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δίκῃ, δίκῃ δὲ τόνδ'· ἔπειτα, πρὸς θεῶν,
πῶς σοίγε συμβέβηκε κοιράνῳ κλύειν ;
ὅθ' αἷμα κροτάφοις τοῖσδε θερμὸν ἅλλεται
οἷσιν προσήκει στεφανὸς οὗ σὺ νῦν κρατεῖς.

R. R., 1860.

DON RODERICK

Book XXI.

THE Second eve had closed upon their march
Within the Asturian border, and the Moors
Had pitch'd their tents within an open wood
Upon the mountain side. As day grew dim,
Their scatter'd fires shone with distincter light
Among the trees, above whose top the smoke
Diffused itself, and stain'd the evening sky.
Ere long the stir of occupation ceased,
And all the murmur of the busy host,
Subsiding, died away, as through the camp
The crier from the knoll proclaim'd the hour
For prayer appointed, and, with sonorous voice,
Thrice in melodious modulation full

Pronounced the highest name. "There is no God
But God!" he cried, "there is no God but God!
Mohammed is the Prophet of the Lord!

Come ye to prayer, to prayer! The Lord is great!
There is no God but God!" Thus he pronounced

His ritual form, mingling with
The audacious name accurst.

holiest truth

The multitude

LATIN HEXAMETERS.

"Tantæ pietatis imago."-VIRGIL.

JAMQUE dies alterque dies processerat illis
Asturios intra fines, et castra locarant
Mauri illic silvas inter dumetaque montis
In latere. Ut circa lumen crescentibus umbris
Emoritur, rari præclara luce micabant
Ignes per ramos, supraque volumina fumi
Undique fundebant sese, maculisque colorem
Cæruleum cæli fœdabant. Omnibus una
Fit subito requies operum, mox undique turbæ
Conpressum murmur, castrisque silentia regnant,
Dum præco sonitus effundit nuntius altos,
Gramineo e tumulo clamans populoque precari
Imperat, et nomen sanctum ter voce sonora
Exprimit. "Ipse Deus regit orbem numine solus,
Ipse Deus," clamat, "solus Mahumedaque vates
Illi: vosque preces,” iterat, "vos tollere pronos
Jam decet! Ipse Deus regit orbem numine solus."
Talia voce refert solito de more locutus,
Miscuit et sacrum scelerato nomine Verum.
Undique jam circa montano turba lavatur

Made their ablutions in the mountain stream,
Obedient, then their faces to the earth
Bent in formality of easy prayer.

An arrow's flight above that mountain stream
There was a little glade, where, underneath
A long, smooth, mossy stone, a fountain rose.
An oak grew near, and with its ample boughs
O'ercanopied the spring: its fretted roots
Emboss'd the bank; and on their tufted bark
Grew plants which love the moisture and the
shade-

Short ferns, and longer leaves of wrinkled green,
Which bent toward the spring, and, when the wind
Made itself felt, just touch'd with gentle dip
The glassy surface, ruffled ne'er but then,
Save when some bubble, rising from the depth,
Burst, and with faintest circles mark'd its place,
Or if an insect skimm'd it with his wing,

Or when in heavier drops the gather'd rain

Fell from the oak's high bower. The mountain roe, When, having drank there, he would bound across, Drew up upon the bank his meeting feet,

And put forth half his force. With silent lapse From thence through mossy banks the water stole ; Then, murmuring, hasten'd to the glen below. Diana might have loved in that sweet spot

To take her noontide rest; and, when she stoopt, Hot from the chase, to drink, well pleased had seen

Flumine, parentes cuncti, tum vota ferebant
Ad Dominum proni, et numen de more vocabant.

Longius haud curvo jaculator spicula cornu Quam vibrat, supra montani fluminis undas Sa'tus erat viridis, qua musco adoperta virenti Manabant saxo casti spiracula fontis ; Nec procul innexis ilex umbracula ramis Ardua præbebat, cælata et robora trunci Gramineam ripam cingebant, cortice plantæ Creverunt umbram et gelidos potare liquores Poscentes semper. Rugosis frondibus herbæ Et filices illic viguerunt, tendere frondes Consuetæ ad rivi lymphas, quum flamina venti Lene susurrantis placidi crystallina fontis Æquora moverunt; non ullo tempore motu Perturbata prius, nisi surgens bulla profundis Rumpitur, et latices curvos sinuantur in orbes, Seu leviter transit quum penna præpete musca, Altis seu quercus quum ramis decidit imber, Atque agitant lymphas gutta. Fera cerva virenti Adstabat ripæ, quum siccam fonte levarat Forte sitim, pedibusque illic transire solebat Conpressis, at non summas contendere vires. Per ripas illic muscosas lympha silenti Effugit lapsu, et petiit cum murmure silvam Quæ suberat viridem. Tam gratis carpere amasset Ipsa Diana locis somnum, dum vertice Phœbus Funderet a medio radios, et fessa labore

Venandi latices biberet quum prona coronam

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