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Long have the wealthy
Settled themselves in the marsh.

Easy 'tis following the chariot
That by Fortune is driven,

Like the baggage that moves
Over well-mended highways

After the train of a prince.
But who stands there apart?

In the thicket, lost is his path;
Behind him the bushes

Are closing together,
The grass springs up again,

The desert engulphs him.
Ah, who'll heal his afflictions,

To whom balsam was poison,
Who, from love's fullness,

Drank in misanthropy only?
First despised, and now a despiser,

He, in secret, wasteth
All that he is worth,

In a selfishness vain.
If there be, on thy psaltery,

Father of Love, but one tone
That to his ear may be pleasing,

Oh, then, quicken his heart!
Clear his cloud-enveloped eyes

Over the thousand fountains
Close by the thirsty one

In the desert.
Thou who createst much joy,

For each a measure o'erflowing,
Bless the sons of the chase

When on the track of the prey,
With a wild thirsting for blood,

Youthful and joyous
Avenging late the injustice

Which the peasant resisted
Vainly for years with his staff.

But the lonely one veil
Within thy gold clouds!

Surround with winter-green,
Until the roses bloom again,

The humid locks,
Oh Love, of thy minstrel!

With thy glimmering torch
Lightest thou him

Through the fords when 'tis night,
Over bottomless places

On desert-like plains;
With the thousand colours of morning

Gladd'nest his bosom;
With the fierce-biting storm

Bearest him proudly on high;
Winter torrents rush from the cliffs,--

Blend with his psalms;
An altar of grateful delight

He finds in the much-dreaded mountain's
Snow-begirded summit,

Which foreboding nations
Crown'd with spirit-dances.

Thou stand'st with breast inscrutable,
Mysteriously disclosed,

High o'er the wondering world,
And look'st from clouds

Upon its realms and its majesty,
Which thou from the veins of thy brethren

Near thee dost water.
1777.

-----
TO FATHER* KRONOS.

[written in a post-chaise.]
(* In the original, Schwager, which has the twofold meaning of

brother-in-law and postilion.)
HASTEN thee, Kronos!

On with clattering trot
Downhill goeth thy path;

Loathsome dizziness ever,
When thou delayest, assails me.

Quick, rattle along,
Over stock and stone let thy trot

Into life straightway lead
Now once more

Up the toilsome ascent
Hasten, panting for breath!

Up, then, nor idle be,--
Striving and hoping, up, up!

Wide, high, glorious the view
Gazing round upon life,

While from mount unto mount
Hovers the spirit eterne,

Life eternal foreboding.
Sideways a roof's pleasant shade

Attracts thee,
And a look that promises coolness

On the maidenly threshold.
There refresh thee! And, maiden,

Give me this foaming draught also,
Give me this health-laden look!

Down, now! quicker still, down!
See where the sun sets

Ere he sets, ere old age
Seizeth me in the morass,

Ere my toothless jaws mumble,
And my useless limbs totter;

While drunk with his farewell beam
Hurl me,--a fiery sea

Foaming still in mine eye,--
Hurl me, while dazzled and reeling,

Down to the gloomyportal of hell.
Blow, then, gossip, thy horn,

Speed on with echoing trot,
So that Orcus may know we are coming;

So that our host may with joy
Wait at the door to receive us.

1774.
-----

THE WANDERER'S STORM-SONG.
[Goethe says of this ode, that it is the only one remaining out

of several strange hymns and dithyrambs composed by him at a
period of great unhappiness, when the love-affair between him and

Frederica had been broken off by him. He used to sing them while
wandering wildly about the country. This particular one was

caused by his being caught in a tremendous storm on one of these
occasions. He calls it a half-crazy piece (halkunsinn), and the

reader will probably agree with him.]
He whom thou ne'er leavest, Genius,

Feels no dread within his heart
At the tempest or the rain.

He whom thou ne'er leavest, Genius,
Will to the rain-clouds,

Will to the hailstorm,
Sing in reply

As the lark sings,
Oh thou on high!

Him whom thou ne'er leavest, Genius,
Thou wilt raise above the mud-track

With thy fiery pinions.
He will wander,

As, with flowery feet,
Over Deucalion's dark flood,

Python-slaying, light, glorious,
Pythius Apollo.

Him whom thou ne'er leavest, Genius,
Thou wilt place upon thy fleecy pinion

When he sleepeth on the rock,--
Thou wilt shelter with thy guardian wing

In the forest's midnight hour.
Him whom thou ne'er leavest, Genius,

Thou wilt wrap up warmly
In the snow-drift;

Tow'rd the warmth approach the Muses,
Tow'rd the warmth approach the Graces.

Ye Muses, hover round me!
Ye Graces also!

That is water, that is earth,
And the son of water and of earth

Over which I wander,
Like the gods.

Ye are pure, like the heart of the water,
Ye are pure like the marrow of earth,

Hov'ring round me, while I hover
Over water, o'er the earth

Like the gods.
Shall he, then, return,

The small, the dark, the fiery peasant?
Shall he, then, return, waiting

Only thy gifts, oh Father Bromius,
And brightly gleaming, warmth-spreading fire?

Return with joy?
And I, whom ye attended,

Ye Muses and ye Graces,
Whom all awaits that ye,

Ye Muses and ye Graces,
Of circling bliss in life

Have glorified--shall I
Return dejected?

Father Bromius!
Thourt the Genius,

Genius of ages,
Thou'rt what inward glow

To Pindar was,
What to the world

Phoebus Apollo.
Woe! Woe Inward warmth,

Spirit-warmth,
Central-point!

Glow, and vie with
Phoebus Apollo!

Coldly soon
His regal look

Over thee will swiftly glide,--
Envy-struck

Linger o'er the cedar's strength,
Which, to flourish,

Waits him not.
Why doth my lay name thee the last?

Thee, from whom it began,
Thee, in whom it endeth,

Thee, from whom it flows,
Jupiter Pluvius!

Tow'rd thee streams my song.


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