Imatges de pàgina
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Qualiter exululat Bromius, Bromiique caterva,
Orgia cantantes in Echionio Aracyntho,
Dum tremit attonitus vitreis Asopus in undis,
Et procul ipse cava responsat rupe Citharon.
His igitur tandem solenni more peractis,
Nox senis amplexus Erebi taciturna reliquit,
Præcipitesque impellit equos stimulante flagello,
Captum oculis Typhlonta, Melanchætemque ferocem,
Atque Acherontæo prognatam patre Siopen
Torpidam, et hirsutis horrentem Phrica capillis.
Interea regum domitor, Phlegetontius hæres,
Ingreditur thalamos, neque enim secretus adulter
Producit steriles molli sine pellice noctes;
At vix compositos somnus claudebat ocellos,
Cum niger umbrarum dominus, rectorque silentum,
Prædatorque hominum, falsa sub imagine tectus
Astitit; assumtis micuerunt tempora canis ;
Barba sinus promissa tegit; cineracea longo
Syrmate verrit humum vestis, pendetque cucullus
Vertice de raso; et, ne quicquam desit ad artes,
Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces,
Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.
Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremo m
Tetra vagabatur solus per lustra ferarum,
Silvestrique tulit genti pia verba salutis
Impius, atque lupos domuit, Libycosque leones.
Subdolus at tali Serpens velatus amictu,
Solvit in has fallax ora execrantia voces :-

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"Dormis, nate? Etiamne tuos sopor opprimit artus?
Immemor, O, fidei, pecorumque oblite tuorum!

Dum cathedram, venerande, tuam, diademaque triplex,
Ridet Hyperboreo gens barbara nata sub axe;
Dumque pharetrati spernunt tua jura Britanni:

Surge, age; surge, piger, Latius quem Cæsar adorat,
Cui reserata patet convexi janua cœli,
Turgentes animos, et fastus frange procaces;
Sacrilegique sciant, tua quid maledictio possit,

m Cannabeo lumbos constrinxit fune salaces,

Tarda fenestratis figens vestigia calceis.

Talis, uti fama est, vasta Franciscus eremo, &c.

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Francis Xavier, called "the Apostle of the Indians," whom he was sent to convert, about the year 1542, by Ignatius Loyola: he encountered a variety of perils in the Eastern deserts, which he traversed in a short black gown of canvas or sackcloth. At Goa the people observing that his shoes were patched or worn out, offered him new : but such was his mortification, that he could not be persuaded "ut veteres calceos permutaret novis," &c. Here we have Milton's "calcei fenestrati." Among his many pretended miracles, it is one, that during this extraordinary progress, he preached to the lions and other beasts of the wilderness. But an unknown correspondent has thrown new light on the whole of the context. "The passage has properly nothing to do with the Jesuit S. Francis Xavier. The 'fenestrati calcei' are the sandals, or soles, tied on the foot by straps, or thongs of leather, crossed, or lattice-wise, which are usually worn by the Franciscan friars."-T. WARTON.

Et quid Apostolicæ possit custodia clavis;
Et memor Hesperiæ disjectam ulciscere classem,
Mersaque Iberorum lato vexilla profundo,
Sanctorumque cruci tot corpora fixa probrosæ,
Thermodoontëa nuper regnante puella ".
At tu si tenero mavis torpescere lecto,
Crescentesque negas hosti contundere vires;
Tyrrhenum implebit numeroso milite pontum,
Signaque Aventino ponet fulgentia colle :
Relliquias veterum franget, flammisque cremabit;
Sacraque calcabit pedibus tua colla profanis,
Cujus gaudebant soleis dare basia reges.
Nec tamen hunc bellis et aperto Marte lacesses;
Irritus ille labor: tu callidus utere fraude:
Quælibet hæreticis disponere retia fas est.
Jamque ad consilium extremis rex magnus ab oris
Patricios vocat, et procerum de stirpe creatos,
Grandævosque patres, trabea canisque verendos;
Hos tu membratim poteris conspergere in auras,
Atque dare in cineres, nitrati pulveris igne
Edibus injecto, qua convenere, sub imis.

