Epic Poetry

"Et trepidae matres pressere ad pectora natos."

"Ὡς δ᾽ ὅτ᾽ ἐνὶ τρητοῖσιν ἐύρρινοι χοάνοισιν φῦσαι χαλκήων ὁτὲ μέν τ᾽ ἀναμαρμαίρουσιν, πῦρ ὀλοόν πιμπρᾶσαι, ὅτ᾽ αὖ λήγουσιν ἀυτμῆς, δεινὸς δ᾽ ἐξ αὐτοῦ πέλεται βρόμος, ὁππότ᾽ ἀίξῃ νειόθεν· ὧς ἄρα τώγε θοὴν φλόγα φυσιόωντες ἐκ στομάτων ὁμάδευν, τὸν δ᾽ ἄμφεπε δήιον αἶθος βάλλον ἅ τε στεροπή· κούρης δέ ἑ φάρμακ᾽ ἔρυτο."

"Αὐτὴ νῦν κάματόν γε, θεά, καὶ δήνεα κούρης Κολχίδος ἔννεπε, Μοῦσα, Διὸς τέκος."

"E as mães, que o som terríbil escutaram, Aos peitos os filhinhos apertaram."

"Κύσσε δ᾽ ἑόν τε λέχος καὶ δικλίδας ἀμφοτέρωθεν σταθμούς, καὶ τοίχων ἐπαφήσατο, χερσί τε μακρὸν ῥηξαμένη πλόκαμον, θαλάμῳ μνημήια μητρὶ κάλλιπε παρθενίης."

"Ἄμφω δ᾽ ἄλλοτε μέν τε κατ᾽ οὔδεος ὄμματ᾽ ἔρειδον αἰδόμενοι, ὁτὲ δ᾽ αὖτις ἐπὶ σφίσι βάλλον ὀπωπάς, ἱμερόεν φαιδρῇσιν ὑπ᾽ ὀφρύσι μειδιόωντες."

"Ἑλλάδι που τάδε καλά, συνημοσύνας ἀλεγύνειν."

"Ἰαίνετο δὲ φρένας εἴσω τηκομένη, οἷόν τε περὶ ῥοδέῃσιν ἐέρση τήκεται ἠῴοισιν ἰαινομένη φαέεσσιν."

"Γυμνὸς δέμας, ἄλλα μὲν Ἄρει εἴκελος, ἄλλα δέ που χρυσαόρῳ Ἀπόλλωνι."

"Ἦ γὰρ ἔοικας ἐκ μορφῆς ἀγανῇσιν ἐπητείῃσι κεκάσθαι."

"And now, from somewhere in the bowels of the earth, from the smoky stronghold where they slept, the pair of bulls appeared, breathing flames of fire. The Argonauts were terrified at the sight. But Jason planting his feet apart stood to receive them... He held his shield in front of him, and the two bulls, bellowing loudly, charged and butted it with their strong horns..."

"Ὡς δὲ σεληναίην διχομήνιδα παρθένος αἴγλην ὑψόθεν ἐξανέχουσαν ὑπωροφίου θαλάμοιο λεπταλέῳ ἑανῷ ὑποΐσχεται· ἐν δέ οἱ ἦτορ χαίρει δερκομένης καλὸν σέλας· ὧς τότ᾽ Ἰήσων γηθόσυνος μέγα κῶας ἑαῖς ἐναείρατο χερσίν· καί οἱ ἐπὶ ξανθῇσι παρηίσιν ἠδὲ μετώπῳ μαρμαρυγῇ ληνέων φλογὶ εἴκελον ἷζεν ἔρευθος."

"Ὧς φάτο κυδαίνων· ἡ δ᾽ ἐγκλιδὸν ὄσσε βαλοῦσα νεκτάρεον μείδησ᾽· ἐχύθη δέ οἱ ἔνδοθι θυμὸς αἴνῳ ἀειρομένης."

