Days and Hours :: :: University of Virginia Library

Two children from the mighty Mother sprung,
And ancient Time; twin Titans, huge in limb;
The firstborn with surpassing might was strung,
The younger had his mother's heart in him:

The One was fierce, and from his nostrils stream'd
Smoke in his wrath; all writhen was his hair;
With Pride, like globes of flame, his eyeballs gleam'd;
The Other was all boon as he was fair.

These Earth-born Giants strove with one another
To master all the World; the elder-born
Claim'd all things for his birthright, but his brother
Full-arm'd in adamant smiled a godlike scorn:

147

The one before him rolling clouds and flame
Trod with an earthquake step that toppled down
The crested Cities; but the other came
And built with music cities of his own;

And while He lay on piles of smoking walls,
And slumber'd after his tormented years,
Sow'd the black furrows of his thunder-balls
With amaranth flowers, and water'd them with tears:

And in the pauses of the battle thunder
Were heard such songs, that steely warriors sigh'd,
And wounded men forgot their pain in wonder,
And dying eyes look'd up, and prophesied:

And when the shout of war, and trumpet-sound
Roused those two brothers to the strife again,
The new-built towers and citadels were crown'd
With godlike shapes that mock'd the strength of men:

148

Thenceforth nor iron hosts with banners flying,
Nor swords, nor trampling hoofs, nor raging fire,
Could kill those flowers that from amidst the dying
Rose full of life, and higher sprang, and higher.