A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus and of the poems of Sulpicia. With The Original Text, and Notes Critical and Explanatory. In two volumes. By James Grainger |
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| 8. | THE EIGHTH ELEGY.
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 | A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus |  |
107
THE EIGHTH ELEGY.
[“This Day, (the Fates foretold in sacred Song]
“This Day, (the Fates foretold in sacred Song,
And singing drew the vital Twine along)
“He comes, nor shall the Gods the Doom recal,
“He comes, whose Sword shall quell the Rebel Gaul.
“With all her Laurels, him shall Conquest crown,
“And Nations shudder at his awful Frown;
“Smooth Atur, now that flows through peaceful Lands,
“Shall fly affrighted at his hostile Bands.”
'Tis done! this Prophecy, Rome joys to see,
Far-fam'd Messala, now fulfill'd in thee:
Long Triumphs ravish the Spectators Eyes,
And fetter'd Chieftains of enormous Size:
An Ivory-car, with Steeds as white as Snow,
Sustains thy Grandeur through the pompous Show.
And singing drew the vital Twine along)
“He comes, nor shall the Gods the Doom recal,
“He comes, whose Sword shall quell the Rebel Gaul.
“With all her Laurels, him shall Conquest crown,
“And Nations shudder at his awful Frown;
109
“Shall fly affrighted at his hostile Bands.”
'Tis done! this Prophecy, Rome joys to see,
Far-fam'd Messala, now fulfill'd in thee:
Long Triumphs ravish the Spectators Eyes,
And fetter'd Chieftains of enormous Size:
An Ivory-car, with Steeds as white as Snow,
Sustains thy Grandeur through the pompous Show.
Some little Share, in those Exploits, I bore;
Witness Tarbella; and the Santoigne Shore;
Witness the Land, winding with a silver Soane;
Where rush the Garonne; and th'impetuous Rhone;
Where Loire, enamour'd of Carnutian Bounds,
Leads his blue Water through the yellow Grounds.
Witness Tarbella; and the Santoigne Shore;
111
Where rush the Garonne; and th'impetuous Rhone;
Where Loire, enamour'd of Carnutian Bounds,
Leads his blue Water through the yellow Grounds.
Or shall His other Acts adorn my Theme;—
Fair Cydnus, stealing with a silent Stream?
Taurus, that in the Clouds his Fore-head hides,
And rich Cilicia from the World divides;
Taurus, from which unnumber'd Rivers spring,
The savage Seat of Tempests, shall I sing?
Why should I tell, how sacred through the Skies
Of Syrian Cities, the white Pidgeon flies?
Why sing of Tyrian Towers, which Neptune laves;
Whence the first Vessel, venturous, stemm'd the Waves?
How shall the Bard the secret Source explore,
Whence, Father Nile, thou draw'st thy watery Store?
Thy Fields ne'er importune for Rain the Sky;
Thou dost benignly all their Wants supply:
As Egypt, Apis mourns in mystic Lays,
She joins thy Praises to Osiris' Praise.
Fair Cydnus, stealing with a silent Stream?
Taurus, that in the Clouds his Fore-head hides,
And rich Cilicia from the World divides;
Taurus, from which unnumber'd Rivers spring,
The savage Seat of Tempests, shall I sing?
113
Of Syrian Cities, the white Pidgeon flies?
Why sing of Tyrian Towers, which Neptune laves;
Whence the first Vessel, venturous, stemm'd the Waves?
How shall the Bard the secret Source explore,
Whence, Father Nile, thou draw'st thy watery Store?
115
Thou dost benignly all their Wants supply:
As Egypt, Apis mourns in mystic Lays,
She joins thy Praises to Osiris' Praise.
117
Osiris first contriv'd the crooked Plough,
And pull'd ripe Apples from the novice Bough;
He taught the Swains, the Savage-mould to wound,
And scatter'd Seed-corn in th'unpractis'd Ground.
