Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
“The king hath spoken. Let him not be wroth
With his poor servant, if the word he brings
Displeaseth him. Thamusin, the high priest,
And other priests, and sorcerers, the past hour
Impatiently have waited;—audience quick
Earnestly praying; for that some great thing
Should be done speedily.”
With his poor servant, if the word he brings
Displeaseth him. Thamusin, the high priest,
And other priests, and sorcerers, the past hour
Impatiently have waited;—audience quick
Earnestly praying; for that some great thing
Should be done speedily.”
Pharaoh shook the head,
And turned away.
And turned away.
“May yet thy servant speak?”
After short pause, in low tone Onar said.
And, when he saw that Pharaoh looked on him,
Permission granting, hastily pursued.
“Thus said Thamusin to me; ‘if thy lord
Inclineth not to hear us, say,—the thing
Of which we have to speak, is even that same
On which the necromancer Hophra spake
But yester-morn unto him; and that now
The last hour cometh?’”
After short pause, in low tone Onar said.
And, when he saw that Pharaoh looked on him,
Permission granting, hastily pursued.
“Thus said Thamusin to me; ‘if thy lord
Inclineth not to hear us, say,—the thing
Of which we have to speak, is even that same
On which the necromancer Hophra spake
But yester-morn unto him; and that now
The last hour cometh?’”
O'er the countenance
Of Pharaoh, like a torch-flash in mirk night,
A bright gleam suddenly shot: his bended form
Erect stood instantly: his languid voice,
With its old vigour spake—promptly and clear,
Commanding them before him: for a break
Through the blank darkness which the future hid,
Seemed now about to open; and he longed
To fix on it the eye. With restless foot,
To and fro walked he; and, before him now
When came the priests, with hurried utterance thus.
“Hath he the soul brought back? And speaketh it?”
“Even so, my lord the king,” Thamusin said:
“With our own ears we heard it. But, alas!
If the king haste not, from the corpse 'twill part,
Ere he can question; for the third day this,
And this the final hour. Thy chariot waits,
O Pharaoh; for even I did so command,
Lest, through delay.....”
Of Pharaoh, like a torch-flash in mirk night,
A bright gleam suddenly shot: his bended form
Erect stood instantly: his languid voice,
With its old vigour spake—promptly and clear,
Commanding them before him: for a break
Through the blank darkness which the future hid,
Seemed now about to open; and he longed
To fix on it the eye. With restless foot,
To and fro walked he; and, before him now
When came the priests, with hurried utterance thus.
“Hath he the soul brought back? And speaketh it?”
321
“With our own ears we heard it. But, alas!
If the king haste not, from the corpse 'twill part,
Ere he can question; for the third day this,
And this the final hour. Thy chariot waits,
O Pharaoh; for even I did so command,
Lest, through delay.....”
“Thou hast done well, high priest,”
Hastily said the king: “Where lieth, then,
The body of the Hebrew?”
Hastily said the king: “Where lieth, then,
The body of the Hebrew?”
“In a vault
Of the north catacomb,” the priest replied:
“Our mules stand ready; and, so please the king,
His heralds will we be.”
Of the north catacomb,” the priest replied:
“Our mules stand ready; and, so please the king,
His heralds will we be.”
“Away at once,”
Cried Pharaoh; and himself went quickly forth;
By all as quickly followed. Eve's last rays
Lighted the path: but, in a vestment black
And ample wrapped, no eye that him beheld,
Knew that it looked on Pharaoh.
Cried Pharaoh; and himself went quickly forth;
By all as quickly followed. Eve's last rays
Lighted the path: but, in a vestment black
And ample wrapped, no eye that him beheld,
Knew that it looked on Pharaoh.
Through the door
Of the dark mansion of the dead, soon passed
The anxious monarch; of the hidden things
Eager to learn, yet fearful; and with awe,
Unfelt till then, touched strangely. The strong breath
Of flesh-preserving spices,—in the air
Of open day so fragrant,—in that house
Of death, itself seemed deathlike; a corpse-sweat,
Loathsome, detestable; and he turned back.
“Bring forth the body to the air of heaven;
I cannot breathe that horror”—he exclaimed.
Of the dark mansion of the dead, soon passed
The anxious monarch; of the hidden things
Eager to learn, yet fearful; and with awe,
Unfelt till then, touched strangely. The strong breath
Of flesh-preserving spices,—in the air
Of open day so fragrant,—in that house
Of death, itself seemed deathlike; a corpse-sweat,
Loathsome, detestable; and he turned back.
“Bring forth the body to the air of heaven;
I cannot breathe that horror”—he exclaimed.
| Israel in Egypt | |