their heart; The flaming torch of heaven so bright Its glow could ne'er impart. Young loves, all gently hovering round, Their souls as yet had never bound In soft and rosy chains; No feeling muse had sought to raise Their bosoms with ennobling lays, Or sweet, harmonious strains. Around each other lovingly No garlands then entwined; The sorrowing springs fled toward the sky, And left the earth behind. From out the sea Aurora rose With none to hail her then; The sun unhailed, at daylight's close, In ocean sank again. In forests wild, man went astray, Misled by Luna's cloudy ray—     He bore an iron yoke; He pined not for the stars on high, With yearning for a deity No tears in torrents broke. . . . . . But see! from out the deep-blue ocean Fair Venus springs with gentle motion The graceful Naiad's smiling band Conveys her to the gladdened strand, A May-like, youthful, magic power Entwines, like morning's twilight hour, Around that form of godlike birth, The charms of air, sea, heaven, and earth. The day's sweet eye begins to bloom Across the forest's midnight gloom; Narcissuses, their balm distilling, The path her footstep treads are filling. A song of love, sweet Philomel, Soon carolled through the grove; The streamlet, as it murmuring fell, Discoursed of naught but love, Pygmalion! Happy one! Behold! Life's glow pervades thy marble cold! Oh, LOVE, thou conqueror all-divine, Embrace each happy child of thine! . . . . . By love are blest the gods on high,—    Frail man becomes a deity When love to him is given;    'Tis love that makes the heavens shine With hues more radiant, more divine, And turns dull earth to heaven! . . . . . The gods their days forever spend In banquets bright that have no end, In one voluptuous morning-dream, And quaff the nectar's golden stream. Enthroned in awful majesty Kronion wields the bolt on high:    In abject fear Olympus rocks When wrathfully he shakes his locks. To other gods he leaves his throne, And fills, disguised as earth's frail son, The grove with mournful numbers; The thunders rest beneath his feet, And lulled by Leda's kisses sweet, The Giant-Slayer slumbers. Through the boundless realms of light Phoebus' golden reins, so bright, Guide his horses white as snow, While his darts lay nations low. But when love and harmony Fill his breast, how willingly Ceases Phoebus then to heed Rattling dart and snow-white steed! See! Before Kronion's spouse Every great immortal bows; Proudly soar the peacock pair As her chariot throne they bear,   

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