Classic Poem

Liberty , beloved of Hellas,
Lend us once again thy sword;
Turn thy glorious eyes that tell us
Thou art still to be adored.

Hail thee, spirit! hover over
Salamis and Marathon,
Till each corse that called thee lover
Rise with thee to lead us on.

Slumbered Hellas long in sadness,
Waiting thee to call her forth;
Hushed the very cradle's gladness
By the tyrant of the North.

Long she dwelt with buried heroes
In the fame of other years;
But against a horde of Neros
What availed or pride or tears?

Then at last thy summons called us,
And as one we followed thee,
Till the rusted chains that thralled us
Fell, and Greece once more was free.

Ah, but while our kin are weeping
Over sea and over land,
Let us not again be sleeping,
Wake us with thy warning hand.

Though the Moslem swarm to slay us,
Though false friends, within, without—
Kings or cowards—shall betray us,
If thou lead us, who shall doubt?

Greece's blood made many an altar
For the nations then unborn;
Will they with her peril palter—
Give her gratitude, or scorn?

Oh, could Earth and Time assemble
All thy legions, Liberty,
At their tread the world would tremble
With the passion to be free.