Download Leonidas; a Poem Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1737 edition. Excerpt: ... sounds were more than human. Hark! Again! O honour'd friend, no adverse hauner streams In sight. No shont proclaims the Persian freed From his late terror. Deeper let ns plunge In this mysterious dwelling of the nymphs Whose voices charm its gloom.' In smiles' rejoin'd Diomedon....' 1 see thy soul enthrall'd. Me thou wouldst rank among th' nuletter'd root Of yon Barharians, should I press thy stay. Tune favours too. Till Agis be retum'd We caunot act. Indulge thy eager search. Here will I wait, a centinel unmov'd, To wateh thy coming.' In exploring haste Th' impatient Thespian penetrates the cave. He fmds it bounded by a steep ascent Of rugged steps; where, down the hollow rock, A modulation clear, distinct, and slow, In movement soleum, from a lyric string, Dissolves the staguant air to sweet accord With these sonorous lays. Celestial maids! While, from oar cliffs contemplating the war, We celehrate our heroes, O impart Orphean magic to the pious strain! That from the mountain we may call the groves; Swift motion through these marble fragments breathe, To overleap the high Oetiean ridge, And erush the fell invaders of our peace. The animated hero upward springs, Light as a kindled vapour, which, confiu'd In subterranean cavities, at length Pervading, rives the surface, to eularge The long imprison'd flame. Ascending soon, He sees, he stands ahash'd, then rev'rent kneels. An aged temple, with insculptur'd forms Of Jove's harmonious danghters, and a train Of nine bright virgins, round their priestess rang'd, Who stood in awlul majesty, receive His unexpected fret. The song is hush'd. The measure movement on the lyric chord In faint vibration dies. The priestess sage, . Whose elevated port and aspect rose To more than mortal diguity, her..