LXXXVII. To whom he gave the lyre that sweetly sounded, Which skilfully he held and played thereon. He piped the while, and far and wide rebounded The echo of his pipings; every one Of the Olympians sat with joy astounded, While he conceived another piece of fun, One of his old tricks—which the God of Day Perceiving, said :-"I fear thee, Son of May; 66 LXXXVIII. I fear thee and thy sly camelion spirit, Lest thou shouldst steal my lyre and crooked bow; This glory and power thou dost from Jove inherit, To teach all craft upon the earth below; Thieves love and worship thee—it is thy merit To make all mortal business ebb and flow By roguery:-now, Hermes, if you dare, By sacred Styx a mighty oath to swear LXXXIX. 66 That you will never rob me, you will do Or ever would employ his powerful art Against his Pythian fane. Then Phoebus swore There was no God or man whom he loved more. XC. "And I will give thee as a good-will token The beautiful wand of wealth and happiness, A perfect three-leaved rod of gold unbroken, Whose magic will thy footsteps ever bless; And whatsoever by Jove's voice is spoken 66 XCI. 'For, dearest child, the divinations high Which thou requirest, 'tis unlawful ever That thou, or any other deity, Should understand-and vain were the endeavour; For they are hidden in Jove's mind, and I, never Betray the counsels of Jove's inmost will 66 XCII. 'Then, golden-wanded brother, ask me not To speak the fates by Jupiter designed; But be it mine to tell their various lot To the unnumbered tribes of human kind. Let good to these, and ill to those be wrought As I dispense-but he who comes consigned By voice and wings of perfect augury To my great shrine, shall find avail in me. XCIII. "Him will I not deceive, but will assist; But he who comes relying on such birds As chatter vainly, who would strain and twist The purpose of the Gods with idle words, And deems their knowledge light, he shall have missed His road whilst I among my other hoards His gifts deposit. Yet, O son of May, I have another wondrous thing to say. 66 XCIV. There are three Fates, three virgin Sisters, who Rejoicing in their wind-outspeeding wings, Their heads with flour snowed over white and new, Sit in a vale round which Parnassus flings Its circling skirts-from these I have learned true Vaticinations of remotest things. My father cared not. Whilst they search out dooms, They sit apart and feed on honeycombs. XCV. "They, having eaten the fresh honey, grow Drunk with divine enthusiasm, and utter With earnest willingness the truth they know; But if deprived of that sweet food, they mutter All plausible delusions; these to you I give; if you enquire, they will not stutter; Delight your own soul with them :-any man You would instruct may profit if he can. XCVI. "Take these and the fierce oxen, Maia's child— O'er many a horse and toil-enduring mule, O'er jagged-jawèd lions, and the wild White-tuskèd boars, o'er all, by field or pool, Of cattle which the mighty Mother mild Nourishes in her bosom, thou shalt ruleThou dost alone the veil of death upliftThou givest not-yet this is a great gift." XCVII. Thus King Apollo loved the child of May Hermes with Gods and men even from that day Through the dun night. Farewell, delightful Of Jove and Maia sprung,-never by me, HOMER'S HYMN TO CASTOR AND YE wild-eyed Muses, sing the Twins of Jove, Brought forth in joy, mild Pollux void of blame, save, And ships, whose flight is swift along the wave. 21 HOMER'S HYMN TO THE MOON. DAUGHTERS of Jove, whose voice is melody, 9 But when the Moon divine from Heaven is gone Are poured from Heaven, where she is hovering then, A wonder and a sign to mortal men. 19 The Son of Saturn with this glorious Power Hail Queen, great Moon, white-armed Fair-haired and favourable, thus with thee, Which minstrels, servants of the muses, tell. |