Page:Hutcheson Macaulay Posnett - Comparative Literature (1886).djvu/313

 strong before thee; noone is known among the gods like unto thee. No one who is now born will come near, no one who has been born. Do what has to be done, thou who art grown so strong.

"Indra speaks; 10. Almighty power be mine alone, whatever I may do, daring in my heart; for I, indeed, O Maruts, am known as terrible; of all that I throw down, I, Indra, am the lord.

"Indra speaks; 11. O Maruts, now your praise has pleased me, the glorious hymn which you have made for me, ye men!—for me, for Indra, for the powerful hero, as friends for a friend, for your own sake and by your own efforts.

"Indra speaks; 12. Truly, there they are, shining towards me, assuming blameless glory, assuming vigour. O Maruts, wherever I have looked for you, you have appeared to me in bright splendour; appear to me also now!

"Epilogue. The Sacrificer speaks; 13. Who has magnified you here, O Maruts? Come hither, O friends, towards your friends. Ye brilliant Maruts, cherish these prayers and be mindful of these my rites. 14. The wisdom of Mânya has brought us to this, that we should help as the poet helps the performer of a sacrifice: bring them hither quickly, Maruts, on to the sage these prayers the singer has recited for you. 15. This your praise, O Maruts, this your song comes from Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet. Come hither with rain! May we find for ourselves offspring, food, and a camp with running water."

§ 77. Such a hymn as this shows the beginnings of a studied ceremonial sharing in that dramatic character which is more or less common to all rituals, and which in the Medieval Mass directly contributed to the creation of