CXXXVIII

COLUMBUS

Non usitatis auguriis fidem
audax iuventus foverat unicam ;
spes una direxit vagantem,
sidus uti, docuitque cursus.

disiecta tandem somnia ;-quid viro
restat? fugacem mutat imaginem
tellure vix longe reperta,

spemque fere videt absolutam,
cum dissipatas per maria insulas,
praemunientes litora latius
extenta, et intactos recessus
attigit imperiosa prora,
et vasta tellus virgineos sinus
reclusit ultro:-caerula porticus
excepit adstantem, sed ultra

ferre pedem vetuere Parcae.
beatus, oram cui dedit ultimam
Fortuna pallae tangere regiae
primo, triumphatique rector

tu maris, et decus inter omnes insigne nautas iure vocaberis : quando silebit, quid tibi debeat Orbis? quid aeternos honores imminuet, Genuae potentis invicta proles, dum Notus ingemet inter rudentes velaque dissono stridore, dum fluctus tonabunt

in numerum salis aestuosi ?

E. D. S

CXXXIX

VIS TEMPERATA

Mens ampla angustas non indignata catenas
ludit ut Oceanus, sol ubi ridet aquis.
nec tamen hi fluctus cupient transcendere fines,
nec scopulo adstrictis astra ferire modis.

CXL

FROM 'THE SHADOW-LAND'

Far, far aloof from Olympus and the thunder
Lost midway in the spaces of the night
Lies a dim wilderness of vanity and wonder

Half within darkness and half amid the light.
Stray suns find it: the callow moon has found it;
Sad seas circle it, a melancholy strand;
Dreams impeople it and shadows are around it;
And the gods know it as the distant Shadow-land.
All things there suffer death and alteration,

Fair flowers bloom for a season and are bright. Songs over-sweet but outlive a generation,

Ring for a little and are gathered into night. Cycles decay and their sepulchres have perished, Kingdoms depart and their palaces are sand; Names unchronicled and memories uncherished Fill the lost annals of the Shadow-land. What spirits there so forsaken and so jaded; White plumes stained and apparel that is rent; Wild eyes dim with ideals which have faded ; Weary feet wearily resting in ascent ? Heroes and patriots a company benighted,

Looking down drearily they see along the plain, Many a bright beacon which Liberty had lighted Dying out slowly in the wind and in the rain. "Ah! sad realms where the ripest of the meadows Bring bitter seeds to maturity.” I cried: "Ah, sweet life, who would change thee for the shadows! Take me again to earth's summers, O my guide ! ” Smiling he answered me, “Thy journey home is ended, Raise up thine eyes, and behold on either hand”; Straightway lifting them, I saw and comprehended Earth was herself the god's distant Shadow-land. Lord Bowen.

CXL

UMBRARUM HIC LOCUS EST

Est locus, horret ubi mediis nox feta tenebris,
distat abhinc longe fulmen, Olympe, tuum.
mira loci species, vacuis obsessa figuris ;
sublustrem variant lumen et umbra polum.
Soles invisunt rari, Lunaeque malignae,
et pulsant tristes flebile litus aquae.

somnia vana colunt; circumstant undique nimbi:
Umbrarumque vocant Di loca sola domum.
nil immortale est, nil non mutabile; pulchri
vere nitent flores, sed brevis ille nitor.
carmina reiciunt patrum praedulcia nati:

acre quidem resonant, mersaque nocte tacent. secula vanescunt non commemorata sepulcris ; regna cadunt: regum condit harena domos. perdita nil referunt populi monumenta remoti, ni quod amor languet, ni quod inane decus. defessae quales animae, luctuque gravatae! en, lacerae vestes, laurus adesa situ! marcescunt oculi, qui spes fovere caducas: haerent in medio monte labantque pedes. si quis amat patriam, si quem fovet ardua virtus, respiciunt solas, nocte premente, plagas: imbribus et ventis, quae libertate calebant, paulatim exstingui flammea signa vident. "tristia regna, quibus si quod praestantius arvum, luxuriant pingui semina amara solo.

quis mutare velit vitam pallentibus umbris? aestivum Terrae, dux, mihi redde iubar?" sic ego: dux contra ridens: "haec meta viarum, tolle oculos, domus est, quidquid utrinque vides." vera fides patuit, dum circum lumina verto,

est domus Umbrarum iudice Terra Deo.

CXLI

"THE HURT THAT HONOUR FEELS.

That man is surely in the wrong

And lets his angry passions blind him,
Who, when a person comes along
Behind him,

And hits him hard upon the cheek
(One whom he took to be his brother)
Declines to turn and let him tweak
The other.

It should be his immediate care
By delicate and tactful dealings
To ease the striker's pain and spare
His feelings;

Nor should he, for his private ends,
Make any personal allusion
Tending to aggravate his friend's
Confusion.

For there are people built this way :

They may have scratched your face or bent it Yet, if you reason with them, they

Resent it!

Their honour, quickly rendered sore,

Demands that you should suffer mutely

Lest they should feel it even more

Acutely.

(Punch,' Nov. 5th, 1898.)

CXLII

A LITTLE ILIAD

There once was a lady of Troy
Whom sev'ral small flies did annoy
Some she kill'd with a thump,
Some she drown'd at the pump,
And some she took with her to Troy.

E. Lear.

CXLI

DA LOCUM!

Ille delicti reus est aperte
impotens irae in vetitum ruentis,
si quis, antiqui prius obligatus
foedere amoris,

de repentino male fert sodalem
clam sinistrorsum colapho ingruentem
rite maxillam neque iussit ultro
vellere dextram.

nonne permulcere viri dolorem
verberaturi potius decebat,
improbus ne fors pudor impediret
bella gerentem ?

ne nimis rerum cupidus tuarum
corda conturbare aliena tentans
ingeras strictura hominem immerentem
iurgia linguae,

sunt quibus nativa sit ista virtus,
tortili ut vultu tibi comminuto
increpent laesi vice deprecantem
ne lanieris.

consciis recti probitas querellam,
crede, dedignata tuam gravatur ;
hoc tibi restat; doleas, et almus
ore faveto.

7. R.

CXLII

ΙΛΙΑΣ ΚΑΚΩΝ

Troada ne taceam praestantem Troasin: illa forte lacessita heu! muscis et peste minuta ingestis colaphis harum cere comminuit brum, has autem ad puteum raptas absumpsit in undis, at reliquas reduces cum virgine Troia recepit.

P