Matthew Prior. Poems on Several Occasions :: :: University of Virginia Library

While we to Jove select the holy Victim;
Whom apter shall we sing, than Jove himself,
The God for ever Great, for ever King;
Who slew the Earth-born Race, and measures Right

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To Heav'n's great Habitants? Dictæan hear'st Thou
More joyful, or Lycæan, long Dispute
And various Thought has trac'd. On Ida's Mount,
Or Dicte, studious of his Country's Praise,
The Cretan boasts Thy Natal Place: but oft
He meets Reproof deserv'd: for He presumptuous
Has built a Tomb for Thee, who never know'st
To die, but liv'st the same To-day and Ever.
Arcadian therefore be Thy Birth: Great Rhea
Pregnant to high Parrhasia's Cliffs retir'd,
And wild Lycæus, black with shading Pines:
Holy Retreat! Sithence no Female hither,
Conscious of Social Love and Nature's Rites,
Must dare approach, from the inferior Reptile
To Woman, Form Divine. There the blest Parent
Ungirt her spacious Bosom, and discharg'd
The pond'rous Birth: She sought a neighb'ring Spring,
To wash the recent Babe: In vain: Arcadia,
(However streamy now) adust and dry,
Deny'd the Goddess Water: where deep Melas,
And rocky Cratis flow, the Chariot smoak'd,
Obscure with rising Dust: the thirsty Trav'ler
In vain requir'd the Current, then imprison'd
In subterranean Caverns: Forests grew
Upon the barren Hollows, high o'ershading
The Haunts of Savage Beasts, where now Iaon,
And Erimanth incline their friendly Urns.

Thou too, O Earth, great Rhea said, bring forth;
And short shall be thy Pangs: She said; and high
She rear'd her Arm, and with her Scepter struck
The yawning Cliff: from it's disparted Height
Adown the Mount the gushing Torrent ran,
And chear'd the Vallies: There the Heav'nly Mother
Bath'd, mighty King, Thy tender Limbs: She wrapt them
In purple Bands: She gave the precious Pledge
To prudent Neda, charging her to guard Thee,
Careful and secret: Neda of the Nymphs
That tended the great Birth, next Philyre
And Styx, the eldest. Smiling She receiv'd Thee,

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And conscious of the Grace, absolv'd her Trust:
Not unrewarded; since the River bore
The Fav'rite Virgin's Name: fair Neda rowls
By Leprion's ancient Walls, a fruitful Stream.
Fast by her flow'ry Bank the Sons of Arcas,
Fav'rites of Heav'n, with happy Care protect
Their fleecy Charge; and joyous drink her Wave.

Thee, God, to Cnossus Neda brought: the Nymphs
And Corybantes Thee their sacred Charge
Receiv'd; Adraste rock'd Thy golden Cradle:
The Goat, now bright amidst her fellow-Stars,
Kind Amalthea, reach'd her Tett distent
With Milk, Thy early Food: the sedulous Bee
Distill'd her Honey on Thy purple Lips.

Around, the fierce Curetes (Order solemn
To thy foreknowing Mother!) trod tumultuous
Their Mystic Dance, and clang'd their sounding Arms;
Industrious with the warlike Din to quell
Thy Infant-Cries, and mock the Ear of Saturn.

Swift Growth and wond'rous Grace, O heav'nly Jove,
Waited Thy blooming Years: Inventive Wit,
And perfect Judgment crown'd Thy youthful Act.
That Saturn's Sons receiv'd the three-fold Empire
Of Heav'n, of Ocean, and deep Hell beneath,
As the dark Urn and Chance of Lot determin'd,
Old Poets mention, fabling. Things of Moment
Well nigh equivalent and neighb'ring Value
By Lot are parted: But high Heav'n, Thy Share,
In equal Balance laid 'gainst Sea or Hell,
Flings up the adverse Scale, and shuns Proportion.
Wherefore not Chance, but Pow'r, above Thy Brethren
Exalted Thee, their King. When Thy great Will
Commands Thy Chariot forth; impetuous Strength,
And fiery Swiftness wing the rapid Wheels,
Incessant; high the Eagle flies before Thee.
And oh! as I and mine consult Thy Augur,
Grant the glad Omen; let Thy Fav'rite rise
Propitious, ever soaring from the Right.

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Thou to the lesser Gods hast well assign'd
Their proper Shares of Pow'r; Thy own, great Jove,
Boundless and universal. Those who labor
The sweaty Forge, who edge the crooked Scythe,
Bend stubborn Steel, and harden gleening Armor,
Acknowledge Vulcan's Aid. The early Hunter
Blesses Diana's Hand, who leads Him safe
O'er hanging Cliffs; who spreads his Net successful,
And guides the Arrow through the Panther's Heart.
The Soldier from successful Camps returning,
With Laurel wreath'd, and rich with hostile Spoil,
Severs the Bull to Mars. The skilful Bard,
Striking the Thracian Harp, invokes Apollo,
To make his Hero and Himself Immortal.
Those, mighty Jove, mean time, Thy glorious Care,
Who model Nations, publish Laws, announce
Or Life or Death, and found or change the Empire.
Man owns the Pow'r of Kings; and Kings of Jove.

And as their Actions tend subordinate
To what Thy Will designs, Thou giv'st the Means
Proportion'd to the Work; Thou see'st impartial,
How They those Means imploy. Each Monarch rules
His different Realm, accountable to Thee,
Great Ruler of the World: These only have
To speak and be obey'd; to Those are giv'n
Assistant Days to ripen the Design;
To some whole Months; revolving Years to some:
Others, ill fated, are condemn'd to toil
Their tedious Life, and mourn their Purpose blasted
With fruitless Act, and Impotence of Council.

Hail! greatest Son of Saturn, wise Disposer
Of ev'ry Good: Thy Praise what Man yet born
Has sung? or who that may be born shall sing?
Again, and often hail! indulge our Prayer,
Great Father! grant us Virtue, grant us Wealth:
For without Virtue, Wealth to Man avails not;
And Virtue without Wealth exerts less Pow'r,
And less diffuses Good. Then grant us, Gracious,
Virtue, and Wealth; for both are of Thy Gift.