In My Lady's Praise Being Poems, Old and New: Written to the Honour of Fanny, Lady Arnold and Now Collected for her Memory: By Sir Edwin Arnold |
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92
A.
[“What! A gold coin amid these jewelled treasures!]
“What! A gold coin amid these jewelled treasures!
Why send me such a relic?”—so you say—
“Good to enhance some antiquary's pleasures;
Stamped for dead people, in a buried day!”
Why send me such a relic?”—so you say—
“Good to enhance some antiquary's pleasures;
Stamped for dead people, in a buried day!”
True, now, but look a little! If one ponder
The legend of this piece, its gold may shine
With lustre leaving dull the gems of wonder
Which I did lay in those dear hands of thine.
The legend of this piece, its gold may shine
With lustre leaving dull the gems of wonder
Which I did lay in those dear hands of thine.
An Aureus of the Roman Empire—see!
And, on its face, in plain imperial letters,
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS—He
Was Master of our earth. Rome's iron fetters,
And, on its face, in plain imperial letters,
MARCUS AURELIUS ANTONINUS—He
Was Master of our earth. Rome's iron fetters,
Linked over lands and seas, were held by him,
The awful purple of the Cæsars wearing;
And triumph-crowned! for, mark, along the rim
DEVICTIS MARCOMANNIS. He was bearing
The awful purple of the Cæsars wearing;
And triumph-crowned! for, mark, along the rim
DEVICTIS MARCOMANNIS. He was bearing
93
That year Pannonian laurels (one—six—eight—
In era of our Lord). Gaze on the face
Pictured from one most noble, wise, and great,
First of his age, and foremost of his race.
In era of our Lord). Gaze on the face
Pictured from one most noble, wise, and great,
First of his age, and foremost of his race.
Consider! Pious souls have been, but he
Feared Heaven, worshipped himself! And just have been;
But he, higher than Law, bowed down to be
Law's officer! Well-taught, in books deep-seen,
Feared Heaven, worshipped himself! And just have been;
But he, higher than Law, bowed down to be
Law's officer! Well-taught, in books deep-seen,
Daily he sate at school! Master of war,
Bloodshed he stayed; pitied his vanquished foes;
Pardoned his haters! Set far off, a Star
Of sovereignty, he ranked himself with those
Bloodshed he stayed; pitied his vanquished foes;
Pardoned his haters! Set far off, a Star
Of sovereignty, he ranked himself with those
Born to serve Man! Enriched with all the East,
With all the West; Lord of the wealth of Rome;
He lay on earth, drank from the stream, made feast
Of fruits and roots! Yet, to rear porch and dome
With all the West; Lord of the wealth of Rome;
He lay on earth, drank from the stream, made feast
Of fruits and roots! Yet, to rear porch and dome
Stately at Athens, splendid on old Nile;
To dower learning, scatter truth, spread good;
To help the thoughts which help mankind meanwhile
For those he poured his sesterces in flood!
To dower learning, scatter truth, spread good;
To help the thoughts which help mankind meanwhile
For those he poured his sesterces in flood!
94
Majestic, melancholy, lofty, mild;
Holier than saints, than sages more enrapt;
One hour listening to Fronto like a child,
The next, in royal paludamentum lapped
Holier than saints, than sages more enrapt;
One hour listening to Fronto like a child,
The next, in royal paludamentum lapped
Governing the world! Ah, measure what a man!
White in an age dark and unbeautiful:
Highest, yet humblest: since the kings began
No heart so kingly, large, and dutiful.
White in an age dark and unbeautiful:
Highest, yet humblest: since the kings began
No heart so kingly, large, and dutiful.
Regard him! does my Emperor pleasure you?
Being but a man I only know that here—
If we shall set apart some three or two—
The flower of humankind blooms bright and dear.
Being but a man I only know that here—
If we shall set apart some three or two—
The flower of humankind blooms bright and dear.
This is the best we are! “Verissimus”
Hadrian did style him! When the Senate named
Marcus sole Cæsar, spake he: “Seat with us
My Lucius Verus also; I were blamed
Hadrian did style him! When the Senate named
Marcus sole Cæsar, spake he: “Seat with us
My Lucius Verus also; I were blamed
Keeping no place upon his Father's throne
Whose Father loved me.” When the eagles fled
Before the Marcomanni, he alone—
Loathing red war—the reeling legions led
Whose Father loved me.” When the eagles fled
Before the Marcomanni, he alone—
Loathing red war—the reeling legions led
95
To victory. At his life—too pure to please—
Avidius Cassius aimed, joining foul hands
With Cæsar's beauteous Empress: foiling these
The loving peoples and the loyal bands
Avidius Cassius aimed, joining foul hands
With Cæsar's beauteous Empress: foiling these
The loving peoples and the loyal bands
Slew that arch rebel, sent his severed head
A tribute to the Court; but Marcus sighed
Seeing the bloody gift; and, musing, said:
“Happier I were to pardon!” when he spied
A tribute to the Court; but Marcus sighed
Seeing the bloody gift; and, musing, said:
“Happier I were to pardon!” when he spied
The accusing list, setting in deadly row
Names of the plotters, royally he rends
The scroll to shreds; quoth he: “Let me not know
Mine enemies, till I have made them friends!”
