CHORUS
On to the sward, with flowers Embosomed bright! March on with jest, and jeer, and dance, Full well ye’ve supped to-night. (The processional hymn to Persephone.) March, chanting loud your lays, Your hearts and voices raising, The Saviour goddess praising Who vows she’ll still Our city save to endless days, Whate’er Thorycion’s will. Break off the measure, and change the time; and now with chanting and hymns adorn Demeter, goddess mighty and high, the harvest-queen, the giver of corn. (The processional hymn to Demeter.) O Lady, over our rites presiding, Preserve and succour thy choral throng, And grant us all, in thy help confiding, To dance and revel the whole day long;
CHORUS
AND MUCH in earnest, and much in jest, Worthy thy feast, may we speak therein. And when we have bantered and laughed our best, The victor’s wreath be it ours to win. Call we now the youthful god, call him hither without delay, Him who travels amongst his chorus, dancing along on the Sacred Way. (The processional hymn to Iacchus.) O, come with the joy of thy festival song, O, come to the goddess, O, mix with our throng Untired, though the journey be never so long. O Lord of the frolic and dance, Iacchus, beside me advance! For fun, and for cheapness, our dress thou hast rent,
CHORUS Through thee we may dance to the top of our bent, Reviling, and jeering, and none will resent. O Lord of the frolic‘and dance, Iacchus, beside me advance! A sweet pretty girl I observed in the show, Her robe had been torn in the scuffle, and lo, There peeped through the tatters a bosom of snow. O Lord of the frolic and dance, Iacchus, beside me advance!
DIONYSUS Wouldn’t I like to follow on, and try A little sport and dancing?
XANTHIAS Wouldn’t I? (The banter at the bridge of Cephisus.)
CHORUS Shall we all a merry joke At Archedemus poke,
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