Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
Stiff with astonishment the king looked on,
Nor to restrain them, spake; by those dread words,
That voice and air portentous, overawed.
Mute also stood the sorcerers, priests, and lords,—
Awe-struck and troubled, when the king they saw,
As by a might superior stricken down,
And powerless to resist.
Nor to restrain them, spake; by those dread words,
That voice and air portentous, overawed.
Mute also stood the sorcerers, priests, and lords,—
Awe-struck and troubled, when the king they saw,
As by a might superior stricken down,
And powerless to resist.
But, in brief time,
Panting with haste, the messengers returned,
And said, “O king! the river yet is blood:
And thereon, numberless as autumn leaves,
The dead fish float!”
Panting with haste, the messengers returned,
And said, “O king! the river yet is blood:
And thereon, numberless as autumn leaves,
The dead fish float!”
In silence and dismay
Awhile stood all: but, demon-stirred, at length,
With wrath and pride Pharaoh again was filled.
“They shall not go,” he cried, “though the whole land
Be soaked with blood. If, ere the sun go down,
The magic cease not: and, if other streams,
Fountains, and waters, as he threatened, change,—
Send ye command that, throughout all the land,
The people dig for water: but, in chief,
Upon those pestilent Israelites be the toil:
Till they pure water bring from out the ground,
Let the whips cease not; so their cries shall mount
And their magicians tell, that on themselves,
More than on those of Egypt, falls their plague.....
But, haply, though blood seeming to the eye,
Unto the taste, still water all may be:
If so, the mischief less. Stoop, some of you,
And of this water drink; which real blood,
Even as the river, seemed; and then again
Water became. If to the palate sweet,
As though no change had been,—conclusion strong
Justly may follow, that to sight alone
The transformation was; and that small ill
The plague will bring upon us.”
Awhile stood all: but, demon-stirred, at length,
With wrath and pride Pharaoh again was filled.
97
Be soaked with blood. If, ere the sun go down,
The magic cease not: and, if other streams,
Fountains, and waters, as he threatened, change,—
Send ye command that, throughout all the land,
The people dig for water: but, in chief,
Upon those pestilent Israelites be the toil:
Till they pure water bring from out the ground,
Let the whips cease not; so their cries shall mount
And their magicians tell, that on themselves,
More than on those of Egypt, falls their plague.....
But, haply, though blood seeming to the eye,
Unto the taste, still water all may be:
If so, the mischief less. Stoop, some of you,
And of this water drink; which real blood,
Even as the river, seemed; and then again
Water became. If to the palate sweet,
As though no change had been,—conclusion strong
Justly may follow, that to sight alone
The transformation was; and that small ill
The plague will bring upon us.”
While he spake,
Hastily kneeled the younger of the lords;
And also of the younger priests kneeled some;
And he who first into the brimming tank
Dipped hand, and therefrom tasted, cried aloud,
“Sweet is the water as from hill-side spring!
Cup-bearer,—hither bring the royal cup,
That Pharaoh, too, may taste it.”
Hastily kneeled the younger of the lords;
And also of the younger priests kneeled some;
And he who first into the brimming tank
Dipped hand, and therefrom tasted, cried aloud,
“Sweet is the water as from hill-side spring!
Cup-bearer,—hither bring the royal cup,
That Pharaoh, too, may taste it.”
To his hand
The crystal cup was given. He plunged it in;
Hurriedly laved, and filled it; then arose,
And with glad look the liquid diamond bore,
And to the king presented. A bright smile
Illumed the monarch's face, as in his hand
He took the cup, and held it to the light,
Its brilliance marking. 'Neath the nostril then
He placed it, and still smiled: once more upheld,
And gazed upon its sparkles; toward his mouth
Then drew it; and, with opening lips, prepared
To quaff the grateful drink. But, suddenly,
As by a serpent stung, he started back;
Shuddered, and shrieked; and, as it fire had been,
Flung from his hand the cup; for lo! 'twas red,
And thick as life-stream of the sacrifice!
The crystal cup was given. He plunged it in;
Hurriedly laved, and filled it; then arose,
And with glad look the liquid diamond bore,
And to the king presented. A bright smile
Illumed the monarch's face, as in his hand
He took the cup, and held it to the light,
Its brilliance marking. 'Neath the nostril then
He placed it, and still smiled: once more upheld,
And gazed upon its sparkles; toward his mouth
Then drew it; and, with opening lips, prepared
98
As by a serpent stung, he started back;
Shuddered, and shrieked; and, as it fire had been,
Flung from his hand the cup; for lo! 'twas red,
And thick as life-stream of the sacrifice!
| Israel in Egypt | |