature weep The briny tear on haplefs Balder's grave, Then 1(5 Then from the dreary clime of ghoils he comes To grace Valhalla's halls ; but golden hope Has not yet fled the woe-worn Frea's bofom; Still may the words of grief entice the tear From pitying gods, and fnatch from Hela's arms Her fplendid prey. — (Continues addr effing Odin.) Chief of warriors, king of might, Clinging to thy fable fleed, And darning thro' the fight, Thou fmirfl when thoufands bleed : Coucher Chief of warriors."] Odin was the chief of the Gothic deities, and the god of war ; he adminiftered juftice in heaven, and was acquainted with futurity by means of a raven which was fent to him by Schulda, one of the Fates. His commands were ufually executed by the feven Valkyries* who attended upon his table, and fele&ed thofe * Thefe inferior GoddefTes or Daemons were alfo denominated Djfer, (Runic) or Dyfce, hence our word Deufe for Devil. See a paffage quoted in Parkhurft's Hebrew Lexicon, (3d Edit.) p. 164.. 17 Coucher of the ponderous fpear, Thou fhout'ft amid the battle's flound — - The armed Sifters hear, Viewlefs hurrying o'er the ground They in battle who were doomed to die. He often conde- scended, it was thought, to intermix in the conflift him- felf, to inflame the fury of the warriors, and to ftrike thofe who were to perifh.r Of the hiflory of Woden or Odin, the reputed founder of the Gothic Mythology, nothing is known on which we can place any firm reliance. Some writers are dif- pofed to make a diftincliion between Woden, the God of War, and Odin, the Chief of the Afae, and to fix the apotheofis of the former at a much earlier period than that in which the latter flourifhed ° 3 and it fhould feem that this diftinftion mult be neceffarily admitted, if we adopt the opinion entertained by Sir William Jones, that Woden is no other than the Buddh of India, or the Fo of the Chinefe.J An attempt again has been made to prove, from a refemblance between the cofmogony of the Edda f Mallet's Northern Antiquitie?, and Verfiegan's Decayed Intelligence. X Afiatic Refearches, Vol. i. (4to.) p. 425. It is much to be regretted that Sir Wm. Jones has not entered at large into the proofs of this opinion j with the higheit reipe& for the authority D of 18 They ftrike the deftin'd chiefs and call them to the fkies. Lo ! from Schulda's mifty towers On jetty wing the raven flies And bears the deeds of future hours ; To Edda and that of MelifTus of Samos, § that Odin had vi- fited Samos, and thence derived his doctrines : this cele- brated character however feems to be more generally al- lowed to have been the Chief of the Afse, (the inhabitants of a territory bordering on the Masotis) and to have fled with his followers into— Sweeden at the time in which Mithridates yielded to the arms of Pompey ;|| but of the of this moft accomplifhed man, I may be permitted to obferve, that upon a very careful comparifon of the doftrines of Buddh and of Odin, I have been ftruck by fuch various and remarkable differences in them, that I cannot readily give my affent to the aflertion that thefe fyftems are the production of the fame perfon ; it appears to me however very probable, that Odin may have re ce'ivedfome of his tenets from the followers of Buddh j as, befides other {lighter refemblances which may be traced be- tween the Gothic and ancient Hindu Mythologies, we find in the latter an account of a place of future punifhment extremely cold, a /acred tree of an immenfe fize, (the Hydrafil of the Goths) and a clafs of Spirits denominated Loka, from which the idea and name of the Gothic Lok may poflibly have been borrowed. § See the opinions of this Philofopher in Diogenes Laertius. [J Richardfon's Diuertation on the Eaftern Nations, p. 1 17, (Svo.) truth 19 To thee he hades — in folemn flate Thou read'ft the dread commands of fate To liflening deities ; Say, is it doom'd no parents tear Shall wet thy Balder's fable bier ? Wilt thou not weep thy child forlorn, Thy blooming child by Hela torn From halls of blifs To caves of dark defpair ? Yes, Odin, ycs^ I mark the gufhing drops which (lain A father's cheek, Thofe gufhing drops thy anguifh fpeak, Balder fhall live again And cleave the realms of air. truth of this opinion alfo (which refts chiefly upon the authorities of Snorro, an ancient Norvegian Hiftorian, and his commentator Torfaeus) Mallet expreffes a great diftruft: ; and fome writers go fo far as to deny the exift- ence of Odin altogether, except as a mythological perfon* In whatfoever obfcurity however the hiftory of the Father of the Gothic Mythology may be enveloped, the mod convincing evidence has been adduced to prove that the Goths were originally a Scythian tribe. Da ODIN; 20 ODIN, Odin drops the tear, To wet thy Balder's bier. FREA. (Addreffing Hcrtha.) Queen of the fertile earth, Whofe all creative-hand Firft gave the fons of man their birth ; Queen of the fertile earthy Hertha was the wife of Odin } and the goddefs of fertility. The following account of her feflival is given us by Tacitus in his admirable treatife, de Moribus Germaniae :— " Herthum, id eft Terram Ma- trem colunt, eamque intervenire rebus hominum, invehi populis arbitrantur : eft in infula oceani caftum nemus, dicatumque in eo vehiculum vefte conteclum : attingere uni facerdoti conceffum : is adefle penetrali dearn intel- ligit, ve&amque bubus feminis multa cum veneratione profequitur: lasti tunc dies ; fefta loca, quaecumque ad- \*entu hofpitioque dignatur ; non bella ineunt j non arma fumunt ; claufu'm omne ferrum ; pax et quies tunc tan- tum nota, tunc tantum amata ; donee idem facerdos fatiatam converfatione mortalium deam templo reddat ; mox vehiculum et veftes, et fi credere velis, numen ipfum fecreto lacu abluitur. Servi miniflrant ; quos ftatim idem lacus haurit ; arcanus hinc terror fan&aque ignorantia, cjiuid fit illud quod tantum perituri vident." De Moribus German. 40. And 21 And fcatter'd o'er the defert land The painted flower, the budding tree. The billowy crops of yellow grain, Peopled every teeming plain, And fill'd with life the refllefs fea; Whene'er thy (lately form appears On mortal more, No war nor battle's din, Is heard thy realms within; No more the armed foldier rears The tined lance, And fpurs the deed no more.— Before thy veiled car the rofy Pieafures dance, Balmy odours round thee play Richer verdure dyes thy way, Double glory gilds the day. Say, Hertha, wilt thou drop the tear On youthful Balder's fable bier ? HERTHA. Hertha drops the tear, To wet thy Balder's bier. FREA. oo. FREA. (A&drcfling Thor.) God of the wandering air, Whofe forked flafhes tear The pine high-towering on the mountain-fide 5 Who joy'ft o'er fhaking rocks to guide The thunder's fiery courfe; Who bidft thy dark clouds pour The vail and whelming fhower And fwell the torrent's force. God of dorms, when levelling hail, When hollow-roaring whirlwinds fail, Sweeping o'er the valley's pride, Rolling high the weltering tide, Thou fpeak'ft — thy potent voice difarms The tempefl's rage: — thy genial calms, Thy fultry gales, and foftering dew Cloath the wafted earth anew. God of the iron-mace, Which tames the giant-race, God of the wandering air. ] Thor, the god of weather; —with a mace he ruled the giants of froft, and with his iron gauntlet he hurled the thunder. Say, 23 Say, wilt thou drop the pitying tear On youthful Balder's fable bier ? THOR. Thor fhall drop the pitying tear, And wet thy Balder's fable bier. FREA. (Addrejing Surtur.) King of refiftlefs fire, Who bidft the nightly meteors ride Along the fnow-wrapt Hecla's fide — Who wieldft aloft with mighty hand The burning, ftarry-pointed brand, And dazzled hofts retire ; Where'er thy furious courfe is fped, Nature bows her wither'd head : Thy fatal car outftrips the wind, Thy courfers' fcorching noftrils breathe A wide confuming fleam beneath— Deflru£tion flies behind ; King of refiftlefs fire, ] Surtur was the chief of the fpl- rits of fire ; his dwelling was called Mufpelheim: he pof- fefled a fword of flame, at the end of which was a fun. She 24 She rears her red right hand And with her flaming befom fweeps theblafled land.— • Say, Surtur, wilt thou drop the tear On youthful Balder* s fable bier? SURTUR. Surtur drops the tear, To wet thy Balder's bier, FREA. (Addrejing Niord.) Lord of the boundlefs deep, Whofe murmuring waters gently fwell And kifs the craggy fleep ; When thunders burft around, And tempefts yell, Thy heaving plain repeats th* appalling found, Thy frothy furges rife And lafh the darken'd fkies, Thy rapid eddies wheel with fleeter motion ; Then by the lightning's livid glare, Thou ftalk'ft ferene thro* murky air, Which fhrouds the raging ocean ; But But foon the ("mouldering thunders ceafe, Soon the winged tempefis flee, Thor in breezes whifpers peace, Sun-beams gild the finking fea. — O'er its white brim on calming wing The heitre play'd — And flillnefs hover'd on the gales of fpring — When Braga touch'd the quivering firing, And flowly flray'd To Niord's fhore; On its mining furface flood The father of the flood, He bade the bard celedial pour His foftefl notes — The melting mufic floats Upon the charmed wave — Come from thy dewy cave, My father cries, Arife, arife, Let the azure waters lave The heitre,'] A bird of calm ; the halcyon of the North* E Thy Q6 Thy fnowy limbs and golden hair — He fpake, and Frea rofe to realms of air.— Then Niord clafp'd me to his bread And all the parent's pride confeft; Now will my father's heart difdain To eafe his daughter's piercing pain ? Or wilt thou drop the pitying tear, On youthful Balder's fable bier ? NIORD. Niord drops the tear, To wet thy Balder's bier. FREA. (Addr effing LoL) God, of the nether world, Whofe deadly arrow hurl'd The youthful Balder to the caves of night, O, let not Shulda write His everlafting doom ; O let not Balder's tomb For ever ftand, But fnatch with pitying hand From Hela's curs'd abode The fallen god ; Revive, 27 Revive, revive his wither'd charms^ And give him back to Frea's arms. Drop, O Lok, the pitying tear On youthful Balder's fable bier. LOK. Away, away, Lok ne'er will weep — Let Hela keep Her fplendid prey. FREA. By the raven's fong of death, By the night-mair's baneful breath, By the glutted vulture's fcrearn, By the tomb-fire's lurid gleam, By the night -mair's,] This word, generally, tho' im- properly fpelt mare, is the plural of (the Saxon) mat, a maid : — the Fates were fo called. The tomb -fire's lurid gleam.'] A faint flame, always vifible in the night, was believed by the Goths to hover over the tombs of thofe with whom enchanted weapons, or ireafures, had been buried. Five pieces of Runic Poetry. E2 By 28 By the mighty ferpent's blood, By the roar of GialFs flood, By the war-hounds* fatal yell, By all the horrors of thy hell, I charge thee weep the briny tear On youthful Balder's fable bier, LOK. No — tho' Valhalla's towering wall Around thefe finewy limbs mould fall, Tho' Skinfax plunge his flaming head Amid the caverns of the dead, Tho 9 Surtur aim his fiery dart And heap his flames around my heart, The mighty ferpent's.] Midgard, — See the death-fong in Moina. Giall.~\ See above. The zoar-hounds.] Garm, the dog of Hela, was the mofl noted of thefe dogs : he was fed with the corfes of the fiain, and' guarded the fouls of the cowardly in the infernal regions. o Skinfax.'] See above. Tho' 29 Tho' Niord's foaming main mould roar, And dafh me lifelefs on the more ; Tho' Thor mould hurl his iron mace And ftain with gore this hated face ; Tho' Odin's felf in wrath mould rear His golden fpear And mining fhield, This flubborn heart mall never yield, Hela mall hold her fplendid prey- While countlefs ages roll away* THE END. MOINA. TRAGEDY. /vO-vO-v^- OkC in the habit of a Bard. CARRIL. *AJide. Under the cover of thefe facred garments, A fure protection from the hand of infult, I yet may hope to find my much-lov'd Moina ; Since firft my wounded limbs would bear me on I've vainly wander'd ; many a (lately caflle Has hofpitably cheer'd my fainting body, But on my mind forlorn no gleam of joy Hath yet arifen — perhaps within thefe walls — Ah no — my tortures mull not finifli yet — Would that the pious hands which found me bleeding 'Midft heaps of flain, had left me there to perifli, Then had the long calm ileep of death opprefl me, Nor had I wak'd to anguifh— • CARRIL. 