The Dawn in Britain by Charles M. Doughty |
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 | The Dawn in Britain |  |
Those warhounds, venting then strange sent of elephants;
Have burst their leashes, with resistless force!
They, now, deep-baying, scour betwixt the armies.
Then cry rose up of thousands, on both parts.
Some Erinn hounds pierce slight Numidic shafts!
The remnant raging forth, with open throats,
On those huge nozzled beasts, leap, twixt their tusks;
And, with their sharp claws, rend, and snatch with teeth,
Their leathern flanks. Those bellowing, and waxed mad,
Their castles hurl; and Afric soldiers cast.
Some founder, some roll, furious, in the field;
Some turned, confound the orders of their legions.
They tread down men. Enforced were some centurions,
Shout to their soldiers; The beasts' bellies pierce!
Those sink; and yell to heaven, cerulean Britons!
Have burst their leashes, with resistless force!
They, now, deep-baying, scour betwixt the armies.
Then cry rose up of thousands, on both parts.
Some Erinn hounds pierce slight Numidic shafts!
The remnant raging forth, with open throats,
On those huge nozzled beasts, leap, twixt their tusks;
And, with their sharp claws, rend, and snatch with teeth,
Their leathern flanks. Those bellowing, and waxed mad,
Their castles hurl; and Afric soldiers cast.
Some founder, some roll, furious, in the field;
Some turned, confound the orders of their legions.
They tread down men. Enforced were some centurions,
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Those sink; and yell to heaven, cerulean Britons!
That seen, Parisii chace forth, in swift scythe-carts,
Of iron. Vie with them, Cantion's noble youth.
On Romans, fallen, with full career of chariots;
They enter hardily, in breaches of the legions;
And reap their hook-wheels bloody swathe of soldiers:
Gainst whom, from yoke-trees, on their painted beams,
Running, they hurl down iron sleet of javelins;
And on the elephants; being gored whose chines,
(Wherein, stand Britons' darts now, thick as grass,)
Lo, like some strange huge urchins, tower aloft.
Of iron. Vie with them, Cantion's noble youth.
On Romans, fallen, with full career of chariots;
They enter hardily, in breaches of the legions;
And reap their hook-wheels bloody swathe of soldiers:
Gainst whom, from yoke-trees, on their painted beams,
Running, they hurl down iron sleet of javelins;
And on the elephants; being gored whose chines,
(Wherein, stand Britons' darts now, thick as grass,)
Lo, like some strange huge urchins, tower aloft.
Shrink, from before their burning wheels, whole cohorts.
Men fallen and wounded, loud lament beneath.
Soldiers yell, Dogs devour them! in whom force,
More than a man's, upleaping on their shields.
Men fallen and wounded, loud lament beneath.
Soldiers yell, Dogs devour them! in whom force,
More than a man's, upleaping on their shields.
Behold Selgovians, running, on their part,
Gainst the elephants rangéd, on that league-wide face
Of legions. Of those snout-head immane beasts,
Some swerve, some, wounded, hurl their girded towers.
Gainst the elephants rangéd, on that league-wide face
Of legions. Of those snout-head immane beasts,
Some swerve, some, wounded, hurl their girded towers.
Those hunters, leaping on the monstrous beasts,
That trémble and some ones, lo, are fallen to knee;
Do, lightly, as children, from their painted holds,
Pluck forth those tawny strange Numidian wights;
And hurl, with death-wounds, down, or break their bones.
They, with long hunting-knives, of hard-ridged bronze,
The nerve do thrill of the huge elephants' napes;
That founder, slain, in sight of the two armies.
Britons smite hands, exulting, and their shields!
That trémble and some ones, lo, are fallen to knee;
Do, lightly, as children, from their painted holds,
Pluck forth those tawny strange Numidian wights;
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They, with long hunting-knives, of hard-ridged bronze,
The nerve do thrill of the huge elephants' napes;
That founder, slain, in sight of the two armies.
Britons smite hands, exulting, and their shields!
Fast follow, (fenced their flanks of squadroned warcarts,)
Bearing, on shoulders, ladders, swart Belerions.
Under long moon-shields, these, in sleet of shafts,
Reared up their stairs, to Roman towered machines,
The rungs, lo, nimble as squirrels, now, upmount!
Bearing, on shoulders, ladders, swart Belerions.
Under long moon-shields, these, in sleet of shafts,
Reared up their stairs, to Roman towered machines,
The rungs, lo, nimble as squirrels, now, upmount!
