 | The Dawn in Britain |  |
Parted from thence, returns victorious Kowain.
But come tenth eve; when now, to Gulf of Severn,
They gin stand in, rose vehement wind: and borne,
Whither sun set, through long tempestuous night,
Are still, with weight of storm, their dark hulls forth,
Over swart billows. Last, morn rising sheen,
They a fáir Land see before them, which is Erinn.
But come tenth eve; when now, to Gulf of Severn,
They gin stand in, rose vehement wind: and borne,
Whither sun set, through long tempestuous night,
Are still, with weight of storm, their dark hulls forth,
Over swart billows. Last, morn rising sheen,
They a fáir Land see before them, which is Erinn.
And, lo, like vision of the blessed gods,
Is king Duneda standing, on that strand!
And people, of Summer-land, Dumnonians,
Known by their looks and weed, with the hoar sire.
Is king Duneda standing, on that strand!
And people, of Summer-land, Dumnonians,
Known by their looks and weed, with the hoar sire.
Who sailed with Kowain, see New Isca rise,
On yond green hill: but might they not outship,
Though now the night wind laid, yet, for great billows.
Gainst ebb, men leap, from anchored prows, to land.
Then all go up, the royal hand to kiss,
Of sire Duneda! and he embracing Kowain,
Praising his valiant deeds, him calls his son.
Much asks also Duneda, of Amathon;
But chiefly of Caradoc, and of sire Moelmabon,
And Almain Thorolf, and divine Manannan:
And where, he enquires, is his son, royal Hælion?
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Though now the night wind laid, yet, for great billows.
Gainst ebb, men leap, from anchored prows, to land.
Then all go up, the royal hand to kiss,
Of sire Duneda! and he embracing Kowain,
Praising his valiant deeds, him calls his son.
Much asks also Duneda, of Amathon;
But chiefly of Caradoc, and of sire Moelmabon,
And Almain Thorolf, and divine Manannan:
And where, he enquires, is his son, royal Hælion?
Duneda, to New Isca, from sea-waves,
Leads Kowain, in steep path, then, by the hand;
And seeded plots him shows, and his eared fields.
Follow, who came with Kowain, in the keels;
But rue, in looking forth, their faithful hearts;
To see, so strait their lord's house and New Isca!
Nothing like Isca burned, in Summer-land,
Of Foster Britain. Sith, neath boughs of ash;
Yet timbered no mead-hall, on the fresh grass,
Midst poplar grove, men sit at meat: they sit,
In long discourse; till the new moon is seen,
With sickle-face, this third day old, in heaven.
Leads Kowain, in steep path, then, by the hand;
And seeded plots him shows, and his eared fields.
Follow, who came with Kowain, in the keels;
But rue, in looking forth, their faithful hearts;
To see, so strait their lord's house and New Isca!
Nothing like Isca burned, in Summer-land,
Of Foster Britain. Sith, neath boughs of ash;
Yet timbered no mead-hall, on the fresh grass,
Midst poplar grove, men sit at meat: they sit,
In long discourse; till the new moon is seen,
With sickle-face, this third day old, in heaven.
Then risen Duneda, father of his folk,
Lifted his hands cried loud, to the Night's god;
That, like as he increased, might have this nation
Good chance! When sith his shining wheel, in heaven,
Should wane, so might their griefs: lord, at the least,
Leave us in no worse case! Yet, through short night,
All sit. Few list the curmi and new sweet mead,
(Which Kamlan pours, in yewen cups, from keeve, )
To taste of Erinn. Lords, in speech demiss,
Of Roman arms commune, and Camulodunum;
Caer Isca lost, and Catuvelaunian Verulam.
Lifted his hands cried loud, to the Night's god;
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Good chance! When sith his shining wheel, in heaven,
Should wane, so might their griefs: lord, at the least,
Leave us in no worse case! Yet, through short night,
All sit. Few list the curmi and new sweet mead,
(Which Kamlan pours, in yewen cups, from keeve, )
To taste of Erinn. Lords, in speech demiss,
Of Roman arms commune, and Camulodunum;
Caer Isca lost, and Catuvelaunian Verulam.
Quoth Kowain; how should one, in Aesgar's room,
Deceased, be chosen chief druid, in Deheubarth.
And power therein was seen of Joseph's God:
For, in what place had Aesgar cast to kill
Those innocent strangers, on them, loost wild beasts;
Was he himself beset, when he would pass,
Of angry swarms, from hundred hives, at once;
That him, with infinite venimous stings, have pierced.
Aesgar, in fiery passion, grovelling fell:
And swelled so, that he might be known, uneath:
He gave the ghost, before the morrow's sun.
Deceased, be chosen chief druid, in Deheubarth.
And power therein was seen of Joseph's God:
For, in what place had Aesgar cast to kill
Those innocent strangers, on them, loost wild beasts;
Was he himself beset, when he would pass,
Of angry swarms, from hundred hives, at once;
That him, with infinite venimous stings, have pierced.
Aesgar, in fiery passion, grovelling fell:
And swelled so, that he might be known, uneath:
He gave the ghost, before the morrow's sun.
But day-star risen, Duneda pours to Noden,
His cup: and sith, to strand, dismounts, with Kowain;
And lords and warriors sailed in his strong ships.
Those climb aboard: whence, standing on their poops;
They loudly all do Dumnonians' sire salute!
His cup: and sith, to strand, dismounts, with Kowain;
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Those climb aboard: whence, standing on their poops;
They loudly all do Dumnonians' sire salute!
