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THE ODES 
 
 OF 
 
 ANACREON, 
 
 TRANSLATED 
 
 FROM THE GREEK 
 
 INTO 
 
 ENGLISH VERSE. 
 
 ^VITH 
 
 NOTES. 
 
 BY 
 
 THOMAS GIRDLESTONE, M.D. 
 
 SECOXD EDITION. 
 
 |>armout(j : 
 
 PRINTED BY JOHN BEART, FOR B. CR058Y 
 AND CO. LONDON. 
 
 1804. 
 
\ 4 
 
 LC Control Number 
 
 
 2003 354717 
 
JVITHOUT their content or knozdedge 
 the following work is dedicated to Charles 
 Stuart, Esq. and John Stuart, Esq. Capt. 
 in the Royal Navy, the Sons of the late 
 Hon. Sir Charles Stuart, Knight of 
 the Bath, §c. fyc. The translator of these 
 Odes had the good fortune, many years ago, 
 to serve in the army in a medical capacity, 
 under the command of the late Sir Charles 
 Stuart, and to the friendship of that Ge- 
 neral he attributes all his after-success in 
 life. The sons of Sir Charles Stuart 
 must therefore pardon the offer of the fol- 
 lowing EPITAPH, which no person, who 
 had the honour of knowing their excelUrJ. 
 father, will say is flattery 
 
 From their obedient 
 
 And faithful servant, 
 
 THOS. GIRDLESTONK 
 
 Yarmouth, July 11, 1803. 
 
TO the memory of the Ath Son of JohX 
 Earl of Bute, the Hoy, Sir Charles 
 Stuart, Knight of the Bath, whose know* 
 ledge, zeal, and magnanimity led on the 
 British troops to victory in Corsica and 
 Minorca; and under whose training many 
 of the distinguished Heroes of our Egyptian. 
 Army were formed: Worn out with the 
 fatigues of a very active military life in 
 various climates, he died, at Richmond, 
 on the c lbtk of March, 1801, a Member 
 (f Parliament for Poole. Colonel of the 
 h regiment of Foot, Lieutenant-General 
 in the Army, and Governor of Minorca, 
 regretted^ as a public loss, by his Sovereign, 
 the British Army, and his Country. — 
 
 Here reader, with ike tribute of a sigh, 
 Pause o'er this spot where Stuart's ashes lie! 
 Here with our state, our array blend thy tear ! 
 A statesman, warrior, soldier's friend lies here. 
 Such worth* by Providence, is only given, 
 To glance on earth, and point the way to heaven. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 TT has often been observed, that the idle 
 hours of literary men are accidentally di- 
 rected to some particular study. It is natural 
 enough to read the publications of those, 
 who reside in a place where a person himself 
 has some thoughts of becoming an inhabi- 
 tant. A residence in Yarmouth occasioned a 
 comparison of Mr. Urquhart's Anacreon with 
 the original, and the translation of those Odes 
 which are now submitted to the public. They 
 have been withheld from the press for near 
 eleven years, and how little they have pro- 
 fited by the delay, the reader perhaps will 
 
6 
 
 be too soon convinced. Indeed there are 
 many difficulties in reconciling t tioias 
 
 of the different readers of a work of this 
 kind. Those scholars, who have felt the 
 expressive harmony of the Greek language, 
 will be apt to exclaim with Laharpe,* I 
 we shall never see Anacreon translated. 
 Might not these learned gentlemen Iiave ad- 
 ded nor Homer, nor Pindar, nor ar.y poem 
 of extraordinary merit into another language ? 
 Some are critics only by the a\ ritings of 
 acknowledged critics, whose opinions they 
 
 e treasured up but never examined; 
 
 ice ^ ten wrong far one ::ho icrifes 
 
 unites." That the opinions of such gi 
 men as Dr. Johnson and Mr. Pope, though 
 always deserving of consideration, are some. 
 
 * Lycet ou court Jr Litt: 
 
times adapted too hastily may be proved 
 from their own works. Dr. Johnson says 
 a line beginning with Oh always oifends :* 
 yet in the few verses which he has left be- 
 hind him, there are thirty excellent lines 
 that begin with this offensive particle. 
 
 In his life of Gray he says, u there has 
 u of late arisen a practice of giving to 
 * c adjectives derived from substantives the 
 iC termination of participles ; such as the 
 *• cultured plain, the daisied bank ; but I 
 " was very sorry to see in the lines of a 
 u scholar like Gray, the honied spring. " Yet 
 honied is retained in Dr. Johnson's dicti- 
 onary with one citation from Shakespear 
 and two from Milton. 
 
 * See the latter part of Dr. Johnson's Life pf Po££» 
 
8 
 
 To steal the sweet and honied sentences. 
 
 Shake spear. 
 
 The bee with honied thigh. 
 The bait of honied words. 
 
 Milton. 
 
 Mr. Chalmers*" says that the number of 
 alterations which Dr. Johnson made in his 
 second and third edition of the Rambler far 
 exceeds six thousand. Perhaps had Dr. 
 Johnson lived to give a new edition of his 
 lives of the poets, he would have correct- 
 ed many of those opinions which are now 
 to be met with in that great work. 
 
 No part of Mr. Pope's Essay on Cri- 
 
 * The British Essayists with prefaces by Alexander 
 Chalmers. — Printer Johnson. 
 
9 
 
 tieism has been oftener repeated than tht* 
 following couplet : 
 
 " While expletives their feeble aid do join, 
 u And ten low words oft creep in one dull line.''* 
 
 From these lines many seem to have sup- 
 posed, that every line with monosyllables, 
 and especially with do or did, must ne- 
 cessarily be a bad line. Yet some of the 
 best lines of Mr. Pope are monosyllables, 
 and no poet has so many heroic lines 
 with monosyllables as he has. Mr. Gray 
 also has many lines with monosyllables. 
 Indeed it may be doubted whether the e- 
 nergy of a line does not oftener depend 
 upon the number of verbs, than the num- 
 ber of polysyllables which it contains ? 
 
10 
 
 * Tiiouglit* that breathe Sf words that burn."* 
 44 Seas roll to waft me^ Sans to light me rise." 
 
 And many other lines might be quoted ia 
 support of this opinion. In the composi- 
 tion of short measure, it will be found 
 that polysyllables are more unmanageable 
 than monosyllables. 
 
 Mr. Pope has avoided the too frequent 
 use of do , did, &c, which often enfeebled 
 the lines of Di'yden and the preceding po- 
 ets. Yet thfre are lines w r here the whole 
 strength seems to depend upon one of 
 these supposed feeble expletives. Professor 
 Carlyle's translation of Abou Mohammed's 
 
 * This line contains a greater number of conso- 
 nants than is usually met with in a line of sevea 
 ■syllables. 
 
11 
 
 Adieu is a beautiful specimen of Arabian 
 poetry. But it may be questioned whether 
 the last line might not have been improved 
 by an auxiliary verb. 
 
 THE boatmen shout — 'tis time to part, 
 
 No longer we must stay ; — 
 'Twas then Maimuna taught my heart 
 
 How much a glance could say. 
 
 With trembling steps to me she came, - 
 " Farewell" she would have cried, 
 
 But ere her lips the word could frame 
 In half-form'd sounds it died. 
 
 Then bending down with lips of love, 
 
 Her arms she round me Hung ; 
 And as the gale hangs on the grove, 
 
 Upon my breast she hung. 
 
12 
 
 ODE V. 
 
 ON THE ROSE. 
 
 Let us mix with wine the rose. 
 As the flower of Love it blows; 
 Whilst its wreaths our temples twine, 
 Blend the frolick, laugh, and wine. 
 
 The Grecians esteemed the rose more than any- 
 other flower, and admitted it to all their entertain- 
 ments, as this Ode and the 53d evince. Tliey 
 used wreaths of flowers and perfumes not only 
 for pleasure, but because they imagined that o- 
 dours prevented the -wine from intoxicating them. 
 
Rose the sweetest flower I sing! 
 Favorite of the budding spring! 
 E'en the rulers of the skies 
 Lovely rose thy beauties prize! 
 When the dance gay Cupid leads 
 With the Graces o'er the meads, 
 Each fiow'ry tresse most warmly glows 
 W r ith thy bright buds delicious rose! 
 Me with rosy crown attire, 
 Then I'll wake to life the lyre; 
 Then O Bacchus ! at thy shrine, 
 Whilst around me roses twine, 
 With the youthful-bosom'd fair, 
 Roses, Wine, and Love, I'll share. 
 
14 
 
 But true expression like the unchanging sun. 
 True ease in writing comes from art not chance. 
 
 Mr. Pope has in the above essay about 
 sixty lines with open vowels even tho' it 
 be admitted that the final e in such words 
 as breathe ) those, these, is as much shut 
 up as in little, able, acquiesce,* &c. Mr. 
 Pope took the objection to open vowels 
 
 * It is by anatomical accuracy, that the deaf are 
 taught to speak. And if the question were to be 
 'examined anatomicaily, why a different sound is 
 given to breathe, those, these, than to breath, t 
 •ihes, it wouid prove to be, because the vocal 
 breathing is continued beyond the final consonant ; 
 and that therefore the silent e is not quite so 
 common in our language as it is generally ima- 
 gined. Dr. Johnson suspected, that in ador: 
 the .terms of former grammarians, he had betray- 
 ed more of • reverence than of judgement. — See his 
 grammar (in his dictionary) on the vowels. 
 
15 
 
 from Quintilian, But the number of open 
 vowels in the Italian poetry, and the 
 smoothness of verses in that language proves 
 that Quintilian's objection to a number of 
 open vowels is an unnecessary caution to 
 the writers of Dutch, German, or English 
 verse. His caution against a plurality of 
 consonants is much more worthy of the 
 consideration of writers in any of these 
 languages. There is hardly a page of 
 Mr. Pope's poetry where there are not 
 open vowels. 
 
 There are many scholars and mathema- 
 ticians, who derive no satisfaction from the 
 perusal of the finest poetry that the Eng- 
 lish language has produced : and even those 
 who have a taste for poetic productions 
 must confess, that the same lines are read 
 
16 
 
 by them with very different sensations at 
 different times ; so necessary is it for the 
 enjoyment of this sort of reading, that the 
 Inind, to a certain degree, be disengaged. 
 An indifferent translation perhaps is often 
 preferred to a better, from the circum- 
 stance of the worst having been familiar 
 to a person at that early period of youth, 
 when the commonest rhymes and pictures 
 give more delight than the most finished 
 productions can ever after produce. 
 
 , As more ears are tuned to iambic verse 
 of four, and five feet, than to any other, 
 a different measure may be recited by such 
 readers with more difficulty, and of course 
 with less satisfaction. 
 