What though, of Decet's warriors, many an one,
Tumbles by javelin pierced, back, without life;
Yet some in-fixt and hammered, have, iron hooks;
Wherethrough reeve, other, cables; which, drawn up;
Hundred thereon, and hundred, strong arms heaving;
They make those towers, eftsoon, to nod, to stoop;
To oversway: they fall, with ruin great,
And dreadful death of all within them, Romans!
Tumbles by javelin pierced, back, without life;
Yet some in-fixt and hammered, have, iron hooks;
Wherethrough reeve, other, cables; which, drawn up;
Hundred thereon, and hundred, strong arms heaving;
They make those towers, eftsoon, to nod, to stoop;
To oversway: they fall, with ruin great,
And dreadful death of all within them, Romans!
Yond, Kowain's ship-folk likewise, under shields,
Armed their stout hands, with grapples, cords and bills,
(Them Labraid leads,) war-towers, to them, opposed,
Assail; and, with sharp iron, hew axe-trees huge;
Whereon should roll, upon their timbered wheels,
Those mighty storied frames. Other up-hurled,
(Though shafts, though stones hail on their targets, lifted
Above their heads,) have ship-gaffs, whose sharp beaks
Hold fast. They heaving then, by companies, with
A loud raised shipmen's chant; make rock, lean, reel,
The staged war-towers; that last their valiant hands
Do overthrow! Rose cry of dying Romans!
Nathless, durst cohorts' soldiers not their ordinance
Break, in face of swift squadrons of shrill scythe-carts.
Armed their stout hands, with grapples, cords and bills,
(Them Labraid leads,) war-towers, to them, opposed,
Assail; and, with sharp iron, hew axe-trees huge;
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Those mighty storied frames. Other up-hurled,
(Though shafts, though stones hail on their targets, lifted
Above their heads,) have ship-gaffs, whose sharp beaks
Hold fast. They heaving then, by companies, with
A loud raised shipmen's chant; make rock, lean, reel,
The staged war-towers; that last their valiant hands
Do overthrow! Rose cry of dying Romans!
Nathless, durst cohorts' soldiers not their ordinance
Break, in face of swift squadrons of shrill scythe-carts.
Helm-clad, on startling steed of Gaul, outrides
Crowned, (king Cunobelin's gift,) with gilt oak-leaves,
And Gaulish shining mails, on his large breast,
Behold that noble warrior bard Carvilios,
Chanting loud lay of heroes and high gods!
Crowned, (king Cunobelin's gift,) with gilt oak-leaves,
And Gaulish shining mails, on his large breast,
Behold that noble warrior bard Carvilios,
Chanting loud lay of heroes and high gods!
Then pause men fight, for he upholdeth glaive!
Carvilios, with loud voice, hark, curseth Romans.
Cleaved sudden the air Numidic scudding arrow:
It thrilled the eye-hole of the hero's morion!
Nathless, not turned aback that noble bard,
His dying face: but pricking fast, on steed,
He falls, now, amidst his thick-ranged enemies!
Carvilios, with loud voice, hark, curseth Romans.
Cleaved sudden the air Numidic scudding arrow:
It thrilled the eye-hole of the hero's morion!
Nathless, not turned aback that noble bard,
His dying face: but pricking fast, on steed,
He falls, now, amidst his thick-ranged enemies!
Britons do set their teeth, to avenge Carvilios;
As each should wreak him, for his father's son;
And who, of all their kings, was public guest.
Erst Trinobants, the people of Camulus, whose
Is yond great dune; when, from their toweréd walls,
They see how women, all ungirt their paps,
And loost down their long comely locks, stretch forth,
To them their palms and lift their little ones!
No longer wait for sign, from the warlord;
Who, in far field, from tribe to tribe, swift rides,
In glittering chariot, mongst the blue caterfs:
But straight, as by impulsion of some god,
They break forth, shouting, like to rushing flood.
As each should wreak him, for his father's son;
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Erst Trinobants, the people of Camulus, whose
Is yond great dune; when, from their toweréd walls,
They see how women, all ungirt their paps,
And loost down their long comely locks, stretch forth,
To them their palms and lift their little ones!
No longer wait for sign, from the warlord;
Who, in far field, from tribe to tribe, swift rides,
In glittering chariot, mongst the blue caterfs:
But straight, as by impulsion of some god,
They break forth, shouting, like to rushing flood.
The royal tribe of Catuvelaunian Britons,
That next them stand, in vast array of shields,
Whom Iddon this day leads, advance then foot.
