Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
But, toward the second morning,—Power Supreme
Permitting so; else universal death
Had fallen on Egypt,—from the deep-dug earth,
Both nigh the city, and in parts remote,—
Than gold more precious,—the pure water sprang.
Up then to Heaven were sent delirious shouts;
And everywhere, as burst the fountains forth,
Like madmen strove the crowds who first should drink;
Yea, in the water strove to cast themselves,
As though, from head to foot, all mouth they felt;
And throughout their whole bodies would drink in,
To slake the burning thirst.
Permitting so; else universal death
Had fallen on Egypt,—from the deep-dug earth,
Both nigh the city, and in parts remote,—
Than gold more precious,—the pure water sprang.
Up then to Heaven were sent delirious shouts;
And everywhere, as burst the fountains forth,
Like madmen strove the crowds who first should drink;
Yea, in the water strove to cast themselves,
As though, from head to foot, all mouth they felt;
And throughout their whole bodies would drink in,
To slake the burning thirst.
But they who dug,—
The wretched Hebrew slaves,—regarding not
Boisterous command, or whip,—the foremost dropped,
Face-down within the stream: and many thus
Their death-stroke met; in the blood-boiling heat,
With the cold element gorging, till wellnigh
To suffocation filled.
The wretched Hebrew slaves,—regarding not
Boisterous command, or whip,—the foremost dropped,
Face-down within the stream: and many thus
Their death-stroke met; in the blood-boiling heat,
With the cold element gorging, till wellnigh
To suffocation filled.
To Pharaoh soon
Came the glad tidings. Through two davs and nights,
Sleep had not closed his eyes,—wrath, fear, and pride,
So had distraught him. Man nor woman, yet,
Had dared beseech him to let Israel go:
Nor had his proud heart bent, to supplicate
The insolent wizards. Boldly, too, had spoken
His priests and sorcerers, saying that, ere long,
Sure as the coming day, the hateful spell
Would perish, and pass off; as shades of night
Before the sunrise. Exultation high
Came then on all, when in the presence rushed
Sethos, glad-eyed; and loudly made proclaim,
That from the wells, at length, in floods had burst
Water all diamond-clear, and pure to taste
As from hill-springs. Also, anon, came men,
Crying, “Joy, joy! again the sacred Nile
Crystal-bright runneth!”
Came the glad tidings. Through two davs and nights,
101
So had distraught him. Man nor woman, yet,
Had dared beseech him to let Israel go:
Nor had his proud heart bent, to supplicate
The insolent wizards. Boldly, too, had spoken
His priests and sorcerers, saying that, ere long,
Sure as the coming day, the hateful spell
Would perish, and pass off; as shades of night
Before the sunrise. Exultation high
Came then on all, when in the presence rushed
Sethos, glad-eyed; and loudly made proclaim,
That from the wells, at length, in floods had burst
Water all diamond-clear, and pure to taste
As from hill-springs. Also, anon, came men,
Crying, “Joy, joy! again the sacred Nile
Crystal-bright runneth!”
Proud were the sorcerers then,—
Of their foreknowledge boasting; prouder still
Was stubborn Pharaoh,—over Israel's God
Triumphant, as he thought: and harder yet
Than ever 'gainst that people, for whose sake,
O'er all the land had come such misery.
Of their foreknowledge boasting; prouder still
Was stubborn Pharaoh,—over Israel's God
Triumphant, as he thought: and harder yet
Than ever 'gainst that people, for whose sake,
O'er all the land had come such misery.
| Israel in Egypt | |