Quick to redeem the prey their plighted lords
Advance, the palace gleams with shining swords.
But late is all defence, and succour vain;
The rape is made, the ravishers remain:
Two sturdy slaves were only sent before

590

To bear the purchased prize in safety to the shore.
The troop retires, the lovers close the rear,
With forward faces not confessing fear:

Backward they move, but scorn their pace to mend ;

595

Then seek the stairs, and with slow haste descend.
Fierce Pasimond, their passage to prevent,

Thrust full on Cymon's back in his descent,

The blade returned unbathed, and to the handle bent.

Stout Cymon soon remounts, and cleft in two

600

His rival's head with one descending blow:

And as the next in rank Ormisda stood,

He turned the point; the sword enured to blood

Bored his unguarded breast, which poured a purple flood.
With vowed revenge the gathering crowd pursues,

C05

The ravishers turn head, the fight renews;

The hall is heaped with corps; the sprinkled gore
Besmears the walls, and floats the marble floor.
Dispersed at length, the drunken squadron flies,
The victors to their vessel bear the prize,
And hear behind loud groans, and lamentable cries.
The crew with merry shouts their anchors weigh,
Then ply their oars, and brush the buxom sea,
While troops of gathered Rhodians crowd the key.*
What should the people do when left alone?
The governor and government are gone;
The public wealth to foreign parts conveyed;
Some troops disbanded, and the rest unpaid.
Rhodes is the sovereign of the sea no more;
Their ships unrigged, and spent their naval store;
They neither could defend nor can pursue,
But grind their teeth, and cast a helpless view:
In vain with darts a distant war they try,
Short, and more short, the missive weapons fly.
Mean while the ravishers their crimes enjoy,
And flying sails and sweeping oars employ:
The cliffs of Rhodes in little space are lost;
Jove's isle they seek, nor Jove denies his coast.
In safety landed on the Candian shore,
With generous wines their spirits they restore;
There Cymon with his Rhodian friend resides,
Both court and wed at once the willing brides.

610

615.

620

625

630

Key, the spelling of the folio edition, quay being here meant. The spelling key was similarly preserved in "Annus Mirabilis," stanza 231. See note on "Sigismonda and Guiscardo," line 133. This is another example of the pronunciation of key as kay, rhyming with weigh and with sea, which was similarly pronounced. See note on pronunciation of sea in line 16 of "Verses to the Duchess of York," p. 32.

A war ensues, the Cretans own their cause,
Stiff to defend their hospitable laws:
Both parties lose by turns, and neither wins,
Till peace, propounded by a truce, begins.
The kindred of the slain forgive the deed,
But a short exile must for show precede:
The term expired, from Candia they remove,
And happy each at home enjoys his love.

635

640

TRANSLATIONS OF LATIN HYMNS

AND

MINOR MISCELLANIES.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

66

The first translated hymn, the “ Veni, Creator Spiritus," has been from the first in collections of Dryden's Poems: it was printed in Tonson's folio edition of 1701. The translations of the " Te Deum" and the " Hymn for St. John's Eve" were first published by Sir Walter Scott, who had no doubt of their authenticity. Scott received them from Captain MacDonogh of the Inverness militia: they had been the property of Mr. Charles Butler, who has mentioned them in his "Tour through Italy:' Mr. Butler's death they passed into the hands of Dr. Alban, from whom Captain MacDonogh acquired them. Scott, in publishing them, says: "I think most of my readers will join with me in opinion that both their beauties and their faults are such as ascertain their authenticity."

on

Four small pieces ascribed to Dryden in the" State Poems" (vol. ii. pp. 215 and 216, and vol. iii. p. 132), on Hyde, Earl of Rochester's dismissal from the Treasury in 1687, on King James II. after the Revolution of 1688, on the Duke of Buckingham, and on the Duchess of Portsmouth, are probably none of them his. A longer piece, called "Tarquin and Tullia," in the third volume of the " State Poems," also ascribed to Dryden, is clearly not authentic; and the same may be said of “Suum Cuique." The two last-named poems are Satires on William and Mary and their Government. All these spurious pieces are printed in Scott's edition of Dryden's works, being treated by him as doubtful, if not spurious. They all appeared in a collection of Dryden's poems for the first time in the edition of the British Poets, for which Johnson made his celebrated Lives.

VENI, CREATOR SPIRITUS.

TRANSLATED IN PARAPHRASE.

CREATOR Spirit, by whose aid

The world's foundations first were laid,
Come, visit every pious mind;
Come, pour thy joys on human kind;
From sin and sorrow set us free,
And make thy temples worthy thee.

O source of uncreated light,
The Father's promised Paraclete !*
Thrice holy fount, thrice holy fire,
Our hearts with heavenly love inspire;
Come, and thy sacred unction bring
To sanctify us, while we sing.

Plenteous of grace, descend from high,

Rich in thy sevenfold energy!

Thou strength of his Almighty hand,

Whose power does heaven and earth command.

Proceeding Spirit, our defence,

Who dost the gift of tongues dispense,

And crownst thy gift with eloquence.

Refine and purge our earthy parts;

But, oh, inflame and fire our hearts!
Our frailties help, our vice control,
Submit the senses to the soul;
And when rebellious they are grown,
Then lay thy hand, and hold them down.
Chase from our minds the infernal foe,
And Peace, the fruit of Love, bestow;

And lest our feet should step astray,
Protect and guide us in the way.

Make us eternal truths receive,
And practise all that we believe:
Give us thy self, that we may see
The Father and the Son by thee.

Immortal honour, endless fame,

Attend the Almighty Father's name :
The Saviour Son be glorified,

35

Who for lost man's redemption died :
And equal adoration be,

Eternal Paraclete, to thee.

* There is a pronunciation in Scotland of glebe as glibe, which may help to explain this rhyme of light and Paraclete. See rhyme of decrees with ratifies and relies in "The Hind and the Panther," part 2, line 82.