[1] Σιμοὶ.
Tὰν θέτιν ἀείδω, χρυσοἐθεφα θέτι,
Νηρέως ἀθανάταν εἰvaλίoιo Κόραν,
Τὰν Διός ἐννεσίη Πήλεϊ γημαμέναν;
Τὰν ἁλός ἀγλαίαν, ἀμετὲραν Παφίην·
Ή τὸν δουριμανή τόν τ'"Αρεα πτολέμων,
Έλλάδος ἀστερoπαν ἐζέτεκεν λαγόνων
Δῖον Άχιλλῆα, τοῦ κλέος οὐράνιον
Τῷ ὑπὸ Πύῤῥα τέκεν πᾶιδα Νεοπτόλεμον
Περσέπολιν Τρώων, ῥυσίπολιν Δαναῶν·
Ιλήκοις ἤρως ἄμμι Nεοπτόλεμε,
Ὅλζίε Πνθιάδι νῦν χθονὶ κευθόμενε.
Αέχνυσο δ'εὐμενέων τῶνδε θυηπολίην'
Πᾶν δ' ἀπέρυκε δέος άμετέρας πόλιός.
Tὰν θέτιν ἀείδω, χρυσοέθειρα θέτι.
"To brisk notes in cadence beating,
Glance their many-twinkling feet."—Gray.
"Armed he rode, all save the head;
. . . . . .
He ruled his eager courser's gait;
Forced him with chastened fire to prance,
And, high curvetting, slow advance."
Lay of the Last Minstrel, iv. 18.
[5] The ancients were very exact in performing their devotions to the gods of the night, before they went to bed, or when they broke up an entertainment. Mercury was one of the principal of these deities. Homer takes notice of this custom:
"The chiefs he found and senators within
Libation pouring to the vigilant spy
Mercurius, whom with wine they worshipp'd last
Of all the gods, and at the hour of rest."
Od. vii. 136.—Cowper.