The Dawn in Britain by Charles M. Doughty |
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 | The Dawn in Britain |  |
Lights Belisama, by strong bloody Camulus;
Where this, with lowering looks, leans on his spear;
Wherewith he wont, in field, to strew whole cohorts;
And thus she him girds; Where wast thou, violent god?
What sun great Trinobantine dune was taken,
Called by thy name? Belike sat'st drunkelew thou,
In mortal's hall, on ale-bench, Camulus?
Where thou the goodman's team, strange guest, hadst eaten,
Three beves; and sith didst drink, as thy wont is,
A tun of mead. Or, with thy wife, hadst thou,
New woe? Smote thy pilled skull the Morrigu?
Or pluckt she; crying, Dotard Camulus!
Thy beard? since lost thy brawns their former force;
Which could not thine own uphanged silver face,
At Glevum, save! but soldiers, from the gate,
It reft. Seest not? or grown too blunt thy sense,
How Caradoc lies, beloved, of mortals, most,
In swoon; and that in danger to be slain?
As valorous wight is murdered in his sleep!
Cunobelin's son; who burned fat thighs, to us,
Of slaughtered beves. But, and thou help, strong god,
The hero save, a guerdon, Camulus;
Such, at mine hands, thy godhead shall receive,
As shalt thou not be able to recuse.
Hearken, will surely I give thee her, tonight;
Whom long-time, as great riches, thou hast sought;
Nelma, the flower of all my maiden-train.
Where this, with lowering looks, leans on his spear;
Wherewith he wont, in field, to strew whole cohorts;
And thus she him girds; Where wast thou, violent god?
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Called by thy name? Belike sat'st drunkelew thou,
In mortal's hall, on ale-bench, Camulus?
Where thou the goodman's team, strange guest, hadst eaten,
Three beves; and sith didst drink, as thy wont is,
A tun of mead. Or, with thy wife, hadst thou,
New woe? Smote thy pilled skull the Morrigu?
Or pluckt she; crying, Dotard Camulus!
Thy beard? since lost thy brawns their former force;
Which could not thine own uphanged silver face,
At Glevum, save! but soldiers, from the gate,
It reft. Seest not? or grown too blunt thy sense,
How Caradoc lies, beloved, of mortals, most,
In swoon; and that in danger to be slain?
As valorous wight is murdered in his sleep!
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Of slaughtered beves. But, and thou help, strong god,
The hero save, a guerdon, Camulus;
Such, at mine hands, thy godhead shall receive,
As shalt thou not be able to recuse.
Hearken, will surely I give thee her, tonight;
Whom long-time, as great riches, thou hast sought;
Nelma, the flower of all my maiden-train.
Nothing; (loud sudden spake the impetuous god;
Whose voice like Winter-waves, on some vast shore!)
There is, on all wide plat of earth; and dost
Thou, fair wise goddess, only promise this;
How great and ne'er so hard, the peril were;
But Camulus will assay it bring to pass.
Whose voice like Winter-waves, on some vast shore!)
There is, on all wide plat of earth; and dost
Thou, fair wise goddess, only promise this;
How great and ne'er so hard, the peril were;
But Camulus will assay it bring to pass.
Swear, Belisama, then, that greatest oath,
Which is, in heavenly seats, amongst high gods;
By these three: Earth, which Ocean-streams enfold,
And Heaven, above; and gulf of Hell beneath.
Then she, her goddess-palms, gainst sun all-seeing,
Uplifting; and, to far-off Ocean, calling;
With her spear's heel, sith, smiting the green sod;
Sware, Gentle maiden Nelma, of the white hand,
Fair-bosomed, should be laid by Camulus;
And he that enterprise achieve, to-night.
Which is, in heavenly seats, amongst high gods;
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And Heaven, above; and gulf of Hell beneath.
Then she, her goddess-palms, gainst sun all-seeing,
Uplifting; and, to far-off Ocean, calling;
With her spear's heel, sith, smiting the green sod;
Sware, Gentle maiden Nelma, of the white hand,
Fair-bosomed, should be laid by Camulus;
And he that enterprise achieve, to-night.
Though strong, quoth Camulus, both, among the gods,
And mortals, am I named; yet wisdom much
The power of strength exceeds. That, thou wise, goddess!
I learned, what time I marched to the world's brinks;
Where poised on pillars are, of heavenly house,
The starry walls, which stoop in compass round;
Or else, immense, should ruin on the world!
And mortals, am I named; yet wisdom much
The power of strength exceeds. That, thou wise, goddess!
I learned, what time I marched to the world's brinks;
Where poised on pillars are, of heavenly house,
The starry walls, which stoop in compass round;
Or else, immense, should ruin on the world!
Being the wide bent of crystal firmament,
(Their proud immortal seats,) to aery spirits,
Assigned for their abode, it mine intent
Was shake; aye, and split that fastness of high gods,
To wreak me; sith my godhead had incensed,
In stranger land, Italiot treacherous god,
One red-eyed Bacchus; that, with wine, betrayed
Me; and that hour slain was Brennus in high Alps!
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Assigned for their abode, it mine intent
Was shake; aye, and split that fastness of high gods,
To wreak me; sith my godhead had incensed,
In stranger land, Italiot treacherous god,
One red-eyed Bacchus; that, with wine, betrayed
Me; and that hour slain was Brennus in high Alps!