48 CARRIL, turning to the Chorus, Aged Bards Have pity on me, take me to your halls, Weary and faint I afk fome flight relief, Shut not your doors againfl a haplefs man.— CHORUS, Accurft be he who 'gainft the fuppliant ilranger Shall bolt his maffy iron gates, unmindful Of mifery's voice. — Thefe halls have ever offerM Food and repofe to way-worn travellers. CARRIL. I thank ye venerable men— but fay, What warlike chieftain calls this caille his ? Your hof pit able halls.~\ An unbounded hofpitality was one of the moft prominent and amiable features in the character of our Northern anceftors, u Quemcunque mortalium arcere te£k> nefas habetur; pro fortuna quifque apparatis epulus excipit. Cum defecere, qui mcdo hofpes fuerat, monfhrator hofpitii et comes, proximam domum non invitati adeunt; nee intereft, pari humanitate acci- piuntur. Notum ignotumque, quantum ad jus hofpitii, nemo difcernit," Tacitus de Mor. German. 21. CHORUS. 49 CHORUS. 'Tis Harold's caflle, urg'd by reftlefs valour , He quits his home and feeks the clafh of arms. CARRIL. And his fair wife laments her abfent lord ? CHORUS. His fair wife weeps, but not for his return; Another caufe of woe has fhrunk her form,— She weeps her home. CARRIL. Her name? CHORUS. Her name is Moina. Why does the red-blood haften from thy cheek, The cold dew damp thy face ? thy fhaking knees Can fcarce fupport thee. — CARRIL, H CARRIL. (After a paufe.) 'Tis a fudden fainting^ With tedious fteps opprefs'd this weakly frame Sinks under me. CHORUS. Retire and take refrefhment* SEMI-CHORUS. *Tis not he whofe arched halls Refound with revelry and fong That taftes the pureft joy, But he who from his ample flore Feeds the hungry, cheers the faint, On languid features fheds the fmile And lights up radiance in the eye ; Him the traveller fhall blefs, Him the gods will love. — When Ihriveli'd by the fummer-ray The drooping plants imbibe The falling rain, Again they bud, and pour around Their fweeter fcents. CHORUS, \ 51 CHORUS, CARRIL. CARRIL. My ftrength is now renew'd, I fain would meet The lady of thefe halls. CHORUS. She comes, accoft her, CHORUS, CARRIL, MOINA. CARRIL. Lady, a ilranger whom your domes received Offers his thanks : and if *tis your good pleafure The wandering bard will raife the found of fong, The pleafing found of praife. MOINA. Thou holy man, The flattering fong is hateful to my ear, But if thou know'ft to tune the mournful lay, And H2 52 And foftly breathe the melancholy tale, My fickly foul could liften with delight. CARRIL. Pleafe you to fit, fair lady, while I raife The melting {trains of grief.— Peace, florins of night, ye roaring whirlwinds, peace ; Soft glide, ye torrents, from the echoing hills ; Rife from the murky vale, ye blood-red fires, And dimly moot your beams ; ye famifh'd wolves Ceafe your wild howls — let all be filent, dark — • Ghofts of my fathers, bend your fhadowy forms To hear the tale of woe — The tale of woe which Mornac thus began. Swift was my daughter's Hep on Fura's hills, Health flufrVd her cheek, and down her, fnowy neck The dark locks cluttering fell — why ftarts the tear ? Why heaves the figh in Mornac* s aged bofom ? No more my Lora meets me on the heath, No No more fhe cheers my foul with grateful voice, My lofty halls are filent — The blue mill rifes from the lakes, and fills The bending flowers with dew, the fun burfts forth, The mift is gone— no beam of joy difpels The mift of Mornac's foul, but lading forrow Cleaves to my aged heart — my child, where art thou ? Dark is thy bed, O Lora, grief has crufiVd Thy tender form, far from a parent's bofom The hand of rapine fnatch'd thee, and thy fleep Ere this is deep — accurfed be the chief Who fought on Fura's plains, my feeble arm Benumb'd with ages winter (truck in vain, In vain did Carril fight, the much-lov'd Carril, Fierce was his look, full rofe his finewy limbs, As a dark cloud he mov'd, and (hook his glitter-* ing fpear — The fteel deep pierc'd his fide, death hover 9 d round him Q'erwhelm'd 54 O'erwhelm'd amid the flain — fear feiz'd our foldiers, They fled the flrife of fpears ; the conquering Saxons Entei'd our halls defencelefs, thence they bore My Lora, but the blue-ey'd chief difdain'd To fmear with frozen blood his dark-blue fleel ; Cruel he fpar'd me to lament my woes And fink in anguifh to the narrow houfe. When the huge mafs of fnow from beetling hills Defcends impetuous on the cottage roof, And buries in its fall the father, mother, And infant offspring, then no found of woe Is heard, no parent weeping for a child, . No child deep-fobbing for a tender parent, All find a common grave and fleep in peace — >. But when the roaring torrent ruihes down The dark-brown rocks, and from the mountain- deer Snatches her fportive fawn, the haplefs mother Forgets her food, forgets the wonted fpring, And quits the playful herd; old Mornac thus Rejects 55 Rejects the joys of life to weep in fecret— i And now the conquering enemy retir'dj The hoary druids from their facred woods Come forth, they hafte to clofe our fallen friends In the cold earth — when Carril they efpy Yet breathing — CHORUS. Venerable man, thy tale Has deeply touch'd our lady — fhe retires — Finifh thy fong. CARRIL. In Carol's wounds they pour The healing balm, recall his fainting foul And raife him up — to mifery ! — and now O'er Fura's plains the lover wanders mourning* In Fura's mofly towers the father weeps. — Rife florms of night, ye raging whirlwinds, rife ; Roar loud, ye torrents, from the towering hills ; Howl, howl, ye wolves ; ye fiery meteors blaze With 56 With redder beams — away to hovering clouds, Ghofts of the dead— the folemn fong is fung. A MESSENGER. Moina, old man, commands you to attend her; Follow.—* CHORUS. What found cceleftial floats Upon the liquid air ?-— Is it the ruftling breeze From Glafor's golden boughs ? Is it the dark-green deep Soft echoing to the notes Of Niord's fwans? No- — 'tis Braga's harp, Braga fweeps the founding firings— Glafor's golden boughs.~\ Glafor was a foreft in Afgard; the trees which compofed it fhot forth golden branches. Of Niord's f wans. ] Of the mufical powers of the fwan, the favourite bird of Niord, the Scandinavians enter- tained the fame opinion as the Greek and Romans. Mimer's 51 Mimer's ftream infpires the god, With fwimming eyes And foul of fire He pours the tide of harmony .-« He whom Braga loves Shall fwell the folemn lay, Shall ftrike the chords of joy, And gently touch the (hell. He whom Braga loves Shall wake the din of war, Inflame the chieftain's foul, And fend him in his glittering arms To fields of blood- CHORUS, 58 CHORUS, at a dijlance: CARRIL, MOINA. MOINA. In vain thou urgeft flight-— tho* force compelled me To fhare the bed of Harold, whilft he breathes I*m his alone — and would not Carrii's felf Detefl me, faithlefs ? — fhould fome happy arm Transfix the Saxon, hope again might beam Upon the cloud of grief which veils us round ; Then might I fly and reft in Carrii's arms, CARRIL. 'Tis well — When Harold's haughty fteps refound Within his courts, I'll dare him to the combat. MOINA. No, Carril, no — I love thy dauntlefs fpirit, — Yet mould the chieftain bleed within thefe walls, A fure deftru&ion waits upon us both. Calm 59 Calm thy fierce courage — -on the road which leads O'er yonder hill, a gloomy foreft borders, The fun-beams never pierce its fides, the wolf, The hilling fnake poffefs it ; there relides A prophetefs deep fkill'd in Runic lore ; A prophetefs deepjkill'd.~] Propheteffes or witches were held in high repute among the Northern nations;* " Inefle quinetiam, (fays Tacitus, de mor. German.) fan&um quid et providum foeminis putant." — The in- fluence of their councils in war is mentioned by Polyasnus de Stratag, Lib. 7. * Perhaps the following particulars of the coftume, &c. of thefe women may not be uninterefting. UctpCtKO^OUV ITpoyL&VTilS Up&l, TOKtOTpt^* ASt/fcStyWJ'S?, Strabonis Geograph. Lib. 7. In filvis, montibus, fpecubus, et prope a fontibus habitant. Keyfter Antiq. Septen. E/07 «Ts km wapa TipfAdLvo^ 0L1 Upcti KdAovy^vcti yvv&iKZs At 7T0TCL(JLC<)V £tVAt{ TpoChiTTOVCTA/, KAl piVjA&TGOV Ihiy^LOli KO.I "¥q$01{ TtK(ACUpQVTell K&l f 7rpQ\ri SEMI-CHORUS. Softly ftrike the harp And wake the founds of woe, Harold falls, His limbs are cold, The purple flream has ftain'd His golden hair. See at the feftive board His faithful warriors fit, In vain they cad their eyes around To meet their chieftain's looks ; Sorrow glooms their fouls And daflies from their lips The fparkling fhell. The hunter's horn refounds, The (lout dogs leap around And feek their chief, No more fhall Harold's voice Be heard the woods among. The The famifh'd eagle fcreams And afks his wonted food, No more mall Harold's arm. Prepare the feaft of flain. Yet not to Hela's dark abode Our chieftain's foul is fled, He rifes on the ruining blaft And feeks Valhalla's halls. The End of the Firll Aft. MOINA. 64f MOINA, CARRIL. MOINA. Welcome my Carril to thy Moina's arms, Now am I thine my love ; th' approaching night Shall (hade us flying to our native country ; Again my aged father fhall behold His happy daughter, and the facred druid Shall hear our holy vow — The chief is fall'n. — CARRIL. Thou unfeen power, when deep defpair far- rounds us, When the black night of woe o'erfhades the foul Sudden thou fhin'ft amidft furrounding horror. The darknefs flies, and keened joy breaks in Upon the grief worn mind, — The prophetefs Foreboded Harold's death — MOINA. And 'tis accomplifh'd, Blefs'd be the arm which cleav'd his hated heart- Did 65 Did fhe not promife fafety to our flight, And future days of joy ? — tell, tell me all. CARR1L. My hafty fteps foon reach'd the gloomy wood I fought, and ftruggling thro' the thorny paths I mark'd a craggy roek whofe broken fummit Was veil'd by creeping fhrubs — it's bottom yawn'd And fhew'd a deep dark gulph — I fearlefs en- ter'd, And with extended arms I trac'd my way, For there no beam of light was feen to glimmer Save from pale flames by magic fong enkindled ; While thus advancing flow, a cold fhrunk hand Caught mine, a hoarfe voice thus addrefs'd me, Who art thou, man, that dar'ft with impious ftep Difturb my filent dwelling ? Speak or periflu Mildly I anfwer'd, prophetefs, a ftranger, A miferable ftranger feeks thy aid ; O tell me, I conjure thee, by thy gods, If Harold's doom be feal'd, if forrowing Moina K Shall 66 Shall e'er behold again her native home And dwell with Carril? — Hence, away, fhe cries, I know thee now, — I hate the foe of Harold; With that I forward rufh'd, and in my arms Seizing the prophetefs, I cried aloud Unfeeling woman, tell me what I afk, Or from thy feeble body foon thefe arms Shall force thy ftubborn foul. — My fon, (he faid, Forbear, I yield, thy bravery has won me, Approach — within my cave a new flain corfe, Borne by my fpirits from the field of flaughter, Yet bleeds — this day he fell by Harold's fide, The foul is feated in Valhalla's halls, But by my potent art I'll call it back, Force it to animate the bloody limbs And truly anfwer thy demands. — She fpake, And blue light flafh'd around me ; I beheld The bleeding man — with hoarfe rough voice 0ie 'gan To (bund the Runic rhyme, and finging ftill, The To found the Runic rhyme,'] <« The northern nations held their Runic verfes in fuch reverence, that they believed them 61 The corfe uprear'd his head and clotted hair, And flowly cafl his ghaftly eyes around, Then funk again, as if the foul had fear'd To animate a hateful mangl'd body 5 The prophetefs obferv'd him, and in wrath She- them fufficient (provided they were pronounced with great emotion of mind) to raife the ghofts of the departed, and that without other magical rites ; efpecially if the party had worked himfeif up into a firm perfuafion, that it would happen according to his defires." Five pieces of Runic poetry, p. 6. The following is a fpedmen of an incantation of this kind : — " May the poifon of ferpents and noxious flame torment you all within your ribs unlefs you give me the fword," &c. Herv. Saga (as quoted in the above work). The language in which the earlieft poetical productions of the Goths was compofed, and of which we have ftill fome remains in the Sagas of the Scalds, was the Icelandic; this language, fuppofed to have been fpoken in the greateft purity in Iceland, prevailed in the north of Europe very extenfively, and may be confidered as the mother of the modern Swedifh and Danifh diale&s : the characters K2 6S She feiz'd a living fnake and lafh'd his limbs— Uprofe the corfe, his languid eyes he fix'd On me, thus fpeaking — Tell me, CarriJ, quickly, For well I know thee, Carril, what's thy plea- fur e ? Difmifs me hence with fpeed to Odin's board. Warrior, I faid, is Harold's death decreed ?