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The Works of Tennyson

The Eversley Edition: Annotated by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: Edited by Hallam, Lord Tennyson
Tennyson, Alfred Tennyson (1809-1892)

expand sectionI. 
POEMS
expand sectionII. 
POEMS
expand sectionIII. 
ENOCH ARDEN AND IN MEMORIAM
expand sectionVII. 
THE PRINCESS AND MAUD
 V. 
IDYLLS OF THE KING
expand sectionIII. 
BALLADS AND OTHER POEMS
expand sectionIV. 
DEMETER AND OTHER POEMS
collapse sectionVIII. 
QUEEN MARY AND HAROLD
expand section 
QUEEN MARY:
expand section 
HAROLD:
expand sectionIX. 
BECKET AND OTHER PLAYS

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106

IV. ALEXANDER.

Warrior of God, whose strong right arm debased
The throne of Persia, when her Satrap bled
At Issus by the Syrian gates, or fled
Beyond the Memmian naphtha-pits, disgraced
For ever—thee (thy pathway sand-erased)
Gliding with equal crowns two serpents led
Joyful to that palm-planted fountain-fed
Ammonian Oasis

This refers to Alexander's visit to the famous temple of Zeus Ammon in the Libyan desert.

in the waste.
There in a silent shade of laurel brown
Apart the Chamian Oracle divine
Shelter'd his unapproached mysteries:
High things were spoken there, unhanded down;
Only they saw thee from the secret shrine
Returning with hot cheek and kindled eyes.
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