Page:The Complete Poetical Works of John Milton.djvu/416

 374

��LATIN POEMS

��Bina dedit, rniruin artis opus, mirandus et

ipse,

Et circum gemino cselaverat argumento. In inedio Rubri Maris unda, et odoriferuin

ver, Littora longa Arabum, et sudantes balsama

sylvse ;

Has inter Phoenix, divina avis, unica terris, Cseruleum f ulgens diversicoloribus alis, Auroram vitreis surgeutem respicit uhdis; Parte alia polus omnipatens, et maguus

Olympus: 190

Quis putet ? hie quoque Amor, pictseque in

nube pharetrse, Arma corusca, faces, et spicula tincta py-

ropo; Nee tenues animas, pectusque ignobile

vulgi, Hinc ferit; at, circum flammantia lumina

torquens, Semper in erectum spargit sua tela per

orbes Impiger, et pronos nunquam collimat ad

ictus : Hinc mentes ardere sacrse, formseque deo-

rum. " Tu quoque in his nee me fallit spes

lubrica, Damon Tu quoque in his certe es; nam qu6 tua dul-

cis abiret

Sanctaque simplicitas ? nam quo tua Can- dida virtus ? 200 Nee te Lethffio fas qusesivisse sub Oreo; Nee tibi conveniunt lacrymse, nee flebimus

ultra. Ite procul, lacrymse; purum colit sethera

Damon, JEthera purus habet, pluvium pede reppu-

lit arcum; Heroumque animas inter, divosque per-

ennes,

JEthereos haurit latices et gaudia potat Ore sacro. Quiu in, cseli post jura recepta, Dexter ades, placidusque fave, quicunque

vocaris ; Seu tu noster eris Damon, sive sequior

audis

DIODOTUS, quo te divino nomine cuncti 210 Cselicolae norint, sylvisque vocabere Damon. Quod tibi purpureus pudor, et sine labe

juventus

Grata f uit, qu6d nulla tori libata voluptas, En ! etiam tibi virginei servantur honores ! Ipse, caput nitidum cinctus rutilante corona,

��are wonders of art, even as the giver is wonderful. About them is wrought a double brede ; in the midst the Red Sea rolls, and spring scatters its odors ; along the far coasts of Araby the trees drop bal- sam. Among the trees Phoenix, divine bird, unique on earth, blazes cerulean with multi-colored wings, while he watches the morning rise over the vitreous waters. In another place is the mighty stretch of sky where Olympus lies open to view. Yes, and Love is there, too ; in clouds his quiver is pictured, his shining arms, his torch, his arrows tipped with fiery bronze. But he does not aim at light minds, at the herd of vulgar souls. No; he rolls his flaming eyes and sends his arrows right upward through the orbs of heaven, never aiming a down- ward stroke. Under his fire the souls of the blessed burn, and the bodies of the gods.

The gods ! Thou art among them, Da- mon, unless hope deceives me ; among them thou surely art. For whither should thy sweet and holy simplicity go ? Whither thy righteousness and candor ? 'T would be sin to seek thee in Lethean Orcus. Tears are not for thee ; I shall weep no more. Go hence, lamentation ! Damon the pure dwells in skies of purity. Beneath his feet he has spurned the rainbow. Among hero- souls and deathless divinities he drinks the milk of Paradise ; he sips joy with his sacred lips. Now that thou possessest the rights of Heaven, O my friend, stand at my right hand, show me thy gentle favor, however I call upon thee, whether by the old name of Damon that our woods heard, or whether DIODOTUS please thee better, the divine name Gift-of-God, by which the heavenly people know thee. Be- cause thy cheek kept its rosy blush and thy youth its stainlessness, because thou knew- est not the joy of marriage, lo, for thy vir- ginal spirit virginal honors are reserved. Thy bright head crowned with light, and

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