dots-menu
×

Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  173. A Hymn in Praise of Neptune

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

Thomas Campion. 1567?–1619

173. A Hymn in Praise of Neptune

OF Neptune’s empire let us sing, 
At whose command the waves obey; 
To whom the rivers tribute pay, 
Down the high mountains sliding: 
To whom the scaly nation yields         5
Homage for the crystal fields 
    Wherein they dwell: 
And every sea-dog pays a gem 
Yearly out of his wat’ry cell 
To deck great Neptune’s diadem.  10
 
The Tritons dancing in a ring 
Before his palace gates do make 
The water with their echoes quake, 
Like the great thunder sounding: 
The sea-nymphs chant their accents shrill,  15
And the sirens, taught to kill 
    With their sweet voice, 
Make ev’ry echoing rock reply 
Unto their gentle murmuring noise 
The praise of Neptune’s empery.  20