 | The defence of Rome |  |
III.
But thou mid the strife of thy sisters, O eldest and royalest Rome,
With what eyes wert thou gazing abroad, what cheer wert thou making at home?
Truly thine eyes were long blinded; yet was it not all to thy shame
If the light that at first thou wouldst follow misled thee, a wandering flame:
For lo, a new pontiff arisen who stood not in ancient ways,
But rebuked the false priests in his palace, and sought for the people's praise:
And he gave them statutes and charters, and blest the banners they bore
As they went forth to succour their brethren, to fight in the Austrian war.
Blessings and laws he gave them, and they with wonder and pride
Blest him again in their blindness, and knew not what should betide.
For the minds of both were deluded, nor people nor pontiff foresaw
How the blesser should turn to a curse, the lawgiver to ruin of law.
But slowly the false lamp dwindled, the lustre began to fade,
As a marsh-light bred for an hour in the deep immemorial shade;
For the old curse clave to the pontiff, the curse of the pontiffs' line,
Throne and sceptre and riches, the dower of Constantine.
With what eyes wert thou gazing abroad, what cheer wert thou making at home?
Truly thine eyes were long blinded; yet was it not all to thy shame
If the light that at first thou wouldst follow misled thee, a wandering flame:
For lo, a new pontiff arisen who stood not in ancient ways,
But rebuked the false priests in his palace, and sought for the people's praise:
And he gave them statutes and charters, and blest the banners they bore
As they went forth to succour their brethren, to fight in the Austrian war.
17
Blest him again in their blindness, and knew not what should betide.
For the minds of both were deluded, nor people nor pontiff foresaw
How the blesser should turn to a curse, the lawgiver to ruin of law.
But slowly the false lamp dwindled, the lustre began to fade,
As a marsh-light bred for an hour in the deep immemorial shade;
For the old curse clave to the pontiff, the curse of the pontiffs' line,
Throne and sceptre and riches, the dower of Constantine.
And at last in the darkling November, when Rossi lay in his blood,
And the ship of the state in amazement was tost on the ebb and the flood,
Then the weak hand dropt from the helm, and all in the dead of the night
Crept out from his palace the pontiff, and silently stole in his flight
Forth from the land of his people, and craved of Ferdinand's hand
Shelter on Gaëta's rock, and abode in a tyrant's land.
And the ship of the state in amazement was tost on the ebb and the flood,
18
Crept out from his palace the pontiff, and silently stole in his flight
Forth from the land of his people, and craved of Ferdinand's hand
Shelter on Gaëta's rock, and abode in a tyrant's land.
Then the soul of Rome was awakened, the turbid stream ran clear
Gathering in force to its goal: and so with the newborn year
Light came to the eyes long blinded, and strength to the staggering knees,
And the fair head of Rome was lifted and turned to the dawn and the breeze
Blown fresh from a far-off country, a region of hope and of awe,
Of majesty born from abasement, of late-found freedom and law.
And behold, in the presence of Europe, or ever the fourth moon clomb
To her place in the heavens expectant, arose the Republic of Rome.
Gathering in force to its goal: and so with the newborn year
Light came to the eyes long blinded, and strength to the staggering knees,
And the fair head of Rome was lifted and turned to the dawn and the breeze
Blown fresh from a far-off country, a region of hope and of awe,
Of majesty born from abasement, of late-found freedom and law.
19
To her place in the heavens expectant, arose the Republic of Rome.
| The defence of Rome | |