XXXIX

MAENADES EDERIGERAE

"Fera Maenadum en cohors e nemore it nemorivaga,
modo lenta, modo citatis rapidisque tripudiis ;
trepidantque simul in orbem, volitant properipedes,
iaciunt comas per albos umeros hilaranimae
thyrsumque pineum alte viridem simul agitant.
stimulata vi iuventae, rabieque fera Dei,
loca per quieta vadit furibunda vaga cohors.
iaciunt novos acervos, pedibusque sola terunt
rapiuntque serta ramis cupide sua decora;
thiasique ludibundi sonitu loca reboant.

sed cur labella, pastor, tua habet silentium ?
agedum cane ore laeto, tua tibia retonet.
hilaris chorus vocat te, sonitus citat; agedum i,
umeri en tibi nitentes, tibi lumina putria ?
rubet an parum decenter gena talis ?—age citus
rapidas sequere cohortes; age surge."

at ait homo:

"et amabile, a, silebant tranquilla vesperae."

J. B. B.

XL

PALMAM QUI MERUIT FERAT

Non precor ut quidquid scripsi tibi rideat ulla
linea; sed titulum dilige; non meus est.
fur ego debentur meliori furta poetae:
omnia quam melius surripuisse fuit!

XLI

SIR GALAHAD

My good blade carves the casques of men
My tough lance thrusteth sure,

My strength is as the strength of ten,
Because my heart is pure.

The shattering trumpet shrilleth high,
The hard brands shiver on the steel,
The splinter'd spear-shafts crack and fly,
The horse and rider reel :

They reel, they roll in clanging lists.
And when the tide of combat stands,
Perfume and flowers fall in showers,

That lightly rain from ladies' hands.

How sweet are looks that ladies bend
On whom their favours fall!

For them I battle till the end,

To save from shame and thrall:

But all my heart is drawn above,

My knees are bow'd in crypt and shrine: I never felt the kiss of love,

Nor maiden's hand in mine.

More bounteous aspects on me beam,
Me mightier transports move and thrill;
So keep I fair thro' faith and prayer
A virgin heart in work and will.

Ille meus cristas capitum diverberat ensis

oppositos hostes lancea certa petit.

vel bis quinque viris mea nescit cedere virtus, pura quod incesta pectora labe carent.

fit strepitus: fremit aura gravi clangore tubarum; aes durum, gladio dissiliente, crepat.

fragmina dant hastae, volucresque feruntur ad auras, quadrupedum titubant agmina, nutat eques.

nutat eques vel humi delabitur; alta resultant limina; iam finem Martius aestus habet. tum tura et casiae, tum floreus ingruit imber grata puellarum dona ferente manu.

dulce quidem roseo despectant ore puellae,

si quis adest dignus, cui faveatur, eques. has dum vita manet, nostrum est defendere, ne quam vincla premant, laeso ne qua pudore fleat. sed maiora petens superas mens fertur ad oras, sola iubent positum flectere templa genu. nescio quid sit amor, quid sit contingere labra virginis, atque manu conseruisse manum ; lux mihi subridet vel largior: intima summi numinis impulsu percita corda micant. unum opus adgredior; manet inconcussa voluntas, stat precibus castis intemerata fides.

When down the stormy crescent goes,
A light before me swims,

Between dark stems the forest glows,
I hear a noise of hymns:

Then by some secret shrine I ride;

I hear a voice but none are there;
The stalls are void, the doors are wide,
The tapers burning fair.

Fair gleams the snowy altar-cloth,
The silver vessels sparkle clean,

The shrill bell rings, the censer swings,
And solemn chaunts resound between.

Sometimes on lonely mountain-meres
I find a magic bark;

I leap on board: no helmsman steers:
I float till all is dark.

A gentle sound, an awful light!

Three angels bear the holy Grail :
With folded feet, in stoles of white,
On sleeping wings they sail.
Ah, blessed vision! blood of God!
My spirit beats her mortal bars,
As down dark tides the glory slides,
And star-like mingles with the stars.

When on my goodly charger borne
Thro' dreaming towns I go,

The cock crows ere the Christmas morn,

The streets are dumb with snow.

The tempest crackles on the leads,

And, ringing, springs from brand and mail; But o'er the dark a glory spreads,

And gilds the driving hail.

I leave the plain, I climb the height;
No branchy thicket shelter yields;
But blessed forms in whistling storms
Fly o'er waste fens and windy fields.

cum nimbos inter lunae crescentis imago mergitur, ante oculos lux mihi clara natat. silva nitet, quamvis truncorum impendeat umbra, auribus arrectis carmina sacra traho.

nescio quam secreta petens praetervehor aedem ; vox sonat, at nusquam cernitur unde sonet. ostia lata patent; vacua illa sedilia lustro, ordine dat pulchrum plurima taeda iubar. more nivis candet posita velamen in ara, argento levi vasa polita nitent.

aere datur signum, iactataque fragrat acerra, sollennes referunt atria longa modos.

saepe, ubi montanam claudunt iuga sola paludem, invenio, magica quae volat arte, ratem. insilio transtris, nulloque regente magistro huc illuc, dum nox incubet atra, vagor. molle sonat murmur. fit inenarrabile lumen, terni caelicolae pocula sacra ferunt, impliciti plantas, demissa veste micantes, vique soporata vix facit ala viam.

ecce! Dei sanguis! mortalia claustra refringit mens mea, dum reserant visa beata polum, dum lux illa faces obscuro tramite ducit, addita sidereo sidus et ipsa choro.

moenia collustro quotiens sub nocte, fideli vectus equo, cives dum sopor altus habet, mane vigil Christi natalia praecinit ales, candent aggesta compita muta nive. est ubi tempestas tectis crepitantibus horret, loricaque sonat creber et ense fragor. molle tamen tenebras lumen dispergit, et auri nescio quid misti grandinis imber habet. et modo destituo campos et in ardua tollor, nulla ubi quo fugiam dant fruticeta locum. caelestis volat ecce gravi stridente procella trans steriles campos stagnaque vasta chorus.