CICADA. 
327 
passionate cicada had not flown to his aid, and, by 
supplying the place of the broken string, en- 
couraged him to proceed and gain the palm. This 
event was commemorated by a statue, in which a 
man is represented playing upon a lyre with a 
cicada perched on it. There are likewise allusions 
to this musical insect in two gems in the Florentine 
Gallery ; one represents the cicada on a lyre, and 
the other the same insect playing on a Pan’s pipe. 
Anacreon too celebrates this little favourite, and 
has bestowed upon him the pretty verses with 
which we have concluded this account: 
“ Happy insect ! blithe and gay. 
Seated on the sunny spray. 
And drunk with dew, the leaves among. 
Singing sweet thy chirping song ! 
All the various seasons’ treasures. 
All the products of the plains. 
Thus lie open to thy pleasures, 
Fav’rite of the rural swains. 
On thee the muses fix their choice. 
And Phoebus adds his own. 
Who first inspir’d thy lively voice. 
And tun’d the pleasing tone. 
Thy cheerful note in wood and vale 
Fills every heart with glee ; 
And summer smiles in double charms 
While thus proclaim’d by thee. 
Like gods canst thou the nectar sip, 
A lively chirping elf •, 
From labour free, and free from care, 
A little god thyself.” 
