XXV.

Propinatio ad Celiam.

LUMINIBUS prior ipsa tuis, mea vita, propines,
Sic referent gratas mox mea rite vices;
Sive libet roseis pateræ dare basia labris,
Imprime, et iste mero dulcior haustus erit.
Nam mihi quæ dudum fervet sitis ægra sub imo
Pectore, sola deûm vult sibi vina dari.

Verum ego, et ipsius biberem si nectar Olympi,
Jurarem hoc labris postposuisse tuis.

Purpuream nuper misi tibi, cara, corollam
(Parvula, et haud meritis munera digna tuis);
Et dixi arridens: "Domina si forte placebis,
Iste tuus nunquam, crede, peribit odor."
Quæ, simul afflaras divino ex ore, trementes

Protinus in nostras jussa redire manus,
Jam proprium subito nescit mutata decorem,

Et tuus ex illo tempore mansit honos.

W. L.

XXVI.

As bees

In spring-time, when the Sun with Taurus rides,
Pour forth their populous youth about the hive
In clusters: they among fresh dews and flowers
Fly to and fro, or on the smoothed plank,
The suburb of their straw-built citadel,

New-rubbed with balm, expatiate and confer

Their state affairs. So thick the

So thick the aery crowd

Swarmed and were straightened; till, the signal given,
Behold a wonder! They, but now who seemed

In bigness to surpass Earth's giant sons,
Now less than smallest dwarfs, in narrow room
Throng numberless, like that Pygmean race
Beyond the Indian mount; or faery elves,
Whose midnight revels, by a forest side

Or fountain, some belated peasant sees,

Or dreams he sees, while overhead the Moon

Sits arbitress, and nearer to the earth

Wheels her pale course; they, on their mirth and dance

Intent, with jocund music charm his ear;

At once with joy and fear his heart rebounds.

Milton.

XXVI.

Ac veluti, quum Solis equos accepit anhelos
Taurus, apesque novo jam prima examina vere
Emisere favis, pendentia more racemi :
Illæ inter flores et prata recentia rore
Huc illuc volitant, tabulis aut levibus, ante
Stramineas arces, primo jam melle madentes,
Exspatiantur, et in medium consulta reponunt.
Haud secus aëriæ densantur in agmina turbæ ;
Inde datum accipiunt signum, et mirabile dictu!
Quorum magni artus, et membra immania nuper
Visa giganteam Telluris vincere prolem,
Nanorum in parvas subito collecta figuras
Innumera angustis spatiis stipantur, ut illa
Gens Pygmæa, olim super Indos accola montes;
Naiadumve chori graciles, parvæque Napææ,
Quarum forte jocos media sub nocte colonus
Fontis aquam prope, vel serus sub tegmine luci,
Aut videt, aut vidisse putat: super arbitra cœlo
Luna sedens, terræ propior, deductaque ab alto,
Pallentes invertit equos; choreisque jocisque
Gens intenta, aures divino carmine mulcet.
Olli mixta metu pertentant gaudia pectus.

J. G. L.

XXVII.

The Rose.

As late each flower that sweetest blows

I plucked, the garden's pride,

Within the petals of a rose

A sleeping Love I spied.

Around his brows a beamy wreath
Of many a lucent hue;

All purple glowed his cheek beneath,
Inebriate with dew.

I softly seized the unguarded Power,
Nor scared his balmy rest,

And placed him, caged within the flower,
On spotless Sarah's breast.

But when, unweeting of the guile,

Awoke the prisoner sweet,

He struggled to escape awhile,

And stamped his fairy feet.

Ah! soon the soul-entrancing sight
Subdued the impatient boy;

He gazed, he thrilled with deep delight,
Then clapped his wings for joy.

XXVII.

Rosa.

DUM, quæcunque viget copia narium,

Horti delicias persequor, in rosæ

Nuper flore jacentem

Vidi forte Cupidinem.

Lumen cui rutila tempora tæniæ

Ambit versicolor; purpureæ genæ

Subter dulce coruscis

Ardent roribus ebriæ.

Incautum tenera corripui manu

Somnos ne placidos discuterem, et sinus

Sic in flore revinctum

Saræ sub niveos tuli.

At dulcem ut puerum deseruit sopor,
Fraudis continuo nescius in fugam

Jactat membra parumper,

Et parvis pedibus micat.

Ah victrix animi gratia quam cito

Iratum edomuit! Spectat, et intimum

Cor dulcedine tactus

Pennas lætitia quatit.

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