Protinus ipse igitur, quoscunque habet Anglia fidos,
Propositi, factique, mone: quisquamne tuorum
Audebit summi non jussa facessere Papæ ?
Perculsosque metu subito, casuque stupentes,
Invadat vel Gallus atrox, vel sævus Iberus.
Sæcula sic illic tandem Mariana redibunt o,
Tuque in belligeros iterum dominaberis Anglos.
Et, nequid timeas, divos divasque secundas
Accipe, quotque tuis celebrantur numina fastis."
Dixit; et, adscitos ponens malefidos amictus,
Fugit ad infandam, regnum illætabile, Lethen.

Jam rosea Eoas pandens Tithonia portas
Vestit inauratas redeunti lumine terras;
Mæstaque, adhuc nigri deplorans funera nati,
Irrigat ambrosiis montana cacumina guttis;
Cum somnos pepulit stellatæ janitor aulæ,
Nocturnos visus et somnia grata revolvens.
Est locus æterna septus caligine noctis,
Vasta ruinosi quondam fundamina tecti,
Nunc torvi spelunca Phoni, Prodotæque bilinguis,
Effera quos uno peperit Discordia partu.
Hic inter cæmenta jacent, præruptaque saxa,
Ossa inhumata virum, et trajecta cadavera ferro;

n Thermodoontëa nuper regnante puella.

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The Amazon, queen Elizabeth. She is admirably characterised: "Audetque viris concurrere virgo." Ovid has "Thermodontiacus," Metam, ix. 189; and see ibid. xii. 611.-T. WARTON.

• The times of Queen Mary, when Popery was restored.-T. WARTON.

Hic Dolus intortis semper sedet ater ocellis,
Jurgiaque, et stimulis armata Calumnia fauces,
Et Furor, atque viæ moriendi mille videntur,
Et Timor, exsanguisque locum circumvolat Horror;
Perpetuoque leves per muta silentia Manes
Exululant, tellus et sanguine conscia stagnat.
Ipsi etiam pavidi latitant penetralibus antri

æquor

Et Phonos, et Prodotes; nulloque sequente per antrum,
Antrum horrens, scopulosum, atrum feralibus umbris,
Diffugiunt P sontes, et retro lumina vortunt:
Hos pugiles Romæ per sæcula longa fideles
Evocat antistes Babylonius 9, atque ita fatur:-
"Finibus occiduis circumfusum incolit
Gens exosa mihi: prudens Natura negavit
Indignam penitus nostro conjungere mundo :
Illuc, sic jubeo, celeri contendite gressu,
Tartareoque leves difflentur pulvere in auras
Et rex et pariter satrapæ, scelerata propago:
Et, quotquot fidei caluere cupidine veræ,
Consilii socios adhibete, operisque ministros."
Finierat; rigidi cupide paruere gemelli.

Interea longo flectens curvamine cœlos
Despicit ætherea Dominus qui fulgurat arce,
Vanaque perversæ ridet conamina turbæ ;
Atque sui causam populi volet ipse tueri.

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Esse ferunt spatium, qua distat ab Aside terra
Fertilis Europe, et spectat Mareotidas undas r
Hic turris posita est Titanidos ardua Famæ;
Ærea, lata, sonans, rutilis vicinior astris
Quam superimpositum vel Athos vel Pelion Ossæ.
Mille fores aditusque patent, totidemque fenestræ,
Amplaque per tenues translucent atria muros :
Excitat hic varios plebs agglomerata susurros;
Qualiter instrepitant circum mulctralia bombis
Agmina muscarum, aut texto per ovilia junco,
Dum Canis æstivum cœli petit ardua culmen.
Ipsa quidem summa sedet ultrix matris in arce;
Auribus innumeris cinctum caput eminet olli,

P Diffugiunt.

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There is great poetry and strength of imagination in supposing that Murder and Treason often fly as alarmed from the inmost recesses of their own horrid cavern, looking back, and thinking themselves pursued.-T. WARTON.

a Evocat antistes Babylonius, &c.

The pope, the "whore of Babylon."--T. WARTON.

Mareotidas undas.

Mareotis is a large lake in Egypt, connected by many small channels with the Nile. -T. WARTON.

• Titanidos.

Ovid has "Titanida Circen," Met. xiv. 376. Fame is the sister of Cacus and Enceladus, two of the Titans, "En." iv. 179.-T. WARTON.

