Classic Poem

Canto the Second

Freed from suspicion by a cause that tells
His injured prince — Almanzor's guilt exceeds
His great'st mistrust; from thence just anger swells,
Till for that fever the whole nation bleeds.

Armies united in a dreadful haste,
From distant places sad spectators bring,
To see by fortune justice so defaced —
The subjects here pursue a conquered king.

Morea's prudent prince, whose fears had been
Before this message but like truths wrapped in
Dark oracles, now, with a sense enlarged
Beyond imperfect doubts, no longer charged
His judgment with dilemmas, but, in all
The haste indulgent love, when by the call
Of danger frighted, could procure, without
Staying to let slow counsel urge a doubt
Which might but seem a remora unto
His fixed desires, having together drew
His guard, was marching; when, in such a haste
As breathless speed foreshowed they had been chased
By some approaching danger, such as were
Too full of truth and loyalty to bear
Rebellion longer than their thoughts could be
Eased of the burthen by discovery,
Arrive at th' court with this sad news — that by
Almanzor, who, forgetting loyalty,
Had seized Alcithius' castle, they were drove
To fly their country, since that there he strove
To raise an army, by whose strength he might
To the sword's power subject the sceptre's right.
By this sad news startled out of his late
Fixed resolutions, the vexed prince, whose fate
Had not through all the progress of his reign
Darted so many plagues, to entertain
Them now with strength unballast, calls in haste
His late neglected council, and embraced
This sudden, but mature advice — that he
Should with such forces as could soonest be
Prepared for service, having only seen
Pharonnida, possess that strait between
The castle and the mountains; from whose rude
Inhabitants, which nature did include
Within those rocks, rebellion soonest might
Grow to a dangerous tumor: the dim light
Of scarce discerned majesty, so far
Being from them removed, that, least a war
Enforced him to command their aid, they ne'er
Heard of his mandates; being more fit to bear
The weight of armour on their bodies, than
Of taxes on estates — so small that, when
With all the art of industry improved,
For want were kept, but not for ease beloved.
Through paths that no vestigia showed, to these,
As being retained or lost with greatest ease —
Since naturally unconstant, comes the king.
Not much too late, majestic rays did bring
Props to their wavering faith that yet remained
Unclad in lawless arms; some being gained
Unto Almanzor, whose revolt had brought
That freedom, those, whose subtle plots long sought
For innovations, wished. The sickly state,
In sad irruptions — such as future fate,
From sacred truths, speaks deadly symptoms in —
Relaxes all that order which had been
Till now her cement; the soft harmony
Of peaceful contracts, sadly silenced by
That discord in whose flames the kingdom burned,
Had all their measures into marches turned.
Through't his dominions speedy orders flew
For raising troops; whilst, with such haste as new
Shorn meadows, when approaching storms are nigh,
Tired labourers huddle up, both parties try
To levy armies. The sad scholar throws
His books aside, and now in practice shows
His studied theorics; the stiff laborer leaves
I' the half-shorn fields the uncollected sheaves
To female taskers, and exchanged his hook
Into a sword; each busy trade, that took
Pains in the nicer ornaments of peace,
Sit idle till want forced them to increase
The new-raised troops; that ornament o' the hall,
Old armours, which had nothing but a wall
Of long time saved from the invading dust,
From cobwebs swept, though its enamel rust
Stick close, and on the unpractised soldier put,
Forth of their breasts, nor fear, nor danger shut.
Yet, with an army of this temper in
Haste huddled up, the wandering prince had been
Enforced to fight, had not his just cause brought
Some loyal gentry, such whose virtue sought
Truth for reward, unto his side; with which
He now advances, more completely rich
In noble valour, than 's rebellious foes
In numerous troops. No enemies oppose
His speedy march, till being now come near
Alcithius' fort, Almanzor's timely fear
Hurries him thence. His better fate depends
On larger hopes: unto such constant friends
As equal guilt by sympathy secured,
To them he leaves the castle; and assured
Them of relief, with what convenient speed
Those of his faction, (which did only need
His presence to confirm rebellion by
An injured power), could draw their armies nigh.
