Israel in Egypt A Poem. By Edwin Atherstone |
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 | Israel in Egypt |  |
Like a strong youth who, from refreshing sleep
After hard travel, rises light of heart,
Active of limb, flushed with high summer of health,
And eager for whate'er the day may bring,—
So, on the morrow, waking from sound rest,
And visions glorious, Pharaoh on the past,
As on a great toil overcome, looked back;
Then toward the future; and, exultingly,
Within himself thus said.
After hard travel, rises light of heart,
Active of limb, flushed with high summer of health,
And eager for whate'er the day may bring,—
So, on the morrow, waking from sound rest,
And visions glorious, Pharaoh on the past,
As on a great toil overcome, looked back;
Then toward the future; and, exultingly,
Within himself thus said.
“Yet two plagues more,—
And then, proud sorcerer, will thy spells be done;
The king will rest in peace. But, as for thee,
What peace canst thou expect? The peace of death!
Nought else! for, though thy mischief all be spent;
Thine arm grown powerless,—still, thy deeds accursed,
Punishment full must have. Yet, ere thou die,
In sight of all the people shalt thou stand,
For mockery; both on thee, and on thy god;
When, stronger grown than thou, my sorcerers
Shall make of thee, and of thy magic tricks,
A sport to please even children; and thy god
Shall hold up for the laughter of the land;
A thing of smoke, or mist, or air, or nought;
A name, a bugbear only. And, the while,
Pharaoh shall sit; and look upon the man,
Who, in the name of that same fantasy,
Once bearded him, and bid let Israel go.
Yea, Moses, upon thee shall Pharaoh look,
Thundering, as thou 'gainst him didst thunder oft,—
Armed with thy plagues, and vaunting of thy god:
And loudly in the dust shalt thou cry out
For pity; but the answer will be, death!
Meantime, upon the instant shall proclaim
Go forth to Israel, bidding them remain;
And better do their work.”
And then, proud sorcerer, will thy spells be done;
The king will rest in peace. But, as for thee,
What peace canst thou expect? The peace of death!
Nought else! for, though thy mischief all be spent;
Thine arm grown powerless,—still, thy deeds accursed,
Punishment full must have. Yet, ere thou die,
In sight of all the people shalt thou stand,
For mockery; both on thee, and on thy god;
When, stronger grown than thou, my sorcerers
Shall make of thee, and of thy magic tricks,
A sport to please even children; and thy god
Shall hold up for the laughter of the land;
A thing of smoke, or mist, or air, or nought;
A name, a bugbear only. And, the while,
328
Who, in the name of that same fantasy,
Once bearded him, and bid let Israel go.
Yea, Moses, upon thee shall Pharaoh look,
Thundering, as thou 'gainst him didst thunder oft,—
Armed with thy plagues, and vaunting of thy god:
And loudly in the dust shalt thou cry out
For pity; but the answer will be, death!
Meantime, upon the instant shall proclaim
Go forth to Israel, bidding them remain;
And better do their work.”
Then passed he forth
Among his lords and priests, and spake the word;
And, forthwith, through the city, and around,
Went out a voice, commanding Israel stay;
And with more diligence labor. To the baths,
By all his train attended, then he walked;
Thamusin at his right; and, at his left,
The necromancer Hophra; in discourse
On what, the night before, had come to pass;
The spirit's prophecy; and what should be
The two plagues yet to come; and how the best
They might be met; endured, or shunned; or stayed,
As theretofore, by prayers, and promises,
Ne'er meant to be fulfilled: for, falsely thus
Feigned Pharaoh now,—pretending that in guile,
Not under fear, submission he had made,
To the Hebrew wizards;—so one rag to hide,
By putting on another, though far worse.
Among his lords and priests, and spake the word;
And, forthwith, through the city, and around,
Went out a voice, commanding Israel stay;
And with more diligence labor. To the baths,
By all his train attended, then he walked;
Thamusin at his right; and, at his left,
The necromancer Hophra; in discourse
On what, the night before, had come to pass;
The spirit's prophecy; and what should be
The two plagues yet to come; and how the best
They might be met; endured, or shunned; or stayed,
As theretofore, by prayers, and promises,
Ne'er meant to be fulfilled: for, falsely thus
Feigned Pharaoh now,—pretending that in guile,
Not under fear, submission he had made,
To the Hebrew wizards;—so one rag to hide,
By putting on another, though far worse.
| Israel in Egypt | |