DRYDEN.

ODE

ON S. CECILIA'S DAY.

ALEXANDER'S FEAST.

OR

THE POWER OF MUSIC.

"TWAS at the royal feast, for Persia won

By Philip's warlike son;

Aloft in awful state

The god like hero sate

On his imperial throne.

His valiant peers were plac'd around

Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound,

(So should desert in arms be crown'd,)

The lovely Thaïs by his side

Sate like a blooming eastern bride

C'ÉTAIT à la royale fête;

On célébrait Alexandre vainqueur,
Et des Perses vaincus la brillante conquête;
Entouré des guerriers témoins de sa valeur,
Le héros demi-dieu semblait de sa grandeur
Rehausser l'éclat de son trône.

Le myrte et le laurier composaient sa couronne.
Thaïs était à ses côtés;

Thaïs offrait à ses yeux enchantés
Le lustre printanier, la fraîcheur virginale

In flow'r of youth, and beauty's pride.
Happy, happy, happy pair

None but the brave,

None but the brave,

None but the brave,

None but the brave deserves the fair!

Chorus: Happy, happy, etc.

Thimotheus plac'd on high,

Amid the tuneful choir,

With flying fingers touch'd the lyre:
The trembling notes ascend the sky
And heav'nly joys inspire.

The song began from Jove
Who left his blissful seats above
Such is the pow'r of mighty love!
A dragon's fiery form bely'd the god;
Sublime on radiant spires he rode
When he to fair Olimpias press'd;
And while he sought her snowy breast

Then round her slender waist he curl'd,

And stamp'd an image of himself, a sov'reign of the world. The list'ning crowd admire the lofty sound;

A present deity they shout around,

A present deity the vaulted roofs rebound.
With ravish'd ears

The monarch hears,

D'une épousée orientale.
De grâces, de majesté,

De gloire, de volupté,
Oh quel touchant assemblage!
Il n'appartient qu'au courage
De captiver la beauté.

Choeur: De grâces, de majesté, etc.

Au centre d'un orchestre immense,
Thimothée à l'instant s'avance.
A ses accens harmonieux

Il mêle les sons de sa lyre,

Et ses accords s'élevant jusqu'aux cieux,
Semblent en rapporter un céleste délire.
Sublime et tendre tour à tour,

Il chante Jupiter, ce dieu dont la puissance
Cède aux traits vainqueurs de l'amour.

Jupiter se dérobe aux regards de sa cour;
D'un superbe dragon il prend la ressemblance,
Il s'élance du haut des airs;

La belle Olympias a fixé son hommage.
Dans son sein enchanteur il empreint son image
Et donne un maître à l'univers.

Ce maître, le voilà!.. mille mains applaudissent;
De ces mots répétés les voûtes retentissent.
Alexandre s'enorgueillit,

Son cœur s'élève, s'agrandit.

Assumes the god,

Affects the nod

And seems to shake the spheres.

Chorus: With ravish'd ears, ete.

The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung,
Of Bacchus ever fair and ever young.
The jolly god in triumph comes,
Sound the trumpets, beat the drums.
Flush'd with a purple grace

He shews his honest face;

Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes,

Bacchus ever fair and young

Drinking joys did first ordain.
Bacchus's blessings are a treasure;

Drinking is the soldier's pleasure.

Rich the treasure,

Sweet the pleasure,

Sweet is pleasure after pain.

Chorus: Bacchus' blessings, etc.

Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain ;

Fought all his battles o'er again;

And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain

The master saw the madness rise

His glowing cheeks, his ardent

eyes;

And while he heav'n and earth defy'd,