— chara&ers originally ufed in writing it were called Runic,* a term which tho' it was at firfb confined to defign thofe characters only, was afterwards applied to exprefs the Icelandic language and literature in general.f The Runic language and characters were introduced into England by our Saxon Anceftors ; fufficient proof of this may be deduced from the ancient Runic manu- fcripts, infcriptions, &c. which have been difcovered both in England and Scotland;]; before the feventh cen- tury however the ufe of the Runic characters, which were then deemed impious, appears to have been difcontinued. * The word Runic is derived from Ryn, (Icelandic) fignifying ■a. furrow — Olaus Wormius. f See Preface to Five Pieces of Runic Poetry. t Hickes* Thefaurus, Par. I. and III. Archceol. Vol. II. 4to. J773« He 69 He bleeds, he bleeds, I fee him fall On the corfe-fpread plain- Send me back to halls of joy — Yet fpeak, fhall Moina with her Carril dwell ? E'er the fetting fun fhall fhoot His reddeft rays acrofs the waves Moina' s woes fhall be at peace— I go, I go to halls of joy — He faid and fmiling fullenly, fell lifelefs; Then from the cave with panting breaft I haften'd To bear the wifh'd-for tidings to my Moina. MOINA. Again my country's gods look down and fmile Upon our future days. — Retire, my Carril, Inftantly quit the caflle and attend me In the dark dell which borders on the wood Some two miles off. — The followers of Harold, Who flowly bear his body to the grave, Are near at hand, and when the chief is laid At peace, I'll Ileal unnotic'd from the walls, And fly on love-wing'd ftep to Carril's arms, [Carril goes out. Now 70 Now hafle, ye tardy minutes, till the dews Of evening fall, arife ye floating clouds, And Ihroud the filver moon in welcome dark- nefs — MOINA, CHORUS. CHORUS. Lady, the foldiers bear our chieftain's body Within our caflle gates, the grave is ready, * The holy rites prepar'd, we wait thy prefence, MOINA. My prefence, venerable man, and wherefore ? CHORUS. Know'ft thou not then the cuftom of our land ? The laws which ages paft have render'd facred ? Know' ft thou not, lady, with her hufband's body The wife is buried, that in other worlds He The wife is buried.'] This barbarous practice is recorded in Mallet's Northern Antiquities, vol. 1, p. 342 — to the authorities 71 He dill may (hare her fond embraces, dill May dwell with her delighted ? MOINA. Buried, fay'ft thou? CHORUS. Buried — our laws have fo decreed it, lady, And their decrees unalterably Hand : Hade then with Harold to the courts of blifs, Hafte to the feaft of gods — MOINA. Have pity on me— Spare, fpare my life — O fave a helplefs woman, authorities there quoted for it may be added Saxo Gram- maticus de Danis, Lib. 8, and Strabo, Lib. 7. The Goths appear to have inherited this inhuman cuf- tom from their Scythian anceftors j Herodotus fpeaking of the Scythian funerals, fays, Ek «Tg tm Ao/xm ivpv^apivi rm QtlKtlC Tc-jy TeiKhctKZav Tg piM &7ro7rvi!;am$ § amove i y km Toy oivoyjzov t &c. Melpomene 17^ Hadft 72 Hadft thou but ofFer'd death when Harold led me A weeping captive from my native more, With joy I'd follow'd to the grave — but now — ■ What horrors burft around me I — Curfes, curfes Fall on thy nation — was it not enough To drag me from a father's arms, to force me All-fhudd'ring to the conqueror's hated bed? Mufl the fame grave receive us? — Save me, fave me. CHORUS. Lady, the law mufl be obey'd, I cannot. MOINA. Where mall my tortur'd bofom turn for aid ? Is there no arm to fave, no heart to pity E CHORUS. Death cannot be avoided, MOINA. 73 MOINA. Carril, Carril, Is this our promis'd joy ? accurft forebodings, And did ye raife our fouls to plunge them down To deeper bale ? My father — wretched man — Soon wilt thou meet me — foon will Carril hail His faithful Moina in the cloudy hall Of feeble ghofts — hafte, hafte ye dearly-lov'd, God of my fathers, rife and aid my foul. Revenge, revenge my blood — CHORUS. Lady, no more, I mud command obedience. [Leads her off* Harold's 74 Harold's body is carried by his Soldiers acrofs the jlage, Moina follows ; the Chorus Jiop and Jing the funeral Jong. SEMI-CHORUS. Who fleps on the glittering bridge That leads to the manfion of gods ? *Tis Harold — undaunted in fight, He fmil'd at the fhivering of fpears, He fell in the clafliing of arms. Rife, Odin, rife, See, he enters thy mining abodes And terrible fits by thy fide. Who lifts the gold-tipt horn Of mantling mead ; Harold lifts the gold-tipt horn Of mantling mead. Happy he who fighting falls, Happy in the battles clangour To feel the quivering dart. When 75 When the hunter's fpear has pierc'd The roe-buck's mottled fide, Down from the furnmit of the rock He falls, and falling dies ; His dark grey eyes for ever clofe, No more he fees the grafly hill, No more he feeks the gufhing fpring, But finks to endlefs night - a When Vithri drives the fpear of fate Deep in the hero's fteel-clad breaft, His foul immortal mounts on high And climbs the airy hall of gods ; There in Pleafure's lap he lies J Till Surtur's flames confume the world, Vithri,'] A name of Odin, L 2 SEMI-CHORUS. 16 SEMI-CHORUS. From the four regions of the Iky The white fnow falls, And winter binds in thick ribb'd ice The floating world — Who rears the bloody hand ? A brother in his brother's heart Has plung'd the fpear; Who rears the bloody hand? A father in his daughter's heart Has plung'd the fpear. Where are thy beams, O fun? Where is thy filver fhield, O moon ? The glittering ftars fall from the cope of heav'n— 'Tis darknefs all — the firm earth (hakes, From the four regions of the fey.~] The Chorus here be- gins to defcribe the Ragnarockur, or Twilight of the Gods, and continues the defcription to the end of the Ode. The 77 The lofty mountain's thundering ruffi Upon the plains below — Old ocean heaves his waves, And tempelis howl around. See Fenris burfls his chain His eye-balls fiafh, His noftrils breathe Deftructive fire. From the Serpent's iron jaws Floods of poifon roll — Hark — the cralh of heav'n, It cleaves, it cleaves, Spirits of fire arife And hurl their burning brands, Fenris burjis his chain. J Fenris was an enormous and terrible wolf, at the Ragnarockur he was to break his chains and attack the gods. Theferpent's iron jarvs.~] The ferpent's name was Mid- gard, he was twilled round the whole earth, and was deftined, like Fenris, finally to war with the gods. Surtur 78 Surtur at their head — Before him flafli his dazzling arms a Behind him flies refiftlefs flame. Heimdal lifts the brazen trump And blows the blaft of war, Heaven's folid pillars fhake— Odin calls — he grafps his lance And ftrikes his golden fhield — Heimdal founds the brazen trump*— The gods Hart up and feize their fparkling arms. Heimdal founds the brazen trump— Odin's heroes rufh to battle, And jarring hauberks ring. CHORUS. In burniuVd mail fhall Harold ftand, Foremofl in th' embattled ranks Heimdal.] Heimdal was the ccntinel of Valhalla, and god of the fky. His 19 His arm (hall wing the hilling dart Nor dread the flames around ; Then fhall he fighting fall again, And link amid the war of gods, Amid the crulh of worlds. The Chorus proceed to the grave with Harold. CHORUS returning. Dark, dark is Moina's bed, On earth's hard lap fhe lies ; Where is the beauteous form That heroes lov'd ? Where is the beaming eye, The ruddy cheek ? Cold, cold is Moina's bed. And fhall no lay of death With pleafing murmur footh Her parted foul ? Shall no tear wet the grave Where Moina lies ? The 80 The bards fhall raife the lay of death, The bards fhall footh her parted foul. And drop the tear of grief On Moina's grave. The lily bows her head Before the fummer-gale, The green earth killing, But fwift the fummer-gale is fled, Again the flower uplifts her fnowy crefl And drinks the air ferene.— Before the breath of woe The foul of Moina bow'd, It bow'd and rofe no more. High o'er its banks the rapid river fwells And flows impetuous on the plain — The poplar meets the rufhing wave And bends it tender ftem— The waters pafs — The plant uprears its pliant trunk And fhoots aloft ; The 81 The plant uprears its verdant tufts, And fpreads its light green leaves To meet the warmth of heav'n. Before the tide of woe The foul of Moina bow'd, It bow'd and rofe no more. Frea from Valhalla's groves Mark'd the grief of Moina's foul And dropp'd the golden tear; Now fhe quits the groves of blifs, And haftes to meet her favour'd child At heav'n's firm-built gates. With her rofy hand fhe grafps Moina's clay-cold palm, Swift thro* her frame cceleftial vigour fhoots, The golden tear.] Frea's tears were fabled to be drops of gold. To meet her favour } d child.] « Habebat," fays Keyfler, €i etiam Frea palatia fua quibus defun&as excipiebat,." To this palace of Frea, virgins, and wives who bad died with their hufbands, were admitted, M Cceleftial 82 Coeleftial beauty beams In Moina's eyes. Fair flower, no more the blaft of woe Shall fhake thy tender form, Secure in Frea's grove Thy bloom fhall fade no more. SEMI-CHORUS. Did'ft thou not notice, e'er the grave was clos'd On Moina, that fhe beckon'd to a fervant And whifper'd him ? Quick in the crowd he vanifh'd. * SEMI-CHORUS. I did, and wonder'd much what care intruding Could for a moment draw her thoughts from death ; *Till then in filent grief (he Hood, her eyes Fall rooted on the ground. SEMI-CHORUS. 83 SEMI-CHORUS. And when the earth Was caft upon her as we held her flruggling By Harold's fide, fhe call'd aloud on Carril — CHORUS, CARRIL. CARRIL. Who calls on Carril ? fpeak, ye wretches, fpeakj Where is my Moina ? CHORUS. Moina is no more, She lies by Harold's fide. — CARRIL. Inhuman monfters — Hafle, hafte, and lead me to her grave, perhaps She yet may breathe, her bofom yet — CHORUS. M2 84 CHORUS, Be calm, CARRIL. Ye wretches lead me to the grave, once more I'll clafp her cold cold breaft, kifs her pale lips > And perifh with my Moina. CHORUS. With thy Moina ? CARRIL. Yes, fhe was mine, till thy accurfed chief, God of my fathers, thou hall flain the robber— 'Till thy accurfed chief in forrow dragg'd her To thefe detefted walls — I am her lover — I am Carril — CHORUS. Carril! CARRIL. 