Page:Pindar and Anacreon.djvu/283

Rh  Stronger far than warrior's dress Is her helpless loveliness. Safety smiles in beauty's eyes, She the hostile flame defies: Fiercest swords submissive fall— Lovely woman conquers all!

at the solemn midnight hour, When silence reigns with awful pow'r, Just when the bright and glittering Bear Is yielding to her keeper's care; When, spent with toil, with cares oppress'd, Man's busy race has sunk to rest, Sly Cupid, sent by cruel fate, Stood loudly knocking at my gate. "Who's there," I cried, "at this late hour? Who is it batters thus my door? Begone! you break my blissful dreams." But he, on mischief bent, it seems, With feeble voice and piteous cries In childish accents thus replies: "Be not alarm'd, kind sir, 'tis I, A little, wretched, wandering boy. Pray ope the door—I've lost my way This moonless night—alone I stray: I'm stiff with cold, I'm drench'd all o'er; For pity's sake pray ope the door." Touch'd with this simple tale of wo, And little dreaming of a foe,