 Nor is it likely, that every line of any 
 writer can accord with the ears of the rca- 
 
i7 
 
 ders of different counties, since the pro- 
 nouncing accent of words, which is the 
 basis of all our English prosody, is not 
 yet brought to a standard by the labours 
 of Sheridan, Johnson, Nares, and Walker; 
 who are not agreed on the accentuation of 
 above nine hundred* words. Indeed from 
 the number of misplaced accents in the 
 editions of Dr. Johnson's dictionary, it is 
 impossible to know how he intended to 
 accent any word, except where he proves 
 the accentuation by a poetical citation. 
 By the authority of some of our best po- 
 ets, many words may be said to be com- 
 
 * See A vocabulary of such words in the English 
 language as are of dubious or unsettled accent ua* 
 tion. — Printed in 1797, at London, for Rivington,. 
 &c. Sec. This vocabulary has above nine hundred 
 words. 
 
 h 
 
18 
 
 mon, as confessor, perfume^ record,* mid- 
 night, &c. Dr. Darwin and Mr. Words- 
 worth, accent tozcard\ on the last syllable, 
 which will probably not appear to be a 
 wrong accentuation to the inhabitants of 
 the northern parts of England. 
 
 Words that are decidedly difficult to 
 pronouuce are not calculated to give strength 
 or harmony either to prose or verse. 13 ut 
 
 * Oh that record is lively in my soul. 
 
 Shakespeare. 
 
 The lawyers, who are the best preservers of accent, 
 still retain this accentuation on record. 
 
 t And stole a guilty glance toward the bed. 
 
 Darwin. 
 
 Is slow toward the sympathies of them. 
 
 Wordsworth's lyrical ballads. 
 
19 
 
 some minds can no more account for their 
 dislike to particular words, than others 
 can for their antipathies to any particular 
 animal, fruit, or cookery. 
 
 It is therefore impossible for any writer 
 to avoid words which shall not be objecti- 
 onable to the caprice of a reader, however 
 such words may be sanctioned by autho- 
 rity in a similar sense. And as some spec- 
 tators associate the ideas of rascality or 
 generosity with the real moral characters 
 of those players, whom they have once 
 seen perform rascally, or benevolent parts on 
 the stage ; so some readers may expect that 
 every part of a translation should be equal- 
 ly spirited, without considering that the 
 original may be very unequal, and that 
 the translator , like the actor ? may be on- 
 
20 
 
 \y repeating what are not his own, but 
 his author's defects. No person, in trans- 
 lating the dull parts of an author, can 
 find that amusement which he found in 
 translating the favorite parts: but what he 
 has nearly finished he may wish to com- 
 plete. The selected parts of an author are 
 therefore more apt to be better received 
 than the translation of his whole work. 
 It is to be presumed, that no reader would 
 wish to see the blemishes of an author re- 
 tained with the fidelity of a Chinese tailor, 
 who in making a coat from an European 
 pattern, is said to take particular care to 
 copy the patches, where the unfortunate o- 
 riginal happened to have been torn and 
 mended. Some deep scholars may be dis- 
 appointed in seeing no attempt made to 
 settle the criticisms of Stephens, Faber, Da* 
 
21 
 
 tier, Longepierre, Baxter, Barnes, Boycf 5 
 Maittaire, Pawe, D'Orviile, Fischer, Brunk, 
 &c. on particular passages, which are of- 
 ten very tritiing and fanciful difference^ 
 and have little to do with the unity of a- 
 ii) one of these odes. 
 
 But for such explanations and the life of 
 the author, the reader is referred to the a- 
 bove learned commentators, to Mr. Dalzel's 
 Analecta, and the translations of Citizen 
 Gaii and Mr. Moore. 
 
 The English translations of Anacreon are 
 Stanley's, Addison's, Fawkes', Urquhart's, 
 and Moore's, besides Cowley's, Younge's, 
 and many other partial translations and 
 imitations. 
 
 To judge by the specimen which Sir John 
 Hawkins has given in his edition of Dr. 
 
22 
 
 Johnson, (under the life of Cowley) Stan- 
 iey has entered very much into the spirit 
 and preserved the conciseness of his author. 
 The translation of Mr. John Addison is, 
 as Mr. Fawkes has observed, with the ex- 
 ception of a few odes, harsh and prosaic. 
 The odes by Mr. Fawkes are very spirited, 
 and from being free translations, are per* 
 haps more beautiful to an English reader 
 than any faithful translator will ever turn 
 them. But many of the odes of his edi- 
 tion are done by Dr. Broome, and they are 
 \ery different both in accuracy and spirit. 
 
 Were it as easy to correct as to discern 
 the faults in every translation of this author, 
 a more perfect English Anacreon might be 
 soon expected. 
 
 But as the correction of one defect is 
 
23 
 
 very apt to create another, whoever will 
 try his own powers at translating a single 
 ode of f his poet, may find the undertak- 
 ing more difficult than he at first imagined 
 it to be. 
 
 For though mirthful subjects will admit 
 of more familiarity of language than any 
 other species of poetry, yet it would be 
 desirable in a translation of Anacreon, 
 that no particular beauty should be over- 
 looked; that the unity of each ode should 
 be preserved in that measure which ap- 
 proaches nearest the most prevailing mea- 
 sure of the original ; that the language 
 should neither be composed of low nor un- 
 poetic words; and that the epigrammatic 
 conciseness of the Greek be as much as pos- 
 sible preserved. 
 
24 
 
 These are excellencies which no transla- 
 tion of this author has ever yet attained, 
 and all that can be hoped for from the 
 present attempt is, to rouse the genius of 
 some more successful candidate. 
 
 As it was impossible to translate these 
 odes without bestowing a thought on the 
 moral tendency of the original, it may be 
 necessary for those admirers of Anacreoft 
 who are still young, to consider that the 
 indulging in a life pf ebriety and voluptu- 
 ousness must be always of a miserable 
 tendency. For however desirable hilarity 
 of temper may be, yet it never can be 
 lasting without perseverance in a life of 
 iemperance, and the exercise of many virtues. 
 
 An Italian Poet, in some latin verses which 
 Mr. Moore has elegantly translated, says 
 
25 
 
 *• To love and Bacchus ever young, 
 
 " While sage Anacreon touched the lyre; 
 
 ii He neither felt the loves he sung, 
 
 " Nor RWd his hoid to Bacchus higher ," kc> 
 
 But even if Anacreon did feel as lie wrote, 
 and did outlive two generations of his com- 
 panions, as a drunkard now and then may 
 do : yet there can be no doubt but that 
 the abuse of wine or other stimulating po- 
 tations, whether inebriation be or be not 
 the effect, brings on in most men a pre- 
 mature old age, with the horrid train of 
 bodily and mental infirmities, and is too 
 often the source of all the misfortunes of 
 our British youth. If the duration of plea- 
 sure be the wish of the F.picurean, how 
 can that wish be so certainly attained as 
 by preserving the integrity of his mind, 
 c 
 
26 
 
 and the duration of his health, by that 
 forbearance which moderates his immediate 
 pleasure? The practical physician has many 
 more opportunities than the theologian of 
 seeing the miserable effects of an ill-spent 
 life. 
 
 The following elegant translation, by pro- 
 fessor Carlyle, of Abou Alcassim Ebn Ta- 
 taba, may prevent the necessity of a ser- 
 mon on the moderation of our pleasures. 
 
 How oft does passion's grasp destroy 
 The pleasure that it strives to gain ? 
 
 How soon the thoughtless course of joy 
 Is doom'd to terminate in pain ? 
 
 When prudence wou'd thy steps delay. 
 She but restrains to make thee blest ; 
 
 Whate'er from joy she takes away, 
 But heightens and secure the rest. 
 
27 
 
 Woald'st thou a trembling flame expand, 
 That hastens in the lamp to die! 
 
 With careful touch, with sparing hand, 
 The feeding stream of life supply. 
 
 Cut if thy flask profusely sheds 
 A rushing torrent o'er the blaze. 
 
 Swift round the sinking flame it spreads 
 And kills the fire it fain would raise. 
 
 Yarmouth, July 11, 1804. 
 
ERRATA. 
 
 Page 15, line 3d, of the preface^ for proves 
 
 read prove. 
 Pags 9, line 5th, of tie note, for breath road 
 
 breathe. 
 
A NACRE ON. 
 
 99QQQ999C 
 
 ODE I. 
 
 ON HIS LYRE. 
 
 Though of Atreus' sons I sing. 
 Or to Cadmus touch the string ; 
 
 To those who are able to read the Latin notes 
 of the different Editors of Anacreon, notes must 
 s>e quite unnecessary : therefore only a few for 
 the English reader are selected. 
 
 This Ode is commonly the first in the Editions 
 of Anacreon as Love is one of the most prevailing 
 subjects of his Odes, 
 
a 
 
 Still my lyre the theme confounds* 
 Still with notes of love resounds. 
 Late I strung anew my shell , 
 Toils of Hercules to tell ; 
 Still the chords rebellious prove. 
 Trilling only strains of love. 
 Farewell then ye heroes dire ! 
 Love alone attunes my lyre. 
 
 Atreus' sons. J Agamemnon and Menelaus the chief 
 commanders at the siege of Troy. By the AtridiS 
 the poet means the Trojan, and by Cadmus the 
 Theban, war. 
 
 Late I strung anew my shell) It is a common 
 phrase with the antient poets to say that they had new- 
 strung their lyre when they meant to celebrate any 
 extraordinary subject. The lyre is said to have 
 toeen formed of the entire shell of a tortoise. 
 
ODE II. 
 
 ON WOMEN. 
 
 Nature horns on bulls bestows, 
 Guards with hoofs the horse from foes; 
 Hares with swiftest feet befriends, 
 Lions' horrid jaws distends ; 
 Fishes through the floods she guides. 
 Birds with rapid wings provides; 
 Man her nobler aid receives, 
 Mental force to him she gives. 
 
4 
 
 Nature thus of gifts bereft, 
 What for women has she left? 
 What but beauty's matchless charms, 
 
 Stronger far than warriors' arms ? 
 
 i 
 NougUt with beauty's armour vies, 
 
 Beauty ire and sword defies ! 
 
ODE III. 
 
 ON CUPID. 
 
 In a pitchy midnight air, 
 When Bootes guides the Bear; 
 
 When Bootes guides the Bear.) Constellations 
 near the northern Pole. Bootes is called the Bear 
 Keeper. 
 
 Through my liver iving' 'd it Jiies.) Many pas- 
 sages from the Greek and Latin poets might be 
 cited to prove that they transferred the effects of 
 love to the liver, and that the sympathy between 
 the liver and brain, was as familiar to them, as 
 it Is to modern physicians. 
 
