Thebais - Book One - Part V Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: AABBCCDDEEFFGGHHIIJK DDHHHHHHGGLLMMHHHHHD DHHHHBBNOGGHHHHPPHHQ QRRSSHHGGPTUVWXYYZZH HLLZZHHHA2B2QQC2C2D2 D2E2E2HHF2F2G2G2NNDD DDFFHHH2H2DDHHHHI2I2 FFDDHHD2D2DDFFHHDDD2 D2QQJ2J2HHHHFFDDHHHQ QHHDDQ| The king once more the solemn rites requires | A |
| And bids renew the feasts and wake the fires | A |
| his train obey while all the courts around | B |
| With noisy care and various tumult sound | B |
| Embroidered purple clothes the golden beds | C |
| This slave the floor and that the table spreads | C |
| A third dispels the darkness of the night | D |
| And fills depending lamps with beams of light | D |
| Here loaves in canisters are piled on high | E |
| And there in flames the slaughtered victims fry | E |
| Sublime in regal state Adrastus shone | F |
| Stretched on rich carpets on his iv ry throne | F |
| A lofty couch rcceives each princely guest | G |
| Around at awful distance wait the rest | G |
| And now the king his royal feast to grace | H |
| Acestis calls the guardian of his race | H |
| Who first their youth in arts of virtue trained | I |
| And their ripe years in modest grace maintained | I |
| Then softly whispered in her faithful ear | J |
| And bade his daughters at the rites appear | K |
| When from the close apartments of the night | D |
| The royal nymphs approach divinely bright | D |
| Such was Diana s such Minerva s face | H |
| Nor shine their beauties with superior grace | H |
| But that in these a milder charm endears | H |
| And less of terror in their looks appears | H |
| As on the heroes first they cast their eyes | H |
| O er their fair cheeks the glowing blushes rise | H |
| Their downcast looks a decent shame confessed | G |
| Then on their father s rev rend features rest | G |
| The banquet done the monarch gives the sign | L |
| To fill the goblet high with sparkling wine | L |
| Which Danaus used in sacred rites of old | M |
| With sculpture graced and rough with rising gold | M |
| Here to the clouds victorious Persons flies | H |
| Medusa seems to move her languid eyes | H |
| And ev n in gold turns paler as she dies | H |
| There from the chace Jove s tow ring eagle bears | H |
| On golden wings the Phrygian to the stars | H |
| Still as he rises in th ethereal height | D |
| His native mountains lessen to his sight | D |
| While all his sad companious upward gaze | H |
| Fixed on the glorious scene in wild amaze | H |
| And the swift hounds affrighted as he flies | H |
| Run to the shade and bark against the skies | H |
| This golden bowl with gen rous juice was crowned | B |
| The first libations sprinkled on the ground | B |
| By turns on each celestial pow r they call | N |
| With Ph bus name resounds the vaulted hail | O |
| The courtly train the strangers and the rest | G |
| Crowned with chaste laurel and with garlands dressed | G |
| While with rich gums the fuming altars blaze | H |
| Salute the god in num rous hymns of praise | H |
| Then thus the king Perhaps my noble guests | H |
| These honoured altars end these annual feasts | H |
| To bright Apollo s awful name designed | P |
| Unknown with wonder may perplex your mind | P |
| Great was the cause our old solemnities | H |
| From no blind zeal or fond tradition rise | H |
| But saved from death our Argives yearly pay | Q |
| These grateful honours to the god of day | Q |
| When by a thousand darts the Python slain | R |
| With orbs unrolled lay cov ring all the plain | R |
| Transfixed as o er Castalia s streams he hung | S |
| And sucked new poisons with his triple tongue | S |
| To Argos realms the victor god resorts | H |
| And enters old Crotopus humble courts | H |
| This rural prince one only daughter blest | G |
| That all the charms of blooming youth possessed | G |
| Fair was her face and spotless was her mind | P |
| Where filial love with virgin sweetness joined | T |
| Happy and happy still she might have proved | U |
| Were she less beautiful or less beloved | V |
| But Ph bus loved and on the flow ry side | W |
| Of Nemea s stream the yielding fair enjoyed | X |
| Now ere ten moons their orb with light adorn | Y |
| Th illustrious offspring of the god was born | Y |
| The nymph her father s anger to evade | Z |
| Retires from Argos to the sylvan shade | Z |
| To woods and wilds the pleasing burden bears | H |
| And trusts her infant to a shepherd s cares | H |
