Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

"What land is this? oh, whither has the storm "Driven us, to perish, in some horrid form?

"Better, the dangers known again to brave.
"Thro' clashing rocks, that float amid the wave!
"To thwart th' Almighty's will, to brave his hate-
"Heroic daring would adorn our fate.

"But now what hope, or what resource remains?
"Confin'd by storms on these deserted plains.
"Soon shall our little span of life be past,
"Despair unmingled reigns along the waste.
"No means of life the burning sand supplies.
"All nature sickens; vegetation flies.”.

Such sounds the phrensy of despair confest.-
The sad Ancaus thus the train addrest,

1960

Skilful to guide the helm." "Tis true, my friends, "A dreadful doom o'er every head impends. "In solitudes accurst we must endure

"Unutterable ills, without a cure ;

"If from the land the changing winds should blow, "And bear the waters back with refluent flow. 1971 "Far as these eyes the dismal view command, "Where turbid waves are mix'd with treacherous sand, "With dashing foam th' extended beach is hoar, "And billows break continuous on the shore. "The sacred ship, our hope, our chiefest pride, "To fragments torn ev'n now were scatter'd wide; "Did not the swellings of the salt profound "Forbid her keel, to strike the fatal ground. "But, now, with rapid ebb returns the tide, "The sinking shoals the bottom scarcely hide. "Then, pools innavigable round us spread; "And hopes of safety all are cold and dead."Assume the helm some more experienc'd hand, "Give-if thou canst, salvation to this band."Ah no-the day of our return is gone, "For ever fled.—Our hopes and fears are done.—

1980

"Soon shall we reap the fruit of perils past. By Jove decreed to perish in this waste."

1991

With tears he ceas'd.-A like despondence fill'd
All who were best in guiding vessels skill'd.
Then, every heart a mortal terror froze;
On every cheek a death-like pale arose.

As, when some tidings strange, and dire prevail,
Men croud the streets like sheeted spectres pale;
When tales of war and pestilence they hear,
Or future famine wakes presageful fear,
As inundation, deluging the plain,

Devours the labours of th' industrious swain;
When from the statue bloody dews distil;
Or sacred shrines tremendous bellowings fill;
When dim eclipse o'erpow'rs the noontide glare,
And glancing meteors fill the troubled air;
With pensive steps, a wan desponding train,
The heroes stalk'd beside th' extended main;
And now came on the sombrous ev'ning's close,
Clad in a colour suited to their woes.

2000

2010

With bursting tears they clasp'd each other's hand,
Tears, sole indulgence of the wretched band,
Then, parting, each pursues the sad relief,
And broods insatiate o'er the lonely grief.
Each far from other took his gloomy way;
And stretch'd unsocial on the sands they lay,
As chance or choice the couch of sorrow found;
And mantles wrapt their drooping heads around.
They mourn'd, of food regardless, thro' the night;
No care of food return'd, with morning light.
Such forms of horrid death were round display'd,
Such dire forebodings every heart dismay'd.

Apart, the maids, that from Phaacia came,
With cries assembled round the Colchian dame.
As when the parent bird, in quest of food,
Compell❜d by hunger, leaves the callow brood,

2020

Unfit to tempt the sky, an hapless flock,
Within the cleft of some aspiring rock,
Abandon'd thus, if from the nest they fall,
In vain for help the piteous nurselings call;
As, where the swelling bank with verdant brow,
Sees the rich streams of bright Pactolus flow;
The plaintive cygnets raise the doleful strain,
The borders fair resound, the dewy plain,
The silver currents;-mourn'd these virgins fair,
And mingled with the dust their golden hair.
All night their wailings rose most sadly sweet,
And lonely echo lov'd their voices to repeat.