But substance entered in me, of the ground,
Blood of the earth, which in that drossy cup;
A mortal swift disease outsent those gods;
Which, like to lean hag, me pursued, in march;
O'ertook, and suddenly, unwares, she wrung my bowels,
With her fell claws; so that, on my bronze targe,
That loud to heavens resounded, I fell down;
And issued from mine hands, these divine arms;
And rang my war-helm, on that utmost coast;
And leapt forth, shining, to vast brimming flood,
Which runs about the world: and hardly it Lîr,
Sending, at mine entreaty, some of his,
(Mine ancient friend,) recured, ere the year's end.
Blood of the earth, which in that drossy cup;
A mortal swift disease outsent those gods;
Which, like to lean hag, me pursued, in march;
O'ertook, and suddenly, unwares, she wrung my bowels,
With her fell claws; so that, on my bronze targe,
That loud to heavens resounded, I fell down;
And issued from mine hands, these divine arms;
And rang my war-helm, on that utmost coast;
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Which runs about the world: and hardly it Lîr,
Sending, at mine entreaty, some of his,
(Mine ancient friend,) recured, ere the year's end.
Three days, then, I consuming smart endured;
And alway in dread, of some strange hostile god,
Be found disarmed. And thence I hardly was
Enlarged; when taken of me dreadful oath,
Had those sky-dwelling powers, that no more pass,
I should o'er the weaved waves, from Island Britain.
And alway in dread, of some strange hostile god,
Be found disarmed. And thence I hardly was
Enlarged; when taken of me dreadful oath,
Had those sky-dwelling powers, that no more pass,
I should o'er the weaved waves, from Island Britain.
Aye and even this day me threatened Roman gods;
Before whom I am still put to the worse;
Were I, in this field, found, me spoil of arms.
One froward as a girl, Bellona hight,
A bold-faced buskin'd goddess; she that wont,
On Roman part, withstand me face to face.
Calling me Furcifer, much as, in our speech,
Daffe, Gallows-bird, upon my baldric seized;
And backling haled the scornful virgin crude!
Mongst mocking Roman gods: me, factious god,
Of barbare isle, she named, before them all!
Aye, and lifting spear, me menaced, truculent,
Send, gelt-god, chained; like Briton hound, to Rome!
Where, shrieked she, should serve my huge godhead's force,
(Yoked, like the drudging mule,) to hurl their millstones!
Whereat, they all laughed loud; and me derided!
Thou, prithee, Belisama, rent her locks!
Before whom I am still put to the worse;
Were I, in this field, found, me spoil of arms.
One froward as a girl, Bellona hight,
A bold-faced buskin'd goddess; she that wont,
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Calling me Furcifer, much as, in our speech,
Daffe, Gallows-bird, upon my baldric seized;
And backling haled the scornful virgin crude!
Mongst mocking Roman gods: me, factious god,
Of barbare isle, she named, before them all!
Aye, and lifting spear, me menaced, truculent,
Send, gelt-god, chained; like Briton hound, to Rome!
Where, shrieked she, should serve my huge godhead's force,
(Yoked, like the drudging mule,) to hurl their millstones!
Whereat, they all laughed loud; and me derided!
Thou, prithee, Belisama, rent her locks!
Day cometh, quoth she, when we shall vengeance take,
For their light parts. Thou Camulus, raise loud shout;
Shall turn away, of those strange gods, the looks;
Whiles I so shape the substance of a cloud;
That it some divine messenger seem from Rome,
Powdered, with hoary mist, in aery paths.
In that they stand then gazing, towards vast Alps,
We twain descend to field: cast thou back Romans,
Whilst I shall shield and save Caratacus.
For their light parts. Thou Camulus, raise loud shout;
Shall turn away, of those strange gods, the looks;
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That it some divine messenger seem from Rome,
Powdered, with hoary mist, in aery paths.
In that they stand then gazing, towards vast Alps,
We twain descend to field: cast thou back Romans,
Whilst I shall shield and save Caratacus.
Nodded, in sign he did assent, the god.
Two steps he made; a pine tree seemed the plume
Of Camulus' helm! lights, from the reeling skies,
Like as leaps charioteer, from cart, to ground,
The battle-god, midst dust and strife of arms!
And horribly Camulus brayed; that seemed the voice
Of new host of blue Britons, which arrive.
At that strange portent, failed the Romans' breath.
His spear bare back a legion, a good space!
Two steps he made; a pine tree seemed the plume
Of Camulus' helm! lights, from the reeling skies,
Like as leaps charioteer, from cart, to ground,
The battle-god, midst dust and strife of arms!
And horribly Camulus brayed; that seemed the voice
Of new host of blue Britons, which arrive.
At that strange portent, failed the Romans' breath.
His spear bare back a legion, a good space!
Like swallow swift, to field, the goddess stooped;
And closed, with misty cloud congealed, a plot,
Round the hurt king; wherein she forms, as rocks,
And oaks; and semblant shaped of a green mount.
There, goddess bright, she hid Caratacus,
Beloved of men and gods, even hostile gods:
And like as mother, o'er her babe; whom bee
Did sting, is she his ward, till fall of night!
And closed, with misty cloud congealed, a plot,
Round the hurt king; wherein she forms, as rocks,
And oaks; and semblant shaped of a green mount.
There, goddess bright, she hid Caratacus,
Beloved of men and gods, even hostile gods:
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Did sting, is she his ward, till fall of night!
| The Dawn in Britain | |