"Ἦ, καὶ φωριαμὸν μετεκίαθεν, ᾗ ἔνι πολλὰ φάρμακά οἱ, τὰ μὲν ἐσθλά, τὰ δὲ ῥαιστήρι᾽, ἔκειτο. ἐνθεμένη δ᾽ ἐπὶ γούνατ᾽ ὀδύρετο. δεῦε δὲ κόλπους ἄλληκτον δακρύοισι, τὰ δ᾽ ἔρρεεν ἀσταγὲς αὔτως, αἴν᾽ ὀλοφυρομένης τὸν ἑὸν μόρον. ἵετο δ᾽ ἥγε φάρμακα λέξασθαι θυμοφθόρα, τόφρα πάσαιτο. ἤδη καὶ δεσμοὺς ἀνελύετο φωριαμοῖο, ἐξελέειν μεμαυῖα, δυσάμμορος. ἀλλά οἱ ἄφνω δεῖμ᾽ ὀλοὸν στυγεροῖο κατὰ φρένας ἦλθ᾽ Ἀίδαο. ἔσχετο δ᾽ ἀμφασίῃ δηρὸν χρόνον, ἀμφὶ δὲ πᾶσαι βιότοιο μεληδόνες ἰνδάλλοντο. μνήσατο μὲν τερπνῶν, ὅσ᾽ ἐνὶ ζωοῖσι πέλονται, μνήσαθ᾽ ὁμηλικίης περιγηθέος, οἷά τε κούρη· καί τέ οἱ ἠέλιος γλυκίων γένετ᾽ εἰσοράασθαι, ἢ πάρος, εἰ ἐτεόν γε νόῳ ἐπεμαίεθ᾽ ἕκαστα. καὶ τὴν μέν ῥα πάλιν σφετέρων ἀποκάτθετο γούνων, Ἥρης ἐννεσίῃσι μετάτροπος."

"Πυκνὰ δ᾽ ἀνὰ κληῖδας ἑῶυ λύεσκε θυράων, αἴγλην σκεπτομένη· τῇ δ᾽ ἀσπάσιον βάλε φέγγος Ἠριγενής, κίνυντο δ᾽ ἀνὰ πτολίεθρον ἕκαστοι."

"Δύσμορος· οὐ μὲν ἔολπα καταφθιμένοιό περ ἔμπης λωφήσειν ἀχέων· τότε δ᾽ ἂν κακὸν ἄμμι πέλοιτο, κεῖνος ὅτε ζωῆς ἀπαμείρεται. ἐρρέτω αἰδώς, ἐρρέτω ἀγλαΐη· ὁ δ᾽ ἐμῇ ἰότητι σαωθεὶς ἀσκηθής, ἵνα οἱ θυμῷ φίλον, ἔνθα νέοιτο. αὐτὰρ ἐγὼν αὐτῆμαρ, ὅτ᾽ ἐξανύσειεν ἄεθλον, τεθναίην, ἢ λαιμὸν ἀναρτήσασα μελάθρῳ, ἢ καὶ πασσαμένη ῥαιστήρια φάρμακα θυμοῦ. ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧς φθιμένῃ μοι ἐπιλλίξουσιν ὀπίσσω κερτομίας· τηλοῦ δὲ πόλις περὶ πᾶσα βοήσει πότμον ἐμόν· καί κέν με διὰ στόματος φορέουσαι Κολχίδες ἄλλυδις ἄλλαι ἀεικέα μωμήσονται· ἥτις κηδομένη τόσον ἀνέρος ἀλλοδαποῖο κάτθανεν, ἥτις δῶμα καὶ οὓς ᾔσχυνε τοκῆας, μαργοσύνῃ εἴξασα. τί δ᾽ οὐκ ἐμὸν ἔσσεται αἶσχος; ᾤ μοι ἐμῆς ἄτης. ἦ τ᾽ ἂν πολὺ κέρδιον εἴη αὐτῇ ἐν νυκτὶ λιπεῖν βίον ἐν θαλάμοισιν πότμῳ ἀνωίστῳ, κάκ᾽ ἐλέγχεα πάντα φυγοῦσαν, πρὶν τάδε λωβήεντα καὶ οὐκ ὀνομαστὰ τελέσσαι."

"Οὐδ᾽ ἄρα Μηδείης θυμὸς τράπετ᾽ ἄλλα νοῆσαι, μελπομένης περ ὅμως· πᾶσαι δέ οἱ, ἥντιν᾽ ἀθύροι μολπήν, οὐκ ἐπὶ δηρὸν ἐφήνδανεν ἑψιάασθαι. ἀλλὰ μεταλλήγεσκεν ἀμήχανος, οὐδέ ποτ᾽ ὄσσε ἀμφιπόλων μεθ᾽ ὅμιλον ἔχ᾽ ἀτρέμας· ἐς δὲ κελεύθους τηλόσε παπταίνεσκε, παρακλίνουσα παρειάς. ἦ θαμὰ δὴ στηθέων ἐάγη κέαρ, ὁππότε δοῦπον ἢ ποδὸς ἢ ἀνέμοιο παραθρέξαντα δοάσσαι. αὐτὰρ ὅγ᾽ οὐ μετὰ δηρὸν ἐελδομένῃ ἐφαάνθη ὑψόσ᾽ ἀναθρώσκων ἅ τε Σείριος Ὠκεανοῖο, ὃς δή τοι καλὸς μὲν ἀρίζηλός τ᾽ ἐσιδέσθαι ἀντέλλει, μήλοισι δ᾽ ἐν ἄσπετον ἧκεν ὀιζύν· ἄρα τῇ καλὸς μὲν ἐπήλυθεν εἰσοράασθαι Αἰσονίδης, κάματον δὲ δυσίμερον ὦρσε φαανθείς. δ᾽ ἄρα οἱ κραδίη στηθέων πέσεν, ὄμματα δ᾽ αὔτως ἤχλυσαν· θερμὸν δὲ παρηίδας εἷλεν ἔρευθος. γούνατα δ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ὀπίσω οὔτε προπάροιθεν ἀεῖραι ἔσθενεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπένερθε πάγη πόδας. αἱ δ᾽ ἄρα τείως ἀμφίπολοι μάλα πᾶσαι ἀπὸ σφείων ἐλίασθεν. τὼ δ᾽ ἄνεῳ καὶ ἄναυδοι ἐφέστασαν ἀλλήλοισιν, ἢ δρυσίν, ἢ μακρῇσιν ἐειδόμενοι ἐλάτῃσιν, τε παρᾶσσον ἕκηλοι ἐν οὔρεσιν ἐρρίζωνται, νηνεμίῃ· μετὰ δ᾽ αὖτις ὑπὸ ῥιπῆς ἀνέμοιο κινύμεναι ὁμάδησαν ἀπείριτον· ὧς ἄρα τώγε μέλλον ἅλις φθέγξασθαι ὑπὸ πνοιῇσιν Ἔρωτος."

