Only with speeches fair She woos the gentle air To hide her guilty front with innocent snow, And on her naked shame, Pollute with sinful blame, The saintly veil of maiden white to throw, Confounded, that her Maker's eyes Should look so near upon her foul deformities. But He, her fears to cease, Sent down the meek-eyed Peace; She, crowned with olive green, came softly sliding Down through the turning sphere His ready harbinger, With turtle wing the amorous clouds dividing, And waving wide her myrtle wand, She strikes an universal peace through sea and land. tantum precatur lene sonantibus obedientem vocibus aera, celetur incestata castis frons nivibus, tegat impudico contaminatae flagitio scelus candore vestis virgineo premens, ne labe pollutam nefanda Rex oculo propiore visat. atqui timentem Caelipotens iubet Pax lenis astans lumine mulceat; quae laeta delabens ab axe nuntia sidereo, revincta crines olivae fronde, sequacia ceu turtur ala nubila dividit, myrtoque vibrata quietum alma salum domat, alma terras. No war or battle's sound Was heard the world around: The idle spear and shield were high up hung; The hooked chariot stood Unstained with hostile blood; The trumpet spake not to the arméd throng; And kings sat still with awful eye, As if they surely knew their sovran Lord was by. But peaceful was the night Wherein the Prince of Light His reign of peace upon the earth began: The winds with wonder whist Smoothly the waters kissed, Whispering new joys to the mild ocean, Who now hath quite forgot to rave, While birds of calm sit brooding on the charméd wave. non orbe toto martis erat sonus, non conferentum signa cohortium : hastile defunctamque parmam militia paries habebat : non falx cruorem traxerat hosticum, non excitabant armigeros tubae: Regem fatebantur venire ora metu pavefacta regum. nox ipsa puro consiluit polo qua splendidorum Sceptriger ordinum decrevit immortale pacis imperium stabilire terris: aurae stupentes oscula fluctibus dantes quietis gaudia praecinunt, quos ala parcentes moveri alcyonum premit incubantum. The stars with deep amaze Stand fixed in stedfast gaze, Bending one way their precious influence, And will not take their flight, For all the morning light, Or Lucifer that often warned them thence; But in their glimmering orbs did glow, Until their Lord himself bespake, and bid them go. And though the shady gloom Had given day her room, The sun himself withheld his wonted speed, And hid his head for shame, As his inferior flame The new enlightened world no more should need; He saw a greater Sun appear Than his bright throne, or burning axletree, could bear. |