Would crown the imperial night, 10
  And in deep hate of insubmissive spring
  Rethrone the royal winter for a king,
  This day that casts the days of darkness down
  Low as a broken crown,
  We call thee from the gulf of deeds and days,
  Deathless and dead, to hear us whom we praise.

  A light of many lights about thine head, [Antistrophe 1. 
  Lights manifold and one,
  Stars molten in a sun,
  A sun of divers beams incorporated, 20
  Compact of confluent aureoles, each more fair
  Than man, save only at highest of man, may wear,
  So didst thou rise, when this our grey-grown age
  Had trod two paces of his pilgrimage,
  Two paces through the gloom
  From his fierce father’s tomb,
  Led by cross lights of lightnings, and the flame
  That burned in darkness round one darkling name;
  So didst thou rise, nor knewest thy glory, O thou
  Re-risen upon us now, 30
  The glory given thee for a grace to give,
  And take the praise of all men’s hearts that live.

        First in the dewy ray [Epode 1. 
        Ere dawn be slain of day
    The fresh crowned lilies of discrowned kings’ prime
        Sprang splendid as of old
        With moonlight-coloured gold
    And rays refract from the oldworld heaven of time;
      Pale with proud light of stars decreased 39
In westward wane reluctant from the conquering east.

  But even between their golden olden bloom [Str. 2. 
  Strange flowers of wildwood glory,
  With frost and moonshine hoary,
  Thrust up the new growths of their green-leaved gloom,
  Red buds of ballad blossom, where the dew
  Blushed as with bloodlike passion, and its hue
  Was as the life and love of hearts on flame,
  And fire from forth of each live chalice came: 
  Young sprays of elder song,
  Stem straight and petal strong, 50
  Bright foliage with dark frondage overlaid,
  And light the lovelier for its lordlier shade;
  And morn and even made loud in woodland lone
  With cheer of clarions blown,
  And through the tournay’s clash and clarion’s cheer
  Laugh to laugh echoing, tear washed off by tear.

  Then eastward far past northland lea and lawn
  Beneath a heavier light [Ant. 2. 
  Of stormier day and night
  Began the music of the heaven of dawn; 60
  Bright sound of battle along the Grecian waves,
  Loud light of thunder above the Median graves,
  New strife, new song on AEschylean seas,
  Canaris risen above Themistocles;
  Old glory of warrior ghosts
  Shed fresh on filial hosts,