University of Virginia Library

Where Babylon, the seat of empire, shone,
Proud tyranny had fix'd her lawless throne,
The cruel power, with unrelenting hand,
Rul'd o'er a race of slaves, an abject land:
Oppression fill'd the arbitrary reign,
And blind idolatry confirm'd the chain.

The prince, who late in a surprizing hour,
Had felt conviction's strong, resistless power,
Impell'd by conscience, own'd the God supreme;
Confess'd his hand, almost ador'd his name;
Retracting all, to idol-gods returns,
Again with impious zeal his bosom burns.
New rites his wild idolatry demands,
In Dura's plain a golden image stands:
Wanton in wealth, he bids the idol rise,
And with its monstrous height affront the skies.
Assembled here in all the pomp of state,
Princes and peers their monarch's pleasure wait:
A herald now with sounding voice proclaims,
“Nations of various tongues of various names,
“Attend the king's decree, which thus ordains,
“That instant, when you hear the sacred strains
“From instruments of every tuneful sound,
“Adore with prostrate homage on the ground,
“The golden image, which the king's command
“Ordains the God, the guardian of your land.
“Whoe'er the royal edict disobeys,
“Or to perform the solemn rite delays,
“A dreadful doom the hapless wretch attends,
“His life, that hour, the flaming furnace ends.”

Now sounds the various strain; the solemn call
The trembling nations hear, and prostrate fall.
Elate with pride the monarch now beheld
His will obey'd, the impious rite fulfill'd:
When lo with flattering zeal his slaves appear,
And lowly bending thus accost his ear;
“O King, for ever may thy throne remain!
“Unrivall'd be the glories of thy reign!
“Their zeal when all thy faithful people show'd
“And at the sacred call adoring bow'd;
“Three haughty Jews whom thy indulgent hand
“Hath rais'd to rank and honours in the land,
“Thy bounty have ungratefully abus'd,
“And just obedience to thy law refus'd:
“Proudly refus'd to bend the stubborn knee,
“And bade defiance to thy gods and thee.”
Rage, flash'd vindictive from the tyrant's eyes!
“This moment bring the rebels here” he cries;
Swift fly the guards, their duty taught by fear,
And now the accused innocents appear:
When thus the king the boding silence broke,
(His aw'd attendants trembling as he spoke)
“Say, ye perverse, rebellious wretches say,
“My will do you presume to disobey?
“You knew the law, the penalty you heard;
“Your fate is just since wilfully you err'd;
“Nor vainly on celestial aid presume;
“What God shall save, when I pronounce your doom?
The men, to this high strain of impious pride,
Serene in conscious innocence reply'd;
“At no defence, at no excuse we aim,
“Our trust, O king, is in the power supreme:
“The God, the awful God whom we adore
“We know can save us from thy tyrant power.
“We trust he will: but should his wise command
“Ordain our death by thy remorseless hand;
“A firm obedience to his laws we vow,
“Nor will to thy detested idols bow.”
To madness now the tyrant's passions rise:
“Seven times increase the flame” (he furious cries)
“Soon shall the traitors meet a fate severe,
“And feel that vengeance which they scorn to fear”
His hardy soldiers now the victims seize,
(Strange heart that such a sacrifice could please!)
The victims bound are to their fate convey'd,
Plung'd in the flames, depriv'd of mortal aid:
Fierce was the king, and fierce the raging fire,
The soldiers in the cruel act expire.
In view the tyrant sate to feast his eyes
(Inhuman pleasure! horrid sacrifice!)
When sudden starting from his seat, he cries,
(Amazement in his looks, and wild dismay,)
“What do I see? ye peers, ye princes say!
“Were not three criminals, some moments past,
“With fetters bound, in yonder furnace cast?
“'Tis certain fact, O king, (the courtiers said)
“We all beheld thy royal will obey'd:”
When thus the king, (with inward anguish prest,
For full conviction now his heart possest)
“Amid the flames they walk, unhurt and free,
“And lo a fourth of form divine I see!
“Some angel makes the innocents his care,
“Perhaps their deity himself is there.
The humbled monarch now renounc'd his pride
And near advancing to the furnace cry'd
“Come forth, ye servants of the God supreme,
“Come forth, and teach me to adore his name.”
Forth came the prisoners at the royal word,
Sav'd by the power they trusted and ador'd:
Not ev'n their cloaths were scorch'd, nor sing'd their hair,
Serene their looks, and cheerful was their air.

The strange event around the country flew;
The concourse, still increasing, round them drew,
Peers, princes, people, gazing, wondering stand,
Compell'd to witness an almighty hand.
An aw'd attention bade the croud be still,
While thus the King aloud declar'd his will:
“Ador'd for ever be his wonderous name!
“Who sav'd his servants from the raging flame;
“His angels sent (the heavenly form I saw,)
“To guard these blest observers of his law:
“The awful power, omnipotent and just,
“Hath well rewarded their religious trust.
“Be this decree, in honour to their God,
“Through my extensive empire sent abroad:
“Whoever dares his sacred name prophane,
“In impious folly arrogantly vain;
“Death without mercy is the wretches lot,
“His house a dunghill made, his name forgot,
“This miracle which strikes each wondering breast
“And which a thousand witnesses attest,
“Proclaims the God superior far in power
“To all the deities whom we adore.

Here ceas'd the king: yet farther to atone
The cruel act his impious rage had done,
The heaven-protected youths his favour shar'd,
Of faithful piety the just reward:
To eminence and power he bade them rise,
Rever'd by men, as favour'd of the skies.