6 
 
 When oppress'd by toils of day 
 
 Men the call of sleep obey; 
 
 Love my humble home explores 
 
 Thund'ring loud against my doors. 
 
 u Whence, I cry, and why this noise ? 
 
 u Who my door and rest annoys : 
 
 Lo the voice of Love I hear! 
 
 a Ope your door dismiss your fear; 
 
 u Drooping wet 'tis I, a child, 
 
 u By this moonless night begun" d !" 
 
 At this melting tale of woe, 
 
 Pity's tear begins to flow ; 
 
 Up I rise and strike a light, 
 
 Put my bars and locks to flight. 
 
Then with quiver bow and wings. 
 
 In the boy equipped springs! 
 
 By the fire I him recline 
 
 And his hands rub warm with mine ; 
 
 Then from each depending tresse, 
 
 I the limpid water press. 
 
 Soon as he began to glow, 
 
 a Now, says he, let's try my bow, 
 
 " Whether still the strings remain, 
 
 " Quite uninjur'd by the rain?" 
 
 Quick he then an arrow tries, 
 
 Through my liver wing'd it flies ; 
 
 Then exulting, leaps the boy, 
 
 u Host says he, I give thee joy, 
 
6 
 
 iC Sound I find my bow indeed, 
 
 <c But thy heart with pain must bleed !" 
 
9 
 
 ODE IV. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 Stretcii'd on tender myrtle leaves, 
 Where the spreading lotus cleaves; 
 Where sweet gales around me fly. 
 Still for rosy wine I sigh. 
 
 The first lines of this Ode seem to refer to the 
 common luxury of Eastern countries, of having a 
 sort of vegetable tent made beside some beautiful 
 shrubs, or river. Sometimes, parts of these shrubs 
 are so enclosed that they may be said to breath 
 
10 
 
 Thy fair crest come Love then trim ! 
 Fill for me the goblet's brim ! 
 For as the chariot's wheel is spun, 
 So the round of life is run. 
 Then away as dust we fly, 
 Or as mould'ring bones we lie ! 
 Why on tombs sweet odours show'r ? 
 Why o'er the dead libations pour ? 
 
 their fragrance beneath the couch. The sides of 
 these tents are made of braids of different shrubs, 
 which are daily renewed, for the winds to blow 
 thro' them : and when the winds are too hot, 
 water poured on the outside leaves renders the 
 breeze thro' the tent delightfully cool, as I my- 
 self have experienced when encamped in some 
 parts of India. 
 
11 
 
 Rather while with life I glow 
 Fragrance sweet on me bestow; 
 Rosy wreaths around me twine ; 
 Hither call the nymph divine ; 
 Ere I to the shades go down, 
 I with love my cares will drown. 
 
12 
 
 ODE V. 
 
 ON THE ROSE. 
 
 Let us mix with Mine the rose. 
 As the flower of Love it blows ; 
 Whilst its wreaths our temples twine, 
 Blend the frolick, laugh, and wine. 
 
 The Grecians esteemed the rose more than any 
 other flower, and admitted it to all their entertain- 
 ments, as this Ode and the 53d evince. TJiey 
 used wreaths of flowers and perfumes not only 
 for pleasure, but because they imagined that o- 
 dours prevented the -wine from intoxicating them. 
 
Rose the sweetest {lower I sing ! 
 Favorite of the budding spring! 
 E'en the rulers of the skies 
 Lovely rose thy beauties prize! 
 When the dance gay Cupid leads 
 With the Graces o'er the meads, 
 Each fiow'ry tresse most warmly glows 
 With thy bright buds delicious rose ! 
 Me with rosy crown attire. 
 Then I'll wake to life the lyre; 
 Then O Bacchus ! at thy shrine. 
 Whilst around me roses twine, 
 With the youthful-bosom'd fair, 
 Roses, Wine, and Love, I'll share. 
 
14 
 
 ODE VI. 
 
 ON FESTIVITY. 
 
 Round our brows while roses twine. 
 Blend the joys of mirth and wine. 
 Down the dance with taper limbs. 
 See the graceful virgin swims; 
 To the lute, in rustling lays, 
 Ivy-wreath'd her Thyrsus plays: 
 
 Ivy-weath'd her Thyrsus plays.) The Thyrsus 
 was a spear encirled with wreaths of Ivy, and 
 sometimes Vine leaves : it was used as a weapon 
 by those who attended the revels of Bacchus, 
 
 of Bac( 
 
15 
 
 Breathing odours breathing joy$ 
 Here too plays a soft-hair' d boy: 
 Here he fills his pipe with sound. 
 Pouring melting music round : 
 Love too comes with golden hair. 
 Bacchus gay and Venus fair, 
 Joyful join the festive dance, 
 And with frolicks age entrance. 
 
16 
 
 ODE VII. 
 
 ON LOVE. 
 
 With his hyacinthine wand 
 
 ,Love does my tardy steps command ; 
 
 Thus through woods, o'er rocks I roam'd, 
 
 And where rapid torrents foam'd; 
 
 'Till a serpent's venom'd bite. 
 
 Put my very heart to flight. 
 
 Terror-struck stretch'd out I lay, 
 
 ? Till I breathless faint away ; 
 
17 
 
 Quick then Love around me springs^ 
 Fans my face with his soft wings; 
 Whispers in my trembling ear 
 ' Love you never jQt could bear V — • 
 
13 
 
 ODE VIII. 
 
 THE DREAM. 
 
 I one night, with drinking gay, 
 On a purple carpet lay ; 
 Dreaming with swift feet I fled, 
 As the rapid race I led; 
 And with virgins fair and young, 
 Had to frolick freedom sprung ; 
 While soft youths with jealous stare, 
 Than Lyaeus self more fair, 
 
 Than Lyoeus self more fair.) Lyceus was a name 
 
19 
 
 With the charms of beauty stung, 
 At me pointed satire flung. 
 But as I to kisses flew, 
 Sleep and visions bade adieu ! 
 Then I wretch alone in vain, 
 Sigh'd to catch my dream again ! 
 
 given to Bacchus from his freeing the mind from 
 care: and Bacchus is generally described by the 
 poets as being fair and ever young. 
 
so 
 
 ODE IX. 
 
 TO THE DOVE. 
 
 Lovely bird oh whither say ! 
 Dost thou wing thy airy way ? 
 Whence dost thou the odours bring 
 Quiv'ring from thy rapid wing ? 
 
 To understand this Ode, it is necessary to re- 
 member that it was a custom among the Ancients 
 when they undertook long journies, and were de- 
 sirous of sending back news with uncommon ex- 
 pedition, to take tame pigeons along with them ; 
 
2 J 
 
 With what master dost thou dwell ? 
 Hither come thy secrets tell ? 
 u Forward I, (replies the dove) 
 u Speed to court Anacreon's love ; 
 " She with blended grace and art, 
 u Plays the tyrant o'er each heart; 
 16 Venus for a sonnet's charm, 
 " Perch'd me on Anacreon's arm ; 
 " With his letters, I his slave, 
 iC At his will my pinions wave ; 
 
 when they thought proper to write to their friends, 
 they let one of the birds loose with letters fast- 
 ened to its neck : the bird once released would 
 sever cease to fly till it arrived at its nest and 
 young ones. The same custom still prevails among 
 the Turks and several Eastern countries. 
 
n 
 
 " Soon he vows to set me free, 
 K But I scorn from him to flee ; 
 u For with freedom where could I, 
 u E'er so well my wants supply ? 
 " Ranging mountain, plain and wood, 
 u Pecking, scanty- self-sown food; 
 " Shiv'ring in the wintry breeze, 
 " 'Midst the forest's leafless trees. 
 u Now by fond Anacreon fed, 
 " Snatching from his fingers bread; 
 " Now the sparkling wine I sip, 
 M Bubbling from his rosy lip : 
 "Or with flutt'ring wings I prance, 
 * Wreathing him with frolick dance, 
 
*3 
 
 u Joyful thus to rest retire, 
 
 u Roosting on his tuneful lyre. 
 
 " Now my friend — away — I've done, — 
 
 u Like a jay's my tongue has ruu!" 
 
24 
 
 ODE X. 
 
 ON A WAXEN IMAGE. 
 
 Whilst a youth advancing cries, 
 c Who a waxen Cupid buys?' 
 Standing near, I ask, " what price 
 u For that very neat device ?" 
 ' Tis at what you will your own, 
 (He replies in doric tone) 
 6 Do not prythee me mistake, 
 6 No such images I make ; 
 
i 
 
 1 But with love that greedy guest, 
 
 ' I can neither dwell nor rest! 
 
 •• Then, say I, that money take, 
 
 u This gay spright my chum I'll make ; 
 
 u Now O Cupid warm up me ! 
 
 « Or I'll to a flame melt Thee ! 
 
26 
 
 ODE XI. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 All thy youth, the women say. 
 
 Is Anacreon flown away; 
 
 In thy glass thy features view. 
 
 See thy locks alas how few I 
 
 Those, which once were there, are fled I 
 
 Lo how bald, and smooth thy head ! 
 
 Whether thick, or thin my hair, 
 
 I nor know nor do I care; 
 
27 
 
 This indeed full well I know, 
 That the older still I growj 
 I more vivid joys should crave, 
 As I near approach the grave. 
 
28 
 
 ODE XII. 
 
 ON A SWALLOW. 
 
 Twitt'ring Swallow how shall I, 
 Torture for thy crime supply? 
 Shall the scissars end my spite, 
 Clip thy wings, and stop thy flight? 
 Or like Tereus fury-stung. 
 Shall I crop away thy tongue? 
 Why hast thou, . with morning noise, 
 Robb'd me of my sleeping joys ? 
 

 lish'd dreams of beauty's char 
 Turn me from her circling arm^? 
 
30 
 
 ODE XIIL 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 Some say^ moaning with despair 
 Loud to Cybele the fair. 
 Mad unmanly Atys grew 
 As o'er hills and rocks he flew: 
 
 Mad unmanly Atys.) A young Phrygian of great 
 beauty beloved by Cybele, who made him her 
 priest on certain conditions. He broke his terms, 
 and Cybele punished him with madness, but af* 
 terwards converted him into a pine tree. 
 
31 
 
 bo to Clardfl braj . 
 Where Phcebeui fountains play, 
 From tli i m> prophetic quaff, 
 
 'Till struck mad they rave and Laugh. 
 / s<i>i, waft around perfume 
 While my cheeks with Bacchus bloom; 
 And my arms the nymph entwine, 
 These shall be mad-fits of mine. 
 
 Others zjho to Claros stray.) Claros was a city of 
 Ionia rendered famous for a fountain consecrated 
 to Apollo. 
 
32 
 
 ODE XIV. 
 
 ON CUPID. 
 
