The Judgement of the Flood :: :: University of Virginia Library

Passed, fearless, on the faithful Man of God:
Followed, in pairs, Japhet with Shem, and Ham
With Tamiel. This was all the preacher's train;
Strong in himself, and with his virtues graced.
I' th' centre of the plain, the Sepulchre
Of the First Man, a pile of unhewn stone,
Stood eminent: the Columns of his Son,
Inscribed with old traditions true, beside;
By their ancestral founder meant to speak,
Ay, of the grave, and of the world beyond.

There Voices had been heard, and Visions seen
By holy men; thence issued Oracles
Of Death, Eternity, and Fate, and God.
—Now as a goal, the rivals in the race
Looked to them for the Crown, afar.

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Arrived,
Noah the Altar-Tomb demands; but Ham,
Proud of his Father's patriarchal sway,
Did with no gentle voice rebuke the crowd,
Did with no gentle hand oppose the press.

‘I preach of Peace, and Truth hath its own power;
No might of man it needs, his anger less;
Forbear, my son,’ said Noah. Calm he stood,
And quiet in his greatness; then surveyed
The populous scene.

Frequent, and full the tents;
Plenteous the boards, and manifold; with feast
Burthened, and overflowed with wine, and oil:
Copious were the libations . . Bacchus reigned,
And Mirth allied to Madness. Morning saw
The grape's blood, evening that of man, outpoured.
—Nor wonder: sanguine were his festivals.

For him Beast shed, in rampant sport, the blood
Of beast. Encaged were they on that wide field,
And kept apart awhile, awaiting war
With hunger stern. But now, they lift the doors
The Cells dividing; and, with rush, and bound,
Tiger, and Bear, Leopard, and Buffalo
Are huddled in the midst.

At once, his horns
The furious Bull plied on the sluggish Bear,
And tossed him to the roof. Then, on him sprang
The Tiger, and his dewlap tugged away;
But not himself unwounded, for his head
Was gashed, and ran with gore.

The Leopard slunk
From conflict—but not long. For now the stage
Was entered by Rhinoceros, and on
The spotted animal he came in wrath,
And roused him to the fight. Anon, in death
The lovely lay.

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Then with the many-horned
The single 'gan to strive: fight terrible
And horrid: but, with many instruments,
Choice meets confusion oft; while, but with one,
One simple aim drives straight to its effect.

Next, the large Elephants were armed against
Each other—on a sandy islet placed,
Making the middle of an ample lake.
Driven by their Riders, with a mighty shock
They intermingled, their probosces twined
With violent repulsion; till the Brute,
Wiser than man who him abuses so,
His adversary's strength confessed, and turned
Flying, not unpursued, nor unannoyed,
Attacked in rear. Nor further harm had come,
But that on them fierce Tigers were let loose;
And various deaths, with fury, rage, and blood,
Made glad the feasting heart of gazing man.