LATIN ELEGIACS.

τον δ' έκτανε Δάρδανος ανήρ

Νηος αποθρώσκοντα πολύ πρώτιστον 'Αχαιών.

LAODAMIA.

Forth sprang the impassion'd queen her lord to clasp
Again that consummation she essay'd;
But unsubstantial form eludes her grasp
As often as that eager grasp was made.
The phantom parts-but parts to reunite,
And reassume his place before her sight.
"Protesilaus, lo! thy guide is gone!
Confirm, I pray, the vision with thy voice:
This is our palace,-yonder is thy throne;
Speak, and the floor thou tread'st on will rejoice.
Not to appal me have the gods bestow'd
This precious boon,—and bless'd a sad abode.”
"Great Jove, Laodamia, doth not leave
His gifts imperfect:-Spectre though I be,
I am not sent to scare thee or deceive,
But in reward of thy fidelity.

And something also did my worth obtain;
For fearless virtue bringeth boundless gain.

"Thou know'st, the Delphic oracle foretold
That the first Greek who touch'd the Trojan strand
Should die; but me the threat did not withold:
A generous cause a victim did demand;
And forth I leapt upon the sandy plain;
A self-devoted chief-by Hector slain."

IDEM LATINE.

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Prosiluit regina uiro dare brachia circum

impatiens, auidas effugit ille manus; nec semel ardentem species illudit inanis,

amplecti quotiens feruida dextra petit: soluitur extemplo formamque resumit imago,

continuoque oculis, quæ fuit ante, subest. “Dux tuus, en, solum te, Protesilae, reliquit :

fare age, præsentis uox mihi testis erit; hic se nostra domus, solium hic se tollit eburnum :

fare age, uox ipsam lætificabit humum. dona quid expaueam concessa hæc munere divum ?

gaudia quid mæstæ reddita sera domo ?” "Crede mihi, coniux, non imperfecta relinquit,

nec sinit omnipotens fallere dona Pater; non redii fallax neque quæ metuatur imago,

hunc reditum pietas promeruitque fides : nec nihil interea constantia nostra merebat,

nil etenim virtus intemerata nequit. Illius (hand nescis) prædixit Pythia mortem,

Iliacam primus qui tetigisset humum. me sors illa tamen minime prohibere ualebat,

pro patria digna uictima digna datur : prosilui præceps Troiana in litora, dextra

scilicet Hectorea conficiendus eram.”

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20 TIe thought of that high feast at which he swore

By the broad brows of everlasting Jove, That this fair wife, if won, he would adore

And worship, yea, with more than mortal love.

Whereon, loud thunder-peals were heard without

Rending the welkin; and the massive wood In the huge rafters cracked; and with a shout

The people hailed these auguries of good.

And how he sent the queen his lover's-prayer,

How restless on his carven couch he lay,
Or clomb to his lone tower and waiting there,

Watched for his envoys through the live-long day,

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How days passed by, till on an eve were seen

White wings of ships upon the crested foam ; His heart foreboded that it was his queen

Coming to marriage, Samos, and her home.

That time had gone: fresh longing seized the king,

To own the choicest jewel in the land, The priceless emerald in the priceless ring,

The skilful work of Samian Theodore's hand.

And lo! one morn came Theodore to the king,

And as a tribute to his lord he brought The priceless emerald in the priceless ring :

Thus wakeful Gods may hear the unspoken thought.

And ere the morrow's sun had yet gone down,

A tramp of men was heard about the port,
And swift-winged Rumour blazed through Juno's town,

That king Amasis came with all his court,

"o decus heroum præstans, dux optime Graium,
non iam uirtutem Laodamia dolet,
tu dum mille duces dubia formidine pressi
deficiunt, audax litora dira petis ;
impulit-ignosco tibi enim, qui proximus astas-
pectore te uirtus ad meliora meo.
mitis eras idem quiduisque audere paratus
ingenium atroci pectore molle foues.

iam quoque cuius ades facili mihi numine iussit
inuida te mortis fallere fata deus;

pulcra coma est, tibi pulcra rubent uelut ante labella,
Thessalis ut facta est gratior aura tua.

iam non umbra mihi loqueris neque inanis imago;
tu lateri, iuvenis floride, iunge latus;
oscula fige toro mihi coniugialia noto,

nunc etenim sponso nupta beata iugor." Contraxit frontem Pater: infecere sorores

optati Stygio labra colore uiri.

"hic mea fata docet pallor; tu parce dolere:
quippe alio uirtus foedere nulla foret;
si possent citius semper iucunda referri
gaudia, quæ nobis nunc fugitiua cadunt.
rite uoluptates tellus quoque delet, et odit
ibi requies alta suusque dolor.
disce, precor, coniux: animum compesce rebellem:
ne tumeant nimium feruida corda caue.

orcus

dis altum ingenium, non qui breuis æstuat ardor,
feruidus acceptus, nec uiolentus amor.
tu menti moderare tuæ, summissaque plora

auolsum (dabitur non mora longa) uirum; et desiderio mortali docta memento

spernere mortales dum petis astra uices. namque ut pandat iter cæli demisit Amorem ; scilicet has artes sic fouet ipse Pater: immo etiam stimulis diris instigat amantem, excidat ut penitus pectore cura sui; ac uelut excussus somno sua uincula rumpit, sic praua omnis amans ambitione uacet."

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