Page:The Works of J. W. von Goethe, Volume 9.djvu/236

206 Down, now! quicker still, down! See where the sun sets! Ere he sets, ere old age Seize me in the morass, Ere my toothless jaws mumble, And my useless limbs totter; While drunk with his farewell beam Hurl me,—a fiery sea Foaming still in mine eye,— Hurl me, while dazzled and reeling, Down to the gloomy portal of hell.

Blow, then, gossip, thy horn, Speed on with echoing trot, So that Orcus may know we are coming, So that our host may with joy Wait at the door to receive us.

 THE SEA-VOYAGE.

a day and night my bark stood ready laden; Waiting fav'ring winds, I sat with true friends round me, Pledging me to patience and to courage, In the haven.

And they spoke thus with impatience twofold: "Gladly pray we for thy rapid passage, Gladly for thy happy voyage; fortune In the distant world is waiting for thee, In our arms thou'lt find thy prize, and love, too, When returning."

And when morning came arose an uproar, And the sailors' joyous shouts awoke us; All was stirring, all was living, moving, Bent on sailing with the first kind zephyr. 