 Now I'll bend unto thy shrine. 
 Now I will O love be thine ! 
 Lately with persuasive meed. 
 Love attempted me to lead. 
 But I in a careless mood, 
 All his eloquence withstood. 
 Instantly, with raging glow, 
 Then he forceful bent his bow; 
 
33 
 
 Drew an arrow, gilded bright, 
 
 And p»'ovok'd me to the fight. 
 
 I with warlike spirit stung, 
 
 O'er my shoulders armour slung ; 
 
 Like Achilles bold to start, 
 
 Grasp my shield and point my dart; 
 
 Thus equipped to contend, 
 
 And with love my battles end. 
 
 Fast as love his arrows threw, 
 
 I with rapid steps withdrew : 
 
 But when all his darts were flown, 
 
 He so full with rage was grown, 
 
 Chang'd himself into a dart, 
 
 Flew and pierc'd me to the heart ; 
 
 c 
 
34 
 
 All his force within me flung, 
 Nerves and sinews all unstrung. 
 Vainly then a shield have I; 
 Vainly then I fortify ! 
 What are outward shields or deeds 
 When within the battle bleeds? 
 
• 
 
 ODE XV 
 
 THAT WE OUGHT TO LIVE FREELY. 
 
 Far from Gyges' cares I fly 
 What for Croesus' wealth care 1 1 
 
 Far from Gyges* cares I fly.) Gyges was the fa- 
 vorite oi Candaules King ot Lydia whose Queen 
 was remarkably beautiiul, and passionately ad- 
 mired by her husband. But he was not contented, 
 with loving her himself till he had taught Gyges 
 also to admire her. Gyges stabbed Candaules, mar- 
 rieo the Queen and took possession ot the Kingdom. 
 
 // "oat for Croesus wealth care I.) Croesus, King 
 of Lydia, the richest man then living. 
 
36 
 
 Gold in me no wish creates, 
 I ne'er envy kings or states. 
 Odours sweet around me strew ! 
 With perfumes my beard bedew ! 
 Round my head fresh roses twine! 
 These these cares are cares of mine. 
 Pleasure flies on this day's wings, 
 Who knows what to-morrow brings ? 
 While the days serenely glide, 
 Sport the dice throw cares aside; 
 Let's enjoy with Bacchus these. 
 And the flying moments seize ; 
 Lest disease shou'd haste and cry, 
 c Thou must these libations fly !' 
 
37 
 
 ODE XVI. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 Some the Theban wars enjoy, 
 Some the battle sing of Troy ; 
 I can too recount my wars, 
 Sieges, toils, and wounds and scars; 
 Not from horse nor infantry, 
 Nor from fleets I'm forc'd to fly ; 
 From strange armies I retire, 
 Darting through bright eyes their fire. 
 
33 
 
 ODE XVII. 
 
 ON A SILVER BOWL. 
 
 Now O Vulcan show thy skill ! 
 With thy art that silver fill! 
 Let no armour meet my view. 
 What with fights have I to do ? 
 Make what better suits my soul. 
 Make a wide capacious bowl ; 
 Deck it not with twinkling stars, 
 Nor with rapid rolling cars ; 
 
39 
 
 Nor Orion's hateful face 
 Nor the Pleiads there have place, 
 What should I in Bootes see? 
 The Pleiads what are they to me? 
 Bacchus and the branching vine, 
 Cupid and the Graces join. 
 Circling gilded grapes around, 
 As they from the clusters bound. 
 
 Nor Orion's hateful face, &c.) Anacreon calls 
 Orion odious because he is the forerunner of Tem- 
 pests : and seems to hate the Pleiads and all the other 
 Constellations which were described on the shield 
 of Achilles. — See Homer's Iliad book 18. 
 
40 
 
 ODE XVIIL 
 
 ON THE SAME SUBJECT. 
 
 Thy powers hither artist bring! 
 Consecrate a cup to spring ! 
 That gay season first compose. 
 Draw for spring the lovely rose. 
 Simple tales on silver tell, 
 With enchantment let it swelL 
 Add not any foreign rite, 
 Mystics ne'er give me delight; 
 
41 
 
 Nor with execrable deed, 
 Let the tale my fancy feed ; 
 But paint Jove's delightful boy, 
 Bacchus fraught with wine and joy ; 
 Let bright Venus too be there, 
 Hymen's joys to her are dear; 
 Cupid too unarmed place, 
 And each laughter loving Grace; 
 While the fruitful clust'ring vine, 
 Round in playful tendrils twine; 
 Add of youths a comely group, 
 But keep Apollo from the troop. 
 
 But keep Apollo from the troop.) The poet de- 
 sires that Apollo may not be described on his 
 bowl because he was so unfortunate as to kill 
 his favorite Hyacinthus, as he was playing with 
 him at quoits. 
 
42 
 
 ODE XIX. 
 
 THAT WE OUGHT TO DRINK, 
 
 All her melancholy frowns. 
 Earth by daily drinking drowns ; 
 From the earth too drink the trees. 
 From the breezes drink the seas*; 
 
 From the breezes drink the seas.) The literal 
 English is the sea drinks up the air, which has 
 been supposed a mistake in the text. But as mo- 
 dern chemistry teaches that water is only a com- 
 ponent part of air, a disciple of Dutens might 
 
43 
 
 From the seas in mighty draugi; 
 Sol his glitt'ring glory quaffs ; 
 And from Sol, Lucina bright, 
 Drinks and silvers o'er the night; 
 Friends why then do you repine, 
 1*11 regale myself with wine? 
 
 cite this line to prove that the present ideas of 
 chemistry were not unknown to the ancients, 
 especially as the scholiast on Nican4er attributes a 
 medical treatise to Anacreon. 
 
44 
 
 ODE XX. 
 
 ON HIS MISTRESS. 
 
 Chang'p to rock in Phrygian lands, 
 Tantalus's daughter stands; 
 Wing'd Pandion's daughter grew, 
 And a rapid swallow flew. 
 To be gaz'd upon by Thee, 
 Fain would I a mirror be; 
 
 Tantalus's daughter stands.) Tantalus's daughter 
 was Niobe who was turned into a rock. — See the 
 6th book of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 
 
45 
 
 Moving with each graceful limb. 
 As thy vest thy form I'd trim ; 
 Or to wash thy skin by day, 
 I'd to water melt away ; 
 Round thy locks perfume to fling, 
 I would to an odour wing ; 
 As a necklace I'd appear, 
 Circling what I hold so dear ; 
 Glad would I thy bosom veil, 
 Trembling with each passion's gale; 
 Nay with thy fair foot to range, 
 I would to thy slipper change. 
 
46 
 
 ODE XXL 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 Here ye lovely fair so gay ! 
 While with heat I melt away ; 
 While with parching thirst I sigh. 
 Brimful draughts of wine supply ! 
 Wreath with flow'rets fresh my brow! 
 See those now which round me flow ; 
 Sear'd by heat of this poor head, 
 Scorching 'till their colors fade ! 
 
47 
 
 But my heart, oh how shall 1 ? 
 Shade for ilaraes of love supply ! 
 
48 
 
 ODE XXII, 
 
 TO HIS MISTRESS. 
 
 In the shade my love with me 5 
 Sit beneath this beauteous tree; 
 Wide its leafy tresses spread, 
 Quiv'ring from its branching head : 
 And inviting soft repose. 
 Here persuasion's fountain flows. 
 Such allurements when so nigh, 
 Who can see and pass them by! — 
 
4<) 
 
 ODE XXIIL 
 
 ON GOLD. 
 
 If by hoards of gold a man, 
 
 Could prolong his vital span; 
 
 I'd exert the utmost pain, 
 
 Still to save and still to gain; 
 
 And wou'd say when death drew nigh ? 
 
 Take this gold and from me fly ! 
 
 But if offer'd heaps of gold, 
 
 Cannot gloomy death withhold! 
 
50 
 
 Why then foolishly shou'd I, 
 Idly grieve and vainly sigh ? 
 Since whatever of wealth we have. 
 All arc victims for the grave ! 
 Grant mc but the gen'rous bowl, 
 Social friends to glad the soul ! 
 While my limbs on down recline 
 Let the joys of love be mine 1 
 
51 
 
 ODE XXIV, 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 Since to mortal lot I'm bound. 
 Born to pace life's journey round; 
 What is past too well I know; 
 What is future who can shew! 
 Fly then anxious care from me, 
 I have nought to do with thee. 
 I'll laugh and sing, ere death advance, 
 And with rosy Bacchus dancei 
 
52 
 
 ODE XXV. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 When the rosy wine I quaff, 
 All the cares to rest I laugh. 
 What to me are griefs dull fears, 
 Anxious toils or carking cares ? 
 Since to life these nothing give, 
 Why mid sorrows shou'd I live? 
 Let us wind's rich treasure drain, 
 Beauteous Bacchus' gift for pain; 
 
53 
 
 For while rosy wine we quaff, 
 All the cares t# rest we laugji. 
 
54 
 
 ODE X£VL 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 When within me Bacchus thrills. 
 All the cares to rest he stills ; 
 Rich as Croesus then seem I, 
 Then to tuneful song I fly. 
 While with ivy- wreathed head, 
 I the world beneath me tread; 
 You to the post of honour wing, 
 I to drink — the goblet bring; 
 
 
55 
 
 Fill it brimful high my blad^ 
 Drunk I'd rather I'm than dead! 
 
bfr 
 
 ODE XXVIL 
 
 ON BACCHUS. 
 
 Bacchus boy of Jove divine! 
 Gay Lyaeus god of wine ! 
 Merry-maker of the soul ! 
 Festive-filler of the bowl ! 
 When with thee my vitals gloW 5 
 Down the dance I briskly go s 
 Then with delicate delight^ 
 I festivities \yiite: 
 
57 
 
 Timbrels sweet and sonnets smooth. 
 Me with charms of beauty sooth* 
 Thus the frolick dance I'll greet, 
 111 the sprightly joys repeat* 
 
58 
 
 ODE XXVIII. 
 
 ON HIS MISTRESS. 
 
 BfcsT of painters now attend, 
 Now thy many colors blend ; 
 Noblest of the Rhodian art, 
 Draw the mistress of my heart! 
 Quick with my description wing, 
 Back her absent image bring; 
 First with softest sable die, 
 Graceful let the ringlets fly ; 
 
 
m 
 
 And if art possess the skill 
 Them with breathing odour fill. 
 Next the forehead's iv'ry blend, 
 Then the rounded cheeks extend. 
 And beneath the sable hair. 
 Let the jetty brows appear; 
 Let the space that lies between. 
 Shaded like her own be seen ; 
 And the brows but just divide, 
 As they nicely curving glide. 
 Rich in silky sable tinge, 
 Let the arching eyelids fringe ; 
 Next the azure eye inspire, 
 Like Minerva's fuTd with fire: 
 
 ! 
 I 
 
60 
 
 And as from gay Venus' eye, 
 Let the liquid light'ning fly. 
 Then to paint the cheeks and nose, 
 Blend the milk with damask rose; 
 And as soft Persuasion's spell. 
 Let the lips with kisses swell; 
 Next below the polish'd chin, 
 Lead the hovering Graces in ; 
 All the parts with life bedeck, 
 Round the alabaster neck. 
 Then with thin, transparent vest, 
 Let the limbs and shape be drest; 
 Just enough the skin to view 
 Shaded by a purple hue. 
 
