Encamped beside Life's rushing stream, Upon its midnight battle ground No other voice, nor sound is there, And, when the solemn and deep church bell The midnight phantoms feel the spell, The shadows sweep away. Down the broad Vale of Tears afar The spectral camp is fled; Faith shineth as a morning star, Our ghastly fears are dead. LONGFELLOW. ALEXANDER'S FEAST OR, THE POWER OF MUSIC 'TWAS at the royal feast for Persia won By Philip's warlike son Aloft in awful state The godlike hero sate On his imperial throne; His valiant peers were placed around, Their brows with roses and with myrtles bound (So should desert in arms be crown'd); The lovely Thais by his side Sate like a blooming eastern bride Happy, happy, happy pair! None but the brave None but the brave None but the brave deserves the fair! Timotheus placed on high With flying fingers touch'd the lyre: The song began from Jove Who left his blissful seats above- And while he sought her snowy breast; Then round her slender waist he curl'd, And stamp'd an image of himself, a sovereign of the world. -The listening crowd admire the lofty sound! A present deity! they shout around: A present deity! the vaulted roofs rebound! With ravish'd ears The monarch hears, Assumes the god, And seems to shake the spheres. The praise of Bacchus then the sweet musician sung Of Bacchus ever fair and ever young: The jolly god in triumph comes! Sound the trumpets, beat the drums! He shows his honest face: Now give the hautboys breath; he comes, he comes! Drinking joys did first ordain; Rich the treasure Sweet the pleasure, Sweet is pleasure after pain. Soothed with the sound, the king grew vain; Fought all his battles o'er again, And thrice he routed all his foes, and thrice he slew the slain! The master saw the madness rise, His glowing cheeks, his ardent eyes; He sung Darius great and good, Fallen, fallen, fallen, fallen, -With downcast looks the joyless victor sate, The various turns of Chance below; The mighty master smiled to see Lovely Thais sits beside thee, Take the good the gods provide thee! -The many rend the skies with loud applause; Who caused his care, And sigh'd and look'd, sigh'd and look'd, At length with love and wine at once opprest Now strike the golden lyre again: A louder yet, and yet a louder strain ! Break his bands of sleep asunder And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder. Hark, hark! the horrid sound Has raised up his head: As awaked from the dead And amazed he stares around. Revenge, revenge, Timotheus cries, See the Furies arise! See the snakes that they rear How they hiss in their hair, And the sparkles that flash from their eyes! Behold a ghastly band Each a torch in his hand! Those are Grecian ghosts, that in battle were slain And unburied remain Inglorious on the plain : Give the vengeance due To the valiant crew! Behold how they toss their torches on high, How they point to the Persian abodes The princes applaud with a furious joy: And the King seized a flambeau with zeal to destroy; Thais led the way To light him to his prey, And like another Helen, fired another Troy! |