Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE GODS OF GREECE, by JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH VON SCHILLER


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE GODS OF GREECE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Whilst the smiling earth ye governed still
Last Line: Of you living image bright!
Alternate Author Name(s): Schiller, Friedrich Von
Subject(s): Mythology - Classical


WHILST the smiling earth ye governed still,
And with rapture's soft and guiding hand
Led the happy nations at your will,
Beauteous beings from the fable-land!
Whilst your blissful worship smiled around,
Ah! how different was it in that day!
When the people still thy temples crowned,
Venus Amathusia!

When the magic veil of poesy
Still round truth entwined its loving chain, --
Through creation poured life's fulness free,
Things then felt, which ne'er can feel again.
Then to press her 'gainst the breast of love,
They on Nature nobler power bestowed,
All, to eyes enlightened from above,
Of a god the traces showed.

There, where now, as we're by sages told,
Whirls on high a soulless fiery ball,
Helios guided then his car of gold,
In his silent majesty, o'er all.
Oreads then these heights around us filled,
Then a dryad dwelt in yonder tree,
From the urn of loving naiads rilled
Silver streamlets foamingly.

Yonder Laurel once imploring wound,
Tantal's daughter slumbers in this stone;
From yon rush rose Syrinx' mournful sound,
From this thicket Philomela's moan.
Yonder brook Demeter's tears received,
That she wept for her Persephone,
From this hill, of her loved friend bereaved,
Cried Cythera, fruitlessly!

To Deucalion's race from realms of air
Then the great Immortals still came down;
And to vanquish Pyrrha's daughter fair,
Then a shepherd's staff took Leto's son.
Then 'tween heroes, deities, and men
Was a beauteous bond by Eros twined,
And with deities and heroes then
Knelt in Cyprus' Isle mankind.

Gloomy sternness and denial sad
Ne'er were in your service blest descried;
Each heart throbbed then with emotions glad,
For the happy were with you allied.
Nothing then was holy, save the fair;
Of no rapture was the god ashamed,
When the modest Muse was blushing there,
When their sway the Graces claimed!

Palace-like, then smiled your temples all,
Ye were honored in the hero-sport
At the isthmus' crown-clad festival,
And the goal the thundering chariots sought.
Beauteous dances that a spirit breathed
Circled round your altars bright and fair;
Round your brows the crown of triumph wreathed,
Garlands graced your fragrant hair.

Thyrsus-swingers' loud Evoe then,
And the panther-team that shone afar,
Welcomed him who rapture brought to men;
Fauns and Satyrs reeled before his car!
Round him sprang the Maenads' raving crew,
While their dances showed his wine's great worth,
And the host's full cheeks of tawny hue
Pointed to the cup with mirth.

In those days before the bed of death
Stood no ghastly form. Then took away
From the lips a kiss the parting breath,
And a genius quenched his torch's ray.
Even Orcus' rigid judgment scales
By a mortal's offspring once were held,
And the Thracian's spirit-breathing wails
E'en the angry Furies quelled.

Once again within Elysium's grove
Met the happy shade his joys so dear;
Lover faithful found his faithful love,
And his path regained the charioteer;
Linus' lute gave back each wonted strain,
Admet clasped Alcestis to his heart,
And Orestes found his friend again,
Philoctetes found his dart.

Nobler prizes then the wrestler crowned,
Who the arduous path of virtue pressed;
Glorious workers then of deeds renowned
Clambered up to join the spirits blest.
All the band of silent gods the while
Bowed to him who summoned back the dead;
From Olympus' height the twin-stars' smile
O'er the waves the pilot led.

Beauteous world, where art thou gone? O, thou,
Nature's blooming youth, return once more!
Ah, but in song's fairy region now
Lives thy fabled trace so dear of yore!
Cold and perished, sorrow now the plains,
Not one godhead greets my longing sight;
Ah, the shadow only now remains
Of you living image bright!





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