REX REDUX.[120]
Ille redit, redit. Hoc populi bona murmura volvunt;
Publicus hoc, audin'? plausus ad astra refert:
Hoc omni sedet in vultu commune serenum;
Omnibus hinc una est laetitiae facies.
Rex noster, lux nostra redit; redeuntis ad ora
Arridet totis Anglia laeta genis:
Quisque suos oculos oculis accendit ab istis;
Atque novum sacro sumit ab ore diem.
Forte roges tanto quae digna pericula plausu
Evadat Carolus, quae mala quosve metus:
Anne pererrati male fida volumina ponti
Ausa illum terris pene negare suis:
Hospitis an nimii rursus sibi conscia tellus
Vix bene speratum reddat Ibera caput.
Nil horum; nec enim male fida volumina ponti
Aut sacrum tellus vidit Ibera caput.
Verus amor tamen haec sibi falsa pericula fingit—
Falsa peric'la solet fingere verus amor;
At Carolo qui falsa timet, nec vera timeret—
Vera peric'la solet temnere verus amor;
Illi falsa timens, sibi vera pericula temnens,
Non solum est fidus, sed quoque fortis amor.
Interea nostri satis ille est causa triumphi:
Et satis, ah, nostri causa doloris erat.
Causa doloris erat Carolus, sospes licet esset;
Anglia quod saltem dicere posset, abest.
Et satis est nostri Carolus nunc causa triumphi:
Dicere quod saltem possumus: Ille redit.
TRANSLATION.
THE RETURN OF THE KING.
'The King returns!' the people cry;
And shouts of greeting scale the sky.
The news sits in each look serene;
In each a common joy is seen.
Our King! our light! she laughs once more,
Glad Anglia, as he gains her shore.
Each at the King's eyes lights his eyes;
Sees new day with his face arise.
You'll ask, what fears beset his way,
What ills, what dangers,—we're so gay:
If 'gainst his bark, that sail'd for home,
The faithless billows dar'd to foam;
Or if, so seldom blest, you plann'd
To keep him still, Iberian land.
Nor waves have wrong'd his saintly head,
Nor green Iberia felt his tread.
Yet think such fancies true love will—
True love, that feigns false perils still:
Us such fears vex, whose hearts are stout—
True perils still true love will scout:
Thus fear false perils, scorn the true,
Will trusty love and brave in you.
O fitly we kept cloudy brow,
Because of him, as laughter now.
When we could say, 'Our King's not here,'
We griev'd for him, no danger near:
Now our hearts can no least joy lack,
When we say, laughing, 'He's come back.' A.
AD PRINCIPEM NONDUM NATUM,
REGINA GRAVIDA.[121]
Nascere nunc, ô nunc; quid enim, puer alme, moraris?
Nulla tibi dederit dulcior hora diem.
Ergone tot tardos, ô lente, morabere menses?
Rex redit; ipse veni, et dic, bone, gratus ades.
Nam quid ave nostrum? quid nostri verba triumphi?
Vagitu melius dixeris ista tuo.
At maneas tamen, et nobis nova causa triumphi:
Sic demum fueris; nec nova causa tamen:
Nam quoties Carolo novus aut nova nascitur infans,
Revera toties Carolus ipse redit.
TRANSLATION.
TO THE ROYAL INFANT NOT YET BORN,