684 LV And from the folded depths of the great Hill, To Phoebus said: Whence drive you this sweet prey, LVI A most important subject, trifler. this Under Cyllene's mountains far away- LVII 'I never saw his like either in Heaven Or upon earth for knavery or craft:Out of the field my cattle yester-even. By the low shore on which the loud sea laughed, He right down to the river-ford had driven; And mere astonishment would make you daft LVIII "The cattle's track on the black dust, full well I know not how I can describe in words LIX 'He must have had some other stranger mode Of moving on: those vestiges immense, Far as I traced them on the sandy road, No mark nor track denoting where they trod Seemed like the trail of oak-toppings:-but thence The hard ground gave:-but, working at his fence, 488 wrath] ruth Harvard MS. 410 435 4,0 445 450 455 460 465 LX 'I found that in the dark he quietly About the road-then, still as gloomy night, Rubbing, and cogitating some new sleight. LXI 'I taxed him with the fact, when he averred Most solemnly that he did neither see Nor even had in any manner heard Of my lost cows, whatever things cows be; Not even who could tell of them to me.' LXII 'Great Father, you know clearly beforehand I am a most veracious person, and At sunrise Phoebus came, but with no band And saying that I must show him where they are, LXIII 'Or he would hurl me down the dark abyss. I know that every Apollonian limb Is clothed with speed and might and manliness, As a green bank with flowers-but unlike him I was born yesterday, and you may guess He well knew this when he indulged the whim LXIV 'Am I like a strong fellow who steals kine? Sun and the Gods, and I love you, and care LXV 'I swear by these most gloriously-wrought portals (It is, you will allow, an oath of might) Through which the multitude of the Immortals 470 475 480 485 490 495 500 505 LXXVI - What Mase, what skill what unimagized use, Delight, and love, and sleep.-sweet sleep, whose dews LXXVII 600 And their delight is dance, and the blithe noise 603 And sweet, even as desire, the liquid voice LXXVIII Now since thou hast, although so very small. Science of arts so glorious, thus I swear.-And let this cornel javelin, keen and tall, Witness between us what I promise here.That I will lead thee to the Olympian Hall, Honoured and mighty, with thy mother dear. And many glorious gifts in joy will give thee, And even at the end will ne'er deceive thee.' LXXIX To whom thus Mercury with prudent speech:-- LXXX "Tho Counsellor Supreme has given to thee By thee, 'tis said, the depths are understood Of all oracular fates,-and the dread mood Of the diviner is breathed up; even I A child-perceive thy might and majesty. LXXXI 610 615 610 625 630 Thou canst seek out and compass all that wit 635 Can find or teach; yet since thou wilt, come take The lyre--be mine the glory giving it- Strike the sweet chords, and sing aloud, and wake Thy joyous pleasure out of many a fit 640 Of tranced sound-and with fleet fingers make LXXXII 'Then bear it boldly to the revel loud, All things which make the spirit most elate, LXXXIII 'To those who are unskilled in its sweet tongue, Its hidden soul, it gossips something wrong- LXXXIV 'And let us two henceforth together feed, If to the bulls and cows we take good heed ;- LXXXV And gave him in return the glittering lash, Of Mercury then laughed a joyous flash. And then Apollo with the plectrum strook Of mighty sounds rushed up, whose music shook LXXXVI The herd went wandering o'er the divine mead, 673 and like 1839, 1st ed.; as of ed. 1824, Harvard MS. 645 650 655 660 665 670 675 680 Affection sweet,-and then, and now, and ever, LXXXVII To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly sounded, Of the Olympians sat with joy astounded; While he conceived another piece of fun, One of his old tricks-which the God of Day Perceiving, said: I fear thee, Son of May; LXXXVIII 'I fear thee and thy sly chameleon spirit, 6 By sacred Styx a mighty oath to swear LXXXIX That you will never rob me, you will do That he would never steal his bow or dart, XC And I will give thee as a good-will token, XCI That thou, or any other deity 'For, dearest child, the divinations high Which thou requirest, 'tis unlawful ever 715 For they are hidden in Jove's mind, and I, In trust of them, have sworn that I would never Betray the counsels of Jove's inmost will To any God - the oath was terrible. 713 loving] living cj. Rossetti. Should understand and vain were the endeavour ; 720 |