85 CARRIL. Yes, wretches, yes — Think not, O Moina, that thou fall' it alone ; I hafte to meet thee, Carrii hafles to join Thy gloomy ghoft ; foon ihall our airy forms A mournful conference hold, ride on the blaft And hover o'er our country — there we'll trace Thy father's ileps — together will we crofs The well-known hills, and liften to the torrent— The aged bards ihall iing our woes by night, We'll bend from clouds of miit and eager catch The dying notes. — I come, I come, my love, With iteps of ipeed I'll feek the rocks high fummit And plunge to death below. CHORUS. When from the foe's bright fpear The foldier trembling turns, When cold fear ihakes his foul And blaits his itrength, No more he'll hear the fong of praife, No S6 No more he'll tell his liftening child The bloody tale of war ; The fecret vale receives His flow and fullen fleps ; He hates the warrior's eye, He hates the maiden's look. Then let fhame his bofom fire, Lead him to the lofty rock, And plunge him from the airy height^ To death below. When the hero's giant-form. With ficknefs droops, When his broad and finewy arm Shrunk and trembling fails, When that firm bread which dar'd the dart The figh of languor heaves, Lead him to the lofty rock.'] — Mirus amor populo, cum pigra incanuit astas, Imbellos jamdudum annos prxvertere saxo. Sil, Ital. Lib. $• When 87 When thofe ftrong knees which rufh'd to war Labouring fink beneath his weight, When death has rais'd his clay-cold hand To touch the warrior's heart, Then let him drag his faltering limbs To fome huge rock's outftretching cliff, And from the airy fummit plunge To death below. When from the aged father's arms The child is torn, Forlorn he wanders on the heath, His white hair waving in the wind- Forlorn he feeks the hill His child has trod, And wipes the falling tear; Anguifh gnaws his heart, And flowly drags his frame To Hela's halls— Hafte, hafte and feek the lofty rock, There from its airy fummit plunge To death below. When / 88 When o'er the flifPned corfe The lover bends, And weeps his miftrefs dead, Now clinging to her chilly breaft, Now preffing to his trembling lips Her faded cheek ; No more her blue eyes tell The tender tale, No more her filver-founding voice Shall murmur in his ear — In fpeechlefs agony he hangs upon her-— Awake, awake, and from that form belovM Snatch thy di drafted foul, Halle, hafte and feek the lofty rock, There from its airy fummit plunge To death below. THE END. OSWALD. MOJVODRA MA. Prodiga gens animoe & properare facillima mortem, Namque ubi tranfcendit fiorentes viribus annos, Impatiens Devi, fpernit novifle fenec"lam Et fati modus in dextra eft. SILIUS ITALICUS, «WVv>-<^- N INTRODUCTION. ' | 'HE Monodrama is a fpecies of play, which has not yet, as far as I am able to difcover, been attempted by Englilh writers *: it was pro- bably too fimple to engage their attention, or they might imagine it little calculated to gratify a people who are fond, perhaps to excefs, of the buftle of incident and intricacy of plot. Though the neglect of it cannot be confidered of much importance, yet we find many of thefe poems among the Germans, French and Italians, which are exceedingly intereiling both in the clofet and the theatre. When reprefented on the ftage, the Monodrama is ufually declaimed' with inter- vals of mufick. * Since the above was written, many pleanng Mono* dramas have been publiihed in this country.. N2 The 92 The ftory of the following piece is this. — Ofwald, a Gothic Chieftain, opprefs'd at once by old age and a painful difeafe, exerts his re- maining flrength to die in a manner which was efteemed highly honourable by his countrymen, and was alfo believed to entitle him to a feat in Valhalla. OSWALD. OSWALD, ^^^^SfcA*-^ SCENE, an inner-room, Ofwald on a conchy his armour lying near him : rijingjloxvly, he begins. H ENCE, hence, ye languid groans, ye rack- ing pangs, That flowly drag the trembling frame of Ofwald To thofe accurfed climes where Hela reigns Stern on her icy throne — thou quivering arm ! Oft have I feen thee in the battle's rage Bedew' d with red heart's blood — ye tottering knees ! Oft 94< Oft have ye flood unmov'd by preflTing hods, Oft have ye waded thro' the fleaming field, Trampling the mangled corfes of my foes ; — Why fhake ye thus ? — difeafe with poifon'd breath My firm nerves withers— and mall Ofwald then Sink, tamely fink to everlafling night ?— - Shall feeble age with lingering hand conduct him To the bleak regions girt with flubborn fro ft ? And bend this warlike heart in marly chains Of folid ice ? — what ? — mail the holy bards Who fing my glorious deeds, thus end the fong ? Alas! he dar'd not match the joys of heaven, But meanly fell, the prey of age and ficknefs ? Why have I liv'd ?-— fhake, fhake; ye palfied limbs — Pant, pant, thou fainting breafl, old Ofwald's foul Is yet untouch'd, awake, awake, it cries, And fpeed me hence to Odin's echoing halls ; Who yet can boall amid his fpoils of war A 95 & trophy from my mail ? — what dark-brow'd chief E'er yet beheld me turning from the combat ? And mail that heart, which laugh'd at fear and danger Yield, poorly yield, to pain? — it mud not be-^- While yet my hand has flrength, I'll rear the fword, And die a foldier in my glittering arms. Yes, 'tis decreed — my helmet, fhade again Thy mailer's (ilver locks-— from thy hard fides Oft has the gleaming fpark burft forth amid The tempeft of the fight — thou fleel-ribb'd cuirafs, Come to my breafl again — how many a dart Has hifs'd acrofs thee, which thy firm-knit plates Drove from my glowing heart ? now loofe and yielding Thou (halt protect no more — again I raife The weighty fhield, whofe dim reflecting orb ?o pft has fhot a purple beam deep-dy'd With 96 With hoftile blood — and thou, O faithful fteel, Who ne'er haft fail'd thy matter's vigorous arm When rear'd to ftrike, fwift fpeed me to the gods, Pierce, pierce me deep, thy blade was never wet With braver blood than that which warms my heart. Father of gods ! when Ofwald quits the earth, Rear thou my orphan boy — how oft I've fmil'd To fee his tender fingers grafp the fpear, And his young fmews ftruggling to uplift His father's folid fhield ; to thee, O Odin, I early gave him : teach him, like his fire, To fcorn the coward's name, to joy in battle, And when his warlike years have run in glory, Give him a happy death in fields of blood. My daughter too — begone, unmanly drops, Nor cloud my dying hour — may Frea love her, / early gave him."] This alludes to a Gothic cuftom of dedicating male infants to Qdin 9 o Form 91 Form her foft limbs to grace and lead ber forth The blufhing prize of valour — Ah ! — I faint !— What deadly throes deep tear me! — 'tis enough— My firength ebbs quickly — now, thou trembling arm, Feel my foul's lateft fire. [He Jlabs himfelf. Yes, friendly fteel, thy fearching point is moid With Ofwald's blood. [After a paufe. — What glorious vifions rife ! I fee the feflive gods at Odin's board ! I hear the fplendid warrior's gladfome din. Yon golden feat is vacant — 'tis for me — I come, I come, the gloom of death has wrapt My eyes in mill;. — Hark, hark ! — the notes of joy Die on my ear — and now a louder peal Burfts on my fluttering foul — [He dies* THE END. O STARNO. T R A G E D r. $su* Britons* Daura, J Kelric, a Saxon* Chorus of Druids. PLA CE— BRITAIN* act I. SCENE, A wood and an altar; a distant prospect of Starnd's castle, CHORUS. SEMI-CHORUS. i N the dark covert of thefe facred fhades I wait* CHORUS,'] Three orders of men, compofing one body, and generally confounded under the common appellation of Druids*, had engrofled to themfelves an aftonifhing degree of power and influence among the Celtic nations : they were at once the teachers of youth, the diftribu- tors of juftice, and the minifters of religion, and fuch as attempted to refill their authority, were inftantly crufhed by a fentence of excommunication, which banifh- ed them from public facrifices, ftripped them of their dig- * The word Druid feems to be derived from Deru, (Celtic) an oak,— See Druid, orig. in the Delphi Phcenicizantes of Dickinfon. "P nities 106 I wait, with reftlefs trembling expectation, The nities, and held them tip as contagious and impious wretches, to be fhunned and detefted by fociety *. The three dalles of men who constituted this formidable body, are divided by ancient writers, into Druid's, or administrators of juflice and teachers of Theology ; Bards or Poets ; and Vaides, or Priefts and Diviners.— Diodorus Siculus (Lib. v.) gives the following de- fcription of them : — ci&£&5^ CHORUS, Retire thou golden fun, And fhroud thy ruddy orb In fwarthy night, Ye dreary fhades refound With 147 With horrid wailings, Let the death-owl's cry Float thro' the facred wood j For Daura falls, And Kelric's gulhing blood Stains the green earth. — 'Tis not in mortal mould confin'd That deathlefs fouls lhall fhare Unmingled blifs — Beneath the blufhing rofe The thorn is hid, Beneath the flowery bank The ferpent lurks unfeen, And oft the cup of joy Is dregg'd with bitter woe. The azure iky is calm, The gale foft whifpers in the bending trees,. The glaffy lake reflects The verdant fhrubs around— But foon the troubled air is gloom'd With pitchy clouds, U 2 Fell 148 Fell Taranis defcends ; The deep-ton'd thunder roars And fearing lightnings fly — The angry fpirit of the lake Dafhes his dark-blue waves And rides in foam. Taranis.'] Taranis was the Celtic Jupiter or god of the air*; his anger was averted by the fame inhuman facri- fices as thofe offered to Teutates+ ; the name of Taranis is undoubtedly derived from a Phoenician word which fignifies thunder ; I am unable however to find any Syrian god who precifely refembles him. * Schedius as above. — An altar at Lowther, in Cumberland, mentioned by Selden (de Dis Syriis) and infcribed " Trama?* (a word which the above mentioned writer profeffes himfelf unable to explain) feems evidently to have been dedicated to this god. f Et Tharamis Scythicas non mitior ara Dianse. Lucan Pharfal. The end of the Dramatic Sketches of Northern ■ Mythology, MISCELLANEOUS JT3 FOE »«e»<»$®$©®@-«^^-®@®<8«®£®99««= OF THE CYCLOPS OF EURIPIDES. I T is fcarcely neceffary to obferve, that the Cyclops of Euripides cannot be read without much intereft, whether it be merely conudered as a compleat example of the ancient Greek satyric drama, or whether it be contemplated as a fpe- cimen of the comic talents of a Poet peculiarly diftinguifhed in his tragic compofitions by tender- nefs and pathos. In translating the abovementioned piece, I have omitted fome paffages which would have been juflly difpleafing to an Englifli reader,- and I have occafionally ventured (particularly in the choral odes) to deviate fomewhat from the letter, with the hope of better preferving, by this free- dom, the spirit of the original. X PERSONS OF THE PLAY. SlLENUS. Ulysses. The Cylops. Chorus of Satyrs. SCENE, SICILY. Caves at the foot of Mount &tna. THE CYCLOPS. 