 | The Dawn in Britain |  |
Scythe-carts, outrushing, pursue Roman dukes;
That turned are back, inglorious, to their legions,
In sudden flight. Loud barbare trumps, sound-out!
Like many pastors blowing a grave note,
Upon that Latin Plain, which lies round Rome.
Scourge Briton charioteers their steeds, with shout;
Whose noise, whose aspect strange, of whirling hooks,
Affray, that trembling snort, Gauls' allies' horse:
And shrink their runners, from the arméd carts,
And shot of javelins, of who, in them, ride.
That turned are back, inglorious, to their legions,
In sudden flight. Loud barbare trumps, sound-out!
Like many pastors blowing a grave note,
Upon that Latin Plain, which lies round Rome.
Scourge Briton charioteers their steeds, with shout;
Whose noise, whose aspect strange, of whirling hooks,
Affray, that trembling snort, Gauls' allies' horse:
And shrink their runners, from the arméd carts,
And shot of javelins, of who, in them, ride.
Britons, like hawks, leap down, from rushing chariots:
And, off-hewed polls, they hang, with vaunting cries,
On hooks, round their shrill justling battle-carts;
Dire spectacle unto Romans, which advance,
With angry shout, the eagles: legionaries,
Running, hurl forth, at once, sharp sleet of javelins.
On his part, Britons' warlord, Togodumnos,
The hardy vigour of the Island Youth,
Upleads, gainst Romans; that, now, with long shout,
Draw out their shining glaives. Fall woad-stained Britons,
(Whom choose tremendous gods, to-day, of death,)
With Roman soldiers, on their foster-earth.
And, off-hewed polls, they hang, with vaunting cries,
On hooks, round their shrill justling battle-carts;
Dire spectacle unto Romans, which advance,
With angry shout, the eagles: legionaries,
Running, hurl forth, at once, sharp sleet of javelins.
On his part, Britons' warlord, Togodumnos,
The hardy vigour of the Island Youth,
Upleads, gainst Romans; that, now, with long shout,
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(Whom choose tremendous gods, to-day, of death,)
With Roman soldiers, on their foster-earth.
They more, (not fenced,) than fall of Romans' part:
Yet glory and shout their fellows, in their deaths!
Deeming that enter bodies, of who rest,
Their valiant spirits, which should augment their strength.
Stagger the legions, like long spumy chines
Of the sea-waves, hurled backward of fierce winds.
Yet glory and shout their fellows, in their deaths!
Deeming that enter bodies, of who rest,
Their valiant spirits, which should augment their strength.
Stagger the legions, like long spumy chines
Of the sea-waves, hurled backward of fierce winds.
King Togodumnos sent forth thousand chariots,
To close in then left horn of shaken Romans.
And haply had, this day, seen their overthrow;
Were not that a South wind, which softly blows,
Down-rolling the hills' mist, their battle dimmed.
Fearing some ambush, blows repair then Aulus;
Whose guides say, cause was magic chant of druids,
That able are men transmew, to stones and trees!
To close in then left horn of shaken Romans.
And haply had, this day, seen their overthrow;
Were not that a South wind, which softly blows,
Down-rolling the hills' mist, their battle dimmed.
Fearing some ambush, blows repair then Aulus;
Whose guides say, cause was magic chant of druids,
That able are men transmew, to stones and trees!
Then measure, hastily, castra, Roman soldiers,
With a deep trench; and crown with high, paled, bank,
More than their wont; wherein, withdraw the legions.
Night fallen, sends Aulus waterers, to nigh stream:
But whilst these, in cold currents, fill their sacks,
Fall out, on them, the Guledig's ambushed chariots;
Which mingle, with their drink, the Roman blood!
To tent assembled, now, of Plautius, legate;
The legions' dukes consult. Through Belges' scouts,
Is known, (confirm the Britons' beacon fires,)
To-morrow should augment their enemies.
With a deep trench; and crown with high, paled, bank,
More than their wont; wherein, withdraw the legions.
Night fallen, sends Aulus waterers, to nigh stream:
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Fall out, on them, the Guledig's ambushed chariots;
Which mingle, with their drink, the Roman blood!
To tent assembled, now, of Plautius, legate;
The legions' dukes consult. Through Belges' scouts,
Is known, (confirm the Britons' beacon fires,)
To-morrow should augment their enemies.
| The Dawn in Britain | |