O Thou, Physician blest, Make clean my guilty soul! And me, by many a sin oppress'd, Restore and keep me whole! I know not how to praise Thy mercy and Thy love: But deign Thy servant to upraise, And I shall learn above! STARS OF THE MORNING. A Cento from the Canon of the "Bodiless Ones." Tuesday in the Week of the Fourth Tone. Stars of the morning, Gloriously bright, Fill'd with celestial Virtue and light, These that, where night never Followeth day, Raise the Trishagion Ever and aye: These are Thy counsellors: These dost Thou own, LORD GOD of Sabaoth! Nearest Thy throne; These are Thy ministers, Help of the helpless ones! Man to defend. These keep the guard, amidst Salem's dear bowers: Thrones, Dominations, Virtues and Powers: Where with the Living Ones, Mystical Four, Cherubin, Seraphim, Bow and adore. "Who like the LORD?"-thunders Michael, the Chief: Comforteth grief: And, as at Nazareth, Prophet of peace, Gabriel, "the light of GOD," Bringeth release. Then, when the earth was first Pois'd in mid space, Then, when the planets first Sped on their race,Then, when were ended the Six days' employ,— Then all the Sons of GOD Shouted for joy. Still let them succour us; Still let them fight, LORD of angelic hosts, Battling for right! Till, where their anthems they Ceaselessly pour, We with the Angels may, Bow and adore! CANON FOR ASCENSION. This is the crowning glory of the poet Joseph: he has here with a happy boldness entered into the lists with S. John Damascene, to whom, on this one occasion, he must be pronounced superior. I have preserved the alphabetic arrangement. All the Catavasias are in Iambics. ODE I. ἀνέστης τριήμερος. A fter three days Thou didst rise First the Eleven worshipped Thee, Then the rest in Galilee : Then a cloud in glory bore Thee to Thine own native shore. B oldly David pour'd the strain : |