TO the court of old Neptune, the god of the sea, | |
| The sons of Columbia sent a petition, | |
| That he their protector and patron would be, | |
| When this answer arrived, free from terms or condition: | |
| “Repair to the sea, | 5 |
| You conquerors shall be, | |
| And proclaim to the world that Columbia is free: | |
| Besides, my proud trident Decatur shall bear, | |
| And the laurels of victory triumphantly wear.” | |
| |
| The Tritons arose from their watery bed, | 10 |
| And sounded their trumpets, Æolus attended, | |
| Who summon’d his Zephyrs, and to them he said, | |
| “Old Neptune Columbia’s cause has befriended | |
| As the world you explore, | |
| And revisit each shore, | 15 |
| To all nations proclaim the glad sound evermore, | |
| That Decatur old Neptune’s proud trident shall bear, | |
| And the laurels of victory triumphantly wear.” | |
| |
| The Naiads, in chariot of coral so bright, | |
| Skimm’d swiftly the wide liquid plain quite enchanted, | 20 |
| Soon the proud Macedonian gladden’d their sight, | |
| And Decatur advancing, with courage undaunted: | |
| They saw, with a smile, | |
| “The fast-anchor’d isle” | |
| Resigning the laurels obtain’d at the Nile: | 25 |
| And when victory crown’d brave Columbia’s cause, | |
| The trumpet of Fame shook the world with applause. | |
| |
| Dame Amphitrite flew to the archives above, | |
| To see the great mandate of Neptune recorded, | |
| When, tracing the records of Lybian Jove, | 30 |
| To find where renown to brave deeds was awarded; | |
| There Washington’s name, | |
| Recorded by Fame, | |
| Resplendent as light, to her view quickly came; | |
| In rapture she cries, “Here Decatur I’ll place, | 35 |
| On the page which the deeds of brave Washington grace.” | |
| |
| Now charge all your glasses with sparkling wine, | |
| And toast our brave tars, who so bravely defend us; | |
| While our naval commanders so nobly combine, | |
| We defy all the ills haughty foes e’er can send us: | 40 |
| While our goblets do flow, | |
| The praises we owe | |
| To valour and skill we will gladly bestow, | |
| And may grateful the sons of Columbia be | |
| To Decatur, whom Neptune crowns lord of the sea. | 45 |
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