2lct i. SILENUS. o BACCHUS ! what innumerable toils I fuffer for thy fake — aye and have fuffer'd E'en from my earlieft days— I well remember When firft, by Juno madden'd, we forfook The mountain nymphs, thy nurfes — then again Clofe by thy fide I fought the earth-born giants, And thro* the fhield of fierce Enceladon Driving my fpear, I flew him — foftly — foftly — Did I not dream all this ? — by Jove, not I— 'Tis faft— all faft— I fhew'd the fpoils to Bac- chus — Now my fates' harder flill — when Juno urg'd X 2 Thefe 156 Thefe Tyrrhene fcoundrels to attack my matter. And bear him off, I ftraitway fought a veffel, Took all my children with me, put to fea And fail'd in queft of Bacchus — while I ileer'd My boys here row'd~the green fea foam'd around us — Pairing by Malea a wind fprang up Which drove us to thefe rocks — the rocks of ^Etna— Here dwell the one-ey'd children of the god Who rules the fea — a bloody, monftrous race— - Captur'd by Polypheme, for him we toil' — No more we fhout our god, but guard the herds Of this accurfed Cyclops — on yon hills My fons now watch his flock — while I am doom'd To fweep his cave, to keep all clean within, To wait upon him at his hateful meals — Come, I mull now to work, and fweep, and fcrape That all be neat — what's this ? — my fons ap- proach Driving their flocks—- hark — hark, — does this re- ferable The 157 The Bacchanalian fhouts, the choral fongs Mingled with mufick in Althaea's halls ? SEMI-CHORUS. Where, O flocks of noblefl race, Where, acrofs the barren rocks, Would you ftray ? There no cooling breezes play, There no tempting herbage fprings, There no curling eddies gufh — Come to the dewy field Come to your matter's fold — SEMI-CHORUS. Soon will your fwelling dugs receive The tender lambs, Rouzedfrom their {lumbers, hark, they bleat And call their dams. Come to your mailer's fold, Come to the fhady dell, — No 158 No fongs of Bromius here refound, No Thyrfus-bearing crouds advance—- Where are the revelling nymphs, And where the clattering drums Loud-echoing o'er the ftreams? CHORUS. I fhout the Bromian lay ; On Venus flill I call, Venus, whom oft I've fought With Bacchus' fportive train — O friendly god, O dearefl youth, Where is thy lonely feat ? Where doll thou, mourning, fhake Thy golden hair ? Far from thy cheering looks In coarfefl garb I pine The monfter's flave. — S1LENUS. Be filent, children ; hafle and drive your flocks Into the rocky caves. CHORUS, 159 CHORUS. We will, my father, But why fo urgent ? SILENUS. Clofe upon the more I fee a Grecian veffel, and its crew Led by their Captain, feem to bend their courfe This way — they 're furely feeking food and water, They bear fome empty veffels — wretched flran- gers Who can they be ? alas ! they cannot know The nature of our mailer — little think they That landing on thefe hated fhores, they come The felf-doom'd victims of the Cyclops' jaws— Now be ye quiet, children, whilft I afk What fate has thrown them on the fhores of Si* cily— • [Enter Ulyjfes and his Crew. ULYSSES- 160 ULYSSES. fay, my friends, where can we find a fpring To flake our third ? where can we purchafe food To ftore our velfel ? — this is very ftrange — Sure 'tis a Bromian city — all around— Within, without the caves, there's nought but Satyrs ; 1 will addrefs the oldeft — Hail ! old man. SILENUS. Hail ! flranger, — quickly tell me who thou art And whence thou comefl — ULYSSES. Thou behold'ft Ulyifes. SILENUS. I've heard of him — he is the verieft prater — - ULYSSES, I'm he, I fay, — fpare your abufe, my friend, — SILENUS. 161 SILENUS. And pray whence came you lad ? ULYSSES. I came from Troy. SILENUS. Hadft thou not wit enough to find thy home ? ULYSSES. By adverfe winds I'm driven to this coaft. SILENUS. Alas ! thy fate and mine are much alike. ULYSSES. Where you then driven to this land by ftorms ? SILENUS. Yes, running after thieves who Hole my mafter. — ULYSSES. 162 ULYSSES. What place is this, and who inhabit it? SILENUS. This Ifle is Sicily — this mountain ^Etna. ULYSSES. Where are your cities? — where your lofty walls ? SILENUS. We have no cities, and no walls but rocks. ULYSSES. Who then dwell here, a race of favage beafts ? SILENUS. The Cyclops dwell here, caverns are their houfes. ULYSSES. Have they a ruler ? — what's their mode of life ? SILENUS. SILENUS. They're wandering Shepherds, no one heeds the other. ULYSSES. Do they not till the ground ?— -What food have they ? SILENUS. They've milk and cheefe ; — fometims they feafl on flefh. ULYSSES. Have they not here the liquor of the grape ? SILENUS. No — not a drop — O 'tis a curfed country. ULYSSES. And are the Cyclops very kind to guefts ? SILENUS. Y2 ]64 SILENUS. O very kind — they prize no flefh fo highly. ULYSSES. What fay you ? — flefh of guefts ! — they cannot eat them ? SILENUS. Yes but they do, — they butcher all they catch, ULYSSES. Where is the Cyclops ? is he in his cave ? SILENUS. No, he is hunting, with his dogs, on ^Etna. ULYSSES. Be brifk then, my good friend, and dont detain us. SILENUS. What fhould I do ? I'm ready to befriend you. ULYSSES. 165 ULYSSES. Procure us food — SILENUS. There's nothing here but flefh- '£> ULYSSES. Well that will do — SILENUS. And cheefe, and milk of cows— ULYSSES. Bring it all forth, let's look before we buy. SILENUS. And how much gold then will you give me for it ? ULYSSES. None — none at all — I'll give a draught of wine. SILENUS. 166 SILENUS. Wine ? — fweetefl found ! — how long fince 1 have tailed— ULYSSES. Maron himfelf beftow'd the precious gift. SILENUS. ■ Maron ? — how oft I've nurs : d him in thefe arms, ULYSSES. The fon of Bacchus, as you well remember. SILENUS. Is the wine with you or on board your (hip? ULYSSES. This is the fkin which holds it — look, my friend — SILENUS. That ? — why there's fcarce enough to wet my gullet — ULYSSES. 161 ULYSSES. I have much more than this — SILENUS. O the dear fountain! So fweet, fo grateful — ULYSSES. Will you pleafe to tafte it ? SILENUS. Aye, by ail means,— I'll tafte before I buy — ULYSSES. See ! I have brought a cup too with the Ikin — SILENUS. Come fill it then — ULYSSES. Here — drink — SILENUS, 168 SILENUS. Ah — ah — it fmells well. ULYSSES. Then tafte it, praife it not by words alone — SILENUS. I do — mod excellent—it makes me merry ; I long to dance — ha — ha — ULYSSES. It goes down fweetly — SILENUS, O I can feel it at my ringers ends — ULYSSES. I'll give you money too — SILENUS. Plague on the money, Give me but wine enough I afk no more — ULYSSES. 169 ULYSSES. Now then, good Satyr, bring the cheefe, the lambs — S1LENUS. I'll do it— what care I for mailer now? For one full cup of that delicious liquor I'd barter all the food of all the Cyclops, And then leap headlong from the jutting rock Into the fea — I mean, if I were drunk I'd do all this — O, he who drinks unmov'd Is furely mad. ***** This cup's the cure of forrow — how I'd drain it ! — Plague on the Cyclops — Hark, my friend, a word with ye. ULYSSES. Speak to me freely as becomes a friend. SILENUS. Did you take Troy ? ULYSSES. i 170 ULYSSES. We did- SILENUS. And Helen too ? ULYSSES And Helen — and deflroy'd the houfe of Priam. SILENUS. And when you had her fafe did all your foldiers Kifs her ? fhe always lik'd to change her hufbands; Lur'd by a fplendid drefs and golden chains, The traitrefs left that worthy man her lord ; O would the race of women were extinct ! Except a few— juft for my private ufe — Here, great Ulyffes, here is flefh, and milk, And cheefe in plenty — take it and be gone, But leave that goodly fkin inflead of it — ULYSSES. See, fee — the Cyclops — 'tis all over with us — What ihall we do ? where fly ? SILENUS. 171 SILENUS. Enter this cave, And hide yourfelf. ULYSSES. What ? rufh into his nets ? SILENUS. Never mind that, he cannot find you there — ULYSSES. No, it fhall ne'er be faid that I who flood Oppos'd to thoufands of the Phrygian fpears Could fear to face one man — it (hall not be, — If we mufl perifh let us perifh bravely, Or if we live, our fame ihall flourifh with us — SILENUS. Pr'ythee don't loiter — End of Att Firft. Z 2 172 2Cet II. CYCLOPS, ULYSSES, SILENUS, AND CHORUS. CYCLOPS. What means this uproar ? this is not the hall Of the revelling god — here are no drums, no cymbals — Are my lambs fafe within ? do they fuck well, And frifk around the ewes ? where are the cheefes ? Have ye made plenty of them ? — out, ye oafs ! — Why dont ye fpeak ?— this ftaff will cure your dumbnefs, Look up — ye fland like dolts — SILENUS. 'An pleafe you, mafter, I do look up — I fee the heavens, the flars, I think I fee Orion — CYCLOPS. 173 CYCLOPS. Where's my Tapper ? SILENUS. 'Tis ready— -bleffings on your appetite ; CYCLOPS, Are all my goblets iill'd with frenVdrawn milk ? SILENUS. All full — O you may drink a fea of it — CYCLOPS. What milk ? fheeps ? — cows ?— SILENUS. O every kind of milk, Drink what you pleafe, but don't gulp me down with it, CYCLOPS. 174 CYCLOPS, No, no, you're fafe enough — my maw would fplit With fuch a capering fool in it as you are— Rafcal, what croud is that about my cave ?— ~ A gang of robbers ? — fee they Ileal my cheefe — They're loaded with my lambs — what ails you? — fpeak Your eyes are fwell'd — -your head— SILENUS. Alas ! good mafier^ I'm beaten to a jelly—woe is me ! CYCLOPS. Who beat you, Satyr? SILENUS. Thofe fame rogues and thieves there — I fought to the lafl — I could not fave your lambs — CYCLOPS. 175 CYCLOPS. Did not the fcoundrels know I was a god, Defcended from the gods too ? SILENUS. So I told them — - Bat flill they dole your goods and ate your cheefe— - As to yourfelf, they faid they'd tie you fad To a long (lake, and thro' that eye of yours They'd fpin your bowels— and befides all this They fwore they'd flog you — bind you neck and heels Together, clap you in the hold of the fhip, And fell you for a mafon's labourer — CYCLOPS. Indeed! be brifk then — fharpen well my knives— Light a huge fire — I'll cut the throats of the dogs — Pll eat'em hot and hot — fome I will (lew-— I'm 116 I'm tir'd of mountain food, of flags and lions — • 'Tis years fmce I have tailed human flefh. SILENUS. It makes a pretty change — moil wond'rous plea- fant — And 'tis not often that we catch a ftranger — ULYSSES. Cyclops ! liflen to thy guefls awhile — We wandei'd from our mips to purchafe food ; We chanc'd to find thy caves ; the Satyr here Willingly fold us for a draught of wine Thefe lambs and cheefe — we feized on nought by force ; Now he denies all this — falfely denies it Merely becaufe thou caught' fl him at his tricks. SILENUS. 1 ? — may* ft thou peiifti — ULYSSES. 177 ULYSSES. If I fpeak not truly — SILENUS. I fwear by Neptune, father of the Cyclops, I fwear by Triton, by Calypfo fair, By all the Nereides, by the facred feas, By every fifh that fwims — I fwear, O Cyclops ! my dear little matter, 9 yes t I fwear, 1 never fold him aught — if my oath's falfe May thefe, my dearefl children fadly perifli! CHORUS. Stop — flop — in juflice to our guefls I fpeak—* The ftrangers bought the goods — if this be falfe May my dear father perifh — CYCLOPS, Peace — ye lie— I'd rather truft this man than Rhadamanthus — But I would afk you ftrangers whence you came — Where were you born ? A a ULYSSES. 178 ULYSSES. We're Ithacans by birth — From Troy we came, which now is lain in ames— Tempeftuous winds have driv'n us on thy mores. CYCLOPS. So— ye are the men who took a trip to Troy To feize that runaway, that traitrefs Helen. ULYSSES. We are and much we've fufTer'd in our battles — CYCLOPS. A precious fet !■— 'twas well worth while to fight Thofe bloody battles for one trumpery woman — ULYSSES. Such was the will of fate — then blame not us — But now, O fon of the illuftrious fea god, Humbly we afk thee (for we muft fpeak plainly) Not 119 Not to deftroy us — fpare, O fpare thy guefts, Nor glut thy ftomach with an impious feafl ; Reflecl;, O Cyclops, on the many honours Thy father fhares in Greece, think of his temples, His facred harbours, caves, and promontories, Coniider too the glory gain'd to Greece By punifhing the Trojans ; of this glory Thou haft thy {hare tho' dwelling thus retir'd Beneath the fire-diftilling mount — O hear us ! Let foft humanity yet touch thy heart! Scorn not th J entreaties of a fuppliant ftranger, Bring forth the gifts of friendihip— mighty gods ! To pierce with pointed fpits our quivering limbs ! Alas ! the plains of Troy have fwallowed up Far, far too many — Greece is defolate — The widows weep their hufbands — grey-hair'd parents Lament their fons — wilt thou confuine, O Cy- clops, The poor remains ? — where fhall we turn for pity ? Have mercy on us ! think not of a banquet So foul, fo impious — O refpecl the gods — A a 2 Refl 180 ReflecT; how often wicked deeds have prov'd The bane of thofe who wrought them — SILENUS. Hark ye, mafter, I'll give you my advice — by all means eat That profing fellow, and be fure to fwallow His tongue — what a dear pretty prattling Cyclops You'll then become — ■ CYCLOPS. Gain is the wife man's god, All elfe is empty fhew and idle boafting — Dofl think me fool enough to care what honours Greece pays my father ? — What's all that to me ? I tell thee, man, I do not even dread The thunderbolts of Jove — for aught I know I am as great a god as Jove himfelf — I care not for him — let his thunders roar, Let him dafh down his floods — I'm fafe enough — Snug in my cave I eat, and drink, and fnore — And when the Thracian Boreas fhoots his mows, I cloath 181 I cloath me warm in (kins- — I light a fire, And laugh at froft and (now— the earth beneath me, Whether fhe will or no, mull throw out herbage To feed my flocks, and thofe I offer only To one moil mighty god, this paunch of mine — To eat, to drink, to care for nought beiides, This is the wife man's plan — plague on the rogues Who gave you laws, who fixt your rules of life ; I know no laws but thefe, to pleafe myfelf, To fill my belly, and to eat you up — As to the prefents that you prate about They iha'nt be wanting — I will ihare among you Fire, and the cauldron of my fore fathers — a Tis big enough for all of you — go in— Go in I fay — and learn my mode of feailing — ULYSSES. Alas ! alas ! efcap'd from Trojan fpears, From fwelling furges, what a fate awaits us I The moniter's heart is harder than his rocks. O Pallas, goddefs fprung from Jove himfelf, Now 182 Now, now defend us ! dangers tenfold blacker Than thofe we fac'd at Troy fur round us here- O thou, who fitt'ft above the glittering ftars, Look down upon us, fave us, Jove, O fave us, SEMI-CKORUS. Open, O Polypheme, thy mighty jaws ; Behold prepar'd The roaft, the boil'd— I fee thy grinders tear The hateful food, frefh feeth'd Within the hairy fkin— SEMI-CHORUS. O could I quit, for ever quit Thefe gloomy caves, Thefe impious feafls. Ah, cruel, bloody wretch, Who hear' ft, but hear'ft unmov'd E'en at the facred hearth The fuppliant's prayer — End of AB Second. 