As hence he marches, each successful hour
Augments his strength, till the unlawful power
Trebled his injured prince's. But as they
Who carry guilt about them, do betray
Her by her sister — Fear, so these, whose crimes
Detected, durst not, in more peaceful times,
Look justice in the face, and therefore now
Stood veiled in arms against her, fearing how
She might prevail 'gainst power, march not till
A greater strength their empty bosoms fill
With hope — a tumor which doth oft dilate
The narrow souls of cowards, till their fate
Flatter them into ruin, then forsakes
Them in an earthquake, whose pale terror shakes
Base souls to flight, whilst noble valour dies
Adorned with wounds, fame's bleeding sacrifice.
Almanzor's doubtful army, since that here
The threatening storm at distance did appear
Locked in a calm, possessed with confidence,
Slowly their squadrons moves; but had from thence
Not a day's journey marched, before the sad
News of Alcithius' desperate danger had
Paled o'er their camp; which whilst the leaders strove
To animate, Almanzor faster drove
On those designs, which, prospering, might prevent
It from surrender; but the time was spent
Too far before. The governor that kept
It now against his prince, too long had slept
In the preceding down of peace, to be
Awakened into valour. Only he
Had seen 't kept clean from cobwebs, and perhaps
The guns shot off, when those loud thunderclaps
Proclaimed a storm of healths; yet, till he saw
The threatening danger circularly draw
An armed line about him, in as high
A voice as valour could a foe defy,
He clothes his fears, which shook the false disguise
Off with the first assault, and swiftly flies
To 's prince's mercy; whose pleased soul he found
Heightened to have his first attempt thus crowned
With victory, which nor made his army less,
Nor steeped in blood, though travailed to success.
To this new conquest, as a place whose strength
He best might trust, if, to a tedious length,
Or black misfortune, the ensuing war
His fate should spin, his choicest treasures are,
Together with her in whose safety he
Placed life itself, brought for security.
This done, that now no slow delays might look
Like fear, he with his loyal army took
The field; in which he 'd scarce a level chose
To rally's army, ere his numerous foes
Appear o' the top of the adjacent hill,
Like clouds, which, when presaging storms, do fill
Dark southern regions. In a plain that lay
So near that both the armies' full survey
Might from the clifts on which Alcithius stands
Be safely viewed, were the rebellious bands
Of's enemies descending, on each side
Flanked by a river which did yet divide
Him from the prince; who, having time to choose
What ground to fight on, did that blessing use
To 's best advantage. On a bridge, which by
Boards closely linked had forced an unity
Betwixt the banks, his army passed. He now
Within a plain, whose spacious bounds allow,
Together with a large extension, all
An antient leader could convenient call.
Removed no tedious distance from his rear
Stood a small town, which, as the place took care
How to advance so just an interest, might
Be useful — when, tired in the heat of fight,
Strength lost in wounds should force some thither by
Wants which a camp 's unfurnished to supply.
More near his front, betwixt him and the plain
Through which Almanzor led his spacious train,
On a small hill, which gently rose as though
Its eminence but only strove to show
The fragrant vale — how much nice art outwent
Her beauties in her brow's fair ornament,
A splendid palace stood; which, having been
Built but for wanton peace to revel in,
Was as unfit for the rough hand of war
As boisterous arms for tender virgins are.
To this, since now of consequence unto
The first possessor, had both armies drew.
Commanded parties, which ere night shut in
Light's latest rays, did furiously begin
The first hot skirmish; which, continuing till
Dark shadows all the hemisphere did fill,
To such as fear or novelty had sent
T' the hills' safe tops, such dreadful prospect lent
By the swift rising of those sudden fires,
In whose short close that fatal sound expires,
Which tells each timorous auditor — its breath,
To distant breasts, bears unexpected death,
That, whilst their eyes direct their thoughts unto
Their danger whom reward or honor drew
To the encounter, all the uncouth sight
Affords — to horror turns that strange delight.
