CANTO III .
Though changed my cloth of gold for amice gray —
In my spring-time, when every month was May,
With hawk and hound I coursed away the hour,
Or sung my roundelay in lady's bower.
And though my world be now a narrow cell
(Renounced forever all I loved so well),
Though now my head be bald, my feet be bare,
And scarce my knees sustain my book of prayer,
O, I was there, one of that gallant crew,
And saw — and wondered whence his power he drew,
Yet little thought, though by his side I stood,
Of his great foes in earth and air and flood,
Then uninstructed — But my sand is run,
And the night coming ... and my task not done!. .
'T was in the deep, immeasurable cave
Of A NDES , echoing to the Southern wave,
Mid pillars of basalt, the work of fire,
That, giant-like, to upper day aspire,
'T was there that now, as wont in heaven to shine,
Forms of angelic mould and grace divine
Assembled. All, exiled the realms of rest,
In vain the sadness of their souls suppressed;
Yet of their glory many a scattered ray
Shot through the gathering shadows of decay.
Each moved a god; and all, as gods, possessed
One half the globe; from pole to pole confessed!
*****
*****
O, could I now — but how in mortal verse —
Their numbers, their heroic deeds, rehearse!
These in dim shrines and barbarous symbols reign,
Where P LATA and M ARAGNON meet the main.
Those the wild hunter worships as he roves,
In the green shade of C HILI'S fragrant groves;
Or warrior-tribes with rites of blood implore,
Whose night-fires gleam along the sullen shore
Of H URON or O NTARIO , inland seas,
What time the song of death is in the breeze!
*****
'T was now in dismal pomp and order due,
While the vast concave flashed with lightnings blue,
On shining pavements of metallic ore,
That many an age the fusing sulphur bore,
They held high council. All was silence round,
When, with a voice most sweet, yet most profound,
A sovereign Spirit burst the gates of night,
And from his wings of gold shook drops of liquid light!
M ERION , commissioned with his host to sweep
From age to age the melancholy deep!
Chief of the Z EMI , whom the Isles obeyed,
By Ocean severed from a world of shade.
I.
" Prepare, again prepare, "
Thus o'er the soul the thrilling accents came,
" Thrones to resign for lakes of living flame,
And triumph for despair.
He, on whose call afflicting thunders wait,
Has willed it; and his will is fate!
In vain the legions, emulous to save,
Hung in the tempest o'er the troubled main;
Turned each presumptuous prow that broke the wave,
And dashed it on its shores again.
All is fulfilled! Behold, in close array,
What mighty banners stream in the bright track of day!
*****
*****
II
" No voice as erst shall in the desert rise;
Nor ancient, dread solemnities
With scorn of death the trembling tribes inspire.
Wreaths for the Conqueror's brow the victims bind!
Yet, though we fled yon firmament of fire,
Still shall we fly, all hope of rule resigned? "
*****
*****
He spoke; and all was silence, all was night!
Each had already winged his formidable flight.
Though changed my cloth of gold for amice gray —
In my spring-time, when every month was May,
With hawk and hound I coursed away the hour,
Or sung my roundelay in lady's bower.
And though my world be now a narrow cell
(Renounced forever all I loved so well),
Though now my head be bald, my feet be bare,
And scarce my knees sustain my book of prayer,
O, I was there, one of that gallant crew,
And saw — and wondered whence his power he drew,
Yet little thought, though by his side I stood,
Of his great foes in earth and air and flood,
Then uninstructed — But my sand is run,
And the night coming ... and my task not done!. .
'T was in the deep, immeasurable cave
Of A NDES , echoing to the Southern wave,
Mid pillars of basalt, the work of fire,
That, giant-like, to upper day aspire,
'T was there that now, as wont in heaven to shine,
Forms of angelic mould and grace divine
Assembled. All, exiled the realms of rest,
In vain the sadness of their souls suppressed;
Yet of their glory many a scattered ray
Shot through the gathering shadows of decay.
Each moved a god; and all, as gods, possessed
One half the globe; from pole to pole confessed!
*****
*****
O, could I now — but how in mortal verse —
Their numbers, their heroic deeds, rehearse!
These in dim shrines and barbarous symbols reign,
Where P LATA and M ARAGNON meet the main.
Those the wild hunter worships as he roves,
In the green shade of C HILI'S fragrant groves;
Or warrior-tribes with rites of blood implore,
Whose night-fires gleam along the sullen shore
Of H URON or O NTARIO , inland seas,
What time the song of death is in the breeze!
*****
'T was now in dismal pomp and order due,
While the vast concave flashed with lightnings blue,
On shining pavements of metallic ore,
That many an age the fusing sulphur bore,
They held high council. All was silence round,
When, with a voice most sweet, yet most profound,
A sovereign Spirit burst the gates of night,
And from his wings of gold shook drops of liquid light!
M ERION , commissioned with his host to sweep
From age to age the melancholy deep!
Chief of the Z EMI , whom the Isles obeyed,
By Ocean severed from a world of shade.
I.
" Prepare, again prepare, "
Thus o'er the soul the thrilling accents came,
" Thrones to resign for lakes of living flame,
And triumph for despair.
He, on whose call afflicting thunders wait,
Has willed it; and his will is fate!
In vain the legions, emulous to save,
Hung in the tempest o'er the troubled main;
Turned each presumptuous prow that broke the wave,
And dashed it on its shores again.
All is fulfilled! Behold, in close array,
What mighty banners stream in the bright track of day!
*****
*****
II
" No voice as erst shall in the desert rise;
Nor ancient, dread solemnities
With scorn of death the trembling tribes inspire.
Wreaths for the Conqueror's brow the victims bind!
Yet, though we fled yon firmament of fire,
Still shall we fly, all hope of rule resigned? "
*****
*****
He spoke; and all was silence, all was night!
Each had already winged his formidable flight.