He first with Poles sustain'd the reptile Vine,
And shew'd its Infant tendrils how to twine;
Its wanton Shoots instructed Man to shear,
Subdue their Wildness, and mature the Year:
Then too, the ripen'd Cluster first was trod;
Then in gay Streams its cordial Soul bestow'd;
This as Swains quaff'd, spontaneous Numbers came,
They prais'd the festal Cask, and hymn'd thy Name;
All Ecstacy! to certain Time they bound,
And beat in measur'd Aukwardness the Ground.
Gay Bowls serene the wrinkled Front of Care;
Gay Bowls the toil-oppressed Swain repair!
And let the Slave the laughing Goblet drain;
He blythsome sings, though Manacles inchain.
And pull'd ripe Apples from the novice Bough;
He taught the Swains, the Savage-mould to wound,
And scatter'd Seed-corn in th'unpractis'd Ground.
He first with Poles sustain'd the reptile Vine,
And shew'd its Infant tendrils how to twine;
Its wanton Shoots instructed Man to shear,
Subdue their Wildness, and mature the Year:
Then too, the ripen'd Cluster first was trod;
Then in gay Streams its cordial Soul bestow'd;
This as Swains quaff'd, spontaneous Numbers came,
They prais'd the festal Cask, and hymn'd thy Name;
All Ecstacy! to certain Time they bound,
And beat in measur'd Aukwardness the Ground.
Gay Bowls serene the wrinkled Front of Care;
Gay Bowls the toil-oppressed Swain repair!
And let the Slave the laughing Goblet drain;
He blythsome sings, though Manacles inchain.
Thee Sorrow flies, Osiris, God of Wine!
But Songs, enchanting Love, and Dance are thine:
But Flowers and Ivy thy fair Head surround,
And a loose Saffron-mantle sweeps the Ground.
With Purple-robes invested, now you glow;
The shrine is shewn, and Flutes melodious blow:
Come then, my God, but come bedew'd with Wine!
Attend the Rites, and in the Dance combine;
The Rites and Dances are to Genius due!
Benign Osiris, stand confess'd to view!
Rich Unguents drop already from his Hair,
His Head and Neck soft flowery Garlands share!
O come, so shall my grateful Incense rise,
And Cates of Honey meet thy laughing Eyes!
But Songs, enchanting Love, and Dance are thine:
But Flowers and Ivy thy fair Head surround,
And a loose Saffron-mantle sweeps the Ground.
119
The shrine is shewn, and Flutes melodious blow:
Come then, my God, but come bedew'd with Wine!
Attend the Rites, and in the Dance combine;
The Rites and Dances are to Genius due!
Benign Osiris, stand confess'd to view!
Rich Unguents drop already from his Hair,
His Head and Neck soft flowery Garlands share!
O come, so shall my grateful Incense rise,
And Cates of Honey meet thy laughing Eyes!
On thee, Messala ('tis my fervent Prayer)
May Heaven bestow a wise, a warlike Heir:
In whom, increas'd, paternal Worth may shine,
Whose Acts may add a Lustre to thy Line,
And Transports give thee in thy Life's decline.
May Heaven bestow a wise, a warlike Heir:
In whom, increas'd, paternal Worth may shine,
Whose Acts may add a Lustre to thy Line,
And Transports give thee in thy Life's decline.
But should the Gods my fervent Prayer deny,
Thy Fame, my glorious Friend, shall never die.
Long as (thy bounteous Work) the well-made Way
Shall its broad Pavement to the Sun display.
The Bards of Alba shall in lofty Rhyme,
Transmit thy Glory down the Tide of Time:
They sing from Gratitude: nor less the Clown
Whom Love or Business have detain'd in Town
Till late, as home he safely plods along,
Thee chants, Messala, in his Village-song.
Thy Fame, my glorious Friend, shall never die.
Long as (thy bounteous Work) the well-made Way
Shall its broad Pavement to the Sun display.
121
Transmit thy Glory down the Tide of Time:
They sing from Gratitude: nor less the Clown
Whom Love or Business have detain'd in Town
Till late, as home he safely plods along,
Thee chants, Messala, in his Village-song.
Blest Morn, which still my grateful Muse shall sing,
Oft rise, and with you greater Blessings bring.
Oft rise, and with you greater Blessings bring.
| A Poetical Translation of the elegies of Tibullus | |