61 
 
 Now to life her image flies !— 
 Voice is all thy art denies! 
 
 Mr. Addison and Mr. Fawkes have adopted the 
 translation, which is published in the Guardian, 
 of this Ode. 
 
 But spirited as that translation may be thought, 
 no painter could make a beautiful picture from a 
 description which leaves out the nose. And as 
 there is not a single feature left out in the ori- 
 ginal, that translation must be considered as very- 
 defective. 
 
62 
 
 ODE XXIX. 
 
 As. this Ode resembles the preceding Ode 
 in those parts which are worth translating; 
 and as the other parts of it can only be 
 done in a paraphrastic manner^ it is alto- 
 gether omitted. 
 
63 
 
 ODE XXX. 
 
 ON CUPID. 
 
 Love the muses lately caught. 
 
 And round him wreaths of flow'rs wrought | 
 
 Thus within their power confin'd, , 
 
 He to Beauty was consign'd. 
 
 Venus anxious, watchful, wild, 
 
 Offer'd ransome for her child ; 
 
 But shou'd any him unloose, 
 
 lie wou'd liberty refuse i 
 
64 
 
 For to Beauty now a slave 
 Love his freedom scorns to have! 
 
65 
 
 ODE XXXL 
 
 OX HIMSELF. 
 
 Wine on me ye Powers bestow ! 
 Let my cups all brimful flow! 
 Gvie me wine's delightful fire! 
 I to this mad fit aspire. 
 Madness seiz'd Alcmaeon's head, 
 Bare-foot fierce Orestes fled, 
 
 Madness seized Alcmoeon'sbeady&c.) Alcmaeon's 
 -father had been put to death by his mother's 
 
66 
 
 Wlien with rapid steps they flew, 
 'Till they each a mother slew. 
 I with no such rage to kill. 
 Only grapes' red juices spill ;• 
 Joyous with the wine to rave, 
 This the madness that I crave. 
 Hercules with rageful look. 
 As he heavy arrows shook : 
 Bending th' Iphitean bow, 
 Did with sudden madness glow. 
 
 contrivance, whom on that account he slew. 
 Orestes slew his mother Clytemnestra to revenge 
 the death of his father Agamemnon, who at his 
 return from the Trojan war had been murdered 
 by her and her lover ^gisthus. 
 
67 
 
 Mad too shielded Ajax rav'd ? 
 And the sword of Hector wavM. 
 No such raving fits have I, 
 Nor for bow nor sword I sigh. 
 I'll my locks with garlands crown^ 
 In the bowl my cares I'll drown ; 
 These shall be mad fits of mine, 
 I'll be gaily mad with wine! 
 
 Bending th' Iphitean Soiv.J Iphitus was slai* 
 "by Hercules who carried off his bow. 
 
 Mad too shielded Ajax rav'd.) When the ar- 
 mour of Achilles was adjudged to Ulysses, Ajax 
 was so enraged at the affront that he went mad ; 
 and falling on a flock of sheep, whom he took 
 for Grecians, he first slew them and then himself. 
 
 And the snvord of Hector ivav'd.J Hector an<l 
 Ajax made an exchange of presents, which gave 
 birth to a proverb, * that the presents of enemies 
 are generally fatal.' For with this sword Ajax kil- 
 led himself. 
 
m 
 
 ODE XXXII. 
 
 ON HIS MISTRESSES. 
 
 Can you count the leaves of trees? 
 Count the waves that swell the seas ? 
 Then 'tis only you can know, 
 All the loves for whom I glow. 
 Put at Athens down a score, 
 Nay you may add fifteen more. 
 Cory nth blazes with my flames, 
 Rais'd by beauteous swarms of dames. 
 

 Corynth with its troops of beliY 
 Every part of Greece excels. 
 Count the nymphs from Lesbos o'e^ 
 Far as soft Ionia's shore: 
 Rhodes and Caria combine, 
 There two thousand loves are mine. 
 What say you? not yet each flame. 
 Not yet Syrian nymphs I name ! 
 Nor the flock that still remains, 
 Round Canopus' happy plains : 
 Nor of Crete's all fertile skies, 
 Where a hundred cities rise! 
 
 Corinth blaz.es with my jlatnes.) Corinth the: 
 metropolis of Achaia was famous for beautiful women*. 
 
70 
 
 There love every where invites. 
 There he celebrates his rites ! 
 Would you count what still remain. 
 Loves of Persia and of Spain ; 
 These with Indian loves enrol 
 All enchanters of my soul. 
 
 Nor of Crete's all fertile skies. J Anacreon 
 calls it abounding in all things to express its fer- 
 tility. Virgil says it had an hundred cities. 
 
71 
 
 # 
 
 ODE XXXIIL 
 
 ON THE SWALLOW. 
 
 You dear swallow once a year, 
 Build your nest to summer here. 
 Then to shun the wintry sky. 
 To the Nile or Memphis fly. 
 
 You dear Sivalloiv once a year y &c.) It was the 
 opinion generally received among the ancients 
 that Swallows and other birds crossed the sea on 
 the approach of winter, in search of warmer climates. 
 
 To the Nile or Memphis fy.) Memphis was a city- 
 situated on the Nile, 
 
7% 
 
 But within my restless breast^ % 
 Love for eve* builds his nest. 
 As one brood extends the wing, 
 Others from their ova spring ; 
 Half-hatcb'd loves from loves arise. 
 Thus to fill my breast with cries ! 
 Loves that long have caus'd my pains^ 
 Teach the one the others strains. 
 Each love ere his flight he takes, 
 Nestlings in my bosom makes. 
 How such countless loves can I, 
 Either bear or from them fly? 
 
 Love for ever builds his nest.) Anacreon is not 
 singular in representing Cupid as a bird, furnished 
 with wings for rapid flight. Bion speaks of love 
 as a bird. — See the 2nd Idyllium. 
 
7J 
 
 ODE XXXIV. 
 
 TO HIS MISTRESS. 
 
 Fly me not oh lovely fair. 
 Though thou see'st my whifned hair! 
 Though thou bloom'st in rosy pride 
 Turn not from my charms aside! 
 In yon chaplet see the rose 
 Brightened by the lily's snows! 
 
74 
 
 ODE XXXV 
 
 ON EUROPA. 
 
 This oh boy no bull can be! 
 Jove himself in him I see ! 
 Forceful he his back uprears, 
 Off the nymph Sidonian bears, 
 O'er the foaming ocean rides, 
 And with hoofs the waves divides. 
 
 This Ode was composed on a picture repre- 
 senting the rape of Europa. Moschus has an I« 
 iy Ilium on the same subject. 
 
7.5 
 
 Not so easy 'tis to find, 
 Other bulls of this bold kind, 
 Who leave the heifers and the sho^ 
 Steering pathless ocean o'er. 
 
7& 
 
 ODE XXXVI. 
 
 ON THE ENJOYMENT OF LIFE. 
 
 Why the laws and tricks of speech, 
 Wherefore oratory teach ? 
 Disputations what are they ? 
 Fruitless feats of mere display. 
 Rather bumpers teach to quaff, 
 And with Bacchus let me laugh; 
 Or teach me to sing and play, 
 And with golden Venus stray. 
 

 'Gtv i crown thii bead of mi 
 
 Boj the ^ater mix with wine; 
 Brimful ill 1 the lowing bowl, 
 Come and tranquillize my soul ; 
 Lifeless me thou soon may'st shade, 
 He wants nothing that ii dead ! 
 
 Some criticks have supposed that there is no 
 authority for ade rhyming with ead. There are 
 many examples in Gray, and more in Mason, be- 
 ihe following from Pope and Darwin, 
 
 To all beside as much an empty shade, ) p 
 An Eugene living as a Caesar dead. * 
 A hundred snakes her gloomy visage shade, ) p 
 A hundred serpents guard her horrid head. * 
 
 serpents guard 
 
 id shiv'ring in t 
 
 The sad Anemone reclin'd her bead. 
 
 All wan and shiv'ring in the leafless glade, ) r> A » W iw 
 
78 
 
 ODE XXXVIL 
 
 ON THE SPRING. 
 
 See the spring bow glows anew. 
 See the Graces roses strew ! 
 Tranquillizing foaming tides, 
 Softer see the ocean glides ! 
 In the streams see ducks delight, 
 While the crane renews his flight! 
 And the sun's resplendent ray, 
 Gilds and gems the face of day ! 
 
79 
 
 T clouds all ily fron 
 Works of men are brought to ii^ht. 
 
 rth bunts forth with bud and *hoot, 
 Olives bcml w ith swelling fruit. 
 Bacchus' trees w ith streams of wine, 
 ilirh in playful plenty twine; 
 Boughs and buds so full declare, 
 The promise of the riper year. 
 
m 
 
 ODE XXXVIIL 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 ^Old I am indeed, yet I, 
 Still with festive youth can vie ; 
 Still the flowing bowl can drain, 
 Or can lead the dancing train. 
 A flask I for a sceptre rear, 
 This the only staff I bear : 
 
 A flask I for a sceptre rear.) In the Bacchanalian 
 dances among the ancients, the leader of them bore 
 fc rod or sceptre. 
 
81 
 
 He ^ ho for the fight may sigh, 
 Lei hip to the battle fl; 
 With the sweet delicious wine. 
 
 Boy the honcy'd-cnp combine ; 
 
 Old I am indeed, yet I, 
 
 Still with feats of drink Avill vie; 
 
 Like Silenus, brisk in age, 
 
 I'll ^ith dancing sets engage. 
 
 Like Si/enus brisk in age. ) Silcnus was the Foster- 
 Father of Bacchus and tutor to Bacchus, repre- 
 sented by a little flat-nosed, bald, fat, round-made, 
 old, drunken fellow, riding on an ass. 
 
m 
 
 ODE XXXIX. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 When of wine I drink my fill, 
 
 Round my heart new pleasures thrill; 
 
 Loudly then with voice elate, 
 
 I the muses celebrate. 
 
 When I drink the rosy streams, 
 
 Care and all his fretful dreams, 
 
 / the Muses celebrate,) Anacreon and Horac* 
 both seem to think that Bacchus was a friend to 
 the muses. 
 
