Jove's slumbering eagle on his sceptre laid, [1]
Rests with swift plume on either side display'd. 12
Thy melting sounds his eyelids close 11
In the dark shadows of repose.
While his curved head and quivering back declare
That even in sleep thy darts have entered there.
Mars, as he listens to thy lay, 15
Gives his impetuous spear to rest—
Thy numbers charm his rage away,
And lull to peace his stormy breast.
Nor less are all the inmates of the sky
Sooth'd by the shafts of harmony; 20
Whene'er Apollo's skilful hand
Conducts the muses' sacred band. 24
But wretches whom immortal Jove
Deigns not to honour with his love,
Hear in confusion the Pierian strain 25
On earth or on the mighty main.
As Typhon, he who dared all heaven to brave, [2]
And 'gainst the gods with hundred heads to rise,
- ↑ Casimir appears to have imitated this splendid passage: (Lyric. Ep. ix. 15:)—
"tibi præpes alti
Civis Olympi
Hinc et hinc pressis reverenter alis
Attulit pacem."Homer (Il. xxiv. 361,) calls the eagle Jove's winged messenger, and the strong sovereign of the phimed race.—Pope. Apuleius (Metam. vi. 119,) gives almost a verbal translation of the words of Pindar: "Nam supremi Jovis regalis ales illa, repente, propansis utrimque pennis, affuit rapax aquila."
The English reader will probably call to mind a poetical paraphrase of the celebrated invocation with which this beautiful ode begins, by Akenside, in his hymn to the Naiads:—
"With emulation all the sounding choir,
And bright Apollo, leader of the song,
Their voices through the liquid air exalt," &c. - ↑ With this description of the hundred-headed Typhon or Typhœus, who is also mentioned in the beginning of the [[../../Olympic Odes/4|fourth