These circling fires drawn near their centre, in
Such tumult as armies engaged begin
Death's fatal task, a dreadful sound surprised
The distant ear. Danger, that lay disguised
In darkness yet, now, as if wakened by
The conquerors' shouts, so general and so high,
That they e'en drowned the clamorous instruments
Of fatal war, her veil of sables rents
From round the palace, by that horrid light
Which her own turrets through the steams of night
In dreadful blazes sent, discovering both
The shadowed armies; who, like mourners loath
To draw too near their sorrow's centre, while
Their friends consume, surround the blazing pile,
In such a sad and terrible aspect,
That those engaged in action could neglect
Approaching danger, to behold how they
Like woods grown near the foot of Ætna lay,
Whilst the proud palace from her sinking walls
In this sharp fever's fiery crisis falls.
But now the night, as wearied with a reign
So full of trouble, had resigned again
The earth's divided empire, and the day,
Grown strong in light, both armies did display
To their full view, who to the mountain (in
Sad expectation of the event) had been
Early spectators called. Here, seated nigh
Their female friends, old men, exempted by
Weakness from war's too rough encounters, show
Those colors which their active youth did know
Adorn the field, when those that now engage,
Like tender plants kept for the future age,
In blooming childhood were; 'mongst this they tell
What heroes in preceding battles fell,
Where victory stooped to valour, and where rent
From brave desert by fatal accident;
Then, ere their story can a period have,
Show wounds they took, and tell of some they gave.
This sad preludium to an action far
More dismal past, the unveiled face of War
Looks big with horror: now both armies draw
So near, that their divided brothers saw
Each other's guilt — that too too common sin
Of civil war. Rebellious sons stood in
Arms 'gainst their fathers clad; friends, that no cross
Could disunite, here found the fatal loss
Of amity, and as presaging blood
I' the worst aspect, sad opposition stood:
One was their fashion, form, and discipline;
Strict heralds in one scutcheon did combine
The arms of both armies — yet all this must be
By war's wild rage robbed of its unity.
Whilst like sad Saturn, ominous and slow,
Each army moved, some youths, set here to grow,
By forward actions, stately cedars to
Adorn fame's court, like shooting stars were flew,
So bright, so glittering, from the unwieldy throng
Of either army; which, being mixed among
Each other, in a swift Numidian fight,
Like air's small atoms when discovering light
Betrays their motions, show; some hours had past
In this light skirmish — till now, near war's last
Sad scene arrived, as the distressed heart calls,
Before the body death's pale victim falls,
Those spirits that dispersed by action were,
Back to their centre, their commander's care
Summons these in; that so united strength
Might swiftly end — or else sustain the length
Of that black storm, where yet that danger stood,
Which must ere long fall in a shower of blood.
A dismal silence, such as oft attends
Those that surround the death-beds of their friends
In the departing minute, reigns throughout
Both armies' troops; who, gathered now about
Their several standards, and distinguished by
Their several colors, such variety
Present the eye with, that, whilst the sad thought
Beholds them but as fallen branches brought
To the decay of time, their view did bring
In all the pleasures of the checkered spring;
Like a large field, where being confined unto
Their several squares — here blushing roses grew,
There purpled hyacinths, and, near to them,
The yellow cowslip bends its tender stem,
T' the mountain's top, the army, marching low
Within the vale, their several squadrons show.
This silent time, which by command was set
Aside to pay confession's needful debt
To oft offended Heaven, whose aid, though gave
Ere asked, yet, since our duty is to crave,
Expects our prayers. The armies, from their still
Devotion raised, declare what spirits fill
Their breast, by such an universal joy,
As, to get young, and not the old destroy,
Each had by beauteous paranymphs been led —
Not to rough war, but a soft nuptial bed.
That fatal hour, by time, which, though it last
Till fixed stars have a perfect circle past,
We still think short, to action brought; which now
So near approached, it could no more allow
The generals to consult, although there need
Nought to augment, when valour's flame doth feed
High on the hopes of victory, the rage
Of eager armies. Ere their troops engage,
Their several leaders all that art did use,
By which loud war's rough rhetoric doth infuse
Into those bodies, on whose strength consists
Their safety, souls whose brave resolves might twist
Them into chains of valour, which no force,
Than death less powerful, ever should divorce.
