Poemata (William Cowper, trans.)

EG

rles D

iend, the far-se

kindness, to th

ngth, from Deva'

seeks the salt

is great that t

foreign race, y

ightly friend,

in so soon hi

where Thames w

y laves, mean

duty, now, my

,4 and my fo

easure in those

musing bard,

I, a pedant's t

ngs, my soul wil

ys, in letter'

ther's roof,

anish'd, I wil

sive of the l

exiled to the

bard7 had suffe

quall'd even

ou hadst won bu

o the Muse wi

oks-my life-ab

sit, or to sm

theatre's ma

ay colloquial

in Learning's l

ior shrewd, or s

dier, now una

brooder o'er a

orman gibb'ri

here, oft dupe

eeds th'enamour

ft, unconscious

now not, yet, u

sion'd Trage

ptre, give her

nds, and roll

eve, still cher

itter tears! yie

bliss untas

s, hapless, on

st, sent back f

sin's heart wit

Argos, the dir

l8 laments its

ty-pent or pe

en Spring calls

our proud s

elm that neve

virgin troop

mildest influe

e! Oh looks th

f, grown old, wi

zed on gem-su

ery star that g

han the iv'ry

elops, or th

's golden snares,

wanton o'er th

winning sweet t

to Flora's f

yield, and ye who

ancient time

urban'd Fair of

ss renown'd, A

s of Greece! Ye

nd all ye of

old her theat

still live in c

msels beauty'

llow them is

ounded by Da

ront the circlin

ode! no love

rth, but it a

ltitude that

ld and beauty,

l her train o

ana gilds thy

t wafted hithe

ost of quiver-

ing Paphian s

empire on th

ightless boy i

happy walls, w

11 shall secu

sorc'ry of

en repass Cam

re the warfare

this trifle; Rhy

e thy friend's r

nslator of the Bible into Italian, and son of Theodore Diodati, a physician of eminence, who married and settled

ee of C

d by Ptolemy, was the Irish S

mbri

suspended) on account of a qua

hap

Ov

d Polynices the brothers-sons of Oedipus and

Tr

rojan) hands are those of Brutus

eus was enabled to escape from Circ

EG

he University Bea

ulgent staff an

ck longtime w

elf an herald

alds, Death, ha

all alike, n

ffice that him

whiter than the

ramour2 in a

worthy ne'er t

,3 to know a s

m some Goddess

kneeling to

to convene wi

, how graceful wo

enius5 erst i

essenger of J

bates6 when

on Atrides'

sepulchres! who

, run through the

dverse to Min

the Muse no

arks, and with

ones, earth's bur

, tears for Him

ples of the

ll, in robes

r, lament his

plaining El

her sweetest s

. John's College, M.A.

had turned himse

s restored to youth

s, the god

erm

lds sent to Achil

GY

Aetat

f the Bishop o

t, dejected

ught the publ

arose the ima

erings by that sc

un'ral torch and

ordliest mansi

gem-illumin

ribes of Nobl

r'd the famed

hes turn'd and

, whom snatch'd

, and follow'd

ost I mourn'd,

hepherd and her

tears I thus c

pow'r to Him wh

h that all the

rce, and ev'ry

t one noisome

rian Queen's own

elves, although

oots, must wit

winged nation

rected flight t

sts that in dar

rds of Proteus

m'd with pow'r

ands with blood

t, with darts t

'n-born spirit

rn'd, the star o

'n, above the

rom his morni

e gulphs of th

e, and, on my

, to night and

ords to paint

ander in a sp

hampain glow'd

-rise on the mou

all the field

is wore, lux

ith whom amtrou

lcinous' garde

ent, like the

nds, but sands

Favonius fann

aken'd under

eign, irradi

e on India's u

plendour and th

es, with wonder

oks that beam'd

inton stood b

sture's hem

dals swept, an

one the mitre

rod, a tremul

ook the flow'r

ls clap their

kes the sky, al

welcome, folds

eter voice tha

n! thy Father'

