Happy, happy, happy pair; None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserve the fair. Timotheus, placed on high Amid the tuneful quire, With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The trembling notes ascend the sky, The song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above, Such is the power of mighty Love! When he to fair Olympia press'd; Then round her slender waist he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sov'reign of the world. The list'ning crowd admire the lofty sound; A present deity, they shout around; A present deity, the vaulted roofs rebound: With ravish'd ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung, Of Bacchus ever fair, and ever young: ALEXANDER'S FEAST. 247 The jolly god in triumph comes; Sound the trumpets, beat the drums; He shows his honest face. Now, give the hautboys breath; he comes! he comes! Bacchus, ever fair and young, Drinking joys did first ordain : Bacchus' blessings are a treasure ; Drinking is the soldier's pleasure : Rich the treasure, Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure after pain. Sooth'd with the sound, the king grew vain : Fought all his battles o'er again : And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain. The master saw the madness rise His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; Soft pity to infuse : He sung Darius, great and good, Fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, fall'n, Fall'n from his high estate, And welt'ring in his blood; Deserted at his utmost need By those his former bounty fed, On the bare earth exposed he lies, With not a friend to close his eyes. With downcast look the joyless victor sate, The various turns of fate below; And tears began to flow. ALEXANDER'S FEAST. The mighty master smiled to see For pity melts the mind to love. Softly sweet in Lydian measures, Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures; War, he sung, is toil and trouble; Never ending, still beginning, Fighting still, and still destroying; If the world be worth thy winning, Take the good the gods provide thee. The many rend the skies with loud applause ; The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gazed on the fair Who caused his care, And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, Sigh'd and look'd, and sigh'd again. At length, with love and wine at once oppress'd, Now strike the golden lyre again; A louder yet, and yet a louder strain. And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder. KK 249 Has raised up his head, As awaked from the dead, And amazed, he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries; See the Furies arise; See the snakes that they rear! How they hiss in the air, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! These are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And unburied remain Inglorious on the plain; Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew: Behold how they toss their torches on high! How they point to the Persian abodes, And glitt'ring temples of their hostile gods! The Princes applaud, with a furious joy; And the king seiz'd a flambeau, with zeal to destroy; Thaïs led the way, To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fired another Troy. Thus long ago, Ere heaving bellows learn'd to blow, While organs yet were mute, Timotheus to his breathing flute And sounding lyre, |