183 act in: ULYSSES, CHORUS. ULYSSES. O mighty Jove ! within th' accurfed cave I've feen a fight which man can fcarcely credit, It is not human— CHORUS. Has the hated Cyclops Devour'd thy friends ? — ULYSSES. Two have already fuffer'd and the reft Trembling like birds, now fculk within his cave; 1 dar'd to approach the monfter — waited on him p And when I found his hunger was appeas'd, A thought came crofs me — ftrait I fhTd a cup W itfe 164? With potent wine and gave it him to drink ; Take this, I faid, this is the lufcious juice Which Greece produces, and which Bacchus doats on ; The Cyclops, gorg'd with flefh, received the cup Anddrain'dit at one draught — deargueft, cries he, Thou giv'fl me liquor worthy of my banquet ! While he ftill fmack'd his lips, I carried to him A fecond dofe, for well I new the wine Would do its duty — flrait he 'gan to firig — Cup after cup he drain'd — I plied him well- He's hot enough — and now, amidft my friends, He makes the cavern echo to his fhouts And uncouth fongs — I iilently dole off- Fain would I fave myfelf and you too Satyrs ; Say, will you quit the wretch and fport again I 'the courts of Bacchus and the Danaides ? Your father there within, approves my counfel, But he is weak and tottering, and he clings Clofe to the cup as if he fluck by bird-lime— Ye are both young and aftive — join me then— And feek your ancient matter Bromius — CHORUS, 185 CHORUS. Ah ! my good friend, would I might fee the day When I fhall fairly 'fcape the monfter's clutches Here is no rnufick— all is dead and joylefs — But we have no refource — ULYSSES. You have, my friend, Hear but my plan — feverely will I punifh This hated beaft, and give you liberty. CHORUS. Say, how ? with keener joy Pd hear his groans Than the foft tinklings of the harp of Afias. ULYSSES. The Cyclops, hot with wine, will long to join His brethren at their feafts— CHORUS* Bb 186 CHORUS. I underftand thee, And we mud watch his fteps — catch him alone, And ftrangle him, or hurl him from the rocks — ULYSSES. I mean not that— our work is not fo plain — CHORUS. How then ? long, long ago we've heard, Ulyffes, The rumour of thy cunning. ULYSSES. Thus then, Satyrs, I will perfuade him not to quit his home ; I'll tell him he'd be mad to (hare his wine With any other Cyclops — here I'll fix him — And when the potent god has laid him low, I'll fharpen fome huge flake and fire its point, And as the fhip-wright bores with whirling auger, So 187 So will we bore, with the ftill-flaming fhaft, The eye of Polypheme— CHORUS. 'Tis well — 'tis well. ULYSSES When we've thus blinded him, thy felf, thy father, And all our friends fhalt hade aboard ray fhip, And row away rnoft merrily — - CHORUS. O glorious! But fay, Ulyfles, fhalt thou need our aid To twirl the flake ? ULYSSES. Yes truly — -'twill be weighty — CHORUS. B b2 188 , CHORUS. O ! I would work like fifty carts and horfes, Could I but blind the dog, and root out thoroughly That wafp's neft eye of his— ULYSSES. Be filent now — When I command, be ready — thoM've quitted My friends within, and might efcape alone, Yet I mould corn to do it ; we will live Or die together — SEMI-CHORUS. Who firft, who lafl mail feize The burning brand, And plunge its fiery point, Within the radiant orb ? — SEMI-CHORUS. Hark, hark, I hear within The found of fong, The 189 The fwelling notes are harm. The minftrel rude — Lo ! from the rocky cave Th 5 unwieldy Cyclops reels ; O hafte and join his (trains— - SEMX-CHORUS. Happy, happy, happy he Who quaffs the lufcious juice, Happy in the purple flood Which fparkling flows around ! How fweefc on downy turf reclin'd To laugh the fummer hours away, With her we love ! How fweet, by Bacchus fir'd, to trace The winning graces of her form, To mark the down-caft beamy eye And catch the fragrance of her breath ! End of AB Third. J90 CYCLOPS, ULYSSES, SILENUS, CHORUS, CYCLOPS. Whither, whither fhall I wander, Joyous from my rich repaft ? As a deeply laden veffel Well I'm flored with food and wine — ■ The glowing verdure of the field, The cooling breezes of the fpring, Entice me to forfake The gloomy, dill retreat, To join the Cyclops feafts — - CHORUS. See he comes, his mining orb, Like a flaming pine-tree burns, Rofeate tints have fluftVd his fkin Brighter than the hue of nymphs Sporting in their dewy caves ; Hafte 191 Halle and fhade his manly brow With wreaths of flowers— ULYSSES. Hear me, O Cyclops, and I'll tell thee all Th* adventures of the god thou lov'ft fo well. CYCLOPS. And doll thou call this liquor then a god ? ULYSSES. No doubt — the fweeteft comforter of mortals, CYCLOPS. Truly he warms my flomach pleafantly — - ULYSSES. O ! he's the bell of gods, he never harms us- CYCLOPS. And is he pleas'd with dwelling in a fkin ? ULYSSES, 192 ULYSSES. Aye, put him where you will, he's always eafy. CYCLOPS. Surely he might have had fame better cloathing? ULYSSES. Who heeds his covering if the god be good ? CYCLOPS. True 'tis no matter. ULYSSES. Do not leave us, Cyclops — Stay where you are, and drink and drink again. CYCLOPS. Shall I not give forne liquor to my brethren? ULYSSES. No — you'll be mightier if you keep it all. CYCLOPS. 193 CYCLOPS, I (hall be civiler if I let them tafle it. ULYSSES. Such drinking-bouts too often end in blood. CYCLOPS. O ! were 1 doubly drunk no one dares touch me, ULYSSES. Still I advife you not to quit your cave. CYCLOPS. Poh! he's a fool who loves to drink alone. ULYSSES. A wife man, if he's drunk, will flay at home—- CYCLOPS. What mall I do, Silenus ? C c SILENUS. 194 SILENUS. Never budge, I fee no wit in feeking other mouths. CYCLOPS. Well, here the grafs looks freih — SILENUS. 'Tis mighty pleafant To booze i' the funlhine — pleafe to fit, good 'm after — CYCLOPS. Why do you place the cup behind me, rafcal ? SILENUS. Left any one fhould touch it. CYCLOPS. Out— I fay — You drink my liquor, rogue, behind my back ; Here, 195 Here, place the cup in fight— approach me, gueft, Tell me thy name — thy name — ULYSSES. My name is, No-one. But fay, O Cyclops, what return you'll make me For all the kind attentions I have (hewn you. CYCLOPS. I'll eat thee laft of all— ULYSSES. That's very handfome. CYCLOPS. What are you doing, fcoundrel, are you drink- ing ? SILENUS. No — not a drop — only my eyes are dim, And I look'd clofe to fee the curious carving On this moil goodly cup. C c 2 CYCLOPS. 196 CYCLOPS. Take care, take care — Here — pour me out a cup-full — fill to the brim. SILENUS. And how much water fhall I mix with it ? CYCLOPS. None — none — come, bring it — SILENUS. Stop, I'll fetch a wreath And place it on thy head — befides 'tis proper That I, as cup-bearer mould tafte the liquor — CYCLOPS. Plague on this trifling. SILENUS. Trifling? not at all, The liquor's much too good to trifle with — Come blow yournofe — and then I give the cup — CYCLOPS. 197 CYCLOPS. There, there, you fool, my lips and beard are clean— SILENUS. Now you fhould drink it in a proper pofture Reclining gracefully— here- — fee me do it— Thus— thus — (drinks. J CYCLOPS. Hold, hold, you rafcal — SILENUS. Deareft heart ! I've drunk it out before I was aware oft. CYCLOPS. Out, oaf — come, gueft, be thou my cup-bearer. ULYSSES. 198 ULYSSES. With all my heart — I'm us'd to fuch employ- ment — CYCLOPS. Now fill the goblet. ULYSSES. Yes, I do — be quiet— CYCLOPS. 'Tis not fo eafy to be drunk and quiet — ULYSSES. Here, take the goblet, drain it at a draught — ■ Would he might fwallow it ! — CYCLOPS. 'Tis well — 'tis well O ! what a charming wood the vine-tree's made of! ULYSSES. 199 ULYSSES, After your meal you cannot drink too much — Drench yourfelf well — then fink to fweetefi ilumber, Leave not a drop — CYCLOPS. How's this ? my brains are fwimming, The fky and earth whirl round me — now I fpy The throne of Jove — I fee the gods affembled — What tho' the Graces court me — I'll not kifs'em. Hence, hence, and let me Deep. SILENUS. Aye, go thy ways. (Ulyjfes conducts the Cyclops into his cave and returns.) ULYSSES. Now, ye brave fons of Bacchus, all is ready, The 200 The mender fleeps — the pointed flake is flaming, Now let's to work — be men, my friends, be men— CHORUS. O ! we have hearts of adamant — return — We'll quickly follow— ULYSSES. Vulcan, lord of ^Etna, Now do thy duty— fleep thou fon of night, Refl heavy on the wretch — What ? fhall a band So bold, fo fam'd as our's inglorious perifh; And fall the viclims of an impious Cyclops ? CHORUS. See they feize the monfler's neck ; See they point the fiery dart, And plunge it deep — Bacchus, Bacchus, fight for us, Soon again my longing eyes Shall view thy beauteous front With ivy-crown'd — End of AH Fourth. 201 act v. ULYSSES, CHORUS, CYCLOPS. (The latter in his cave,) ULYSSES. Peace, peace, — by all the gods, I pray you, filence, Breathe not a word, nor cough, nor wink your eye, Left ye may rouze the Cyclops from his flum- bers— - CHORUS. There—there — we'll hold our breath— ULYSSES Come in, I fay, And help to do the deed — CHORUS, Dd 202 CHORUS. We cannot flir— ULYSSES. Are ye all lame ? CHORUS. I rather think we are, Our legs fhake under us — ULYSSES. Ye feem convuls'd. CHORUS. .'Tis very ftrange — I'm fure we cannot help thee, But we can ling an Orphic ode — ULYSSES. O cowards ! Well — be it fo — I and my brave companions Will do without you — fing fome cheering ditty. CHORUS. 203 CHORUS. How bafe is fear — the truly brave, Snatch the deathlefs wreath of fame, Shouting crouds their fleps attend. Warriors, raife the finewy arm, Deeper, deeper, plunge your fires ; Warriors, work the deed of wrath, Laugh to fcorn the monfter's groans, And flain with impious blood The many fhaft— CYCLOPS.— (From within.) Alas ! alas ! I'm blinded, fcorch'd and pierc'd. CHORUS. O ! ling that flrain again ! CYCLOPS. Dd2 204 CYCLOPS. Alas ! alas I I perifh, I am blinded — do not think The dogs will 'fcape me yet — here by this en- trance 1*11 Hand and clofe it with my arms. Alas ! CHORUS. Cyclops, what means this clamour? haft thou reel'd Into the fire ? CYCLOPS. No-one, I fay, has pierc'd me — CHORUS, Then No-one is to blame. CYCLOPS. No-one has blinded me — CHORUS. 205 CHORUS. Then thou canft fee— CYCLOPS. Would thou couldfl fee no better ! CHORUS. And how did No-one blind thee ? CYCLOPS. Out, thou fcofFer ! Where is that No-one ? CHORUS. He is no where, Cyclops. CYCLOPS. That curfed gueft, I tell thee, has deftroyed me, He gave me drink that burnt my flefh — where is he ? Where 206 Where are my other guefts ? have they efcaped ? Or are they in my cave ? CHORUS. They're in thy cave, CYCLOPS. Where — where ? CHORUS. They're clofe beneath the rock — thou haft them — CYCLOPS. Alas ! I've fplit my fkull againft this ridge here. CHORUS. And now thou'lt lofe them — CYCLOPS. Tell me where they are — CHORUS. 