Israel in Egypt :: :: University of Virginia Library

He signed; and instantly by Moses stood,
At either hand, a form of giant bulk,
Flame-visaged; high above each towering head,
A lightning sword uplifting.

“With thyself
Solely rests now thy fate,” in tone severe
Pursued the phantom: “Not on me the blame,
If here thou perish; for thyself it is
Thy doom shall speak. Worse folly than the fool's

Were ours if, having thee beneath the foot,
We let thee rise to foil us as before.
Not to another Pharaoh shalt thou lend
Thy cunning in war. To me, and to this host,
Thy service must thou swear; else, 'neath that sod
Whereon thou standest, surely is thy grave.
This all thy choice; nor power of earth, or heaven,
The doom can alter. Life, or instant death,
At once then chuse.”

“Already have I chosen,”
Said Moses, on the wrathful countenance
Placidly looking; “in the hand of God
Am I; and as He willeth, be my fate.
That which is right, I know; and that will do,
Come life, come death. To other work am I
By heaven commanded; therefore, thee to serve,
Were God to disobey. Thou threaten'st death;
God's bidding, life assures. I see the swords,
As thunderbolts; yet know that greater Power
Back holds them, as in chains. They cannot slay
Whom God wills live. Thy strength is impotence;
Thy purpose nought; thy conquest all a dream.
Though armed with might of all the world thou came,
To Pharaoh couldst thou not bring punishment;
To Israel freedom; for in other guise
These hath the Almighty ordered. Ere too late,
Toward Ethiopia, then, thy steps tread back:
Else, as a billow broken on a rock,
Will all thy force be shattered.”

“Madman, fool!”
With voice that shook the ground, more terrible
Than roar of banded lions, in the night,
Roaming for prey, exclaimed the giant king:
“This sword, at least, no unseen power can chain!
Look on it! it is death! Unsay thy words,
Or perish.”

While he spake, from his great eyes,
As from two torches shaken, shot forth fire.
His sword, high lifted, quivered angrily,

As lightning on the edge of thunder cloud,
Straining to fly. The vast Titanic form
More huge became,—even as a burning hill,
To a mountain swollen: and, as from crater's mouth
Gush smoke and flame, so, from the demon-face,
Fury past aught by man conceivable,
Like torrents of fire burst forth.

Yet, fearing nought,
In heaven's protection confident, his hands
The meek man lifted; and to Israel's God
A silent prayer began.

The blazing sword
Higher went up, as if for feller swoop
Rising to strike; yet still, with calm, clear eye,
Praying, toward Heaven looked Moses; when, behold!
A Radiance as of present Deity,—
Splendor, 'gainst which noon-sunbeams, interposed,
Shadow had cast,—fell round him. Earth and sky
Were blotted out with brightness!

As though life
Had been extinguished—senseless, to the earth,
By that great glory, as by lightning, struck,
Yet all unharmed, he dropped.

A voice at length,
Not by the ear, but in the spirit heard,
Awaked him, saying: “Faithful hast thou been,
And art of God approved.”

With holy joy,
The meaning felt he. Firm the worst to abide,
Uprising, he looked round; the Ethiop king,
Mad in his rage, expecting still to see;
Still resolute to defy: but lo! the plain,
So lately with that gorgeous pageant fired;
Chariots, and steeds, and men of giant mould,
Glorious in sunbright arms, and numberless,—
Void was, and silent as the wilderness!