Those anchors cast, in Severn gulf, that night.
But, sith, drawn up their keels, leads Kowain forth,
To go, by land, to Caradoc, his ship-folk.
They journeying, the third morrow, in long path;
Meet with them some main-troop, of Roman horse;
Which ridden that way, explorers, chanced to pass.
But, sith, drawn up their keels, leads Kowain forth,
To go, by land, to Caradoc, his ship-folk.
They journeying, the third morrow, in long path;
Meet with them some main-troop, of Roman horse;
Which ridden that way, explorers, chanced to pass.
At clarions' sound then, those, with levelled spears,
Ruin on Britons. Shipmen, drawn glaives forth,
Do partly resist thus: part leapt, to rocks,
To trees, like birds; fall, as from wait, on Romans.
They steeds, that pass, pierce; riders pluck from horse.
Ruin on Britons. Shipmen, drawn glaives forth,
Do partly resist thus: part leapt, to rocks,
To trees, like birds; fall, as from wait, on Romans.
They steeds, that pass, pierce; riders pluck from horse.
Gauls' brunt thus stayed, they compass them: on whom,
In disarray, Britons again give charge!
Rages their strife; Amathon's victorious son;
(Not less is he, to battle, on firm land,)
His foes discomfits. When then few remain,
Those flying 'scape, by swiftness of their steeds.
Under his glaive, fell Virius, knight of Rome,
Their renowned captain, valiant of his hand.
And Kowain brought forth Virius' steed and arms,
A New Year's gift, for king Caratacus.
In disarray, Britons again give charge!
Rages their strife; Amathon's victorious son;
(Not less is he, to battle, on firm land,)
His foes discomfits. When then few remain,
Those flying 'scape, by swiftness of their steeds.
Under his glaive, fell Virius, knight of Rome,
Their renowned captain, valiant of his hand.
And Kowain brought forth Virius' steed and arms,
A New Year's gift, for king Caratacus.
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These days, yet more, in East part of Rome's Province,
Grows tumult. East-men, on whom lately imposed
Aulus, for king, Cæsarian Prasutagos,
Risen, in revolt, rushed hardily from their fens,
The Roman castra o'erthrew, at Sitomagus.
Grows tumult. East-men, on whom lately imposed
Aulus, for king, Cæsarian Prasutagos,
Risen, in revolt, rushed hardily from their fens,
The Roman castra o'erthrew, at Sitomagus.
Trembles then Claudian colony, at Camulodunum,
Seen, round them, how blue subject nations rise;
Though such be, only, weapons in their hands,
As hinds and ploughmen use; slings, cattle-goads,
Bats, grasshooks, woodbills, bounden, on long staves:
For Geta took away their iron and bronze;
But could not take away the Britons' hearts!
Seen, round them, how blue subject nations rise;
Though such be, only, weapons in their hands,
As hinds and ploughmen use; slings, cattle-goads,
Bats, grasshooks, woodbills, bounden, on long staves:
For Geta took away their iron and bronze;
But could not take away the Britons' hearts!
Aulus, from strongholds and from towers, his soldiers
Withdraws, to march against Caratacus,
Who certain woods, he hears, holds in East Province.
The duke, before him, sends out troops of horse,
And expedite cohorts. Whilst, by Meltraith fleets,
O'er wide salt plain, of ebb shore, those then pass;
(New moon now is,) Noden them saw far-off;
Unto whom, with father Lîr, mongst antique gods,
Was, of this Isle, the sea-waves' ward, assigned.
Withdraws, to march against Caratacus,
Who certain woods, he hears, holds in East Province.
The duke, before him, sends out troops of horse,
And expedite cohorts. Whilst, by Meltraith fleets,
O'er wide salt plain, of ebb shore, those then pass;
(New moon now is,) Noden them saw far-off;
Unto whom, with father Lîr, mongst antique gods,
Was, of this Isle, the sea-waves' ward, assigned.
Fared Noden pompous by, to yearly feast;
Of blue sea-gods, in crystal halls, beneath
Isle, which then Sarnia hight. In, towards the land,
He turns, with fury, his triple-teaméd chariot;
And tumult great, of rushing wild-waves' spirits;
That ride, as foaming steeds, sea-billows' croups.
And follow (an infinite spume-sprinkling train;)
The, on gólden axe-tree, rolling, broad divine
Wheels, in wide salt sea-flood, of stormy god;
And play him round, and do on him attend.
Of blue sea-gods, in crystal halls, beneath
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He turns, with fury, his triple-teaméd chariot;
And tumult great, of rushing wild-waves' spirits;
That ride, as foaming steeds, sea-billows' croups.
And follow (an infinite spume-sprinkling train;)
The, on gólden axe-tree, rolling, broad divine
Wheels, in wide salt sea-flood, of stormy god;
And play him round, and do on him attend.
Blowing then his sea-children, all, at his
Command, in whelky horns, grave note! he leads,
Vast waters' wall, with plunging foot, on Romans!
Those taken, in angry surges, twixt sharp cliff,
And folding flood, in turmæ and cohorts, perish!
Ooze covered them, on that deceitful strand.
Command, in whelky horns, grave note! he leads,
Vast waters' wall, with plunging foot, on Romans!
Those taken, in angry surges, twixt sharp cliff,
And folding flood, in turmæ and cohorts, perish!
Ooze covered them, on that deceitful strand.
| The Dawn in Britain | |