207 CHORUS. There — there — CYCLOPS, I cannot catch them — CHORUS. There again, More to the left. CYCLOPS. Alas ! alas ! thou mock' ft me — CHORUS. Now I'll fpeak truly, Cyclops, they're before thee — ULYSSES. Yes, monfter, far enough from thee, and know Ulyffes leads them hence— CYCLOPS- 208 CYCLOPS. What? haft thou chang'd Thy name then, and procured a new one ? ULYSSES. No — I keep that my father gave to me— I tell thee that I glory in thy fufferings, I ihould have blufh'd when Troy was fpoken of Had I not punifh'd thy detefted crime— And now 1 quit thee — foon my fhip (hall bear me To my much long'd for country — CYCLOPS. Never, never, I'll follow to the fea— tear up a rock, And hurl it on your veifel — CHORUS. We (hall join Ulyffes' crew and feek our jolly god — * CHORUS. 209 •CHORUS. Bear me, O ! Bacchus, to thy funny hills Where twifted tendrils bend Beneath the cluttering grape ! With ready hand I'll prefs The purple fpoils, And drain the fragrant dream.—- Hail, Bromius, ivy-crowned king, Leader of the revelling bands, Thyrfus-bearing Bromius, hail! What is man without thy gifts ? Dull and formal, ftern and cold— Thy liquid treafures warm the heart Thy piercing juices fire the brain, And all around is love and joy — - Laughing * I have taken the liberty of adding this final chorus to the piece, in order to break the abruptnefs of the con- dunon; E e 210 Laughing Venus quaffs thy cup, Quicker pants her heaving bread, Redder rofes tinge her cheeks, Lighter graces fwim around her. Hail ! Bacchus, hail ! O bear me fwiffc Where clanging cymbals echo fhrill Mixt with the Bacchanalian fhout ! — See the fportive nymphs advance ! Their light robes floating in the breeze % Scattering a thoufand fweeteft fcents, They jocund wave their mining locks And twine the wanton dance, — End of AB Fifth* PANDORA, M O JV Q D R A M A Jam figna ruendi His dedlt confufaque rurfus Natura timet. CLAUDIAN. ?®©^!<^Ef2S>|@@®»«=- PANDORA. «WV< Pandora pajfing from Heaven to Earth. H OW my heart throbs with joy — a hand divine Has form'd thefe finifh'd limbs, celeftial fire Darts thro' my veins, the choiceft gifts of gods Are pour'd upon me — can I e'er forget Their fplendid council in the flame-tipt clouds, When firfl from Vulcan's touch I fprang to life, And dazzled fhrunk before their blaze of glory ? Aloft on golden throne great Jove was feated. O'er his broad front the cluttering trefles fell Ana 214 And mildly beam'd his eyes — -arife, ye gods, Hi^ awful voice exclaim' d, arife and fhed Your richeff. bleffings on Pandora's form ; He fpake, majeflic from his fide arofe The queen of heaven, around thy fteps, fhe cried, Shall float a (lately grace— with rofes crown'd The laughter-loving Venus next advanc'd Light as the fummer breeze, and fmiling faid O'er thy fair cheeks I cad a crimfon tint, Thy melting eyes (hall fwim in foftefi luflre, Thy fwelling breads be moulded to the form Of Hebe's cup, be white as drifted fnow — - And while me fpake, a thoufand odours rofe, A thoufand fpoitive loves brifk fluttering round Fann'd the warm air — The god with golden locks Then came — be eloquent as fair, he cried, For what avails the radiance of thine eyes The blofibms of thy cheeks, if honied words Dwell not upon thofe lips, thy fpeech mall fall Soft as the dews of eve ; then circling gods Preft on me to bellow their varied honours ; Enough, %15 Enough, cried Jove, (he's p erf eel: — take this cafket Fafl bound in glittering ribs, and bear it hence To where Prometheus 'bides beware, O nymph, To ope its filver clafps — 1 bow'd obedient — This cafket ! — is Prometheus then fo lov'd ? Daring Prometheus? — from the fiery cope He flole forbidden flames — the vulture tore His bleeding heart-— and do the gods reward him ? To hira they doom Pandora, doom to him The rare device this adamant enfolds — Why is it thus ?— what enviable gift Is here contain'd ? — not look at it ! — O Jove, Where was the goddefs of the tinted arch Thy wonted raefTenger ? — why, to my hands Confign the prize ? — perchance the god was fportive And wifh'd to try me — 'tis an empty cafket — Or if 'tis not, its fecret flore perhaps Would 216 Would prove to me a bane — I'll think no more on't— How broad the way, 'tis trac'd with milky beams-*— Lo ! there's the earth, it floats in circling air, Its towering hills are tipt with fteady light, In yon dark (hades the billowy waters lurk, Once huge and fhapelefs, now a viewlefs mind Has mov'd its jarring atoms, rang'd its forms, And o'er its fertile furface fcatter'd wide, The glow of life — ah, how I long to ftray Amid its flowery vales — there quiet dwells — No more the giant-arms high heap the moun- tains To reach this flarry bridge, no more the light- nings Flafh horribly around — all — all, all is peace — I foon fhall reach it— how the fam'd Prome- theus Will gaze enamoured on my youthful charms. What ? — can Jove fend him too a nobler gift Than fair Pandora ? fure the cafket holds Ambrofial food— that makes the gods immortal — Would 217 Would I could tafte it — nay, 'tis poifon rather — deep revenge ! and thus to fnatch Prome- theus Delighted from my arms- — it cannot be— Jove bade me blefs the earth, he bade me rear A blooming offspring — would he flay my huf- band ? — Ah were it thus ? — I'll ope it— fhall I thwart The dread commands of heaven? — fome dire diftrefs Would fall upon me — Think what dreadful woes Prometheus fuffered — -think what endlefs pangs Torment the Titans — theirs were crimes indeed— But what is this ? — Among the other gods 1 well remember Mars ; he call upon me A furious look, be bold, he cried, O maid, Be bold above thy fex — and now's the time— O'er the vafl (ky a folemn filence broods, No eye beholds me, I've already pad The monfters of the air, the fiery archer, The flaming goat, the writhing ferpent's fold ; F f Whate'er 218 Whate'er the cafket holds it cannot 'fcape me — What if it 'fcapes, and Jove mould know my guilt? Sure this all-perfect form, thefe fmiles of love, The touching accents of my rofy lips May win forgivenefs from the thunderer's felf — Yes, yes, the god expe&s my difobedience — I tremble flill — aflift me Mars — 'tis done. [Opening the cafket. What! — empty! — empty !— yet methought a wind As of a thoufand mining wiugs blew fwift Athwart my face — ah me ! what griefly forms Float in the air — fee, fee, they horrid fmile And mocking point at me — fpeak, fpeak, who are ye ? \A voice from the air. Thanks to her who gave us birth Eager failing to the earth, We hade to a6l the deeds of woe And prey on all that breathes below. PANDORA. 219 PANDORA. Ah me ! who are ye ? wretched, wretched woman ! [The voice continues. Bloody Strife, grid gnawing Care, Pride and Hatred and Defpair Hover o'er thee- in the air, We hafle to a£t the deeds of woe And prey on all that breathes below. PANDORA. What have I done ?— huff), hufh, a fofter found! [Another voice from the air* Hear, thou lucklefs maiden, hear, Ceafe thy forrow, ceafe thy fear, Tho' yon grim troop on mortal fhore Hade the tide of grief to pour, Hope fhall join the gloomy throng, Hope fhall breathe her foothing fong, And bending o'er the wounded heart Gently ileal the poifon'd dart, Hope fhall bid the tempeft ceafe And whifper future hours of peace. Ff2 ODE 220 ODE TO NIGHT, H IT HER, O queen of filence, turn the fleeds The flow-pac'd fleeds which draw thy ebon car, And heave athwart the fky Thy ftarry-ftudded veil. Come not with all thy horrors clad, thy heaps Of threat'ning pitchy clouds, thy wafteful blafts Which howling o'er the deep, High fwell the boifterous furge. Far be the fearful forms which round thee float ! The owl fhrill-fhrieking, and the flitting bat, And every ghaflly (hape That frightened fancy fpies! But 221 But come with peaceful flep, while o'er the land, Parch'd by the fultry fun, thy coolnefs breathes, And fummer mifcs are fhed Upon the withering herb. Let all be ftill — fave the fweet note of her Who warbles to thy fteps, and the faint found Of yon tall trees that bend Before thy fwelling breeze. Or from the diftant mountain, whofe huge crags Are pil'd to heaven, let echo feebly fend The falling waters roar Acrofs the wide-fpread lake. Then will 1 haften to the firm-built tower, And climb its winding fteps, and from the top Gaze with a deep delight On heaven's bright burning fires ; While from the northern verge of ether fhoot The flickering tides of ever changing light, Now 222 Now rolling yellow ft ream s, Now ting'd with glary red ; Pleas'd will I trace the meteor of the vale, Which fmoothly Aiding thro' its fhining path Sinks in its fwampy bed, And dims its fires in mift : Defcending 'midft the fields below I'll ftray, Where on the grafs the quiet herds are ftretch'd, Mixing their fragrant breath With freihen'd fcents of flowers^ Or loitering on the brim of ocean, mark The pale beams dancing on its curled waves, While from the gleamy eaft The moon begins her courfe ; Then flowly wandering to my peaceful home ; I'll feek my filent couch, and floating dreams Shall feaft my charmed foul With airy fcenes of blifs — EPIGRAM 223 EPIGRAM ON A SWALLOW BEARING A GRASHOPPER TO HER YOUNG.* A: H, Attic maid, who from the fcented Sower Drink'ft honied juice ! ah, minftrel I dofl thou bear To feaft the callow younglings of thy bower The brifk and gaily-chirping grafshopper ? What ? fhall the fongfter feize a vocal prey ? The winged feek the winged for her food ? The ftranger fnatch her fellow-gueft away ? The child of fummer tear the fummer- brood ? Do' ft thou not drop him? — oh, 'tis cruel, bafe, When poets fuffer by the poet-race. * Tranflated from the Greek. A WAR-SONG 224 A WAR-SONG* Fingal, Jurrounded by a numerous army of the enemy in a valley from which he had no prof- pet~l of efcape, unexpectedly perceived on the tops of the mountains the troops of his friends advancing to his relief: at this period the fong begins. H IGH o'er the hills the banners wave in air j A band of heroes (talk in armed pride ; With Erin's gold the mining flreamers glare ; Revenge, revenge, the ftarting Fingal cried, * From the Gaelic. Lo! 225 Lo! their glittering flags I fpy The dark-hair'd Tons of victory ; Now the boafler's pride is low— Deeply ftrike th' avenging blow. 'Tis Dermod's colt!- — he breathes difrnay, Strong-arm'd warriors, feaft no more — Dermod's banners foremofl play When the dreams of battle roar ; Now the boafler's pride is low- Deeply ftrike th* avenging blow. See ! — the gore-Ptain'd eagle rofe, Fierce the hofl that Chialt leads, - Scattering heads of flying foes, Bloody thro* the fight he fpeeds ; Now the boafler's pride is low — Deeply ftrike th* avenging blow. Who Gg 226 Who is next ?— the dark-brow* d king Drifting heaper of the (lain, When the thick'ning weapons ring, Laft fliall Ofcar's hand refrain ; Now the boafter's pride is low-— Deeply ftrike th' avenging blow. Lo ! the fon of Morni's near, When the hofts of fight are mix'd, When the green earth quakes for fear, Firm his nervous foot is fix'd ; Now the boafter's pride is low — Deeply ftrike th' avenging blow. Enough, enough, too much for thee, On the dark-brown hills I fee, They come, they come, the warlike trains Drag nine weighty golden chains, Nine hundred heroes at their head — I fee the gazing foe a-dread. Before 2#7 Before the hiffing fpear they flee, As wreck along the dafhing fea ; Shouts of warriors rend the fkies, Battle frniles — arife, arife— Now the boafter's pride is low- Deeply flrike the avenging blow. 1 ') d 2 TO 228 TO CYNTHIA* ) ©gr^ T I AAo W winning are thofe pearly drops Which pity bids to flow ! Soft o'er thy blooming cheeks they glide And wet thy bread of fnow. 