Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile By H. D. Rawnsley |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. | X AT HELIOPOLIS |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
| XXI. |
| XXII. |
| XXIII. |
| XXIV. |
| XXV. |
| XXVI. |
| XXVII. |
| XXVIII. |
| XXIX. |
| XXX. |
| XXXI. |
| XXXII. |
| XXXIII. |
| XXXIV. |
| XXXV. |
| XXXVI. |
| XXXVII. |
| XXXVIII. |
| XXXIX. |
| XL. |
| XLI. |
| XLII. |
| XLIII. |
| XLIV. |
| XLV. |
| XLVI. |
| XLVII. |
| XLVIII. |
| XLIX. |
| L. |
| LI. |
| LII. |
| LIII. |
| LIV. |
| LV. |
| LVI. |
| LVII. |
| LVIII. |
| LIX. |
| LX. |
| LXI. |
| LXII. |
| LXII. |
| LXIV. |
 | Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile |  |
21
X AT HELIOPOLIS
Stern lifts the lonely pillar o'er the mounds
Usert'sen set before the Halls of Tum,
One time it heard the loud Sun-worship sounds,
It only hears to-day the wild bees hum.
Usert'sen set before the Halls of Tum,
One time it heard the loud Sun-worship sounds,
It only hears to-day the wild bees hum.
Where sacred lions roared above their prey,
And glad the votaries fed the milk-white sow,
Where the bull Mnevis bellowed to the day
Is waste and silent melancholy now.
And glad the votaries fed the milk-white sow,
Where the bull Mnevis bellowed to the day
Is waste and silent melancholy now.
But thou art eloquent, thou mighty stone,
Albeit the bees have blurred thy written sign;
Firm on thy red imperishable throne
Thou tellest still of other days than mine.
Albeit the bees have blurred thy written sign;
Firm on thy red imperishable throne
Thou tellest still of other days than mine.
For Abram saw thee, fearing for his wife,
Thee Joseph gazed on when he ruled the land;
Thou didst o'erlook the patriot at his strife,
Thou knewest well what Moses hid in sand.
Thee Joseph gazed on when he ruled the land;
Thou didst o'erlook the patriot at his strife,
Thou knewest well what Moses hid in sand.
To thee the Sun-priest's daughter paid her vow
When first that Hebrew, saved from out the flood,
Skilled in all wisdom the Egyptians know,
Learned how the flame of love can fire the blood.
When first that Hebrew, saved from out the flood,
Skilled in all wisdom the Egyptians know,
Learned how the flame of love can fire the blood.
22
Thee Plato, musing in the fields of An,
Eudoxus, Strabo with the searching eyes
Honoured, and here, the wise Ionian
Talked of the gods and learned their histories.
Eudoxus, Strabo with the searching eyes
Honoured, and here, the wise Ionian
Talked of the gods and learned their histories.
Led by thy golden-headed glory bright,
Pianchi with his bulls and balsam came;
Great Alexander, resting from his fight,
Knew thee unhurt by fierce Cambyses' flame.
Pianchi with his bulls and balsam came;
Great Alexander, resting from his fight,
Knew thee unhurt by fierce Cambyses' flame.
How should fire touch thee, pillar without peers!
To thee the ‘Bennu’ bird from isles of palm
Eight times at end of her five hundred years
Has brought her ash and found thee strong and calm.
To thee the ‘Bennu’ bird from isles of palm
Eight times at end of her five hundred years
Has brought her ash and found thee strong and calm.
Nor only here the risen bird of Ra
Gave hope for rising to the child of On,
Here rose in later times our Morning Star,
The Virgin Mother hither bore her Son.
Gave hope for rising to the child of On,
Here rose in later times our Morning Star,
The Virgin Mother hither bore her Son.
The whole wide world has rolled to light from shade
Since first thy shadow lengthened with the day,
But Love's new morning is but newly made,
Stand till high noon has cast all shade away.
Since first thy shadow lengthened with the day,
But Love's new morning is but newly made,
Stand till high noon has cast all shade away.
| Idylls and Lyrics of The Nile | |