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TRANSLATIONS.
Let me then refrain, and dread:
A curse hangs over the blasphemer's head.
If they, who supervise and ward
The heavens, did ever shew regard
To mortal man this Tantalus might boast, 95
Of mortal men that he was honoured most:
But he not able to digest
The glut, the surfeit, of immortal joys,
One heinous forfeit all his bliss destroys:
For over him the godhead hung, in air, 100
A ponderous stone, a dreadful poise of care!
From his head to remove it, with terrour oppress'd,
In vain he tries, and seeks in vain
One cheerful moment to regain:
A curse hangs over the blasphemer's head.
If they, who supervise and ward
The heavens, did ever shew regard
To mortal man this Tantalus might boast, 95
Of mortal men that he was honoured most:
But he not able to digest
The glut, the surfeit, of immortal joys,
One heinous forfeit all his bliss destroys:
For over him the godhead hung, in air, 100
A ponderous stone, a dreadful poise of care!
From his head to remove it, with terrour oppress'd,
In vain he tries, and seeks in vain
One cheerful moment to regain:
STROPHE III.Measures 18.
A life of woe, beyond relief, 105
His portion' now; ordain'd before
To torments of a three-fold grief,
This fourth was added to compleat his store,
Since, high, presuming in his soul,
He nectar and ambrosia stole, 110
To give to men; by which he knew
That, tasting, he immortal grew:
His portion' now; ordain'd before
To torments of a three-fold grief,
This fourth was added to compleat his store,
Since, high, presuming in his soul,
He nectar and ambrosia stole, 110
To give to men; by which he knew
That, tasting, he immortal grew:
But
