While the heroes around, at each pause of sound, Stretched their right hands to the god of day, And fervently joined in the choral lay. The Hymn of Orpheus. Twin-born with Dian in the Delos isle, Which after the Ogygian deluge thou Didst first illume with renovating smile, Apollo! deign to hear our evening vow. Chorus. When thou'rt dim, our harp and hymn Thy downward course shall follow: Hail to thee!-hail to thee! Hail to thee, Apollo! God of the art that heals the shatter'd frame, Chorus. When thou'rt dim, our harp and hymn Thy downward course shall follow, Hail to thee!-hail to thee! Hail to thee, Apollo! Thy golden bow emits a gushing strain His eyes flash fire-his writhings plough the plain: Chorus. When thou'rt dim, our harp and hymn Thy downward course shall follow, Hail to thee!-hail to thee! Hail to thee, Apollo! Pan of his pipe and rural science proud, His nodding woods in homage to thy lyre. Chorus. When thou'rt dim, with harp and hymn Thy downward course we follow. Hail to thee! hail to thee! Hail to thee, Apollo! From bowers of Daphne or Parnassus'. Mount, While Delphic girls their Io Pæans sing, The gifted Muses by Castalia's Fount With choral symphonies salute their king. Chorus. When thou'rt dim, with harp and hymn Thy downward course we follow. Hail to thee! hail to thee! Hail to thee, Apollo! God of the golden lyre and laurel wreath, To thee each poet turns with yearning heart And thoughtful eyes, invoking thee to breathe Thine inspiration With a start The minstrel ceased, for over all the bark A baleful shadow on a sudden spread! The Argonauts look'd up, and saw a dark And monstrous eagle hovering o'er their head; So vast and fearful, that transfix'd and pale They stood, with wild amaze o'ertaken:The vessel trembles, and the shivering sail Flaps as if with terror shaken. Entranced they gazed-and silent till Philas, the son of Bacchus seized his bow, And would have aim'd it at the feather'd foe, But Mopsus, gifted with an augur's skill, Gently held back his arm, and bade him wait This dread portent-pronounce no word, Nor dare to challenge Jove's own bird, The minister of unrelenting fate. Extending now his oar-like wings, Twice round the ship the monster swings, As if prepared to pounce upon his prey; His eyes from forth their sable shroud Shot fire, like lightning from a cloud; But with a sudden dart he rush'd away, And clove the northward distance, where The heights of Caucasus their barrier throw, Where crag on crag, chaotic giants bare Their granite foreheads to the sky, and sit In desolate state beneath their crowns of snow. Within these topmost peaks, there is a pit,- Upon whose rocky floor environ'd round With walls of ice-by every eye unseen, With adamantine chains Prometheus lies bound. Thither the ravenous wonder wing'd his flight. They saw him clear the intervening height, And sink behind it :-every eye Is fix'd upon the spot, and every heart |