I.’Twas at the royal feast, for Persia wonBy Philip’s warlike son: Aloft, in awful state, The godlike hero sate On his imperial throne. [5] His valiant peers were placed around; Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound: (So should desert in arms be crowned.) The lovely Thais, by his side, Sate like a blooming eastern bride, [10] In flower of youth and beauty’s pride. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, None but the brave, [15] None but the brave deserves the fair. Chorus.Happy, happy, happy pair!None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair. II.Timotheus, placed on high [20]Amid the tuneful quire, With flying fingers touched the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky, And heavenly joys inspire. The song began from Jove, [25] Who left his blissful seats above, (Such is the power of mighty love.) A dragon’s fiery form belied the god; Sublime on radiant spires he rode, When he to fair Olympia pressed, [30] And while he sought her snowy breast; Then, round her slender waist he curled, And stamped an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. The listening crowd admire the lofty sound, A present deity! they shout around; [35] A present deity! the vaulted roofs rebound. With ravished ears, The monarch hears; Assumes the god, Affects to nod, [40] And seems to shake the spheres. Chorus.With ravished ears,The monarch hears; Assumes the god, Affects to nod, [45] And seems to shake the spheres. III.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; [50] Flushed with a purple grace He shows his honest face: Now, give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes. Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain; [55] Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure, Drinking is the soldier’s pleasure; Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. [60] Chorus.Bacchus’ blessings are a treasure,Drinking is the soldier’s pleasure; Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. [65] IV.Soothed 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; [70] And, while he heaven and earth defied, Changed his hand, and checked his pride. He chose a mournful muse, Soft pity to infuse, He sung Darius great and good, [75] By too severe a fate, Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen from his high estate, And weltering in his blood: Deserted, at his utmost need, [80] By those his former bounty fed; On the bare earth exposed he lies, With not a friend to close his eyes. With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, Revolving, in his altered soul, [85] The various turns of chance below; And, now and then, a sigh he stole, And tears began to flow. Chorus.Revolving, in his altered soul,The various turns of chance below; [90] And, now and then, a sigh he stole, And tears began to flow. V.The mighty master smiled, to seeThat love was in the next degree; ’Twas but a kindred-sound to move, [95] For pity melts the mind to love. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures: War, he sung, is toil and trouble; Honour, but an empty bubble; [100] Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying: If the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think it worth enjoying; Lovely Thais sits beside thee, [105] Take the good the gods provide thee — The many rend the skies with loud applause; So Love was crowned, but Music won the cause. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gazed on the fair, [110] Who caused his care, And sighed and looked, sighed and looked, Sighed and looked, and sighed again; At length, with love and wine at once oppressed, The vanquished victor sunk upon her breast. [115] Chorus.The prince, unable to conceal his pain,Gazed on the fair, Who caused his care, And sighed and looked, sighed and looked, Sighed and looked, and sighed again; [120] At length, with love and wine at once oppressed, The vanquished 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, [125] And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder Hark, hark! the horrid sound Has raised up his head; As awaked from the dead, And amazed, he stares around. [130] Revenge, revenge! Timotheus cries, See the furies arise; See the snakes, that they rear, How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! [135] Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And, unburied, remain Inglorious on the plain: [140] Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew. Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes, And glittering temples of their hostile gods. — [145] The princes applaud, with a furious joy, And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way, To light him to his prey, [150] And, like another Helen, fired another Troy. Chorus.And the king seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy;Thais led the way, To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fired another Troy. VII.Thus, long ago, [155]Ere heaving bellows learned to blow, While organs yet were mute, Timotheus, to his breathing flute, And sounding lyre, Could swell the soul to rage, or kindle soft desire. [160] At last divine Cecilia came, Inventress of the vocal frame; The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, [165] With nature’s mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He raised a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down. [170] Grand Chorus.At last divine Cecilia came,Inventress of the vocal frame: The sweet enthusiast, from her sacred store, Enlarged the former narrow bounds, And added length to solemn sounds, [175] With nature’s mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He raised a mortal to the skies, She drew an angel down. [180] |