Classic Poem

" O IDIPOUS AT C OLONOS . "

Well, stranger, to these rural seats
Thou comest, this region's blest retreats,
Where white Colonos lifts his head,
And glories in the bounding steed.
Where sadly sweet the frequent nightingale
Impassioned pours her evening song,
And charms with varied notes each verdant vale,
The ivy's dark-green boughs among;
Or sheltered midst the clustered vine,
Which high above, to form a bower
Safe from the sun or stormy shower,
Loves its thick branches to entwine;
Where frolic Bacchus always roves,
And visits with his fostering Nymphs the groves.

Bathed in the dew of heaven each morn
Fresh is the fair Narcissus born,
Of these great powers the crown of old:
The Crocus glitters robed in gold.
Here restless fountains ever murmuring glide,
And as their crisped streamlets stray
To feed, Cephisus, thy unfailing tide,
Fresh verdure marks their winding way;
And as their pure streams roll along
O'er the rich bosom of the ground,
Quick spring the plants, the flowers around
Here oft to raise the tuneful song
The virgin band of Muses deigns;
And car-borne Venus guides her golden reins.

What nor rich Asia's wide domain,
Nor all that sea-encircled land
From Doric Pelops named, contain,
Here, unrequired the culturing hand,
The hallowed plant spontaneous grows,
Striking cold terror through our foes.
Here blooms, this favoured region round,
The fertile Olive's hoary head;
The young, the old behold it spread,
Nor dare with impious hand to wound:
For Morian Jove with guardian care
Delights to see it flourish fair;
And Pallas, favouring, from the skies
Rolls the blue lustre of her eyes.

My voice yet once more let me raise,
Yet other glories to relate:
A potent god for these we praise,
His presents to this favoured state;
The Steed obedient to the rein,
And save to plough the subject main.
Our highest vaunt is this, thy grace
Saturnian Neptune, we behold
The ruling curb embost with gold
Control the courser's managed pace.
Tho loud, O King, thy billows roar,
Our strong hands grasp the well-formed oar;
And, while the Nereids round it play,
Light cuts our bounding bark its way.