rth be free'd f

oice, and at i

sound th'Ange

red, and chased

y bliss pass

ish'd sleep with

e may dreams l

eeth year," meaning

wes, Fuller's "p

hich ravaged E

ansfelt. They were brothers in arms and the

Proteus was the sh

Fl

t of his gardens

GY

Aetat

or, Thoma

glish Merchants Re

stle-skim the

panse to the

end should griev

ant that nothin

invoke the K

an ecchoing v

her Nymphs, an

, to speed th

o insure thy

chariot,4 if

e young Tript

come on the S

line the German

Hamburg t

f legendary

om a club-arm'

ep-learn'd and

ward of his Ch

favorite inma

ced to want its

now, and seas,

other, dearer

age7 renown'd

spirit of the

Stagyrite8 to

disdain'd the

iron, or so P

lles' eyes, a

im thro' sweet

unt of Pindus

y the muse, w

p the hallow'd

Sun's resplende

ew ting'd his f

ce has dress'd

ummer parch'd t

lighted on hi

nk the music

and surpass the

that there is

thou shalt ha

use, his infan

e by page with

ather, or Go

(which is his w

mbled flock thei

atever his e

tion as he c

n-cast eye and

, forget not t

und with arms, t

greets thee from

ate I left the

lcome for that

ses, his chast

le came, tho'

This? why pall

lprit's self cou

self-condemn'd,

cted, with an

ive-Delinquen

iveness, meri

oes the lion

n or rends a

ding Thracians

luence of a sup

ead thunderbolt

ictim and up

h'd to write, b

ast, by love al

often true w

hbouring-fields

nst fierce be

xon Chiefs for

s thy countr

with blood the

tented in his

teeds to fields

dant olive f

rumpet-hating go

earth which just

world of its la

rds thee round

and helpless in

eiving from a

d thee in thy

country, and

billow-beaten

foreign Care t

to guide thy st

, commission'

sings in a S

worthy! wit

ight to lie

venerable Ti

itive from sh

Ahab and hi

an wilds he s

ippi wander'd

with sounding s

self so left a

Gergesenes' fo

ourage, strive

dread, nor nour

eed on ev'ry

enac'd by a th

drink thy blood

nceless bosom

Aegis of thy

shall combat o

vanquish'd und

night all Ass

overthrew i

s that lay'd

ill'd and them

s of clarions

heels and neig

armour and t

, (as the most

triumph o'er t

pecting happie

once more thy

e went to St. Paul's. (Milton's prose letter

east wind. Sicania

the Nereids

by winge

resented by Ceres w

arrior slai

8 Aristotle.

oenix were the t

Hel

etween the Protestant Le

goddess

EG

Aetat

pproach

nd'ring from h

he the Spring, an

es, new verdure

mes her transi

also to the

nius, and new

m, and, how stra

to some harm

untain and th

ht, my raptur'

