Parerga/Invocation of the Clouds, and Chorus
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INVOCATION OF THE CLOUDS, AND CHORUS.
FROM THE ΝΕΦΕΛΛΙ OF ARISTOPHANES.
Εὐφημεῖν χρὴ τὸν πρεσβύτην, καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς ὑπακούειν.
Ὦ δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ, ἀμέτρητ᾽ Ἀὴρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μετέωρον,
Λαμπρός τ' Αἰθῆρ, σεμναί τε θεαὶ Νεφέλαι βροντησικέραυνοι,
Ἄρθητε, φάνητ᾽, ὦ δέσποιναι, τῷ φροντιστῇ μετέωροι. κ.τ.λ.
(263-287.)
Ὦ δέσποτ᾽ ἄναξ, ἀμέτρητ᾽ Ἀὴρ, ὃς ἔχεις τὴν γῆν μετέωρον,
Λαμπρός τ' Αἰθῆρ, σεμναί τε θεαὶ Νεφέλαι βροντησικέραυνοι,
Ἄρθητε, φάνητ᾽, ὦ δέσποιναι, τῷ φροντιστῇ μετέωροι. κ.τ.λ.
(263-287.)
SOCRATES-STREPSIADES-CHORUS OF CLOUDS.
SOCRATES.
For the old man it is fit to check his noisy wit,
Till the high invocation is ended.———
Hear, Power Supreme, my prayer, Immeasurable Air,
In whom the clasped earth is suspended!
Thou Firmament of Light! and ye Clouds, in whose dim height
The thunder and lightning lie burning;
Clouds, whom I serve, aris! appear before our eyes,
Revealed to the lover of learning.
For the old man it is fit to check his noisy wit,
Till the high invocation is ended.———
Hear, Power Supreme, my prayer, Immeasurable Air,
In whom the clasped earth is suspended!
Thou Firmament of Light! and ye Clouds, in whose dim height
The thunder and lightning lie burning;
Clouds, whom I serve, aris! appear before our eyes,
Revealed to the lover of learning.
STREPSIADES.
No, not so fast, I pray! Vouchsafe ye Clouds, to stay
Till my head 'neath this cloak is wrapped over,
Or the rain will wet me through!———What a foolish thing to do,
Thus come out, with my head without cover!
No, not so fast, I pray! Vouchsafe ye Clouds, to stay
Till my head 'neath this cloak is wrapped over,
Or the rain will wet me through!———What a foolish thing to do,
Thus come out, with my head without cover!
SOCRATES.
Clouds, Goddesses of sky, whose glories are most high,
Now rise ye before this new-comer,
Whether on the sacred crest of Olympus' height ye rest,
Where the white snow is thawed by no summer;
Or with the Nereids move through Ocean's holy grove,
Whence ye spring forth in moist exhalations;
Or imbibe the golden rills with which Nile his current fills,
Ere he roll his deep tide through the nations;
Whether o'er Mæotis' lake your station now ye take,
Or with Mimas's high mists are blended;
Now, Deities of Air, receive your vot'ry's prayer,
And to his entreaties be bended!
Clouds, Goddesses of sky, whose glories are most high,
Now rise ye before this new-comer,
Whether on the sacred crest of Olympus' height ye rest,
Where the white snow is thawed by no summer;
Or with the Nereids move through Ocean's holy grove,
Whence ye spring forth in moist exhalations;
Or imbibe the golden rills with which Nile his current fills,
Ere he roll his deep tide through the nations;
Whether o'er Mæotis' lake your station now ye take,
Or with Mimas's high mists are blended;
Now, Deities of Air, receive your vot'ry's prayer,
And to his entreaties be bended!
CHORUS OF CLOUDS.
Clouds of the heaven,
Immortal mid storms,
To the winds we have given
Our light dewy forms.
Clouds of the heaven,
Immortal mid storms,
To the winds we have given
Our light dewy forms.
Let us leave the deep roar
Of our parent the Ocean,
And to mountain-tops soar,
Where the leaves are in motion.
Of our parent the Ocean,
And to mountain-tops soar,
Where the leaves are in motion.
Let us gaze o'er the whole
Of the gardens of Earth,
O'er the rivers that roll
In their turbulent mirth.
Of the gardens of Earth,
O'er the rivers that roll
In their turbulent mirth.
While the sea echoes high
Mid the rocks where it dashes,
And unwearied the Eye
Of the bright Ether flashes.
Mid the rocks where it dashes,
And unwearied the Eye
Of the bright Ether flashes.