Carvilios! (is their cry,) Cunobelin's guest.
Would they, from Romans, save Carvilios' corse.
Shout Roman soldiers, of the opposed legions;
Which running hurl their darts. Come to hand-strokes,
Britons, like billows, fall on plate-clad soldiers.
They rent, with fierce tough hands, down, Roman shields:
Their gorge, with bronze-head heavy spears, invade.
That next them stand, in vast array of shields,
Whom Iddon this day leads, advance then foot.
Carvilios! (is their cry,) Cunobelin's guest.
Would they, from Romans, save Carvilios' corse.
Shout Roman soldiers, of the opposed legions;
Which running hurl their darts. Come to hand-strokes,
Britons, like billows, fall on plate-clad soldiers.
They rent, with fierce tough hands, down, Roman shields:
Their gorge, with bronze-head heavy spears, invade.
Assail Silures, and stout sons of Kent,
At once, both wings of Romans and allies.
Make head renowned Brigantes, with thick powers.
Rush mainly and battle join, with dreadful cries,
Demetans and Durotriges, Ordovices,
And Coritavians, whom Velaunos leads.
Leads on king Hælion North and South Dumnonians:
With whom Icenians, new caterfs and war-carts,
Valorous bands of young warriors; that in fight,
As those their kings, now follow Hiradoc.
They áll hurl on the Romans' triple ordinance!
At once, both wings of Romans and allies.
Make head renowned Brigantes, with thick powers.
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Demetans and Durotriges, Ordovices,
And Coritavians, whom Velaunos leads.
Leads on king Hælion North and South Dumnonians:
With whom Icenians, new caterfs and war-carts,
Valorous bands of young warriors; that in fight,
As those their kings, now follow Hiradoc.
They áll hurl on the Romans' triple ordinance!
Prevailed, on the two wings, erst, stern Silures,
And men of Kent. The middle have enforced
Warriors of stature, royal Catuvelaunians.
Howbe their duke, whose warlike youth renowned;
(When his swift feet could outrun three-horsed warcarts,)
Now, sitting, rides, in chariot; and uneath
The hero's palsied hands the supple reins
May hold of his fierce steeds. In rushing wind,
Hover his wintered locks. Joys Iddon lead,
Gainst legions of invading Rome; (yet green
His heart,) in field of glory, his young men.
And men of Kent. The middle have enforced
Warriors of stature, royal Catuvelaunians.
Howbe their duke, whose warlike youth renowned;
(When his swift feet could outrun three-horsed warcarts,)
Now, sitting, rides, in chariot; and uneath
The hero's palsied hands the supple reins
May hold of his fierce steeds. In rushing wind,
Hover his wintered locks. Joys Iddon lead,
Gainst legions of invading Rome; (yet green
His heart,) in field of glory, his young men.
Return, which erst brake through, Brigantine scythecarts,
And seem, with iron glittering wings, those rush,
On wavering Romans' backs; (like as in days,
Of peace, we see an hen, for her young birds,
Leap smiting, with her feathers, beak and claws.)
Whom follow that great trimarch of the North;
Which darts cast then on hindward of the legions.
And seem, with iron glittering wings, those rush,
On wavering Romans' backs; (like as in days,
Of peace, we see an hen, for her young birds,
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Whom follow that great trimarch of the North;
Which darts cast then on hindward of the legions.
Beholding red-haired Taran and fierce-eyed
Andates, and man-slaying Camulus,
And comely Belinus, who, the archer-god;
Is, next to Camulus, the shield of Britons,
(Nor yet, in field, seen Fortune of great Rome;
Which leads even gods, as children, by the hand,)
Britons' proud deeds rejoice their divine breasts.
And marked the valour of each duke, record
They, from what loins he sprung. Are Roman arms,
Bet back, on every part, and staggering legions.
And Cæsar hasted mount to steed; whom saved
Seemed hardly his body, amidst thick squadroned horse,
And strength of knights and stout Batavians.
Andates, and man-slaying Camulus,
And comely Belinus, who, the archer-god;
Is, next to Camulus, the shield of Britons,
(Nor yet, in field, seen Fortune of great Rome;
Which leads even gods, as children, by the hand,)
Britons' proud deeds rejoice their divine breasts.
And marked the valour of each duke, record
They, from what loins he sprung. Are Roman arms,
Bet back, on every part, and staggering legions.
And Cæsar hasted mount to steed; whom saved
Seemed hardly his body, amidst thick squadroned horse,
And strength of knights and stout Batavians.
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