"A few short hours and He will rise

To give the morrow birth;

And I shall hail the main and skies,
But not my mother earth.
Deserted is my own good hall,

Its hearth is desolate;

Wild weeds are gathering on the wall; My dog howls at the gate.

"Come hither, hither, my little page!
Why dost thou weep and wail?
Or dost thou dread the billow's rage,
Or tremble at the gale?

But dash the tear-drop from thine eye;
Our ship is swift and strong:
Our fleetest falcon scarce can fly

More merrily along."

'Let winds be shrill, let waves roll high,

I fear not wave nor wind:

Yet marvel not, Sir Childe, that I

Am sorrowful in mind;

For I have from my father gone,

A mother whom I love,

And have no friend, save these alone,

But thee-and one above.

"Efferet Eoo mox se redivivus ab æstu

Phoebus, et incipiet jam novus ire dies;
Tum mare conspiciam et cœli convexa-paterni
Sed non sunt iterum regna videnda soli.
Stat deserta domus; patrum silet aula meorum;
Nec vetus est solito fervidus igne focus;
Quin steriles herbæ dominantur pariete in ipso,
Et canis occlusas ejulat ante fores.

Huc, puer, huc venias!-venias, positoque dolore, Mærendi quæ sit jam tibi causa refer.

Anne reformidas malesani turbinis iram,

Anne times nimiis ne furat unda minis?

Pone metus, stantemque oculis i comprime guttam ;
Firma per æquoreas hæc ratis ibit aquas;
Nec, qui perspicuum rapidis secat æthera pennis,
Accipiter cursu liberiore volat."

Sæviat ira Noti, montes volvantur aquarum,
Me nec aquæ tumidæ nec movet ira Noti.

Ne mirere tamen cura quod vexer, et ægri
Quod subito luctus pectora nostra premant:
Nempe abiens carumque patrem matremque reliqui ;
Omnibus abreptis tu mihi solus ades,

Tuque-Deusque manet-mihi tu nunc unus amicus;
Tu pro matre mihi, pro patre solus eris.

"Come hither, hither, my staunch yeoman, Why dost thou look so pale?

Or dost thou dread a French foeman?
Or shiver at the gale?"-

'Deem'st thou I tremble for my life?
Sir Childe, I'm not so weak ;
But thinking on an absent wife
Will blanch a faithful cheek.

My spouse and boys dwell near thy hall, Along the bordering lake,

And when they on their father call,

What answer shall she make?— "Enough, enough, my yeoman good,

Thy grief let none gainsay;

But I, who am of lighter mood,

Will laugh to flee away.

Tum mihi, (nam memini) pater est bona multa precatus,
Pressa sed in forti est vana querela sinu.
At graviter puerum mater lugebit ademptum,
Dum reduci gressu tecta paterna petam.'
"Causa satis justa est: ne sit flevisse pudori;
Non oculos fletus dedecet iste tuos;

Quippe foret pariter si mens mihi criminis expers,
Illa tuo pariter tacta dolore foret.

"Huc ades, O domini custos, fortissime miles,
Dic age, cur tristi pallor in ore sedet?
Scilicet id metuis ne nobis irruat hostis

Gallicus? an venti verbera sæva tremis?".
'Anne putas mortem causam satis esse timoris?
Non ita sum mollis, non ita triste mori est.
At deserta dolet quia, rapto conjuge, conjux,
Exsulat a fidis purpura missa genis.

Nempe uxor puerique, tui prope limina tecti,
Litus habent vitrei, pignora cara, lacus:
Et cum sæpe pia me poscent voce parentem,
Responsum pueris quod dabit illa suis?"

"Et tibi causa satis-ne quis contemnat amorem,
Nec tibi non æquum sic doluisse putet:

Ille, nec invideo, doleat, cui causa dolendi,

Læta tamen cum mens est mihi, læta fuga est.

"For who would trust the seeming sighs

Of wife or paramour?

Fresh feres will dry the bright blue eyes

We late saw streaming o'er.

For pleasures past I do not grieve,

Nor perils gathering near;
My greatest grief is that I leave

No thing that claims a tear.

"And now I'm in the world alone,
Upon the wide, wide sea:

But why should I for others groan,
When none will sigh for me?
Perchance my dog will whine in vain,
Till fed by stranger hands;

But long ere I come back again

He'd tear me where he stands.

"With thee, my bark, I'll swiftly go
Athwart the foaming brine;

Nor care what land thou bear'st me to,
So not again to mine.

Welcome, welcome, ye dark blue waves!

And when you fail my sight,

Welcome, ye deserts, and ye caves!

My native Land-Good Night!"

BYRON.