FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  
res;-- Sudden, with his trident's blow, He the granite columns tears From earth's entrails far below;-- In his mighty hands, on high, Waves he them, like some light ball, And with nimble Hermes by, Raises up the rampart-wall. But from out the golden strings Lures Apollo harmony, Measured time's sweet murmurings, And the might of melody. The Camoenae swell the strain With their song of ninefold tone: Captive bound in music's chain, Softly stone unites to stone. Cybele, with skilful hand, Open throws the wide-winged door; Locks and bolts by her are planned, Sure to last forevermore. Soon complete the wondrous halls By the gods' own hands are made, And the temple's glowing walls Stand in festal pomp arrayed. With a crown of myrtle twined, Now the goddess queen comes there, And she leads the fairest hind To the shepherdess most fair. Venus, with her beauteous boy, That first pair herself attires; All the gods bring gifts of joy, Blessing their love's sacred fires. Guided by the deities, Soon the new-born townsmen pour, Ushered in with harmonies, Through the friendly open door. Holding now the rites divine, Ceres at Zeus' altar stands,-- Blessing those around the shrine, Thus she speaks, with folded hands:-- "Freedom's love the beast inflames, And the god rules free in air, While the law of Nature tames Each wild lust that lingers there. Yet, when thus together thrown, Man with man must fain unite; And by his own worth alone Can he freedom gain, and might." Wreathe in a garland the corn's golden ear! With it, the Cyane blue intertwine! Rapture must render each glance bright and clear, For the great queen is approaching her shrine,-- She who our homesteads so blissful has given, She who has man to his fellow-man bound: Let our glad numbers extol then to heaven, Her who the earth's kindly mother is found! THE RING OF POLYCRATES. [32] A BALLAD. Upon his battlements he stood, And downward gazed in joyous mood, On Samos' Isle, that owned his sway, "All this is subject to my yoke;" To Egypt's monarch thus he spoke,-- "That I am truly blest, then, say!" "The immortals' favor thou hast known! Thy sceptre's might has overthrown All those who once
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47  
48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

golden

 

shrine

 

Blessing

 

freedom

 
intertwine
 

Rapture

 

render

 

Wreathe

 

garland

 

inflames


Freedom
 

stands

 
folded
 
speaks
 

Nature

 

thrown

 
lingers
 

homesteads

 
subject
 
monarch

joyous

 

sceptre

 

overthrown

 

immortals

 
downward
 
blissful
 

fellow

 

numbers

 

bright

 

approaching


heaven

 
POLYCRATES
 

BALLAD

 

battlements

 

kindly

 
mother
 

glance

 

sacred

 
murmurings
 

melody


Camoenae

 

Measured

 

harmony

 
strings
 

Apollo

 

strain

 

skilful

 

Cybele

 

throws

 

unites