With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky, The song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovʼreign of the A present Deity, the vaulted roofs rebound. 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: 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' blessings are a treasure ; Drinking is the soldier's pleasure: Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure after pain. CHORUS. "Bacchus' blessings are a treasure; "Drinking is the soldier's pleasure: "Rich the treasure, "Sweet the pleasure; "Sweet is pleasure after pain." IV. 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 master saw the madness rise; [the slain. His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; And while he heav'n and earth defy'd, Soft pity to infuse : He sung Darius, great and good; By too severe a fate, Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen from his high estate, The various turns of chance below; CHORUS. "Revolving in his alter'd soul "The various turns of chance below; V. The mighty master smil'd to see Never ending, still beginning. Take the good the Gods provide thee. The many rend the skies with loud applause: Who caus'd his care, And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, At length, with love and wine at once opprest, CHORUS. "The prince unable to conceal his pain, "Gaz'd on the fair "Who caus'd his care, "And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, "Sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again. "At length with love and wine at once opprest, "The vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast." VI. Now strike the golden lyre again: A louder yet, and yet a louder strain. Break his bands of sleep asunder, And rouze him like a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark, the horrid sound Has rais'd up his head, As awak'd from the dead, And amaz'a, he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the snakes that they rear, How they hiss in their hair! And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand, Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And unbury'd remain Inglorious on the plain : Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew. Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes, And glitt'ring temples of their hostile gods! The princes applaud with a furious joy, And the king seiz'd a flambeau, with zeal to destroy Thais led the way, To light him to his prey; And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy. CHORUS. "And the King seiz'd a flambeau, with zeal to "Thais led the way, "To light him to his prey; [destroy: "And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy." |