University of Virginia Library

“Garment of fashion wondrous strange, O priest,
Thou offerest to a king; of silk, in part,
But, part, of coarsest flax: a robe, indeed,
Might token him half monarch, and half slave.
As monarch, thou wouldst have him send command,—
Of his own will alone, not law's award,—
That a great criminal die: as timid slave,
Wouldst have him whisper in a murderer's ear,
To take him suddenly off! What! thinkest thou
The king so feeble is, that he need fear
The power of this one Hebrew? So cast down
That, knowing him a traitor, he yet dreads
In public court to arraign him? or so vile
That, vengeance to make sure, and peril 'scape,
He'd have him stabbed in the dark? Great shame, indeed,
Thou flingest on the king,—presuming him
A listener to such counsel. Majesty
And power of monarchs, o'er the herd of men
Soars high as thunder soars above the earth.
Kings hurl their lightning,—and the subject tree
Falls blasted. But, as heaven's dread thunderer
His own time chuseth to let go the bolts,
Even so will Pharaoh his own moment chuse,
And his own manner, to send punishment.
The Hebrew's spells, perchance, are now worn out;
His poisoned shafts all spent: or, if he still
Point, threatening, to his quiver, he shall learn
That every arrow against Egypt sent,
Strikes Israel also; in him rankles most:
For, thy last counsel, priest,—the woof of silk,
Ill matched with vilest flax,—the king accepts.
Let, then, proclaim be made throughout the land,
That whosoever by this plague hath lost
Horse, ox, sheep, mule,—or other living thing,
May from the Hebrews take, even three for one;
Found wheresoe'er, or whosesoe'er they be:
Three horses for one horse, three sheep for one,
Plague-killed. But, if of more they be despoiled,
Then let them go before the magistrate,
And cry for justice. A requital fair
For loss of substance this; and warning, too,
That, Egypt aimed at, Israel will be struck.
But, in like fashion, can we not repay
Bodily torment, terror, hunger, thirst,
By Hebrew plagues inflicted: curse for curse,
Of one same nature both, we cannot send:
But yet, a plague which terror, hunger, thirst,
Mind-torment, will bring on them, can I fling;
And it shall go. Let the tax-gatherers, then,
All tributes double; and all penalties
Laid on default, make threefold what they are.
And to the task-masters let it be said;
‘Your slaves are idle still: get ye more work
From their vile bodies: and, if more they grudge,
Stir them with music of the whip, and stick;
Till to the sky, or wheresoe'er he be,
Their howlings reach, and their Jehovah wake,
To help them, if he can.’ Moreover, send,
And on the instant,—for the slaves, I hear,
This day no work have done; but in their homes
Abide, quick preparation making all
For their fool's journey to the wilderness,—
Send forth, I say, on the instant, and proclaim
Throughout the city and all parts around,
‘Thus saith the king: get ye to work again,
Ye cunning slaves; for ye shall not go forth
Into the desert. If to your false god
Ye must give sacrifice, within the land
Is room enough. When all your tasks are done,
Here worship if ye will; or not at all;
For hence ye shall go never! By all gods
So swear I. To this realm your toil ye owe;
To this earth owe your bodies: work, and die:
Then rot, and with your fat enrich our fields:
For ours ye ever were, and still shall be;
In life, in death. Then know yourselves; and haste
To do the king's command; else, speedily,
Shall vengeance be among you!’”

Speaking thus,—
By the Arch-Fiend inflamed,—his starting eyes
Gleamed fire-like; his lips quivered; and his voice,
Like to a tiger's howl articulate made,
On all brought wonder. Sign of audience o'er,
Suddenly making then,—down from the throne
With hurried step he trod, and left the hall.