While vanquisht Thyrfis did contend in vain,
Thence Corydon, young Corydon does reign
The best, the sweetest on our wondring Plain.
English'd by Mr. Stafford.
D Damon's and Alphefibaus Mufe
I fing: to hear whose Notes the Herds refuse Their needful Food, the falvage Lynxes gaze, And ftopping Streams their preffing waters raife. I fing fad Damon's and Alphefibaus Layes; And thou (whatever part is bleft with thee, The rough Timavus, or Illyrian Sea)
Smile on my Verfe: is there in Fate an hour
To fwell my numbers with my Emperour?
There is, and to the World there fhall be known
A. Verfe, that Sophocles night daign to own.
Amidst the Laurels on thy Front Divine,
Permit my humble Ivy wreath to twine:
Thine was my earliest Muse,my latest shall be thine.
Night fearce was paft, the Morn was yet fo new,
And well pleas'd Herds yet roul'd upon the dew;
When Damon ftretch'd beneath an Olive Lay,
And fung, Rife Lucifer, and bring the Day:
Rife, rife, while Nifa's falfhood I deplore,
And call thofe Gods to whom the vainly swore,
To hear my fad expiring Mufe and me, [mony.
To Manalus my Pipes and Mufe tune all your har-
On Manglus ftand ever-ecchoing Groves,
Still trufted with the harmless Shepherds loves:
Here Pan refides,who firft madeReeds and Verfe agree.
To Manalus my Pipes and Mufe tune all your harmony.
Mopfus is Nifa's choice; how juft are Lovers fears?
Now Mares with Griffins join, and following years
Shall fee the Hound and Deer drink at a Spring.
O worthy Bridegroom light thy Torch, and fling
Thy Nuts, fee modest Hefper quits the Sky.
ToManalus my Pipes and Muse tune all your harmony,
O happy Nymph, bleft in a wondrous Choice,
For Mopfus you contemn'd my Verfe and Voice:
For him my Beard was fhaggy in your Eye ;
For him, you laugh'd at every Deity. [mony.
To Manalus my Pipes and Muse tune all your har-
When first I saw thee young and charming too,
'Twas in the Fences, where our Apples grew.
My thirteenth year was downy on my Chin,
And hardly could my hands the loweft branches win;
How did I gaze? how did I gazing die?
ToManalas my Pipes and Mufe tune all your harmony.
I know thee Love, on Mountains thou waft bred,
And Thracian Rocks thy Infant fury fed:
Hard foul'd, and not of human Progeny.
ToManalus my Pipes and Muse tune all your harmony.
Love taught the cruel Mother to imbrue
Her hands in blood: 'twas Love her Children flew :
Was the more cruel, or more impious he!
An impious Child was Love, a cruel Mother fhe. To Manalus my Pipes and Muse tune all your harmony.
Now let the Lamb and Wolf no more be foes, Let Oaks bear Peaches, and the Pine the Rofe; From Reeds and Thyftles, Balm and Amber fpring, And Owles and Daws provoke the Swan to fing: Let Tityrus in Woods with Orpheus vie, And foft Arion on the Waves defie; To Manalus my Pipes and Mufe tune all your har· Let all be Chaos now, farewel ye Woods: From yon high Cliff, I'll plunge into the Floods. O Nifa take this difmal Legacy,
Now ceafe my Pipes and Mufe,ceafe all your harmony,
Thus he. Alphefibus Song rehearse,
Ye facred Nine, above my Rural Verse.
Bring Water, Altars bind with myftick Bands,
Burn Gums and Vervain, and lift high the Wands;
We'll mutter facred Magick till it warms
My icy Swain; 'tis Verse we want; my charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
By charms compell'd the trembling Moon defcends,
And Circe chang'd, by charms, Vlyffes' Friends;
By Charms the Serpent burft: ye pow'rful Charms
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Behold his Image with three Fillets bound,
Which thrice I drag the facred Altars round.
Unequal numbers please the Gods: My Charms
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Three knots of treble colour'd Silk we tye;
Hafte Amaryllis, knit 'em inftantly:
And fay, thefe, Venus, are thy Chains; my Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Juft as before this Fire the Wax and Clay
One melts, one hardens, let him wafte away.