83 
 
 Far away I drrre from me, 
 To the winds that ware the sea. 
 When tin 4 sparkling wine I quaiF, 
 Bacchus then inspires the laugh, 
 Leading me to lovely bowel 
 Scented with delicious llowcrs. 
 When the sparkling wine goes round, 
 And with flow'ry wreaths I'm crowifd, 
 Then I sit in thought serene, 
 Then I praise life's quiet scene. 
 When with rosy wine I glow, 
 And my limbs with fragrance ilow, 
 Round the nymph my arms I twine, 
 Then the songs of love are mine. 
 
M 
 
 With the goblet's flowing brim, 
 When my head begins to swim, 
 Then my feeling soul unbends, 
 Then I fly to youthful friends. 
 When I quaff the sparkling wine, 
 Then the best of gifts are mine; 
 With this gift away I'll fly, 
 Drunk or sober all must die! 
 
I 
 
 O D B XL 
 
 ON CUPID. 
 
 Cupid while he idly stray'd, 
 Through the rose's lovely shade, 
 Hapless felt his finger stung, 
 As a slumb'ring bee he sprung : 
 Screaming, ilutt'ring off he goes, 
 And to Venus vents his w<* 
 
 Theocritus has imitated this beautiful Ode in 
 his nineteenth IUyllium. 
 
86 
 
 " I'm undone mamma, he cries, 
 
 €i I'm undone thy Cupid dies ; 
 
 * c Wing'd a little serpent vile, 
 
 cc Which a bee the rustics style, 
 
 " With his poison-pointed dart, 
 
 " Oh has stung me to the heart!" 
 
 Venus to her son replies, 
 
 " If a bee can so surprise, 
 
 w Make poor Cupid thus complain, 
 
 u Thus give him tormenting pain; 
 
 cc Think how much more rack'd is he, 
 
 w Who my son is pierc'd by Thee 1" 
 
 lVing*d a little serpent vile.) In order to make 
 Cupid describe his fright and pain more strongly, 
 Anacreon has made him persist in calling the bee 
 a serpent. 
 
87 
 
 ODE XLI. 
 
 THE BANQUET OF WINE. 
 
 Let us merrily drink wine. 
 Shouting round gay Bacchus' shrine i 
 Sprightly dance to him belon 
 He delights in mirthful songs ; 
 Nurse to Love's soft sweet desires, 
 Beauty 9 ! self 'tis he inspires ; 
 Birth to Jollity he gives, 
 Grace from him her life receives; 
 
88 
 
 Sighs of grief away he speeds, 
 Sadness soon to sleep he leads. 
 Here fair youths, in bowl profound. 
 Hand the happy mixture round : 
 Far away hence sorrow flies, 
 Blending with the stormy skies. 
 Let us then take up the bowl, 
 And drive sorrow from the soul ; 
 For of gain what will be thine > 
 With anxieties to pine ? 
 Future how can we secure, 
 Who of life are never sure ? 
 
 Grace from him her life receives.) The Greek for 
 Grace is in the singular number, but the comment 
 tators have all agreed to construe it as if it had been 
 in the plural number, the G&aci 
 
89 
 
 Reeling with delicious draughts. 
 While sweet odour round me wafts, 
 I will dance, and sing, and play, 
 With the graceful, fair, and gay. 
 As for those, who covet care, 
 May they all its troubles share. 
 Let us merrily drink wine, 
 Shouting round gay Bacchus' shrine ! 
 
90 
 
 ODE XLIL 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 I round Bacchus' playful shrine. 
 Love the frolic dance to join; 
 I rejoice when the sweet lyre, 
 And gay youth and wine inspire. 
 While from hyacinthine wreath, 
 Odours round the temples breathe. 
 Far far better still I love, 
 With the frisky fair to rove. 
 
91 
 
 Mj heart is from envy free, 
 Envy's bites are nought to me. 
 From the shafts of calumny, 
 From the venom'd tongue I fly* 
 Battles feasts but brutalize, 
 Jars I o'er the bowl despise. 
 Bounding to the lute's sweet air, 
 With the lovely blooming fair, 
 Let us here serenely gay 
 Sport the passing hour$ away 1 
 
92 
 
 ODE XLIII. 
 
 ON THE GRASSHOPPER. 
 
 Happiest insect that we meet. 
 Thee sweet Grasshopper we greet! 
 Mounted on the tops of trees. 
 Where dew-drops thy wants appease, 
 Thou can'st sip, and skip, and sing, 
 And be merry as a king. 
 All is thine, thou see'st in fields^ 
 All is thine, each season yields! 
 
93 
 
 Tillers of the fertile earth, 
 Hail thy friendly harmless mirth. 
 Prophet sweet of summers ray, 
 Mortals thee their homage pay I 
 Thee the muses too revere ; 
 Thou to Phoebus' self art dear. 
 He the shrillest voice gives thee. 
 Thou from age itself art free. 
 All thy self-taught skill, and song, 
 To thy native taste belong ; 
 From flesh, blood, and passion free, 
 Thou must more than mortal be ! 
 
 From fiesh y bloody and passion free.) Homer re- 
 presents the gods as free from blood. Speaking of 
 Venus wounded book 5th he says, 
 
94 
 
 ODE XLIV. 
 
 OX HIS DREAM, 
 
 Wing'd, I dreamt, my shoulders grew. 
 And with rapid speed I flew; 
 While with little feet of lead, 
 Love me chac'd and captive made. 
 
 From the clear vein a stream immortal now'd, 
 Such stream as issues from a wounded god ; 
 Pure emanation ! uncorrupted flood, 
 Unlike our gross, diseas'd, terrestrial blood : 
 (For not the bread of man their life sustains, 
 Nor wines inflaming juice supplies their veins.) 
 
 Pope, 
 
95 
 
 What's the meaning of this dream ? 
 
 This solution true I deem ; 
 
 I who hitherto did prove, 
 
 All varieties in Love, 
 
 Am by Cupid caught at last, 
 
 And to one love fetter 'd fast. 
 
96 
 
 ODE XLV. 
 
 ON CUPID. 
 
 At his furnaces of late, 
 Toiling Vulcan, Venus' mate, 
 Forg'd at Lemnos lovers darts, 
 Steel for penetrating hearts. 
 
 Forg'd at Lemnos lovers darts.) Lemnos was aa 
 Island in the ^Egean sea sacred to Vulcan, who 
 in the first book of the Iliad, gives an account of 
 Jupiter's throwing him down from heaven, and 
 his fall upon that island. 
 
 Once in your cause I felt his matchless might 
 HurPd headlong downward from the aetherjal height j 
 
97 
 
 As each arrow pointed grew, 
 Venus it through honey drew ; 
 But with bitter bitter gall. 
 Roguish Cupid tipp'd them all. 
 Mars now come from fighting fields 
 Here his mighty armour wields ; 
 Seizing Cupid's slender shafts. 
 He with scornful speeches laughs. 
 Cupid then to Mars replies, 
 " This you'll find of stronger size." 
 
 Tost all the day in rapid circles round ; 
 
 Nor till the sun descended touch'd the ground: 
 
 Breathless I fell, in giddy motion lost; 
 
 The Sinthians rais'd me on the Lemnian coast. 
 
 Pope. 
 
93 
 
 Mars the stronger arrow takes, 
 
 Venus sly with laughter shakes. 
 
 Mars most vehemently sighs, 
 
 Then pathetically cries ; 
 
 c Strong indeed, take it away/ 
 
 " No, says Cupid, keep it pray." — . 
 
09 
 
 ODE XLVI. 
 
 ON MERCENARY LOVE. 
 
 Hard it is no love to know ! 
 Harder still the lover's woe ! 
 But the hardest is to burn, 
 Where our love meets no return ! 
 What to love is noble race. 
 Wisdom, virtue, manly grace ? 
 Love in these no merit spies, 
 Nought but gold attracts her eyes, 
 
100 
 
 Curses be for him in store, 
 Who first lov'd the glitt'ring ore! 
 Gold the brother's tics destroys, 
 Father's hopes and mother's joys. 
 War's and murder's bleeding throng, 
 All to rage of gold belong ! 
 But the worst of all its ills, 
 Gold 'tis sold the lover kills! 
 
JOi 
 
 ODE XLVIL 
 
 ON AN OLD MAN. 
 
 I love the old whom Genius fires, 
 
 I love the young whom dance inspires; 
 
 He who brisk can dance and play, 
 
 Is not aged though he's grey ; 
 
 Though his head be crown'd with snow? 
 
 • 
 
 Youthful still his spirit flows. 
 
102 
 
 ODE XLVIII. 
 
 OX HIMSELF. 
 
 Give me Homer's tuneful ljre^ 
 Stripp'd of strings of warlike ire! 
 Bring me cups of rosy wine ! 
 I'll the laws of feasts refine ; 
 
 77/ the /ail's cf feasts refine.) It was customary 
 with the ancients at their entertainments to chuse 
 a king or master of the revels, who regulated the 
 size of the cups, and the quantity each person 
 was to drink : he was generally chosen by the 
 cast of a die. 
 
103 
 
 Thus while force of laws I feel, 
 I with drink may nobly reel ; 
 Gayly frantic lightly bound, 
 Down the dance to music's sound \ 
 Then the lyre with voice unite, 
 And with tipsy song delight. 
 
104 
 
 ODE XLIX. 
 
 TO A PAINTER. 
 
 Best of Painters now prepare. 
 Deign the lyric muse to hear! 
 First a nation blithe portray, 
 Sprightly laughing life away ! 
 Let the double flutes resound, 
 While the playful Bacchants bound! 
 And if art such powers possess, 
 Crown with love their happiness! 
 
11X5 
 
 ODE L, 
 
 ON BACCHUS. 
 
 Now to banish human cares, 
 Lo the festive god appears! 
 He the toil-worn youth restores, 
 Dauntless makes him in amours 5 
 Ki dling in his cup gay fires, 
 He the graceful dance inspires; 
 And for men a philter brings, 
 Grateful and devoid of stings ; 
 
106 
 
 From the fresh autumnal fruits, 
 Of the vines luxuriant shoots, 
 He preserving brisk and fine, 
 Rich exhilarating wine. 
 That when grapes we cut anew, 
 To disease we bid adieu ; 
 Vigour fresh on limbs bestow, 
 Minds with spirits fresh o'erflow ; 
 And keep health and spirits sound, 
 *Till again the year comes round. 
 
107 
 
 ODE LI. 
 
 ON A DISK REPRESENTING VENUS. 
 