"Δάκρυ δ᾽ ἀπ᾽ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐλέῳ ῥέεν· ἔνδοθι δ᾽ αἰεὶ τεῖρ᾽ ὀδύνη σμύχουσα διὰ χροός, ἀμφί τ᾽ ἀραιὰς ἶνας καὶ κεφαλῆς ὑπὸ νείατον ἰνίον ἄχρις, ἔνθ᾽ ἀλεγεινότατον δύνει ἄχος, ὁππότ᾽ ἀνίας ἀκάματοι πραπίδεσσιν ἐνισκίμψωσιν Ἔρωτες."

"Δειλὴ ἐγώ, νῦν ἔνθα κακῶν ἢ ἔνθα γένωμαι; Πάντῃ μοι φρένες εἰσὶν ἀμήχανοι· οὐδέ τις ἀλκὴ πήματος· ἀλλ᾽ αὔτως φλέγει ἔμπεδον."

"They stood in silence, in their beauty: like two young trees of the plain, when the shower of spring is on their leaves, and the loud winds are laid."

"Ποῖον δ᾽ ἐπὶ μῦθον ἐνίψω; τίς δὲ δόλος, τίς μῆτις ἐπίκλοπος ἔσσετ᾽ ἀρωγῆς."

"Sicut aquae tremulum labris ubi lumen aenis sole repercussum aut radiantis imagine lunae omnia pervolitat late loca, iamque sub auras erigitur summique ferit laquearia tecti."

"Qual d'acqua chiara il tremolante lume, dal sol percossa o da' notturni rai, per gli ampli tetti va con lungo salto a destra et a sinistra, e basso et alto."

"Qual o reflexo lume do polido Espelho de aço ou de cristal fermoso, Que, do raio solar sendo ferido, Vai ferir noutra parte, luminoso, E, sendo da ouciosa mão movido Pela casa, do moço curioso, Anda pelas paredes e telhado Trémulo, aqui e ali, e dessossegado."

"Γνῶ δέ μιν Αἰσονίδης ἄτῃ ἐνιπεπτηυῖαν θευμορίῃ, καὶ τοῖον ὑποσσαίνων φάτο μῦθον."

"θάμβησαν δὲ νέοι μέγα κῶας ἰδόντες λαμπόμενον στεροπῇ ἴκελον Διός. ὦρτο δ᾽ ἕκαστος ψαῦσαι ἐελδόμενος δέχθαι τ᾽ ἐνὶ χερσὶν ἑῇσιν."

"With humble Knees, and humbler Hearts, Lo, here, Blest Abrah'ams Seed implores thy gracious Ear. Hear them, great God, and thy just will inspire; From Thee, their long-known King, they'a King desire. Some gracious signs of thy good pleasure send, Which, lo, with Souls resign'd we humbly here attend."

"You were not made for him, but he for you, And both for God."

"          'Tis true, Sir, he replies; Yet men whom age and action renders wise, So much great changes fear, that they believe All evils will, which may from them arrive."

"For Ammon, heightned with mixt Nations aid, Like Torrents swoln with Rain prepar'd the land t'invade."

