The Christian Scholar | ||
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II. ATE EXPELLED FROM HEAVEN.
“Then Ate by the head and shining hair
Jove seiz'd, such sorrows his deep heart appal,
And this strong oath indignant did he swear;
That to Olympus and the starry hall
Ate should ne'er return, that injureth all;
He spake, and then with whirling hand he caught
And hurl'd her from Olympus' starry wall:
Quickly she came 'mong men. He mourn'd in thought
O'er the unseemly ills on his dear son she wrought ”
Jove seiz'd, such sorrows his deep heart appal,
And this strong oath indignant did he swear;
That to Olympus and the starry hall
Ate should ne'er return, that injureth all;
He spake, and then with whirling hand he caught
And hurl'd her from Olympus' starry wall:
Quickly she came 'mong men. He mourn'd in thought
O'er the unseemly ills on his dear son she wrought ”
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ATE AND LITÆ, OR PRAYERS.
“Subdue thy mighty spirit; 'tis not right
For thee to be relentless; Gods above,
Greater in honour, virtue, and in might,
E'en they too will relent and pitying prove;
Them offerings, vows, and sacrifices move,
When man prays for the sin that on him lies.
Litæ are daughters of the mighty Jove;
Wrinkled, and lame, with side-distorted eyes,
They follow, full of care, wherever Ate flies.
For thee to be relentless; Gods above,
Greater in honour, virtue, and in might,
E'en they too will relent and pitying prove;
Them offerings, vows, and sacrifices move,
When man prays for the sin that on him lies.
Litæ are daughters of the mighty Jove;
Wrinkled, and lame, with side-distorted eyes,
They follow, full of care, wherever Ate flies.
“Revengeful Ate, trampling on mankind,
Strong, swift of foot, hastes onward,—in her rear
Her wounds to heal the Litæ move behind;
Should man these daughters of great Jove revere
As they approach, his friends they will appear
With Jove above, and all lost good renew;
If he unreconcil'd refuse to hear,
Against him they their sire Almighty sue,
And Ate on him comes exacting vengeance due.”
Strong, swift of foot, hastes onward,—in her rear
Her wounds to heal the Litæ move behind;
Should man these daughters of great Jove revere
As they approach, his friends they will appear
With Jove above, and all lost good renew;
If he unreconcil'd refuse to hear,
Against him they their sire Almighty sue,
And Ate on him comes exacting vengeance due.”
ON THE FOREGOING.
'Tis sweet amid the scenes of war and crime,Which are the pictures of the world abroad,
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Meet for a Christian on his heaven-ward road,—
Thoughts such as mitigate the heavy load
Of sin and sorrow,—and not all unmeet
To be admitted to the calm abode
Of prayer, and pardoning peace, and commune sweet
With Heaven, and those who sit in Heaven at saintly feet.
The Christian Scholar | ||