Now from my branching arms this infant bear, Let some kind nurse supply a mother's care; Yet to his mother let him oft be led,
Sport in her shades, and in her shades be fed ;
Teach him, when first his infant voice shall frame
Imperfect words, and lisp his mother's name,
To hail this tree, and say with weeping eyes,
"Within this plant my hapless parent lies:"
And when in youth he seeks the shady woods,
Oh, let him fly the crystal lakes and woods,
Nor touch the fatal flowers; but, warn'd by me,
Believe a goddess shrined in every tree.
My sire, my sister, and my spouse, farewell!
If in your breasts or love or pity dwell,
Protect your plant, nor let my branches feel
The browsing cattle, or the piercing steel.
Farewell! and since I cannot bend to join
My lips to yours, advance at least to mine.
My son, thy mother's parting kiss receive,
While yet thy mother has a kiss to give.
I can no more, the creeping rind invades
My closing lips, and hides my head in shades:
Remove your hands; the bark shall soon suffice,
Without their aid, to seal these dying eyes.'
She ceased at once to speak, and ceased to be;
And all the nymph was lost within the tree :
Yet latent life through her new branches reign'd,
And long the plant a human heat retain'd.
FROM THE LATIN OF OVID.
NEAR the Cimmerians, in his dark abode,
Deep in a cavern, dwells the drowsy god;
Whose gloomy mansion nor the rising sun
Nor setting visits, nor the lightsome noon;
But lazy vapours round the region fly,
Perpetual twilight, and a doubtful sky.
No crowing cock does there his wings display,
Nor with his horny bill provoke the day;
Nor watchful dogs, nor the more wakeful geese,
Disturb with nightly noise the sacred peace:
Nor beast of nature nor the tame are nigh,
Nor trees with tempests rock'd, nor human cry;
But safe repose without an air of breath
Dwells here, and a dumb quiet next to death.
An arm of Lethe; with a gentle flow
Arising upwards from the rock below,
The palace moats, and o'er the pebbles creeps,
And with soft murmurs calls the coming sleeps.
Around its entry nodding poppies grow,
And all cool simples that sweet rest bestow;
Night from the plants their sleepy virtue drains,
And, passing, sheds it on the silent plains:
No door there was the' unguarded house to keep,
On creaking hinges turn'd, to break his sleep.
But in the gloomy court was raised a bed, Stuff'd with black plumes, and on an ebon stead: Black was the covering too where lay the god, And slept supine, his limbs display'd abroad: About his head fantastic visions fly,
Which various images of things supply,
And mock their forms; the leaves on trees not more, Nor bearded ears in fields,nor sands upon the shore.
The virgin* entering bright, indulged the day To the brown cave, and brush'd the dreams away: The god, disturb'd with this new glare of light Cast sudden on his face, unseal'd his sight, And raised his tardy head, which sunk again, And sinking on his bosom knock'd his chin; At length shook off himself, and ask'd the dame (And asking yawn'd) for what intent she came ?
To whom the goddess thus-'O sacred Rest, Sweet pleasing Sleep, of all the powers the best! O peace of mind, repairer of decay,
Whose balm renews the limbs to labours of the day,
Care shuns thy soft approach, and sullen flies away!
Adorn a dream, expressing human form,
The shape of him who suffer'd in the storm,
And send it flitting to the Trachin court,
The wreck of wretched Ceyx to report:
Before his queen bid the pale spectre stand,
Who begs a vain relief at Juno's hand.'
She said, and scarce awake her eyes could keep,
Unable to support the fumes of sleep;
But fled, returning by the way she went,
And swerved along her bow with swift ascent.
The god, uneasy till he slept again,
Resolved at once to rid himself of pain;
And, though against his custom, call'd aloud,
Exciting Morpheus from the sleepy crowd:
Morpheus, of all his numerous train, express'd
The shape of man, and imitated best;
The walk, the words, the gesture could supply,
The habit mimic, and the mien belie;
Plays well, but all his action is confined,
Extending not beyond our humankind.
Another birds and beasts and dragons apes,
And dreadful images and monsters shapes :
This demon, Icelos, in heaven's high hall
The gods have named; but men Phobetor call.
A third is Phantasus, whose actions roll
On meaner thoughts, and things devoid of soul;
Earth, fruits, and flowers he represents in dreams,
And solid rocks unmoved, and running streams.
These three to kings and chiefs their scenes display,
The rest before the' ignoble commons play.
Of these the chosen Morpheus is dispatch'd;
Which done, the lazy monarch, overwatch'd,
Down from his propping elbow drops his head,
Dissolved in sleep, and shrinks within his bed.
FROM THE LATIN OF PERSIUS.
GREAT Father of the Gods! be this the meed
Of Tyrants stain'd with many a bloody deed;-
When frenzied lust of power within them reigns,
And darts its deadly poison through their veins,
Virtue in all her charms before them set,
And rack them with the pangs of vain regret!
Not deeper was his agonizing moan
Who in the brazen bull was doom'd to groan;
Not more aghast the purpled flatterer stood,
When 'mid the royal banquet first he view'd
From the gilt roof suspended by a thread
The naked sword hang threatening o'er his head;—
Then, gazing on the precipice below,
The wretch who says within himself, 'I go--
To headlong ruin go, with fatal speed'
Too weak to stop, yet shuddering to proceed;
While the heart whispers what the tongue must
Even from the wife that slumbers at his side.
FROM THE LATIN OF PERSIUS.
'TO-MORROW then begins the task,' you say:
Alas! you'll act to-morrow as to-day :
'What? is one day (you cry) too much to ask?
Trust me, to-morrow shall commence the task.'
But think-ere yet to-morrow's dawn come on,
Our yesterday's to-morrow will be gone.
Thus, while the present from the future borrows,
To-morrows slowly creep upon to-morrows,
Till months and years behold the task undone,
Which, still beginning, never is begun.
Just as the hinder of two chariot wheels
Still presses closely on its fellow's heels,
So flies to-morrow, while you fly as fast,
For ever following, and for ever last.
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