Odes, English and Latin By Thomas James Mathias. Reprinted 1798 |
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| I. |
| II. | ODE II. THE RENOVATION OF THE WORLD, AND FUTURE RETRIBUTION. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
 | Odes, English and Latin |  |
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ODE II. THE RENOVATION OF THE WORLD, AND FUTURE RETRIBUTION.
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Argument.
The Gods (or Dæmones) meet on the top of mount Inda, and sing the following prophetic song of triumph.
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Now the spirit's plastic might,
Brooding o'er the formless deep,
O'er the dusk abysm of night,
Bids creation cease to sleep!
Brooding o'er the formless deep,
O'er the dusk abysm of night,
Bids creation cease to sleep!
Instant from the riven main
Starts the renovated Earth;
Pine-clad mountain, shaded plain;
See, 'tis Nature's second birth!
Starts the renovated Earth;
Pine-clad mountain, shaded plain;
See, 'tis Nature's second birth!
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Gods on Inda spread the board;
Such was the supreme decree:
Swell the strains in full accord,
Strains of holiest harmony!
Such was the supreme decree:
Swell the strains in full accord,
Strains of holiest harmony!
“High the sparkling beverage pour;
“Be the song with horror fraught:
“Mark! the consecrated hour
“Lifts the soul to solemn thought.
“Be the song with horror fraught:
“Mark! the consecrated hour
“Lifts the soul to solemn thought.
“Odin first inspires the verse,
“Gor'd by the relentless fang;
“Æther felt the conflict fierce,
“Dying groan, and parting pang.
“Gor'd by the relentless fang;
“Æther felt the conflict fierce,
“Dying groan, and parting pang.
“Where is now his vaunted might?
“Where the terror of his eye?
“Fled for aye from scenes of light:
“Pour the sparkling beverage high.
“Where the terror of his eye?
“Fled for aye from scenes of light:
“Pour the sparkling beverage high.
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“Lo! they fleet in radiant round,
“Years of plenty, years of joy:
“Sorrow's place no more is found,
“Cares that vex, or sweets that cloy.
“Years of plenty, years of joy:
“Sorrow's place no more is found,
“Cares that vex, or sweets that cloy.
“From the kindly teeming soil,
“Ripen'd harvests wave unsown;
“Wherefore needs the peasant's toil?
“Nature works, and works alone.
“Ripen'd harvests wave unsown;
“Wherefore needs the peasant's toil?
“Nature works, and works alone.
“Ask ye, whose the scepter'd sway?
“'Tis to lordly Balder given:
“Mark him there, in bright array,
“Stalking through the halls of heaven.
“'Tis to lordly Balder given:
“Mark him there, in bright array,
“Stalking through the halls of heaven.
“Hoder holds united reign;
“Latest times their strength shall prove,
“Monarchs of the bleak domain.
“Know ye now what's done above?
“Latest times their strength shall prove,
“Monarchs of the bleak domain.
“Know ye now what's done above?
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“Is it blest delusion's hour?
“Rolls mine eye in frenzied trance?
“Beams of glory round me shower;
“Troops of radiant forms advance.
“Rolls mine eye in frenzied trance?
“Beams of glory round me shower;
“Troops of radiant forms advance.
“Founded on that firm-set rock,
“Rising view the dome of gold,
“Fix'd secure from wintry shock:
“There the good, and there the bold.
“Rising view the dome of gold,
“Fix'd secure from wintry shock:
“There the good, and there the bold.
“High in tracts of troubled air,
“Justice waves her awful sword:
“Vice appall'd, with hideous stare,
“Shrinks, ere spoke the dooming word.
“Justice waves her awful sword:
“Vice appall'd, with hideous stare,
“Shrinks, ere spoke the dooming word.
“In Nastronda's northern plain,
“Hark, th'invenom'd portals ope:
“Respite there is none of pain,
“Cheerless all, without a hope.
“Hark, th'invenom'd portals ope:
“Respite there is none of pain,
“Cheerless all, without a hope.
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“Dog-ey'd Lust, Adult'ry foul,
“Murder red with many a stain,
“At the fatal entrance scowl,
“Bound in adamantine chain.
“Murder red with many a stain,
“At the fatal entrance scowl,
“Bound in adamantine chain.
“Know ye what is done above?
“Know ye now the deeds of night?”
They spoke: the feast of joy and love
Glow'd on Inda's glist'ring height.
“Know ye now the deeds of night?”
They spoke: the feast of joy and love
Glow'd on Inda's glist'ring height.
| Odes, English and Latin | |