Part 5 (1/2)
Columbus heard; and curious to be taught What pious fraud such wondrous changes wrought, Ask'd by what mystic charm, in that dark age, They quell'd in savage souls the barbarous rage, By leagues of peace combined a wide domain, And taught the virtues in their laws to reign.
Long is the tale; but tho their labors rest By years obscured, in flowery fiction drest, My voice, said Hesper, shall revive their name, And give their merits to immortal fame.
Led by his father's wars, in early prime Young Capac left his native northern clime; The clime where Quito since hath rear'd her fanes, And now no more her barbarous rites maintains.
He saw these vales in richer blooms array'd, And tribes more numerous haunt the woodland shade, Saw rival clans their local G.o.ds adore, Their altars staining with their children's gore, Yet mark'd their reverence for the Sun, whose beam Proclaims his bounties and his power supreme; Who sails in happier skies, diffusing good, Demands no victim and receives no blood.
In peace return'd with his victorious sire, New charms of glory all his soul inspire; To conquer nations on a different plan, And build his greatness on the good of man.
By nature form'd for hardiest deeds of fame, Tall, bold and full-proportion'd rose his frame; Strong moved his limbs, a mild majestic grace Beam'd from his eyes and open'd in his face; O'er the dark world his mind superior shone, And seem'd the semblance of his parent Sun.
But tho fame's airy visions lift his eyes, And future empires from his labors rise; Yet softer fires his daring views control, And mixt emotions fill his changing soul.
Shall genius rare, that might the world improve, Bend to the milder voice of careless love, That bounds his glories, and forbids to part From bowers that woo'd his fluctuating heart?
Or shall the toils imperial heroes claim Fire his brave bosom with a patriot flame, Bid sceptres wait him on Peruvia's sh.o.r.e, And loved Oella meet his eyes no more?
Still unresolved he sought the lonely maid, Who plied her labors in the silvan shade; Her locks loose rolling mantle deep her breast, And wave luxuriant round her slender waist, Gay wreaths of flowers her pensive brows adorn, And her white raiment mocks the light of morn.
Her busy hand sustains a bending bough, Where cotton cl.u.s.ters spread their robes of snow, From opening pods unbinds the fleecy store, And culls her labors for the evening bower.
For she, the first in all Hesperia, fed The turning spindle with the twisting thread; The woof, the shuttle follow'd her command, Till various garments grew beneath her hand.
And now, while all her thoughts with Capac rove Thro former scenes of innocence and love, In distant fight his fancied dangers share, Or wait him glorious from the finish'd war; Blest with the ardent hope, her sprightly mind A vesture white had for the prince design'd; And here she seeks the wool to web the fleece, The sacred emblem of returning peace.
Sudden his near approach the maid alarms; He flew enraptured to her yielding arms, And lost, dissolving in a softer flame, His distant empire and the fire of fame.
At length, retiring thro the homeward field, Their glowing souls to cooler converse yield; O'er various scenes of blissful life they ran, When thus the warrior to the maid began:
Long have we mark'd the inauspicious reign That waits our sceptre in this rough domain; A soil ungrateful and a wayward race, Their game but scanty, and confined their s.p.a.ce.
Where late my steps the southern war pursued, The fertile plains grew boundless as I view'd; More numerous nations trod the gra.s.sy wild, And joyous nature more delightful smiled.
No changing seasons there the flowers deform, No dread volcano and no mountain storm; Rains ne'er invade, nor livid lightnings play, Nor clouds obscure the radiant King of day.
But while his...o...b.. in ceaseless glory bright, Rolls the rich day and fires his stars by night, Unbounded fulness flows beneath his reign, Seas yield their treasures, fruits adorn the plain; His melting mountains spread their annual flood, Night sheds her dews, the day-breeze fans the G.o.d.
Tis he inspires me with the vast design To form those nations to a sway divine; Destroy the rites of every demon Power, Whose altars smoke with sacrilegious gore; To laws and labor teach the tribes to yield, And richer fruits to grace the cultured field.
But great, my charmer, is the task of fame, Their faith to fas.h.i.+on and their lives to tame; Full many a s.p.a.cious wild these eyes must see Spread dreary bounds between my love and me; And yon bright G.o.dhead circle thrice the year, Each lonely evening number'd with a tear.
Long robes of white my shoulders must embrace, To speak my lineage of ethereal race; That simple men may reverence and obey The radiant offspring of the Power of day.
When these my deeds the faith of nations gain, And happy millions bless thy Capac's reign, Then shall he feign a journey to the Sun, To bring the partner of his well-earn'd throne; So shall descending kings the line sustain, Till earth's whole regions join the vast domain.
Will then my fair, at my returning hour, Forsake these wilds and hail a happier bower?
Will she consenting now resume her smiles, Send forth her warrior to his glorious toils; And, sweetly patient, wait the flight of days, That crown our labors with immortal praise?
Silent the damsel heard; her moistening eye Spoke the full soul, nor could her voice reply; Till softer accents sooth'd her wounded ear, Composed her tumult and allay'd her fear: Think not, heroic maid, my steps would part While silent sorrows heave that tender heart.
Oella's peace more dear shall prove to me Than all the realms that bound the raging sea; Nor thou, bright Sun, shalt bribe my soul to rest, And leave one struggle in her lovely breast.
Yet think in tribes so vast, my gentle fair, What millions merit our instructive care; How age to age leads on their joyless gloom, Habitual slaughter their poor piteous doom; No social ties their wayward pa.s.sions prove, Nor peace nor pleasure treads the howling grove; Mid thousand heroes and a thousand fair No fond Oella meets her Capac there.
Yet, taught by thee domestic joys to prize, With softer charms the virgin race shall rise, Awake new virtues, every grace improve, And form their minds for happiness and love.
Ah think, as future years thro time descend, What wide creations on thy voice depend; And, like the Sun, whose all-delighting ray To those mild regions gives his purest day, Diffuse thy bounties, let me instant fly; In three short moons the generous task I'll try; Then swift returning, I'll conduct my fair Where realms submissive wait her fostering care.
And will my prince, my Capac, borne away, Thro those dark wilds in quest of empire stray, Where tigers fierce command the shuddering wood, And men like tigers thirst for human blood?
Think'st thou no dangerous deed the course attends, Alone, unaided by thy sire and friends?
Even chains and death may meet my hero there, Nor his last groan could reach Oella's ear.