Queis sonitum exiguum trahit, atque levissima captat
Murmura, ab extremis patuli confinibus orbis.
Nec tot, Aristoride, servator inique juvencæ
Isidos, immiti volvebas lumina vultu,
Lumina non unquam tacito nutantia somno,
Lumina subjectas late spectantia terras.
Istis illa solet loca luce carentia sæpe
Perlustrare, etiam radianti impervia soli:
Millenisque loquax auditaque visaque linguis
Cuilibet effundit temeraria; veraque mendax
Nunc minuit, modo confictis sermonibus auget.
Sed tamen a nostro meruisti carmine laudes,
Fama, bonum quo non aliud veracius ullum,
Nobis digna cani, nec te memorasse pigebit
Carmine tam longo; servati scilicet Angli
Officiis, vaga diva, tuis, tibi reddimus æqua.
Te Deus, æternos motu qui temperat ignes,
Fulmine præmisso alloquitur, terraque tremente :
"Fama, siles? An te latet impia Papistarum
Conjurata cohors in meque meosque Britannos,
Et nova sceptrigero cædes meditata Täcobo ?"

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Nec plura; illa statim sensit mandata Tonantis,
Et, satis ante fugax, stridentes induit alas,
Induit et variis exilia corpora plumis:
Dextra tubam gestat Temesæo ex ære sonoram
Nec mora jam pennis cedentes remigat auras,
Atque parum est cursu celeres prævertere nubes :
Jam ventos, jam solis equos, post terga reliquit :
Et primo Angliacas, solito de more, per urbes
Ambiguas voces, incertaque murmura, spargit :
Mox arguta dolos, et detestabile vulgat
Proditionis opus, necnon facta horrida dictu,
Auctoresque addit sceleris, nec garrula cæcis
Insidiis loca structa silet; stupuere relatis
Et pariter juvenes, pariter tremuere puellæ,
Effoetique senes pariter; tantæque ruinæ
Sensus ad ætatem subito penetraverat omnem.
Attamen interea populi miserescit ab alto
Æthereus Pater, et crudelibus obstitit ausis
Papicolum capti pœnas raptantur ad acres ;
At pia thura Deo, et grati solvuntur honores;
Compita læta focis genialibus omnia fumant;
Turba choros juvenilis agit: Quintoque Novembris
Nulla dies toto occurrit celebratior anno.

Dextra tubam gestat Temesco ex ære sonoram.

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Temese is a city on the coast of the Tyrrhene sea, famous for its brass.-T. WArton.

IN OBITUM PRÆSULIS ELIENSIS".

ANNO ETATIS 17.

ADHUC madentes rore squalebant genæ,

Et sicca nondum lumina

Adhuc liquentis imbre turgebant salis,

Quem nuper effudi pius,

Dum mosta caro justa persolvi rogo
Wintoniensis Præsulis;

Cum centilinguis Fama, pro! semper mali

Cladisque vera nuntia,

Spargit per urbes divitis Britanniæ,

Populosque Neptuno satos,

Cessisse morti, et ferreis sororibus,
Te, generis humani decus,

Qui rex sacrorum illa fuisti in insula

Quæ nomen Anguillæ tenet V.

Tunc inquietum pectus ira protinus
Ebulliebat fervida,

Tumulis potentem sæpe devovens deam :

Nec vota Naso in Ibida

Concepit alto diriora pectore;

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Graiusque vates w parcius

Turpem Lycambis execratus est dolum,
Sponsamque Neobulen suam.

At, ecce! diras ipse dum fundo graves,
Et imprecor neci necem,

Audisse tales videor attonitus sonos
Leni, sub aura, flamine :

"Cæcos furores pone; pone vitream

Bilemque, et irritas minas :

Quid temere violas non nocenda numina,
Subitoque ad iras percita?

Non est, ut arbitraris elusus miser,

Mors atra Noctis filia,

Erebove patre creta, sive Erinnye,

Vastove nata sub Chao:

Ast illa, cœlo missa stellato, Dei
Messes ubique colligit;

Animasque mole carnea reconditas

In lucem et auras evocat:

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" Nicholas Felton, Bishop of Ely, died October 5, 1626, not many days after bishop Andrewes, before celebrated he had been also master of Pembroke-hall, as well as bishop Andrewes; and bishop of Bristol: he was nominated to the see of Lichfield, but was translated to that of Ely in 1618-19. He is said to have been a pious, learned and judicious man.—TODD.

▾ Quæ nomen Anguillæ tenet.

Ely, so called from its abundance of eels.-T. WArton.

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Archilochus, who killed Lycambes by the severity of his iambics. Lycambes had espoused his daughter Neobule to Archilochus, and afterwards gave her to another.— T. WARTON.

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