"But that, whose Sound, in the Pelîack Cave, / A Bridle to the Minds of Heroes gave, / And great Achilles Thoughts, the Centaure lov'd, / And when, upon the Strings, his Finger mov'd, / Hell's, or the Ocean's Fury 'twould allay."
— Ross, Thomas (bap. 1620, d. 1675)
Place of Publication
London
Publisher
Printed by Tho. Roycroft, and are to be sold by Jo. Martin, Ja. Allestry and Tho. Dicas
Date
1661, 1672
Metaphor
"But that, whose Sound, in the Pelîack Cave, / A Bridle to the Minds of Heroes gave, / And great Achilles Thoughts, the Centaure lov'd, / And when, upon the Strings, his Finger mov'd, / Hell's, or the Ocean's Fury 'twould allay."
Metaphor in Context
Once by the Argive People (strange to tell!)
A Lute was heard, that did the Rocks compell
To follow, and the flying Stones to stand,
Fix'd into Walls. Touch'd by Amphion's Hand,
This rais'd the Theban Walls; while to the Skies
Flints, of themselves, in Heaps, congested, rise
T'enchanted Tow'rs. Another by his Lays
The Phocæ tam'd, becalm'd the raging Seas,
And Protheus drew through all his Shapes, and bore
Arion, on a Dolphin's Back, to Shore.
But that, whose Sound, in the Pelîack Cave,
A Bridle to the Minds of Heroes gave,
And great Achilles Thoughts, the Centaure lov'd,
And when, upon the Strings, his Finger mov'd,
Hell's, or the Ocean's Fury 'twould allay.
He Chaos, and the World, once wanting Day,
Or Light, a starless Lump; and then how God
Diffus'd the Waters of the Deep abroad,
And bound the Globe of Earth amidst the Frame;
How high Olympus to the Gods became,
By his appointment, a Secure Abode,
And chaster Age of Father Saturne shew'd.
But those sweet Nerves, by Orpheus touch'd, to whom
The Gods, and Shades below, did listning come,
Their Quill emerited, now shine among
The brightest Stars. His Mother his sweet Song
Admir'd, and her Aönian Sisters too;
His Musick the Pangæan Hills pursue.
Hemus, and farthest Thrace, Beasts, with their Woods,
Him follow, and the Mountains with their Floods;
Unmindefull of their Nests, Flight lai'd aside,
Birds, Captiv'd, in th'unshaken Air abide.
And, when the Pegasæan Ship (before
The Sons of Earth were skill'd beyond the Shore)
Refus'd the Sea to enter, by His Song,
Entic'd up to the Poop, the Waters throng.
He those pale Kingdoms, whither Ghosts retire,
And Acheron, that with Eternal Fire,
And Flames, still Ecchoes, by His Lays alone
Subdu'd, and fix'd the ever-rolling Stone.
Thus Teuthras, with His Thespian Lays their Hearts,
Hard'ned in War, to softer Ease diverts.
A Lute was heard, that did the Rocks compell
To follow, and the flying Stones to stand,
Fix'd into Walls. Touch'd by Amphion's Hand,
This rais'd the Theban Walls; while to the Skies
Flints, of themselves, in Heaps, congested, rise
T'enchanted Tow'rs. Another by his Lays
The Phocæ tam'd, becalm'd the raging Seas,
And Protheus drew through all his Shapes, and bore
Arion, on a Dolphin's Back, to Shore.
But that, whose Sound, in the Pelîack Cave,
A Bridle to the Minds of Heroes gave,
And great Achilles Thoughts, the Centaure lov'd,
And when, upon the Strings, his Finger mov'd,
Hell's, or the Ocean's Fury 'twould allay.
He Chaos, and the World, once wanting Day,
Or Light, a starless Lump; and then how God
Diffus'd the Waters of the Deep abroad,
And bound the Globe of Earth amidst the Frame;
How high Olympus to the Gods became,
By his appointment, a Secure Abode,
And chaster Age of Father Saturne shew'd.
But those sweet Nerves, by Orpheus touch'd, to whom
The Gods, and Shades below, did listning come,
Their Quill emerited, now shine among
The brightest Stars. His Mother his sweet Song
Admir'd, and her Aönian Sisters too;
His Musick the Pangæan Hills pursue.
Hemus, and farthest Thrace, Beasts, with their Woods,
Him follow, and the Mountains with their Floods;
Unmindefull of their Nests, Flight lai'd aside,
Birds, Captiv'd, in th'unshaken Air abide.
And, when the Pegasæan Ship (before
The Sons of Earth were skill'd beyond the Shore)
Refus'd the Sea to enter, by His Song,
Entic'd up to the Poop, the Waters throng.
He those pale Kingdoms, whither Ghosts retire,
And Acheron, that with Eternal Fire,
And Flames, still Ecchoes, by His Lays alone
Subdu'd, and fix'd the ever-rolling Stone.
Thus Teuthras, with His Thespian Lays their Hearts,
Hard'ned in War, to softer Ease diverts.
Categories
Provenance
Searching in HDIS (Poetry)
Citation
At least 2 entries in ESTC (1661, 1672).
See The Second Punick VVar Betwwen Hannibal, and the Romanes: the Whole Seventeen Books, Englished from the Latine of Silius Italicus: With a Continuation from the Triumph of Scipio, to the Death of Hannibal. by Tho: Ross, Esq; Keeper of His Majestie's Libraries, and Groom O His Most Honourable Privy-Chamber. (London: Printed by Tho. Roycroft, and are to be sold by Jo. Martin, Ja. Allestry, and Tho. Dicas, at the Bell in S. Paul's Church-Yard, 1661). <Link to ESTC<Link to LION>
The Second Punick War Between Hannibal, and the Romanes the Whole Seventeen Books, Englished from the Latine of Silius Italicus: With a Continuation from the Triumph of Scipio, to the Death of Hannibal. by Tho. Ross London : Printed by Tho. Roycroft, 1672). <Link to ESTC>
See The Second Punick VVar Betwwen Hannibal, and the Romanes: the Whole Seventeen Books, Englished from the Latine of Silius Italicus: With a Continuation from the Triumph of Scipio, to the Death of Hannibal. by Tho: Ross, Esq; Keeper of His Majestie's Libraries, and Groom O His Most Honourable Privy-Chamber. (London: Printed by Tho. Roycroft, and are to be sold by Jo. Martin, Ja. Allestry, and Tho. Dicas, at the Bell in S. Paul's Church-Yard, 1661). <Link to ESTC<Link to LION>
The Second Punick War Between Hannibal, and the Romanes the Whole Seventeen Books, Englished from the Latine of Silius Italicus: With a Continuation from the Triumph of Scipio, to the Death of Hannibal. by Tho. Ross London : Printed by Tho. Roycroft, 1672). <Link to ESTC>
Date of Entry
01/17/2006
Date of Review
01/09/2012
