CHORUS. Bacchus bleffings are a treasure, Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure after pain. IV. Sooth'd with the found, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again; 65 And thrice he routed all his foes; and thrice he flew the flain. The mafter faw the madness rise; His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; Chang'd his hand, and check'd his pride. He chofe a mournful mufe Soft pity to infuse: He fung Darius great and good, By too fevere a fate, Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, Fallen from his high eftate, And weltring in his blood. Deserted, at his utmost need, By thofe his former bounty fed: 70 75 80 On the bare earth expos'd he lies, With not a friend to close his eyes. With downcaft looks the joyless victor fate, Revolving in his alter'd foul The various turns of chance below; And, now and then, a figh he stole; CHORUS. Revolving in his alter'd foul The various turns of chance below; And, now and then, a figh be ftole; And tears began to flow. V. . The mighty mafter smil'd to fee 85 90 That love was in the next degree: "Twas but a kindred found to move, 95 For pity melts the mind to love. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Soon he footh'd his foul to pleasures. War, he fung, is toil and trouble; Honour but an empty bubble; Never ending, ftill beginning, Fighting ftill, and still destroying, If the world be worth thy winning, Think, O think, it worth enjoying: Lovely Thais fits befide thee, Take the good the gods provide thee. The many rend the skies with loud applaufe; 100 105 So Love was crown'd, but Music won the cause. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gaz'd on the fair Who caus'd his care, And figh'd and look'd, figh'd and look'd, Sigh'd and look'd, and figh'd again: 110 At length, with love and wine at once opprefs'd, The vanquish'd victor funk upon her breast. 115 CHORUS. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gaz'd on the fair Who caus'd his care, And figh'd and look'd, figh'd and look'd, At length, with love and wine at once oppress'd, VI. Now ftrike the golden lyre again : A louder yet, and yet a louder strain. Break his bands of fleep afunder, 120 125 And rouse him, like a rattling peal of thunder. Has rais'd up his head: As awak'd from the dead, And amaz'd, he ftares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise : See the fnakes that they rear How they hiss in their hair, 130 And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghaftly band, Each a torch in his hand! 136 Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were flain, And unbury'd remain Inglorious on the plain: 140 Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew. Behold how they tofs their torches on high, 146 And the king feiz'd a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way, To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy. 150 CHORUS. And the king feiz'd a flambeau with zeal to deftroy; Thais led the way, To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy. VII. Thus, long ago, Ere heaving bellows learn'd to blow, While organs yet were mute, Timotheus, to his breathing flute, And founding lyre, 155 Could swell the foul to rage, or kindle fierce defire. At laft divine Cecilia came, Inventrefs of the vocal frame; The sweet enthufiaft, from her facred ftore, 161 165 And added length to folemn founds, With nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He rais'd a mortal to the ikies; She drew an angel down. GRAND CHORUS. At left, divine Cecilia came, The fweet enthufiaft, from her facred flore, 170 175 With nature's mother-wit, and arts unknown before. Let old Timotheus yield the prize, Or both divide the crown; He rais'd a mortal to the skies; She drew an angel down. 180 |