2030

Unknown, unhonour'd by the race of man.
Their names extinguished, with their glorious plan,
The first, the noblest of the Grecian host

In deserts wild their gallant lives had lost.
But, thoughts of pity to the suffering band
The heroines felt, who sway'd the Libyan land.
When, from her father's head, in shining arms,
Severely bright, mature in virgin charms,
Minerva rose; their early cares they gave,
Her beauteous frame in Triton's lake to lave.
Thus had the nymphs the love of Pallas gain'd;
And sacred honours o'er that realm obtain'd.-

2040

'Twas noon.-The sun his keenest arrows cast, Reflected fierce from all the burning waste. Their steps divine the nymphs to Jason guide, 2050 From his fair head they gently drew aside The shading veil.-Awe-struck the youth declin'd, From glories that bespake the heav'nly kind, His reverent eyes.-The mourner they addrest; And sooth'd, with kindness, the desponding breast. "Why sink, sad youth, abandon'd to despair?"Know, that immortals make thy fate their care. "Thy fortunes past are not to us untold, 2058 "Thy, toils, thy wanderings, for the fleece of gold.

"We know thy sufferings o'er the wave and land. "We know th' atchievements of thy daring band,

[ocr errors]

Nymphs of the fleecy care, and rustic train, "We hold an humble, and a local reign,

"Pleas'd with the worship of our native soil,
"The simple guardians of the shepherd's toil.-
"Rouse, like a man, from this despair profound;
"And raise thy friends, that languish on the ground.---
"When Amphitrité shall unyoke the car,

"That whirls her Neptune o'er the deeps afar,
"Their tender parent let the train repay,
"With due returns, for many an anxious day;
"For painful throes and agonizing care,

2070

"Since first their manly forms her womb parental bare; "Then, safely to the lov'd Achaan shore

"Bear the rich fleece, that shines with golden ore.".
The nymphs evanish'd, like an airy dream;
Yet still their accents sound, and near they seem.
As on that barren plain he sate half-rais'd,
Around in wonderment the hero gaz’d.

"Nymphs, honour'd nymphs, ye guardians of this wild, "Oh hear your suppliant, with indulgence mild! 2081 "Sustain his spirit, in this hour of fear,

"And safe thro' perils of these regions bear.— "But dark the words, that speak of our return. "Perplex'd with doubts my veering thoughts are borne. "United minds th' abyss of fate may sound"Wherefore delay, to call my friends around?”. He rose impetuous, from the sandy bed,

Parch'd with the sun, with squalid dust o'erspread.-Forward he rush'd; and loudly call'd the train. 2090 His voice resounded to the distant plain.

Thus, in the wilds, that long have nurst his race,

The tawny lion, dusty from the chace,

Stalks thro' the forest, with a fiery glare,

And roaring seeks the partner of his lare,

Tremendous call-among the mountains, shake,
At his dire voice, the glens and tangled brake.
His roar the startling herds with terror fills,
His roar the guardian swains with horror thrills;
So loud were Jason's shouts. But, to the heart 2100
Congenial, no dismay the sounds impart.

The heroes all assembled, at his cries.

2110

With sadden'd minds they came; and downcast eyes.
Where, stationed, 'mid the shoals and dangerous sand,
Their vessel lay, they stood a gloomy band.
At Jason's mandate, with the female train
Promiscuous join'd, they sate beside the main.-
"Hear, lov'd companions, while my words unfold
"The tidings, heavenly messengers have told.
"Late as I lay, the victim of despair,
"Three nymphs beside me stood, divinely fair.
"No mortals they, in skins of goats array'd,
"With rustic cinctures of the shepherd maid,
"Their simple vests from necks of ivory hung,
"And graceful round their slender middles clung
"Awhile they stood, above my drooping head,
"And drew the veil, that o'er my face lay spread.
"With chearing words they rous'd me from the ground.
"They bade me summon you, my comrades, round;
"And to your mother gratefully restore

"Due recompense, for all the pangs she bore;
"For wakeful cares, and many an anxious day,
"While yet unconscious in her womb we lay;
"When Amphithrite shall unyoke the car,
"That whirls her Neptune o'er the deeps afar.-

2120

"With thoughts perplex'd, in vain my troubled mind "The purport of their accents toils to find. "Celestial heroines, so they spake their strain, "Daughters of Lybia, guardians of the plain, "Our wanderings past, our various toils they knew, "By means superior open'd to their view.

2131

« AnteriorContinuar »