Gay and lovely is earth, man's decorate dwelling; With fresh beauty ever varying hour to hour. As now bathed in azure joy she awakeneth With bright morn to the sun's life-giving effluence, Or sunk into solemn darkness aneath the stars 60 In mysterious awe slumbereth out the night, Then from darkness again plunging again to day; Like dolphins in a swift herd that accompany Poseidon's chariot when he rebukes the waves. But no country to me 'neath the enarching air Is fair as Sicily's flowery fruitful isle: Always lovely, whether winter adorn the hills With his silvery snow, or generous summer Outpour her heavy gold on the river-valleys. Her rare beauty giveth gaiety unto man, 70 A delite dear to immortals. 2 And one season of all chiefly deliteth us, When fair Spring is afield. O happy is the Spring! Now birds early arouse their pretty minstreling; Now down its rocky hill murmureth ev'ry rill; Now all bursteth anew, wantoning in the dew Their bells of bonny blue, their chalices honey'd. Unkind frost is away; now sunny is the day; Now man thinketh aright, Life it is all delite. Now maids playfully dance o'er enamel'd meadows, 80 And with goldy blossom deck forehead and bosom; While old Pan rollicketh thro' the budding shadows, Voicing his merry reed, laughing aloud to lead The echoes madly rejoicing. 3 We be Oceanids, Persephone's lovers, Who all came hurrying joyfully from the sea Ere daybreak to obey her belovëd summons. At her fancy to pluck these violets, lilies, Windflow'rs and daffodils, all for a festival Whereat shé will adorn Zeuses honour'd banner. 90 And with Persephone there cometh Artemis And grave Pallas ... Hilloo! Already they approach! Haste, haste! Stoop to gather! Seem busy ev'ryone! Crowd all your wicker arcs with the meadow-lilies; Lest our disreverenc'd deity should rebuke The divine children of Ocean. [_Enter_ ATHENA, PERSEPHONE, _and_ ARTEMIS. _Persephone has a basket half fill'd with gather'd flowers._] _ATHENA._ These then are Enna's flowery fields, and here In midmost isle the garden of thy choice? _PERSEPHONE._