Golden Histories, etc :: :: University of Virginia Library

“I yield to none, to none,” Minucius cried,
Loading his words with scornful emphasis,
While his large eyes grew larger. “I am brave
“As thou art, Fabius, have a swifter hand
“For splendid act, a nimbler wit than thine;
“And in the nobler uses of the field,
“The blind adventurous risks of royal war,
“First, mid the first, allow no peer in thee,
“Our Romans, for the slow and subtle thought,
“Which, as men fable, pilots Will to power,
“But which, as Fact that slays the Fable, shows,
“With restless argus-eyes sees overmuch,
“And so unsinews action ere it spring;—

“I say our Romans, Fabius, yoked us twain,
“Yoked thee with me in one fair fellowship
“Of dangers and delights that wait on war,
“Co-equal chiefs, to strive with him whose name
“Is as the fear of earthquake or eclipse—
“The climber of the Alps, dread Hannibal.—
“Thou, therefore, Fabius, mate with me in arms,
“Be mate in acts, and bid thy nobler mind
“Burst the weak toils of drowsy Policy,
“Which, ever dreaming of to-morrow's sun,
“Still oversleeps Occasion's golden hour,
“Wherein ripe Victory wins her perfect bloom,
“And lets an alien strip the glittering bough.
“Choose, Fabius, choose. Together shall we go
“To pluck the dropping glory, ere it fall?
“Or shall we, severing counsel, sever deeds,
“And I, I only, shake the mighty tree
“That bears the immortal fruit? Choose, Fabius, choose.”

“What shall we do?” said Fabius, grave and stern:
“Such choice delights me not.” To whom replied
Minucius, frowning: “Day, still heired by day,
“Shall alternate the sovereign rule in arms,
“And centre, now in thee, and now in me,
“The one and indivisible sway of might!”
“That likes me not.” said Fabius. “Fortune still
“Is mistress of the field when rash men lead,
“And for the imperial chieftaincy in war
“Rome gave it thee with me, and me with thee,
“Embodying and not dismembering power.

“Nor do I love this maimed and eyeless sway,
“And days all parcelled out in see-saw wise,
“And the keen light of our concentric thought
“Defeated and struck off from its great aim,
“As sunbeams travelling on a forth-right path,
“By one of the innumerous nameless hands
“Of Darkness, the dull sister of blind Night,
“Are seized and plucked away. I will divide
“The army rather than the army's rule,
“That so, if part must perish, part be saved.
“This is my sentence.”

“Be it also mine,”
Minucius cried. And as they said they did;
With even severance all that mailèd force
Betwixt them sharing, sword, and shaft, and spear,
With all that rode and all that warred on foot,
Whom Rome the imperial sent, link'd with the strength
Of kindred soldier-peoples, and what bore
The antique Latin name which never dies;
This done, Minucius, with uplifted crest
That called the high prophetic Fates his own,
Usurping the veiled triumph, proudly passed
To the near level, followed by his men;
And Fabius stood and watch'd him as he passed.