| How mean a fate unhappy child is thine | L |
| Ah how unworthy those of race divine | L |
| On flow ry herbs in some green covert laid | Z |
| His bed the ground his canopy the shade | Z |
| He mixes with the bleating lambs his cries | H |
| While the rude swain his rural music tries | H |
| To call soft slumbers on his infant eyes | H |
| Yet ev n in those obscure abodes to live | A2 |
| Was more alas than cruel fate would give | B2 |
| For on the grassy verdure as he lay | Q |
| And breathed the freshness of the early day | Q |
| Devouring dogs the helpless infant tore | C2 |
| Fed on his trembling limbs and lapped the gore | C2 |
| Th astonished mother when the rumour came | D2 |
| Forgets her father and neglects her fame | D2 |
| With loud complaints she fills the yielding air | E2 |
| And beats her breast and rends her flowing hair | E2 |
| Then wild with anguish to her sire she flies | H |
| Demands the sentence and contented dies | H |
| But touched with sorrow for the dead too late | F2 |
| The raging god prepares t avenge her fate | F2 |
| He sends a monster horrible and fell | G2 |
| Begot by furies in the depths of hell | G2 |
| On me on me let all thy fury fall | N |
| Nor err from me since I deserve it all | N |
| Unless our desert cities please thy sight | D |
| Or fun ral flames reflect a grateful light | D |
| Discharge thy shafts this ready bosom rend | D |
| And to the shades a ghost triumphant send | D |
| But for my country let my fate atone | F |
| Be mine the vengeance as the crime my own | F |
| Merit distressed impartial heav n relieves | H |
| Unwelcome life relenting Ph bus gives | H |
| For not the vengeful pow r that glowed with rage | H2 |
| With such amazing virtue durst engage | H2 |
| The clouds dispersed Apollo s wrath expired | D |
| And from the wond ring god th unwilling youth retired | D |
| Thence we these altars in his temple raise | H |
| And offer annual honours feasts and praise | H |
| These solemn feasts propitious Ph bus please | H |
| These honours still renewed his ancient wrath appease | H |
| But say illustrious guest adjoined the king | I2 |
| What name you bear from what high race you spring | I2 |
| The noble Tydeus stands confessed and known | F |
| Our neighbour prince and heir of Calydon | F |
| Relate your fortunes while the friendly night | D |
| And silent hours to various talk invite | D |
| The Theban bends on earth his gloomy eyes | H |
| Confused and sadly thus at length replies | H |
| Before these altars how shall I proclaim | D2 |
| O gen rous prince my nation or my name | D2 |
| Or through what ancient veins our blood has rolled | D |
| Let the sad tale for ever rest untold | D |
| Yet if propitious to a wretch unknown | F |
| You seek to share in sorrows not your own | F |
| Know then from Cadmus I derive my race | H |
| Jocasta s son and Thebes my native place | H |
| To whom the king who felt his gen rous breast | D |
| Touched with concern for his unhappy guest | D |
| Replies Ah why forbears the son to name | D2 |
| His wretched father known too well by fame | D2 |
| Fame that delights around the world to stray | Q |
| Scorns not to take our Argos in her way | Q |
| Ev n those who dwell where sans at distance roll | J2 |
| In northern wilds and freeze beneath the pole | J2 |
| And those who tread the burning Lybian lands | H |
| The faithless Syrtes and the moving sands | H |
| Who view the western sea s extremest bounds | H |
| Or drink of Ganges in their eastern grounds | H |
| All these the woes of dipus have known | F |
| Your fates your furies and your haunted town | F |
| If on the sons the parents crimes descend | D |
| What prince from those his lineage can defend | D |
| Be this thy comfort that tis thine t efface | H |
| With virtuous acts thy ancestor s disgrace | H |
| And be thyself the honour of thy race | H |
| But see the stars begin to steal away | Q |
| And shine more faintly at approaching day | Q |
| Now pour the wine and in your tuneful lays | H |
| Once more resound the great Apollo s praise | H |
| O father Ph bus whether Lycia s coast | D |
| And snowy mountain thy bright presence boast | D |
| Whether to Swee | Q |
Pablius Papinius Statius
(1)
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About Thebais - Book One - Part V
Thebais - Book One - Part V is a poem by Pablius Papinius Statius. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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