The Translations were published partly by Shelley, with other poems, partly by Mrs. Shelley, and partly by Medwin, Garnett, Rossetti and Forman from MSS. The date of the original issue of each is given in the footnotes. They were written from 1818 to 1822. Two pieces, hypothetically ascribed to Shelley by Forman, The Dinner Party Anticipated, a paraphrase of Horace III. xix., and The Magic Horn from Bronzino, are excluded from the text, there being no substantial evidence that Shelley wrote them. HYMN TO MERCURY FROM THE GREEK OF HOMER I SING, Muse, the son of Maia and of Jove, And all its pastoral hills, whom, in sweet love In the deep night, unseen by Gods or Men, II Now, when the joy of Jove had its fulfilling, A shepherd of thin dreams, a cow-stealing, A night-watching, and door-waylaying thief, Who 'mongst the Gods was soon about to thieve, And other glorious actions to achieve. III The babe was born at the first peep of day; Hymn to Mercury. Published by Mrs. Shelley, 1824. And the same evening did he steal away From her immortal limbs he leaped full soon, IV Out of the lofty cavern wandering He found a tortoise, and cried out "A trea sure ! " (For Mercury first made the tortoise sing) The beast before the portal at his leisure The flowery herbage was depasturing, Moving his feet in a deliberate measure Over the turf. Jove's profitable son Eying him laughed, and laughing thus begun: V "A useful godsend are you to me now, King of the dance, companion of the feast, Lovely in all your nature! Welcome, you Excellent plaything! Where, sweet mountain beast, Got you that speckled shell? Thus much I know, VI "Better to be at home than out of door, So come with me; and though it has been said iii. 7 the his, Harvard MS. That alive defend from magic power, you I know you will sing sweetly when you're dead." Thus having spoken, the quaint infant bore, Lifting it from the grass on which it fed VII Then, scooping with a chisel of gray steel, Out of the dizzy eyes—than Maia's son VIII And through the tortoise's hard stony skin The open space and fixed the cubits in, Fitting the bridge to both, and stretched o'er all Symphonious cords of sheep-gut rhythmical. IX When he had wrought the lovely instrument, viii. 1 stony, Boscombe MS., Harvard MS. || strong, Mrs. Shelley, 1824. |