 Some rare artist here has stray'd, 
 ilere has he the sea portray'd. 
 In this disk some art divine, 
 Fills with waves the foaming brine. 
 Soaring most divinely high. 
 Here the powers of genius fly: 
 Rich with flights of fancy fraught. 
 On the sea is Venus brought ; 
 
108 
 
 Ail that's decent is express'd, 
 And the waves conceal the rest; 
 On the smoothed calm she rides, 
 Like a fair sea flower she glides; 
 While the billows high she lifts 
 She the swelling current drifts ; 
 As her rosy breasts she laves, 
 II jr soft bosom cuts the waves; 
 Like a lily's snowy hue, 
 Peeping through the voilet's blue, 
 Then amidst the furrowed lines, 
 Through the calm the goddess shines. 
 Love with countenance of fire, 
 Laughing sly with young desire, 
 
109 
 
 Rais'd above the silver tides. 
 On the sportive dolphins rides. 
 Glitt'ring through the lucid flood 
 Shoals of bounding fishes scud; 
 Playful round the goddess beam. 
 As she laughing leads the stream. 
 
no 
 
 ODE LIL 
 
 ON THE VINTAGE. 
 
 Men and virgins briskly spring, 
 O'er their shoulders baskets fling; 
 FilPd with grapes of purple glow, 
 To the wine press swift they go: 
 Men alone with frolic feet. 
 On the swelling clusters meet; 
 Dancing crush the juices out. 
 And the song to Bacchus shout; 
 
Ill 
 
 They beholding new the wine,. 
 
 In the vats fermenting fine ; 
 
 Fraught with whose delicious draughts^ 
 
 Age enchanting pleasure quaffs. 
 
 At the Cape of Good Hope the Constantly 
 wine used to be made according to this descrip- 
 tion. The grapes were not gathered till they 
 were almost shrunk into a state of raisin. Men 
 and women then carried them in baskets to the 
 vessel, where a circle of men shouting festive 
 songs, danced, hand in hand, on the fruit: and 
 as the juice was crushed out of the grapes, it was 
 put into vats to ferment itself fine, before it was 
 removed to those vessels which were atterwards 
 to keep it from the external air. But of late 
 years it is said that wine presses are substituted 
 ior this ancient method. The reader who wishes 
 to extend his enquiries on the subject of wine, 
 will find Sir Edward Barry's observations on the 
 <wi/?es of the anc'untSy a very instructive and amu- 
 sing work. 
 
112 
 
 Dances then with tip-toe air, 
 Graceful shaking his white hair. 
 But with Love-inflaming trills, 
 Wine the youth's warm bosom fills; 
 If beneath the shade reclirfd, 
 He the sleepy nymph shou'd find; 
 While beneath the wide-spread leaves, 
 Her all lovely figure heaves ; 
 He'd with soft pursuasive charm, 
 Her unwilling soul disarm ; 
 Or if eloquence shou'd fail. 
 He'd by dint of force prevail. 
 When wine flows in youthful veins, 
 Drunken Bacchus lawless reigns! 
 
113 
 
 ODE LIII. 
 
 ON THE ROSE. 
 
 Here my friend thy music bring. 
 Hail the flow'ry-crowned spring ; 
 Let us celebrate the rose, 
 Whilst its blushing lustre glows. 
 Wafting round a breath divine, 
 Roses joys of men refine. 
 
 This Ode will be understood by supposing that 
 Anacreon celebrates a rose, and requests a Lyrist 
 to play to his voice. 
 
 H 
 
114 
 
 Roses gay the Graces wear, 
 Through the love-inspiring year* 
 Rosy ornaments invite, 
 And fair Venus self delight. 
 Grateful to the muses flows, 
 Song, or sonnet, on the rose. 
 Oh how sweet o'er spots to rove. 
 Through the rose cmbow'ring grove! 
 What delightful joys are those, 
 From the thorns to pluck the rose! 
 Whilst around the hands exhale, 
 Odours of the rosy gale ! 
 Mirth with double rapture glows } 
 When festooned by the rose* 
 
11.1 
 
 RarfhanaV with roses bloom, 
 What dors !io( the rose illume ? 
 Bards the lovely rose adore, 
 And on rosy figures soar : 
 Rosy-inger'd is the morn, 
 Rosy arms the nymphs adorn; 
 And Venus's poetic name, 
 Is the rosy-skinned dame. 
 
 of sil kin'ss roses calm, 
 Rosy scents the dead embalm. 
 
 finger' J is an 
 epithet frequently used by llonnr and applied to 
 I 
 
 sickness roses calm.) Roses were used 
 medicinally m Anacreon's ir 
 
 Rosy - J The ancients used 
 
116 
 
 Grateful as in youthful bloom. 
 Roses in decay perfume. 
 Come then let it next be sung, 
 Whence and how this treasure sprung! 
 When from his deep tranquil heaves, 
 Ocean foam'd -his briny waves ; 
 And from spray-besprinkled dew 
 Brought fair Venus self to view : 
 
 roses in embalming their dead. Venus anointed 
 with unguent of roses the body of Kector to pre* 
 vent it from corruption. 
 
 Celestial Venus hover'd o'er his head, 
 
 And roseate unguents, heavenly fragrance shed. 
 
 Pope. 
 They also crown 'd the tombs of their friends with 
 roses and other flowers. 
 
117 
 
 When Jove ruler of the sky, 
 Caused from his head to fly, 
 Pallas skilTd in noisy war, 
 (Whom with dread Olympus saw) 
 ? Twas in that terrific hour, 
 Earth produc'd this lovely flower ; 
 This the gods with rapture view'd, 
 And with nectar it bedew' J; 
 Till the stem to vigour sprung, 
 And its thorns with roses hung ; 
 Then to Bacchus rightful power 
 Gave the never-dying flower. 
 
118 
 
 ODE LIV. 
 
 ON HIMSELF. 
 
 When I see the youthful train, 
 
 I become a youth again; 
 
 For though old I brisk advance, 
 
 To the light fantastic dance. 
 
 Come Cybeba with me go. 
 
 With gay roses wreathe my brow ! 
 
 Come Cybeba 'with me go.) Cybeba seems to be 
 the name of a female attendant, taken from Cy« 
 beie the mother of the §oas. 
 
119 
 
 Youthful thus with youth I'll play, 
 Chasing hoary age away. 
 Wine then hither, hither bring, 
 I though old can drink and sing ; 
 Graceful still with youth can shine 5 
 And be gaily mad with wine. 
 
120 
 
 ODE LV. 
 
 ON LOVERS. 
 
 Branded mark on horses thighs, 
 Oft the owners name supplies ; 
 And we all the Parthian know, 
 By the turban round his brow ; 
 So when lovers by me go, 
 Quick the signs of them I know. 
 For in them we surely find, 
 Something branded on the mind. 
 
121 
 
 As the five following odes have formed 
 n part of these translations, and the ori- 
 ginals of them are admitted in Barnes' and 
 other editions, among the fragments of A- 
 nacreon, they are here added. But all the 
 odes, which have come down to us as the 
 certain productions of Anacreon, are thought 
 to end with the 55th ode. 
 
122 
 
 ODE LVI. 
 
 ON HIS OLD AGE. 
 
 Mouthful graces all are fled ! 
 Age has silver'd o'er my head! 
 Bald my temples quite are grown! 
 Few are now the teeth I own ! 
 Joys of life no more remain ! 
 All hereafter must be pain ! 
 Fears infernal these create 
 Wretched is a future state ! 
 
123 
 
 Horror chills the gloomy grave 
 Pluto's is a dreary cave : 
 Once embarked for his shore 
 Back we can return no more! 
 
124 
 
 ODE LVII. 
 
 THAT WE OUGHT TO DRINK 
 MODERATELY. 
 
 Bring the bowl — be quick my boy ! 
 Let ns brimful draughts enjoy! 
 With five cups of sparkling wine. 
 Ten of water pure combine. 
 We'll the maddening powers restrain. 
 Of gay Bacchus o'er the brain. 
 
 With Jive cups , &c.) The ancients usually drank 
 
125 
 
 Like the sots of Scythia's shore. 
 Let us not, drink, rant, and roar ; 
 But let us our joys refine, 
 Wise and merry be with wine. 
 
 their wine mixed with water. Hesiod prescribes 
 three parts water to one of wine in summer. 
 
 Like the sots of Scythia's shore.) The Scythians 
 were remarkable for drunkenness and quarrelling 
 over their cups. 
 
126 
 
 ODE LIX. 
 
 AN ANACREONTIC. 
 
 A$ a flow'ry wreath I wrought, 
 'Midst the roses love I caught : 
 By the pinions him I bound, 
 And in streams of Bacchus drown'd : 
 Then with rapture-swelling draught. 
 From the goblet love I quaif'd : 
 
 This ode is ascribed to Julian a king of Egypt 
 tfrha wrote several other things with elegance, ltv 
 
127 
 
 E'er since I his flutt'rings feel 
 Through my very vitals steal. 
 
 beauty has procured it a place in most of the c> 
 <iitions of Anacreon. 
 
128 
 
 ODE LXIIL 
 
 ON ANACREON. 
 
 I, in sleep's delightful trance, 
 Saw Anacreon on me glance. 
 That lov'd Teian ever gay — - 
 Bard of sweetly flowing lay. 
 
 Many have thought that this ode is not written 
 by Anacreon, because he himself is the subject 
 of it : But Barnes endeavours to prove it from 
 the ninth ode where Anacreon makes mention of 
 himself: and from the similar liberties which other 
 poets have taken with their own names; In the 
 Vatican Copy this is placed as the first of Ana- 
 creon's odes. 
 
129 
 
 1 knew him, and with eager pace 5 
 
 Ilail'd hira with a kind embrace. 
 
 Aged though indeed he seem'd, 
 
 He with love and beauty beam'd. 
 
 From his lips of rosy hue, 
 
 Gales of wine perfumed flew. 
 
 Much he stagger'd as he stray'd f . 
 
 But was led by Cupid's aid. 
 
 As the bard his brows untwin'd, 
 
 He his wreath to me consigned. 
 
 All Anacreon it breathed, 
 
 And with it my brows I wreatli'd. 
 
 Thoughtless thus I'm dooin'd to prove 
 
 All the ceaseless powers of love ! 
 
J3§ 
 
 O D E LXVI. 
 
 ON THE SPRING. 
 
 What can more xlelight the soul, 
 Than through flow'ry meads to strolf: 
 Where with -mingled sweets arise^ 
 Zephyr's gently breathing sighs. 
 Wafting through the leafy shade, 
 JESy the tree of Bacchus made ? 
 
 Wafting through the leafy shade, 
 By the tree of Bacchus made. 
 
 ^Tadam Dicier remarks that the vines in Greece 
 
131 
 
 Thus with some fair nymph conceaPd 
 What can greater transports yield? 
 
 ■were so high as to form a commodious shgde-. 
 