'Tis thus along the fcented vale The lucid frreamlet goes, And moiflens with its glittering waves The lily and the rofe. And as when dews of eve defcend To cool the fcorched bower, Some joyful flutterer hovers round And bathes him in the fhower. * This Ode is tranflated from the Antholog. Lond. 1684. p. 148. So 229 So young Defire amid thy tears His filken pinions plies, And fhakes his torch with playful hand, And brighter flames arife. TO 230 TO CYNTHIA, w HAT tho' I'm told that Flora's face Is flufh'd with frefher tints than thine, That Chloe moves with nobler grace, That Laura's lightnings brighter fhine; What tho' I'm told Zelinda's breaft Is whiter than the mountain-mows, That Fulvia's lips in dimples died Are fweeter than the fummer-rofe ; For ever hanging on thy {"mile, To others' charms my foul is blind, What perfecl form can him beguile, Who doats upon thy perfecl mind ? TO 231 TO CYNTHIA. ->- A H ! fly not, fly not, nymph belov'd, And fhun thefe gazing eyes ! Ah ! can'ffc thou fee, and fee unmov'd, The flarting tear arife ? Shall not the deep-drawn fighs avail With which this bofbm fwells ? Wilt thou not hear the faltering tale That trembling paffion tells ? Think not that av'rice moves my bread To woo thy golden {tores. Think not thy rank in fplendour dred Is what this heart adores. I fcorn 232 I fcorn thy wealth, I fcorn thy ftate, Nor prize the boafting vain, To fnatch thee from the man I hate, A gayer richer fwain ; Thefe, thefe are joys of feeble power- Be Cynthia mine, I afk no more. INVITATION 233 INVITATION TO A FRAGMENT, H ASTE to thy friend, and from the moun- tain-brow, High-over-arching Cromer's pebbled fhore. Trace Ocean's varying hues, and view the fhades That chace each other o'er his dark-green breaft In quick fucceffion, floating with the clouds Which cafl the moving darknefs ; then defcend, And balk thee on the fands reflecting round Their grateful warmth, — Or watch the ghaftly gloom Of gathering florms that heave athwart the fky Their widening night, while hollow-whiftling winds Now fwell, now fink, and rolls the blacken'd fea H h His 234 His hoarfer furge — -or heed the rippling fhowers Which rattle o'er the deep, while airy forms Build on its waves the glittering bow of heaven ; And when behind yon wood-girt hills, the fun Has quench'd his fires, the fea-born flames fhall flafh, Glide thro* the wave and fparkle on the flrand. If thefe delight not, catch the purple beams Of fun-rife, tinging wide the mid of morn, And melting it to air — then brum acrofs The flower fpeck'd mead, and mark its native blooms, And glowing tints frefh-painted with the dew , While from the grafs the full-ey'd flately fleers Slow-Rretching rife, and fcan with fixed look Thy (1 ranger-form, and breathe their balmy- fleam. Or feek the briftly corn-field, jocund there, The low-bent mowers ply the hiding fcythe In cadence not unpleafing, with their tafk The tale, the laugh is mix'd ; and bend thy fteps To yon fleet brook, amid whofe (hining waves The 235 The countlefs fhoals wheel fwift, upturning oft Their polifh'd fides, and dart the flickering gleam Of filver light— When evening gently dims With fofteft fhades the glary light of day, When dark clouds, gold-tipt, croft the crimfon fky, And rear in air an awful radiant throne For ihapes unfeen, and thro' the reeking vale The calm deep flood of yellow light is pour'd, Then penfive wander to the twilight ftill Of Felbrig's oaks, for there thy mind fhall feed On heaven-born thought - Hhi ODE 236 ODE TO A FLY. 'W'WVX^'VWVWi AY child of fummer, who on burniftVd wings Unceafing ply 8 ft thy brifk and mazy flight, Tailing with rapture all that Nature flings Profufely round — ftill courting new delight, Come, in thine airy dance, and freely lip The clear juice fparkling to my thirfty lip, And wheeling fportive o'er my tempting board, Cull the red nectarine for thy lufcious meal, Or from the peach its pulp of fragrance fteal, And calmly rifle autumn's choiceft hoard. Then 237 Then buzzing hade thee to the funny field, Or drink the perfume that the moorlands yield, Or fwiftly to fome flowery vale repair, There jocund float adown the dimpling ftream, And meet thy breth'ren in the fetting beam, And bathe thy ebon fides in purple air. While thoughtlefs failing on the fcented gale, Beware yon flimy threads, the woof of death, The fpeckled fpider will empierce thy mail, And quench thy fpirit with his tainted breath. Oh ! may no tempefl (hade thy mirthful day, Nor glue thofe filmy wings with whelming rain! Oh ! may no feather'd foe rnolefl thy way, And fluttering bear thee to his infant train ! May no fierce inmate of the curled brook, While o'er his head thou fpeed'ft thy circling flight, Snatch thee unheeding to his watery nook, And ruthlefs force thee from the cheerful light. Long, S>38 Long, long may fummer lengthen out thy year, And fpare a life fo bright with varied joy, A little life which glides uncheck'd by fear, Tho' chilling winter hovers to deflroy. How different man — he forms the lowering cloud Of gloomy care his happier hours to fhroud, Fixing on doubtful ill his reftlefs eye, How wiferfar, like thee, with gladfome heart To catch the tranfports Nature's gifts impait And to her bounty truft futurity. ODE. 239 O D E*. >§&&*«?? JL LUSH'D with blooming beauty's pride, Fly not, fly not, lovely maid, The waving filver of my head, No more my gentle vows deride. Mark how pleafing to the fight The checker' d chaplet on my brow S Mark how the blufhing rofes glow, Twin'd with the lily's gliftening white I * From Anacreon. SONNET- 9A0 S O N N E T 9*®@®I««^^^^^|©@«»« I N vain doth Grandeur trick'd in gorgeous pall> Stalk {lately by, and point to glittering joys, In vain doth Mammon fpread his gilded toys, To lure a carelefs wight to bitter thrall, In vain doth loudly-laughing Pleafure call To loofe delights and days of mirthful noife, Hence, hated fiends — Me gentle Peace accoys, Her cup is heavenly fweet undafh'd with gall, Ybleft in her with flow and fecret tread I wander loitering in the arched grove, Fancy's gay dreams aye dancing round my head, There jolly elves at midnight nimbly move Their dainty feet, and fhades of mighty dead Glide pale athwart my path. Such fcenes the Mufes love. SONNET. 241 SONNET. ^©aSKSMWiaw w 1 A H, wretched wight ! whom Fame (hall tempt to leave The foft and filent valley of Repofe, And with her deeply-ftirring voice, deceive To deeds of thanklcfs toil and weary woes ; Ah, wretched wight ! who flays ne to perceive The thorns that threat'ning gird the peerlefs rofe, But hopes unharm'd he may a wreath receive Of deathlefs flowerets to bedeck his brows — Look up ! — afore the beamy towers of Fame What fell and ghaftly fiends for ever wait, Envy, whofe baleful vipers none can tame, And Difappointment of flow fullen gait, And with her eyes abafh'd heart-damping Shame ; Fly, fly to fair Repofe, nor fcorn fo fweet a mate. p 243 Corrigenda & Addenda, r E fac e — -For Sktckees read Sketches # P. 19, — Note — Infert after the words "Mythological per/on"—- It is fomewhat remarkable that neither Tacitus nor Pliny fhould have mentioned the name of Odin ; and we might rather be induced to fuppofe, from this omiflion, that he muft have flourifhed after their time ; this hypothecs in- deed will be abundantly eftablifhed if we may rely upon the Saxon Chronicle, as in the Genealogy of Kings (in that work) Odin is placed about 70 years before Alaric ; I confefs however that it appears to me highly improbable that Odin, the introducer of the Gothic Mythology, fhould not have lived before the fourth century, and I fhould rather be inclined to believe that the Odin men- tioned in the Saxon Chronicle was fome Gothic King who had aflumed that formidable name. P. 59. — Note—- For Keyjter read Keyjler. P. no. — Note — Infert after the words " repeopled the globe"-— Refpe£t.ing the Route of the Celts into Europe I have little to offer but conjectures ; poflibly however the fol- lowing remarks may not be deemed totally unworthy of attention. We are unable to trace any of the Celtic tribes farther Eaftward than to the fhores of the Euxine ; there dwelt the Cimmerii, or Cymbri, (doubtlefs a Celtic lis people) 244 people) who extended to the Cimmerian Bofphorus ; a part of thefe hordes appear to have croft the North of Europe, to have reached the Eaflern JJiore of the Baltic, where they, are mentioned as refiding by Pliny, and thence to have fpread themfelves, ftill retaining the name of Cymbri, thro' a great part of Germany and Britain, Another wave of people however arifmg from the fame fource, will appear I think from a confederation of the following fa£ts to have paft into Europe in a more Southern direction. Strabo informs us that feveral Celtic tribes were to be found in Vhrygia ; and the Galatians, to whom St. Paul addreffes an Epiftle, were a clan of the fame nation ; thefe latter indeed, as well as the Tefto- lages, (one of thf» tribes alluded to abovej arp Juppofed, to have paft from Europe into the territory which they occupied in Afia ; but as Strabo confefles that he is un- able to difcover the origin of the other Celtic inhabitants of Phrygia, it is highly probable that all the clans of this people who inhabited Afia Minor were the pofterity of a party of Celts who had fettled in that country when migrating from a more Eaftern fituation. Another tribe of the fame people refident in Thrace and Illyria were at- tacked and defeated by Basrebiftes. In the time of Alex- ander the Great a horde of Celts ftill inhabited the coaft of the Adriatic; the colony thus fituated might probably have been founded by a few adventurers who had with- drawn themfelves, on their route, from fome large mafs of their countrymen, while the main body itfelf, or rather perhaps fuccefTive bands of migrating Celts, appear to have preft forward from the fhores above mentioned to the Weft, and to have gradually poffeft themfelves of a confiderable portion of Italy and Gaul; thefe men or their 245 their defcendants at length eflablifhed themfelves at the foot of the Pyrenees, and finally over-ran (under the name of Celtiberians) an extenfive diftrift in Spain, Proofs of the fafts aboveftated will be found in Plinii Hilt. Nat. Lib. VI. 13. Macknight on the Epiftles Vol. II.. p. 105, &c. Strabo Lib. III. IV. et VII. Arrian de Expedit. Alexand. Lib. I. Herodot. Lib, II. et IV. Ariftot. degen. animal. Lib. II. 8. Caefar de Bell, Gallic, Lib. I. et Livii Hift. Lib. 21. P. 111.— Note — For Huzzuz read Hizzuz* P. 117- Mo TR*— After A»yjy ^/ttm in fart n rom.w.a f and after Seld en, &c. infert Eufebii Prseparat. Evangelic. Lib. I, P. 133. — Note— After Herodian, Lib. 8. infert— On le voit (Bel) comme nom du Soleil fur les Medailles Phe- niciennes de Cadiz et de plufieurs autres villes d'Efpagne. Monde primitif de Court de Gebelin, Vol. 4* P. 134. — Note — For Tauton throughout read Taauton ; and after Sanchoniathon infert — See Eufebii Prasparat. Evangelic. Lib. I. P. 136. — Note — Infert as an additional note to the words " unhewn altar"— I am fully perfuaded that many more traces of thefe gigantic Cromlechs and Druidical Circles than we are yet acquainted with, might eafily be discovered by an active curiofityj -0 246 curiofity, in all thofe parts of Europe into which the Celtic Rdigion had extended itfelf. The ftones men- tioned by Strabo as fituated on the ' 'iz^ov ctKfCdT'Aoiov of Spain (now Cape St. Vincent) were evidently the re- mains of fome kind of Druidical circle, he fays of them, KlQoVS (TvyKlHrftttl Tpg/f « TirjcLpCli KZTcL TOAAOU? TQTTOUt, CV$ etTO TSOV CLtpiKVXUZVW (TT^Z^CLl KATcl Tl TclTfiOV — $V ^ x ^ % \> > .0' ^--\/.^-->°, ,**«* *% Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. Neutralizing agent: Magnesium Oxide Treatment Date: March 2009 r * Neutralizing agent: Magnesii Treatment Date: March 2009 PreservationTechnologi A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVE (reservation lecunuiuyms A WORLD LEADER IN COLLECTIONS PRESERVATION 111 Thomson Park Drive Cranberry Township, PA 16066 (724)779-2111 ^' *^; tfSI LIBRARY OF CONGRESS DD0E3t.51E33 Fw ww wwwiiuMi ran ■HHEIHn B H H fflBMi IWHWPHBilllP ■HHI HHHHKt 9339 RmS .*JlHBnfiIflH8nn8iSii BlKBfiBmfflffllHs HE a^gKipflwig BHOBIfCMWc SjUJ ahwcaiaiL SnsfiaHs ffi Bwll&slffl BCHflnJBEBj Bow BBrara