Classic Poem

Book I. Ode III

TO THE SHIP THAT CARRIED VIRGIL TO ATHENS .

S O may the Cyprian Goddess, Beauty's Queen,
And those Twin Stars of emulated light,
That prompt the whisper of the gale serene,
Oh, interesting Bark, direct your flight.

Hush'd all the winds, except the favouring West,
Bear my heart's treasure to your freight consign'd;
For Athens be the sail and keel address'd!
Half my fond soul to thee has Love consign'd.

Around his bosom grew the knotted oak,
Of triple brass its character was made;
Whose vessel first the wave asunder broke,
Nor of the hurling tempest was afraid.

His enterprizing heart the South could meet,
And fearless brav'd its desolating breath;
Nor Hyades could warn him to retreat,
Ill-omen'd heralds of untimely death.

But how could any perils him deter,
That saw the rolling Monsters of the deep
With stedfast eye, and could the guilt incur,
That shakes with scorn the billows from their sleep?

In vain has Jove divided from the shore,
With a majestic barrier Neptune 's reign;
If Man, with impious outrage, breaks the door,
And leaps across the mound with steps profane.

Bold the renew'd aggression to support,
The human race in wild confusion toss'd,
Plung'd into guilt and shame, with frantic sport,
Sinks in the gulph, and is for ever lost.

Prometheus , by an impious fraud and theft,
Bore to the Earth's domain aethereal fire;
Consumption follow'd, nor was Fever left,
And the inevitable stroke was nigher.