"We' are come, most sacred Judge, to pay th'Arrears Of much-ow'd thanks for the bright thirty years Of your just Reign; and at your feet to lay All that our grateful hearts can weakly pay In unproportion'd words; for you alone The not unfit Reward, who seek for none. But when our forepast ills we call to mind, And sadly think how Little's left behind Of your important Life, whose sudden date Would disinherit th'unprovided State. When we consider how unjust 'tis, you, Who nere of Power more than the Burden knew, At once the weight of that and Age should have; Your stooping days prest doubly towards the grave. When we behold by Ammons youthful rage, Proud in th' advantage of your peaceful age, And all th'united East our fall conspir'd; And that your Sons, whom chiefly we desir'd As Stamps of you, in your lov'd room to place, By unlike acts that noble Stamp deface: Midst these new fears and ills, we're forc'd to fly To' a new, and yet unpractis'd Remedy; A new one, but long promis'd and foretold, By Moses, and to Abraham shown of old. A Prophesie long forming in the Womb Of teeming years, and now to ripeness come. This Remedy's a King; for this we all With an inspir'd, and zealous Union call. And in one sound when all mens voices join, The Musick's tun'd (no doubt) by hand divine."

"Cheat not your selves with words: for though a King Be the mild Name, a Tyrant is the Thing. Let his power loose, and you shall quickly see How mild a thing unbounded Man will be. He'll lead you forth your hearts cheap blood to spill, Where e're his Guidless Passion leads his Will. Ambition, Lust, or Spleen his wars will raise, Your Lives best price his thirst of Wealth or Praise. Your ablest Sons for his proud Guards he'll take, And by such hands your yoke more grievous make. Your Daughters and dear Wives he'll force away, His Lux'ury some, and some his Lust t'obey. His idle friends your hungry toils shall eat, Drink your rich Wines, mixt with your Blood and Sweat. Then you'll all sigh, but sighs will Treasons be; And not your Griefs themselves, or Looks be free."

"A mighty man, had not some cunning sin, Amidst so many virtues crowded in."

"Thus each extreme to equal danger tends, Plenty, as well as Want, can separate Friends."

"An harmless flaming meteor shone for hair, And fell adown his shoulders with loose care."

"Were ill obey'd whil'st Living, and at death, Their Rules and Pattern vanisht with their breath."

"When Israel was from bondage led, Led by the Almighty's hand From out of foreign land, The great sea beheld and fled."

"Firm in this general Earthquake of the Land, How could Religion, its main pillar, stand? Proud, and fond Man, his Fathers worship hates, Himself, Gods Creature, his own God Creates."

"In him he all things with strange order hurl'd; In him, that full abridgement of the world."

"Here Lucifer the mighty Captive reigns; Proud, 'midst his Woes, and Tyrant in his Chains."

"Unable to corrupt, seek to destroy; And where their Poysons miss, the Sword employ."

"Here no dear glimpse of the sun's lovely face Strikes through the solid darkness of the place."

"He saw the beauties of his shape and face, His female sweetness, and his manly grace"

"Lo, this great work, a Temple to thy praise, On polisht Pillars of strong Verse I raise! A Temple, where if Thou vouchsafe to dwell, It Solomons, and Herods shall excel. Too long the Muses-Land have Heathen bin; Their Gods too long were Dev'ils, and Vertues Sin; But Thou, Eternal Word, hast call'd forth Me Th' Apostle, to convert that World to Thee;"

"Well did he know how Palms by oppression speed, Victorious, and the Victors sacred Meed! The Burden lifts them higher. Well did he know, How a tame stream does wild and dangerous grow By unjust force; he now with wanton play, Kisses the smiling Banks, and glides But his known Channel stopt, begins to roare, And swell with rage, and buffet the dull shore. His mutinous waters hurry to the War, And Troops of Waves come rolling from afar. Then scorns he such weak stops to his free source, And overruns the neighboring fields with violent course."

"Nothing is there to come, and nothing past, But an eternal now does always last."

"Beneath the mighty ocean's wealthy caves; Beneath the eternal fountain of the waves, Where their vast court the mother-waters keep, And undisturb'd by moons in silence sleep."

"I sing the Man who Judahs Scepter bore In that right hand which held the Crook before; Who from best Poet, best of Kings did grow; The two chief gifts Heav'n could on Man bestow."

"Ev'en Thou my breast with such blest rage inspire, As mov'd the tuneful strings of Davids Lyre"

"Such was Gods Poem, this Worlds new Essay; So wild and rude in its first draught it lay; Th' ungovern'd parts no Correspondence knew, An artless war from thwarting Motions grew; Till they to Number and fixt Rules were brought By the eternal Minds Poetique Thought. Water and Air he for the Tenor chose, Earth made the Base, the Treble Flame arose, To th' active Moon a quick brisk stroke he gave, To Saturns string a touch more soft and grave. The motions Strait, and Round, and Swift, and Slow, And Short, and Long, were mixt and woven so, Did in such artful Figures smoothly fall, As made this decent measur'd Dance of All."