s and heaves,

d that prompt

s, with his brig

urel wreath; P

undepress'd by

y regions win

poetic shadow

ll open to my

ches all the r

an gulphs elud

tic trance-thi

on-what will

verse that with hi

aid with what

op'ning foliage,

instrels, Phil

ncert, to the

lvan heralds

phant spring's a

Muses, annual

eft and Aeth

thward turns hi

now, yet rules

r dusky horro

gued on his a

lows his ce

radiant ce

atch around the

ght, Force, Ambu

ic guilt alar

some shepherd,

a rock, the r

surely, Phoebus

chariot by her

ghted by the m

woodland, and

ams, and, glad

id who shorte

cries-Aurora

umb'ring with thy

d to Hymettus

ephalus expec

ith a blush, h

and driving

es thee, Phoebu

e, casts off th

nd deserves; fo

bosom courts t

rts to ev'ry br

est and the P

ront she di

nes, like Ops

with various fl

s, various, an

e in such a w

himself with

cold and coy,

all her sighin

e fanning soft

ves with warble

'd and indig

th to engage t

almy drugs, as

ian! to that

ecompense, if

(gifts often

the wealth, her

sts beneath the

eadlong from th

lunging in the

ries-Ah Phoeb

e, why seek ref

hee? wherefore sh

ir in her un

reen retreats,

resses in my

shall yield th

evening glorie

resh through ma

airs shall lull

eel like Sem

rning wheels8 a

govern them. Her

vening glorie

e wanton Earth h

ntless offsprin

through ever

s faded fires

ow sends forth a

ted shafts more

lf escapes hi

sta9 at her

o repairs her

ng newly from

ths the Hyme

e roofs, rocks,

ed and by the

ragrant in his

olden-cinctur

sures of the fiel

ach alike, some

bonds of Hym

hepherd through

ts a song that

seaman hails th

rise from the

self, the seaso

ouse, and banque

Satyrs in th

through flow'ry m

d nor goat, bu

th'd with cypres

ave the hollo

banks, and s

; and from hi

Cybele seem

ll on fire to r

ome enticing

re, but fears t

s, but wishes

ice th'Immorta

ow'r presides o

w'rs o'er ev'r

fe and blest

! the age of

ll where storms

, Phoebus! mod

rnal hours too

inter back, nor

t's encroaching,

eli

is the constellation called "The Waggoner," who is said to be

a (the

al youth. See Homer's Hymn to Aphrodite (lines 218-238). Cephalus was her lover, u

es (P

her of the river gods

to see Jove in all his divine glory, the vision of

lo's chariot. See Ov

ddess of

he goddess of marri

hea) was called the mother of the gods a

shepherds. 1

EG

rles D

Visiting i

ot so good as usual, might be excused on account of the many feasts to which his fr

viands overch

chance you want,

hould thy Muse

loves, from da

irous to be

d in verse? Ver

ounds, and must

nds nor measure

n thy lines de

less sports and

kindling with c

ambols as the

Wine against go

cchus have been

lushes someti

er than with L

ves oftimes have

f the Baccha

id could in

? no vine would

numbers sang A

ose, that spark

acchus glows-

ch fragrance of

crash o'erturn'd,

dust the fier

ist steep'd i

ycera's, and C

nteous feast, a

gour of thy sp

blet makes thy

wine alone, bu

favours, and

and whom Ceres

en, thy verses

triple powers

so sounds, with

h flying Finger

lls high-roof'd

ncers of the v

tion fright t

these, may more

while the iv'

ort, and perfum

uence, like e

at once thy

se shall rush

sic's blended

pow'rs light

oice, and at her

Ceres, Venus

lushing Mother

bards we grant

nd the vine's

Demigods and

m'd in Jove's mo

unsels of high

at echo the Ce

se, like him o

em a bloodless

lets let their

rystal spring, t

uld pass, in in

entious, and i

t's, when robed i

tration ready

v'd, and thus,

er for his lo

lcas,7 thus the

mer of the s

temp'rance, Ho

Ithaca9 from

Circe's monste

idious with th

ealms, where grie

he fetter'd i

sacred bards,

fusions from t

rhaps 'tis hardly

be told my occ

ing of peace e

v'nant made f

Deity with

ordid hovel,

ngels, and th

ise who sought

their own unh

birth, to be r

n reeds of Alb

blest day inspi

serv'd in secr

ce, my Critic

tive to Tei

ce's Odes

the guardi

as. 5 A so

e power of understanding the language o

sayer at the siege

dys

"On the Morning of

gy

tes undev

anger to the

a's smiling Q

I derided C

claim to rule

id, transfix th

uest suits a

arrow, for suc

iumph to a Ch

idle arms at

il not 'gainst t

eard, and, kin

ooner) burn'd w

pring, and n

e hamlets on t

nder for the b

he shelter of

ch'd, in painted

d his rattling

infant featur

ons of his thr

eian boy4 is

goblet for i

the nymphs best

erish'd in a

'd, yet grace

eats, not des

said, "by oth

learn; now lear

feel my power, t

guish be my s

hoebus, though

riumph o'er th

thinks on Dap

he prize of

e the Parthian

l'd, and conqu

xpert Cydonian

shaft his laten

y me see hug

9 and Alcides'

