Qualem in profundi gurgitibus maris
Undaeque, ventique, et scopuli graves
Nautam lacessunt, et trisulca
Quae volitat per inane flamma,
Quum nulla amicis dat pharon ignibus
Fortuna; dum Nox signa per horridas
Diffundat auras, et benigna
Luna face imminuat tenebras: 
Sic prima caecam gens hominum tulit
Ignara vitam:  regna nec Elysi
Novere nec valles opacas
Tartareae timuere sedis;
Non spes futuri, non reverentia
Coelestis aulae; culpa piaculis
Vacavit, Eleique luci
Fatidicae siluere frondes: 
Donec reclusa caelicolum domo,
Jussu parentis, dicitur huc cohors
Venisse Musarum, capillos
Castalia redimita lauro,
Sacramque qui Delum et Pataram regit,
Cyrrhaeque turres:  increpuit lyram
Thalia, divinoque canta
Tristia personuere regna;
Quo bruta tellus, quo volucres vagae, et
Dura improbarum pectora tigridum,
Regesque, bellanterque turmae
Insolita tacuere cura. 
Informe primum vox cecinit Chaos,
Terrasque natas, Iaepeti et genus
Infame, Phlegraeamque pugnam,
Et triplici data jura mundo: 
Panduntur arcana, et Superum domus,
Virtusque, legesque, et ratio boni,
Oraeque Cocyti dolentis,
Et placidae loca amoena Leuces. 
O, quae coruscam concutis aegida,
Frangens tyrannorum arma minacium,
Regina Pallas, dona nobis
Caelicolum inviolata serva,
Quam misit aeterni arbiter aetheris
Terras in omnes, ut Sapientiae
Accensa duraret per aevum
Stella, nec in tenebras abiret! 
Te novit Argos, cultaque divitis
Sedes Corinthi; Cecropias modo
Turres et Ilissi colebas
Pascua, floriferosque saltus;
Nunc Martialis maenia Romuli,
Et regna Tuscis subdita montibus;
Nunc arva terrarum remota, et
AEquorei scopulos Britanni. 
Tu, Diva, rerum detegis ordinem;
Gaudesque primis nubila gentibus
Obducta, nulli pervia astro,
Et Stygia graviora nocte
Rupisse.  Frustra dissociabile
Objecit atrox Oceani fretum
Neptunus, insanique rauco
Turbine confremuere fluctus: 
Vicit furentes, te duce, navita
Ventosque, et undas, clanstraque saxea
Perrupit, extremumque mundi
Impavidus penetravit axem.

NOTES ON GUSTAVUS VASA.

I have prefixed to this fragment the title of Epic Poem, though epic poems are growing out of fashion; because, in the structure, plan, and metre, the heroic model is followed.  My authorities for facts, dates, and characters, are Vertot and Puffendorff.  The latter I have only read in an English translation, dated 1702:  the former I quote from a small Amsterdam edition, printed for Stephen Roger, in 2 vols. 1722.

BOOK THE FIRST.

Line 3.

    ——­ her papal rites efface.

Gustavus, by his prudent and vigorous measures, effectually abolished Popery in Sweden, and established the disciples and doctrine of Luther.