The prince, as more depending on the just
Cause that had drawn his sword, which to distrust
Looks like a crime, soonest commits the day
To fate's arbitrement. No more delay
Comforts the fainting coward, — a sad sound
Of cannon gave the signal, and had drowned
The murmuring drum in silence; Earth did groan
In trembling echoes; on her sanguine throne,
High mounted, Horror sits; wild Rage doth fill
Each breast with fury, whose fierce flames distil
Life through the alembics of their veins: that cloud
Of dust, which, when they first did move, a shroud
Of darkness veiled them in, allayed with blood,
Fell to the earth; whose clefts a crimson flood
Filled to the brim, and, when it could contain
No more, let forth those purple streams to stain
The blushing fields, which being made slippery by
The unnatural shower, there lets them sink and die;
Whose empty veins rent in this fatal strife,
Here dropped the treasure of exhausted life.
In sad exchange of wounds, whilst the last breath,
E'en flying forth to give another death,
Supports the fainting spirits, all were now
Sadly employed; armed Danger could allow
In this loud storm of action, none to stand
Idle spectators; but each busy hand
Labors, in death's great work, his life to sell
At rates so dear — that foe by which he fell,
To boast his gain, survives not. But now, in
This mart of death, blind Fortune doth begin
To show herself antagonist unto
Less powerful Justice. In the common view
Of reason, which by the external shape
Of actions only judges, no escape
From their desert — captivity, was left
The rebel's army, but the unmanly theft
Of secret flight to some, protected by
Their fellows' loss; when, in a rage as high
As if it had attempted to outroar
The battle's thunder, a rude tempest, bore
From southern climates on the exalted wings
Of new-raised winds, a change so fatal brings
T' the royal army, that from victory's near
Successful pride, unto extremes which fear
Did ne'er suggest, it brought them back to view
Their glorious hopes thus sadly overthrew. —
A strong reserve, raised by his friends to be
Almanzor's rescue, if that victory
Seemed to assist the juster part, was now
Brought near the river; which endeavouring how
To ford, they there unwillingly had been
Detained, till strength had proved but useless in
The prince's conquest, if the swelling flood,
Whose added streams, too strong to be withstood,
Had not in that impetuous torrent tore
That bridge which passed the royal army o'er;
Whose severed boats born down the river made
So sad a change, that, whilst their foes invade
Their rear on them, the late lamented loss
Forbid the others when dispersed to cross
The waves by dangers, which in each breast bred
Terrors as great as those from which they fled.
The valiant army, like life's citadel —
The heart, when nought but poisonous vapors swell
Every adjacent part, long struggling in
Death's sharp convulsions, out of hopes to win
Aught there but what buys the uncertain breath
Of future fame — at the high price of death;
At length, not conquered, but o'erburthened by
A flood of power, in night's obscurity,
When dreadful shadows had the field o'erspread,
As darkness were a herse-cloth for the dead,
That this day's losses might not grow too great
For reparation, by a hard retreat,
Attempt to save such of their strengths, as, since
Enforced to fly, might safely guard the prince
From dangers; which could but his foes have viewed,
Their motions all had unto death pursued.
In this distress, from that vast sea of blood —
The field where late his army marshalled stood,
The wretched prince retires; but with a train
So small — they seemed like those that did remain
After a deluge. Where the river's course,
Stopped with dead bodies, ran with smallest force,
He ventures o'er the flood, whose guilty waves
Blushes in blood. Some few, whom Fortune saves
To attend on him, alike successful by
That bold adventure, whilst the prince doth fly
To guard Alcithius, by his mandates are,
Since the disasters of this fatal war
Forced him to seek for more assistance, sent
To the Epirot. Striving to prevent
Those wild reports, that, on the quick belief
Of female fear, might be imposed by grief,
He hastes to bear the sad report to her,
Whose sorrow 's lost to see the messenger.