CHORUS. Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave, None but the brave, None but the brave deserves the fair. Timotheus, plac'd on high Amid the tuneful quire, With flying fingers touch'd the lyre : The trembling notes ascend the sky, And heavenly joys inspire. The song began from Jove, Who left his blissful seats above, When he to fair Olympia press'd: And while he sought her snowy breast: Then, round her slender waist he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. The listening crowd admire the lofty sound, A present deity the vaulted roofs rebound: The monarch hears, Assumes the god, Affects to nod, And seems to shake the spheres. CHORUS. 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: The jolly god in triumph comes; He shows his honest face; Now give the hautboys breath: he comes, he comes. Drinking joys did first ordain; Sweet the pleasure; Sweet is pleasure after pain. CHORUS. Bacchus' blessings are a 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; [the slain. And thrice he routed all his foes; and thrice he slew The master saw the madness rise; He sung Darius great and good, By too severe a fate, Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, And weltring in his blood; The various turns of Chance below; And, now and then, a sigh he stole ; And tears began to flow. CHORUS. Revolving in his alter'd soul The various turns of Chance below; And, now and then, a sigh he stole ; And tears began to flow. The mighty master smil'd, to see That love was in the next degree: 'Twas but a kindred sound to move, For pity melts the mind to love. Softly sweet, in Lydian measures, Never ending, still beginning, Take the good the gods provide thee. Gaz'd on the fair Who caus'd 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, The vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast. CHORUS. The prince, unable to conceal his pain, Gaz'd on the fair Who caus'd 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, The vanquish'd victor sunk upon her breast. Now strike the golden lyre again: B S Break his bands of sleep asunder, 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 stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise: See the snakes that they rear, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band, Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain, And unbury'd remain Inglorious on the plain : Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew. Behold how they toss their torches on high, And glittering temples of their hostile gods. To light him to his prey, And, like another Helen, fir'd another Troy. CHORUS. And the king seiz'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. |