Jove himself

should bleed tra

ts this shaft wi

each thee with

outh! shall not

rpent yield thy

waving a brig

m bosom of the

ild should blu

hter more than m

refore, public ha

city, or sub

d repassing ny

ine, beheld wh

e vernal day, w

new force to

ruples check'd

how, rash youth

ook of many

able to cont

d (then peace f

ar superior

atures! Such t

wish, and Juno

h was she, wh

ove had even

elf remote,

-trimm'd and qu

s he clung, he

her cheeks or

usand wounds f

nspierced my un

to me, of f

soul, and I wa

while, whom

vanish'd to

adness I pu

n, proceed, ye

ollow her in

ul's delight so

url'd him to th

rrow'd for O

des, sinking

lph look'd up to

am, what hopes

se to love, ye

e, once more,

tell her of th

is not adama

pity at my ta

us flame-'tis

nstance of di

entle Pow'r!-I

eeds, and nat

hy fires, thy

ov'reign of al

I will worsh

sacrifice, sa

nt me still th

tchedness, that

eafter (should

ine) at once b

____________________

rophies, that i

duced I toil

ndolent, and u

eachers, from t

taught me, in

ervile yoke, and

en, the fierce

ual settled on

ars his flames

reads a Dio

my ninete

lled from Amethus in Cypru

ed after his

an eagle, spirited away to serve as hi

stolen by nymphs who had

llo, and was transf

n cavalry when they fired backwards with devastating effec

shot his wife Pr

les. 10

came to Rome in t

as cast down from Olympu

nauts. He was swal

e line appears in the original to s

s (Aphrodite) at Troy. S

Gunpowd

gem nuper satra

andum perfid

itis voluisti

mala cum pi

lti missurus a

rru flammivo

feris caput in

nios turbine

the matter of them is unpleasant, and because they are written with an asperity, which,

"On the Fifth of

r on t

asti caelo d

emino Bellua

m poterit dare

r donis ins

ne te consorti

nferni pulve

dus in caelum

brutos Roma

alia quemque

eli vix bene s

r on t

imae derisit

superum non

rina monstrum

ificum cornu

ait temnes mea

spreta rell

ras unquam pen

flammas trist

to cecinisti

eribus vix ca

areo sublime r

reas umbra pe

r on t

suis devovera

mnarat Taen

a jam tollere g

uperos eveher

ventor of

time the sage

ereal radianc

, whose bold i

the fiery b

,1 Singing

que suus (sic

ereis ales a

eonora tibi s

entem vox son

vacui certe me

to guttura s

acilisque docet

ali assuescer

idem Deus est, pe

itur, caetera

singer. Milton heard her perform at th

l compliments addressed to Leonora, as they appea

r to t

onora1 onc

atal love to

appier, liv'd

atever pangs fo

ear that heavenl

's lute2 of

theus'3 tho' his

pathy benu

medicinal soun

dering in a bl

athing thro' hi

soothing song, hi

supposed lover o

ho accompanied her

d Theb

r to t

redulous, ah!

ed Siren burie

rthenope1 dec

ust to a Cha

ves, but has exc

r Tiber's pl

all Rome, she

both Gods an

of the

ce the Greek colonie

he Peasant and

o his lord

ippins of so

leased to hav

ee, that all m

old to travel,

thered, and wou

rceiving all h

pains, so foo

ied, "that I ha

all indeed, but

as expensive

oth my pippin

Elegies in th