Hymn of Pan

FROM the forests and highlands 
We come we come; 
From the river-girt islands  
Where loud waves are dumb  
Listening to my sweet pipings.
 5 
The wind in the reeds and the rushes  
The bees on the bells of thyme  
The birds on the myrtle bushes  
The cicale above in the lime  
And the lizards below in the grass 10 
Were as silent as ever old Tmolus was  
Listening to my sweet pipings.
 

Liquid Peneus was flowing  
And all dark Tempe lay 
In Pelion's shadow outgrowing 15 
The light of the dying day  
Speeded by my sweet pipings.
 
The Sileni and Sylvans and Fauns  
And the Nymphs of the woods and waves  
To the edge of the moist river-lawns 20 
And the brink of the dewy caves  
And all that did then attend and follow  
Were silent with love as you now Apollo  
With envy of my sweet pipings.
 

I sang of the dancing stars 25 
I sang of the d?dal earth  
And of heaven and the giant wars  
And love and death and birth.
 
And then I changed my pipings¡ª 
Singing how down the vale of M?nalus 30 
I pursued a maiden and clasp'd a reed: 
Gods and men we are all deluded thus! 
It breaks in our bosom and then we bleed.
 
All wept¡ªas I think both ye now would  
If envy or age had not frozen your blood¡ª 35 
At the sorrow of my sweet pipings.
  

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