 | Tiresias |  |
O Mother, from the rough and roaring world,
I feel as one now safe on blessed earth;
Borne thitherward by savage billows churned
And gnashed to foam betwixt the teeth of rocks!
I feel as one now safe on blessed earth;
Borne thitherward by savage billows churned
And gnashed to foam betwixt the teeth of rocks!
Impious indeed it were to think it truth;
But I have known such evil wrought meseemed
The Gods had left their power to evil men;
Or that dark Chaos ruling meant to strike
These slaves corrupted into endless night!
But I have known such evil wrought meseemed
The Gods had left their power to evil men;
Or that dark Chaos ruling meant to strike
These slaves corrupted into endless night!
Think but of Titias, whose continual tongue
Assailed our Council, and revealed the faults
They dared not for high dignity resent,
And thus lay at the mercy of this daw;
Until at length descrying plain escape,
They smiled in easy unanimity.
Assailed our Council, and revealed the faults
They dared not for high dignity resent,
And thus lay at the mercy of this daw;
Until at length descrying plain escape,
They smiled in easy unanimity.
19
Straightway they shipped him for a distant clime,
To govern stout adventurers from our shores,
Who, thriven by labour, waxed content and glad
There he, by substituting pettish will
For treaties fixed, embroiled the state in war
That cost our armies sore to save our sons.
When here at length disgust to clamour raged,
And Titias was recalled; the pecking beak,
Again triumphant, made the Council quail.
To rule a wealthy isle they sent him, where,
Warmly enamoured of his own intent,
Some factions pressing hard, and fostering
Their crafty rivals, fanned he smouldering hate
That burst outright in open massacre;
And he in terror from the fell results
That chase ungainly skill, took ship and fled.
Our Council, uninstructed by events,
Sent him again to rule a greater charge,
Where now he plots to worst and circumvent,
And hatch disasters dire in natural course.
To govern stout adventurers from our shores,
Who, thriven by labour, waxed content and glad
There he, by substituting pettish will
For treaties fixed, embroiled the state in war
That cost our armies sore to save our sons.
When here at length disgust to clamour raged,
And Titias was recalled; the pecking beak,
Again triumphant, made the Council quail.
To rule a wealthy isle they sent him, where,
Warmly enamoured of his own intent,
Some factions pressing hard, and fostering
Their crafty rivals, fanned he smouldering hate
That burst outright in open massacre;
And he in terror from the fell results
That chase ungainly skill, took ship and fled.
Our Council, uninstructed by events,
Sent him again to rule a greater charge,
Where now he plots to worst and circumvent,
And hatch disasters dire in natural course.
20
Thus our dishonoured Guides, from cowardice,
To shun a pertling daw that pecked their heels,
Have thrice their trust betrayed. Thrice on fair Peace
Begotten wrong, and war, and massacre!
Thrice violated their own sacred Charge!
Yea, thrice while slumbering within their care!
To shun a pertling daw that pecked their heels,
Have thrice their trust betrayed. Thrice on fair Peace
Begotten wrong, and war, and massacre!
Thrice violated their own sacred Charge!
Yea, thrice while slumbering within their care!
| Tiresias | |