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BEGIN we from the Muses, O my song! | |
| Muses of Helicon: their dwelling-place | |
| The mountain vast and holy: where around | |
| The altar of high Jove and fountain dark | |
| From azure depth, they lightly leap in dance | 5 |
| With delicate feet; and having duly bathed | |
| Their tender bodies in Permessian streams, | |
| In springs that gushed fresh from the courser’s hoof, | |
| Or blest Olmius’ waters, many a time | |
| Upon the topmost ridge of Helicon | 10 |
| Their elegant and amorous dances thread, | |
| And smite the earth with strong-rebounding feet. | |
| Thence breaking forth tumultuous, and enwrapt | |
| With the deep mist of air, they onward pass | |
| Nightly, and utter, as they sleep on high, | 15 |
| A voice in stilly darkness beautiful. | |
| They hymn the praise of Ægis-wielding Jove, | |
| And Juno, named of Argos, who august | |
| In golden sandals walks; and her, whose eyes | |
| Glitter with azure light, Minerva born | 20 |
| From Jove; Apollo, sire of prophecy, | |
| And Dian gladdened by the twanging bow; | |
| Earth-grasping Neptune, shaker of earth’s shores; | |
| Majestic Themis and Dione fair; | |
| And Venus twinkling bland her tremulous lids; | 25 |
| Hebe, her brows with golden fillet bound; | |
| Morn, the vast Sun, and the resplendent Moon; | |
| Latona and Japetus; and him | |
| Of crooked wisdom, Saturn; and the Earth; | |
| And the huge Ocean, and the sable Night, | 30 |
| And all the sacred race of deities | |
| Existing ever. They to Hesiod erst | |
| Have taught their stately song, the whilst he fed | |
| His lambs beneath the holy Helicon. | |
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