The gods rejoice in his beauties, Exalting him who is in the midst of adorers! Lord of the Sekti and of the Madet bark, Which traverse for thee Nu in peace! Thy crew rejoice When they see the overthrow of the wicked one, Whose members taste the knife; The flame devoureth him; His soul is more punished than his body; That Nak serpent, he is deprived of movement. The crew of Ra are in peace, Heliopolis is in exultation, The enemies of Tum are overthrown. Karnak is in peace, Heliopolis is in exultation. The dwellers in the sanctuaries are in obeisance; Great one of Justice, lord of Karnak, In this thy name, "Amen, Bull of his Mother," In this thy name of "Tum Khepera," Great hawk, adorning the breast! Fair of face adorning the bosom. Figure lofty of diadem. The two uraei fly on wings before him, The hearts of men run up to him (like dogs), The illuminated ones turn toward him. Adorning the two lands by his coming forth, Hail to thee, Amen Ra, lord of the throne of the two lands! His city loveth his rising. This is the end, in peace, as it was found. HYMN TO ZEUS ÆSCHYLUS (From the Greek) First Chorus from Agamemnon Zeus, by what name soe'er He glories being addressed, I name the highest and the Best. One erst appeared supreme, Bold with abounding might, But like a darkling dream Vanished in long past night Powerless to save; and he is gone Who flourished since, in turn to own His conqueror, to whom with soul on fire Man crying aloud shall gain his soul's desire—, Zeus who prepared for men The path of wisdom, binding fast Learning to suffering. In their sleep The mind is visited again With memory of affliction past. Without the will, reflection deep Reads lesson that perforce shall last, Thanks to the power that plies the sovran oar, Resistless, toward the eternal shore. CHORUS FROM EDIPUS REX SOPHOCLES, 490-405 B.C. Strophe I Oh, may my constant feet not fail, Of heaven's pure ether, whence they sprang ;- Nor mortal wisdom gave them birth: And howsoe'er men may forget, They will not sleep; For the might of the god within them grows not old. Antistrophe I Rooted in pride, the tyrant grows; Heeding not the prudent mean, From its high pinnacle is hurled, Where use of feet or foothold there is none. But, O kind gods, the noble strength That struggles for the State's behoof Unbend not yet: In the gods have I put my trust; I will not fear. Strophe II But whoso walks disdainfully In act or word, And fears not Justice, nor reveres The throned gods,— Him let misfortune slay For his ill-starred wantoning, Should he heap unrighteous gains, Nor from unhallowed paths withhold his feet, Against the arrows of offended Heaven? Antistrophe II To earth's dread centre, unprofaned No more with awe will I repair, Nor the Olympian plain, If the truth stands not confessed, O Zeus supreme, if rightly thou art called For now men set at naught Apollo's word, and cry, "Behold, it fails!" b. EARLY CHRISTIAN AND MEDIEVAL PERIODS INSPIRATION ODE VI OF SOLOMON Translated by J. Rendel Harris As the hand moves over the harp, and the strings speak, So speaks in my members the Spirit of the Lord, And I speak by His love. For He destroys what is foreign, and everything that is bitter: For thus it was from the beginning and will be to the end, That nothing should be His adversary, And nothing should stand up against Him. The Lord hath multiplied the knowledge of Himself, Which by His grace have been given unto us. Our spirits praise His holy Spirit. For there went forth a stream and became a river great and broad; For it flooded and broke up everything and it brought (water) to the Temple: And the restrainers of the children of men were not able to restrain it, Nor the arts of those whose business it is to restrain water; everything: And all the thirsty upon earth were given to drink of it; And thirst was relieved and quenched: for from the Most High the draft was given. Blessed then are the ministers of that draft who are entrusted with that water of His: They have assuaged the dry lips, and the will that had fainted they have raised up; And souls that were near departing they have brought back from death: And limbs that had fallen they straightened and set up: They gave strength for their feebleness and light to their eyes: For everyone knew them in the Lord, and they lived by the water of life forever. Hallelujah. |