Strew Corn and Salt, and burn thofe leaves of Bay.
I burn thefe Leaves, but he burns me: my Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Let Daphnis rage as when the bellowing Kind,
Mad with defire, run round the Woods to find
Their Mates; when tir'd, their trembling Limbs
they lay
Near fome cool Stream, nor mind the fetting day:
Thus let him rage, unpitied too: my Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
These Garments once were my perfidious Swain's,
Which to the Earth I caft: Ah dear remains!
Ye owe my Daphnis to his Nymph: My Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Maris himself these Herbs from Pontus brought,
Pontus for every noble Poison sought;
Aided by thefe, he now a Wolf becomes,
Now draws the buried talking from their Tombs,
The Corn fromField to Field transports: My Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms.
Caft o'er your Head the Athes in the Brook,
Caft backward o'er your Head, nor turn your look.
I ftrive, but Gods and Art he flights: My Charms,
Return, return, return my Daphnis to my Arms..
Behold new Flames from the dead Ashes rise,
Bleft be the Omen, bleft the Prodigies,
For Hylax barks, fhall we believe our Eyes?
Or do we Lovers dream cease, cease, my Charms,
My Daphnis comes, he comes, he flies into my Arms.
Damon and Alpheus Loves recite,
The Shepherds envy, and the Fields delight:
Whom as they ftrove, the lift'ning Heifers ftood,.
Greedy to hear, forgetful of their Food;
They charm'd the rage of hungry Wolves, and led
The wandring Rivers from their wonted Bed.
I Damon and Alpheus Loves recite,
The Shepherds Envy, and the Fields delight.
And you great Prince, whofe Empire unconfin'd,"
As Earth, and Seas, yet narrower than your Mind,
Whether you with Victorious Troops pass o'er
Timavus Rocks, or coaft th' Illyrian fhore;
Shall I, beginning with thefe Rural Lays,
Ever my Muse to fuch Perfection raise,
As without rafhness to attempt your Praise,
And thro' the fubje&t World your Deeds rehearse?
Deeds worthy of the Majefty of Verfe!
My first Fruits now I to your Altar bring;
Yon, with a riper Mufe, I laft will fing.
Mean while among your Laurel wreaths allow
This Ivy branch to fhade your Conquering Brow.
Scarce had the Sun difpell'd the fhades of Night,
Whilft dewy browz the Cattel does invite ;
When in a mournful pofture, pale, and wan,
The luckless Damon thus his plaints began.
Thou drowfie Star of Morning, come away,
Come and lead forth the facred Lamp of day;
Whilft I by Nifa baffled and betray'd,
Dying, to Heaven accufe the perjur'd Maid.
But Prayers are all loft Breath; the Powers above
Give Difpenfations for falfe Oaths in Love.
Begin with me, my Flute, begin fuch strains,
As Pan our Patron taught th'Arcadian Swains.
'Tis a moft bleffed Place, that Arcady!
And Shepherds blefs'd, who in those Coverts lie!
Mufick and Love is all their Business there,
Pan doth himself part in those Conforts bear:
The Vocal Pines with clasping Arms confpire,
To cool the Sun's, and fan their amorous Fire.
Begin with me, my Flute, begin fuch ftrains,
As Pan our Patron taught th' Arcadian Swains.
Mopfus does Nifa a cheap Conqueft gain,
Prefented, woo'd, betroth'd to me in vain.
What hour fecure, what refpite to his Mind
In this false World can a poor Lover find?
Let Griffins Mares, and Eagles Turtles wooe,
And tender Fawns the ravening Dogs pursue:
These may indeed fubject of wonder prove,
But nothing to this Prodigy of Love.
Mopfus buy Torches : Hymen you must join;
Befpeak our Bride-Cake, Hefperus all is thine.
Begin with me, my Flute, begin such strains,
As Pan our Patron taught th' Arcadian Swains.
A worthy Match, and juft reward of Pride!
Whilft you both Damon, and his Pipe deride!
Too long my Beard, nor fmooth enough my Face:
And with my Perfon, you my Flocks difgrace..
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