 | The Works of Thomas Love Peacock |  |
81
PINDAR ON THE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
Ακτις αελιου πολυσκοπε, κατ..
All-enlight'ning, all-beholding,
All-transcending star of day!
Why, thy sacred orb enfolding,
Why does darkness veil thy ray?
All-transcending star of day!
Why, thy sacred orb enfolding,
Why does darkness veil thy ray?
On thy life-diffusing splendor
These portentous shades that rise,
Vain the strength of mortals render,
Vain the labors of the wise.
These portentous shades that rise,
Vain the strength of mortals render,
Vain the labors of the wise.
Late thy wheels, through ether burning,
Roll'd in unexampled light:
Mortals mourn thy change, returning
In the sable garb of night.
Roll'd in unexampled light:
Mortals mourn thy change, returning
In the sable garb of night.
Hear, oh Phœbus! we implore thee,
By Olympian Jove divine;
Phœbus! Thebans kneel before thee,
Still on Thebes propitious shine.
By Olympian Jove divine;
Phœbus! Thebans kneel before thee,
Still on Thebes propitious shine.
On thy darken'd course attending,
Dost thou signs of sorrow bring?
Shall the Summer rains, descending,
Blast the promise of the Spring?
Dost thou signs of sorrow bring?
Shall the Summer rains, descending,
Blast the promise of the Spring?
82
Or shall War, in evil season,
Spread unbounded ruin round?
Or the baleful hand of Treason
Our domestic joys confound?
Spread unbounded ruin round?
Or the baleful hand of Treason
Our domestic joys confound?
By the bursting torrent's power,
Shall our rip'ning fields be lost?
Shall the air with snow-storms lower,
Or the soil be bound in frost?
Shall our rip'ning fields be lost?
Shall the air with snow-storms lower,
Or the soil be bound in frost?
Or shall ocean's waves stupendous,
Unresisted, unconfin'd,
Once again, with roar tremendous,
Hurl destruction on mankind?
Unresisted, unconfin'd,
Once again, with roar tremendous,
Hurl destruction on mankind?
| The Works of Thomas Love Peacock | |