132 
 
 POSTSCRIPT. 
 
 D 
 
 R. JOHNSON in his grammar, has die 
 following general rule under the vowels. 
 
 ii t> & v 
 
 4; In monosyllables a single vowel before 
 u a single consonant is short as stag, fog." 
 
 But by his ideas of English versiilcation 
 every monosyllable with an emphasis, or 
 every syllable with an accent, is considered 
 as the long part of a foot. 
 
133 
 
 And that he never intended to apply the 
 above general rule on the vowels, to Eng- 
 lish versification, his own verses will evince, 
 ■where his^ yet % lad, from, can, stop, not y 
 man, zchen, then, her, sit, bid, for, lis, 
 than, bed, are long. 
 
 II is the letters that you see 
 Think not yet my service hard. 
 Come my lad and drink some beer.. 
 Can a prudent dove decline. 
 From his fingers snaich his bread. 
 Drop asleep upon his lyre. 
 Life to stop at thirty five. 
 If the man who turnips cries 
 Cry cot zchen his father dies. 
 Then with luscious plenty gay* 
 If on her we see display 'd. 
 
134 
 
 If she nt or if she move. 
 And bid the waking world farev, 
 For howe'er we boast ami thrive. 
 Tis a proof that we had rather 
 Have a turnip than a father. 
 In bed we laugh in bed we cry. 
 
 Dr. Johnson took his general rule on 
 the vowels, as he did a great part of his 
 grammar, from Dr. Ward's essays upon tho 
 English Language. But that Dr. Ward ne- 
 ver intended to apply this rule to the Eng- 
 lish versification, the following citation from 
 his book will prove. u But in our poetry 
 " a syllable naturally long, if not accented, 
 66 often makes part of a foot, which re- 
 u quires a short syllable ; and a short syl- 
 M lable when accented, stands in the place 
 " of a long one: which renders them ge- 
 
.orally common. And it is thought suf-- 
 u ficieiit, if the metrical accent coincides 
 4; with the prosaic accent, or that which 
 44 is used in speaking : and a due regard 
 " be had to the pause, or proper division 
 u of the verse." Dr. Ward's observations 
 tm Orthography, printed 175S ? page 30. 
 
 The most polished versification, of ad- 
 mired writers of the- present times, does 
 not disprove that every monosyllable is oc- 
 casionally an emphatic word. Even a and. 
 the are to be found with an emphasis ia 
 some lines: and to, of, as, his, and all 
 other such words occur frequently as empha- 
 tic words in the verses of every poet down 
 to the present day. 
 
 A charm all sorrow to controul. 
 Within the bowels of the ground. 
 
 Dr. Ai/cin's Poems^. 
 
136 
 
 The dust of the prophetic maid. 
 The pure bev'rage of the bee. 
 
 Gray* 
 
 Sunn'd by the meridian fire. 
 
 Moore's Anacreoiu 
 
 Copy the refulgent die. 
 Turn to the contrasted scene. 
 The passions a relentless train. 
 
 Cunningham } s Poems- 
 
 A rude bee that slept unseen. 
 
 Famke's Anacrcon* 
 
 Yet with a resplendent ray. 
 
 Lady M — n — r y s Poems. 
 
 By his last parting tear repaid by you. 
 
 Mr. Sheridan on the death of Gar rick. 
 
137 
 
 The greater number of trissyllable words 
 which have a pronouncing accent on the first 
 syllable, must have a metrical accent on the 
 last syllable, as in suddenly, poverty, pa- 
 noply, sympathy, merrily, piously, luxury, 
 liberty, &c. kc. 
 
 Till suddenly some keen remorse, 
 My poverty has still cfenyed. 
 
 Mrs. Opie's Poems* 
 
 In gorgeous panoply to shine. 
 
 Moore* s Poems. 
 
 How merrily it goes. 
 
 Words worth's lyrical ballads. 
 
 Sympathy alone can cure. 
 
 They piously had said their prayers. 
 
 Beloe % s Poems*- 
 
X3& 
 
 To taste the luxury of grief. 
 
 Dr. Ai kin's Poems* 
 
 And mourn the fall of liberty and Rome. 
 Dr. Darwin's Poems. 
 
 By beginning an iambic line with a trochee 
 foot, the last syllable of suck trissyllahle 
 words may be found without a metrical 
 accent, as in the following line, 
 
 liberty chases all that gloom away. 
 
 All the above citations are reconcileable 
 to Dr. Vv'ard-s and Dr. Johnson's ideas of 
 prosody: but a line with an unauthorised 
 pronouncing accent, by their theory of Eng- 
 lish versification, is inadmissable. Of tho 
 aine hundred and odd words which are con- 
 
 / 
 
*39 
 
 aidered as of dubious accentuation by or- 
 thocpists, about) untaught, extent, uncharm- 
 gfil, do not form a part. But these words 
 occur with uncommon accentuation in the 
 following lines, 
 
 Talk whh church-wardens about pews. 
 
 Pcpe. 
 
 The untaught harmony of spring. 
 
 Gray. 
 
 Nor knows the extent at his latest hour. 
 Iiadstthou who now so well de.-erv'st my hate, 
 Met in the flame* tierce M/Jcharmed rage my fate* 
 
 Beloe's Poems. 
 
 Mr. Nares in his second rule of quantity says, 
 ' A voiced wkkh ends a syllable in ait 
 accented pcnultima is long ; as bacon, ge- 
 nus, irijie* $c.' He then gives some hun- 
 
 9 Page 216, of his Elements of Orthoepy, 
 
140 
 
 tfreds of exceptions to this rule without one 
 example to prove its practical application 
 to the making of English verses. He says 
 i their error* teas double who confoun 
 i accent with quantity.'* Mr. Xares has ei- 
 ther changed his nations since he wrote his 
 Elements of Orthoepy, or his coadjutors 
 in the British Critic are of a different o- 
 pinion : for in reviewing a book, which I 
 have never been able to obtain a sight of, 
 (Mr. Robertson's essay o?i the nature ofEhig* 
 Uk verse) The British Critic says; u the 
 " author very properly, in our opinion, 
 " dismisses the consideration of long and 
 €i short syllables, and founds the rules of 
 a our vers'e on the management of accent 
 •• alone. The regular disposition of accent 
 
 * Page 243 y Elements of Orthoepy 
 
Hi 
 
 <ft On (ho alternate syllables is first stated 
 u aiul exemplified, and then follow the -va- 
 *< rieties and exceptions. 
 
 Brit. Crit. vol. 18, p. 680. 
 
 Let any one of ?\lr. Nares' words, which 
 lias an accent on a short syllable on the 
 pen ultima, as gamut, gravel, habit, havoc, 
 canrel, agate, be substituted for one of his 
 words of an equal number of syllables 
 "Which is long and accented on the penulti- 
 ma, as bacon in the following line. 
 
 High o'er the hearth a chine of bacon hung. 
 
 ..Drj/den. 
 
 Will the substitution of either gamut, 
 gravel, habit, havoc, camel, or agate, for 
 bacon, alter the euphony of the line suf- 
 ficiently for any person to find out the 
 difference between accent and quantity m 
 English verse ? 
 
■142 
 
 Mr. Moore in his translations of Ana» 
 <creon, has adopted the arrangement of the 
 Vatican copy, which differs from the edi- 
 tions of Barnes, Gail, Fawkes, &c. 6c c. 
 In order, therefore, for any person to 
 compare the translation of one of Mr. 
 Moore's odes, either with the Greek or 
 any translation, the following index is added. 
 
 -~*<<im 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 BARNES. 
 
 Ode 1...0n his Lyre 
 2. ..On Women 
 3... On Cupid . 
 4... On Himself 
 5. ..On the Rose 
 6. ..On Festivity 
 7. ..On Love . . 
 8... The Dream 
 3.. .To the JDove 
 
 page 
 
 MOORE, 
 
 1—23 
 3—24 
 5—33 
 9—32 
 
 12—44 
 
 14—43 
 
 16—31 
 
 18—37 
 
 20—15 
 
VES'. WftS, 
 
 Ode 10. ..On a Waxen Image page 24 — 11 
 
 11... On Jiimsclf , . 26— 7 
 
 12.. .On a Swallow 28 — 10 
 
 13. ..On Himself 30—1-2 
 
 14. ..On Cupid ........ 32 — 13 
 
 15. ..That we ought to live freely 35 — 8 
 
 16. ..On Himself *. 37—26 
 
 17.. .On a Silver Bowl .... 3i— 4 
 18... On the same subject . . . 40 — 5 
 19. ..That we ought to Drink . 42 — 21 
 
 20.. .On his Mistress 44—22 
 
 21. ..On Himself 46—' 
 
 22,. .To his Mistress 48 — 19 
 
 23, ..On Gold 49—36 
 
 24.. .On Himself 51—10 
 
 25. ..On Himself 52—45 
 
 26. ..On Himself 54—48 
 
 -27.. .On Bacchus 56 — 49 
 
 28,..On his Mistress .... .58—16 
 
 29 62—17 
 
 30.. .On Cupid 63—20 
 
 31. ..On Himself 6b— 9 
 
 3 2... On his Mistressess .... 68 — 15 
 
 33. ..On the Swallow 71—25 
 
 34.. .To his Mistress 73—51 
 
 35. ..On Europa 74 — 54 
 
 *>6,*.0n the enjoyment of Life 76 — i 
 
444 
 
 v>'.:rxes. Moons* 
 
 Ode 37... On the Spring . . . page 78— 46 
 
 38. ..On Himself ....... 80 — 47 
 
 39..*On Himself 8-2—50 
 
 4O...O0 Cupid 85 — 35 
 
 41...The Banquet of Wine . . 87—38 
 
 42,..On Himself 90—42 
 
 43. ..On the Grasshopper . . . 92 — 34 
 
 44.. .On his Dream 94—30 
 
 45. ..On Cupid * , , 96 — 28 
 
 4€...Oo Mercenary Love*. . . 99—29 
 
 47. ..On an old Man .... 101—39 
 
 48. ..On Himself 102— 2 
 
 ^49... To a Painter 104— 3 
 
 50. ..On Bacchus 105 — 56 
 
 51...0na Disk representing ,™ j m 
 ^ r & } 10/ — d7 
 \ enus J 
 
 52. ..On the Vintage .... 110—59 
 
 53 ..Onthe Rose . ..... 113—55 
 
 5' . On Himself 118—53" 
 
 55. ..On Lovers 120—27 
 
 56.. .On his old Age .... 122—61 
 
 57... That we ought to drink "1 , Q . rQ 
 
 moderate] v ... J 
 
 59... An Anacreontic .... 126 — 6 
 
 63. ..On Anacreon 12S — 1 
 
 66... On the Spring 130 — 4i 
 
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