Names of the plotters, royally he rends
The scroll to shreds; quoth he: “Let me not know
Mine enemies, till I have made them friends!”
And as he lived, so died he; grand and meek,
Maintaining Antonine's sublimity,
Who, for last watchword, hardly strong to speak,
Gave the centurion “Equanimity.”
Maintaining Antonine's sublimity,
Who, for last watchword, hardly strong to speak,
Gave the centurion “Equanimity.”
Hear Marcus teach: “If thou with Gods would'st dwell,
Keep a contented mind; follow that guide
Whom Jove hath lodged within thy breast to tell
His will, and lead thee to the better side.
Keep a contented mind; follow that guide
Whom Jove hath lodged within thy breast to tell
His will, and lead thee to the better side.
96
“Either the Universe is Chaos, Chance;
Or else the Universe is Order, Law;
If that—die! and let pass the drunken dance;
If this—live and rejoice, in Love and Awe.
Or else the Universe is Order, Law;
If that—die! and let pass the drunken dance;
If this—live and rejoice, in Love and Awe.
“Offer that inner rule of Heaven's high Lord
A strong soul ripened by the life below;
A soldier at his post waiting the word;
A heart too grateful to be loath to go.
A strong soul ripened by the life below;
A soldier at his post waiting the word;
A heart too grateful to be loath to go.
“All which befitteth thee, befitteth me,
Thou Scheme of God! What to thee cometh right
To me comes right: if life or death it be
So let it be; good is it in my sight,
Thou Scheme of God! What to thee cometh right
To me comes right: if life or death it be
So let it be; good is it in my sight,
“If good in Jove's! Oh Mother Earth! I take
My rest with thee, right gladly lying down;
What! shall the poets praise Athens, and make
Songs to the City of the Violet Crown,
My rest with thee, right gladly lying down;
What! shall the poets praise Athens, and make
Songs to the City of the Violet Crown,
“And none praise Jove's great City, where we spent
Our span of yeats? 'Twas sweet therein to dwell;
Yet being bid to quit, go well content!
No tyrant orders; no harsh laws compel!
Our span of yeats? 'Twas sweet therein to dwell;
Yet being bid to quit, go well content!
No tyrant orders; no harsh laws compel!
97
“Who opened thee the City-gates, now closes;
Who named thee freeman, sends thee off the wall:
Depart obedient! Is there one supposes
The Ruler of the Rulers knows not all?
Who named thee freeman, sends thee off the wall:
Depart obedient! Is there one supposes
The Ruler of the Rulers knows not all?
“Depart submissive, glad! Die unrepining!
There is a Greater guardeth thee than thou,
Dearer than to thyself thy life's combining
Was to the Cosmos; death is better now!”
There is a Greater guardeth thee than thou,
Dearer than to thyself thy life's combining
Was to the Cosmos; death is better now!”
Was he not perfect? Will you scorn to wear
His aureus 'mid the gems? Yet lurking wonders
Perplex male minds, studying your strange sex, Dear!
For gazing on his countenance one ponders
His aureus 'mid the gems? Yet lurking wonders
Perplex male minds, studying your strange sex, Dear!
For gazing on his countenance one ponders
That grudge Faustina bore him. She—his wife—
Sharing the Purple, Lady of his glory,
Stained the imperial honours of his life
With shameful passions. Nay, I spare the story!
Sharing the Purple, Lady of his glory,
Stained the imperial honours of his life
With shameful passions. Nay, I spare the story!
They knew it—to the lowest Roman slave:
Living he would not punish; dead he made her
Obsequies splendid; stateliest mourning gave,
And in a glorious milk-white tomb he laid her.
Living he would not punish; dead he made her
Obsequies splendid; stateliest mourning gave,
And in a glorious milk-white tomb he laid her.
98
Ah, you will wear! You sternly judge Faustine!
Yet one point more:—his sword he whetted sharp,
To smite the followers of the Nazarene;
Hated the Christians, and burned Polycarp—
Yet one point more:—his sword he whetted sharp,
To smite the followers of the Nazarene;
Hated the Christians, and burned Polycarp—
For Rome's great sake! You lay it by again!
But, this—at best—we are; doubtless, 'tis pity
He could not love our gentle Christ, nor win
One woman's breast. Still, when he died, his City
But, this—at best—we are; doubtless, 'tis pity
He could not love our gentle Christ, nor win
One woman's breast. Still, when he died, his City
Voted him God; and every citizen
Bought bronzes of him, built them shrines at home;
Made him their household Lar, their Man of men;
Faustina's fool, Christ's foe, crowned saint of Rome!
Bought bronzes of him, built them shrines at home;
Made him their household Lar, their Man of men;
Faustina's fool, Christ's foe, crowned saint of Rome!
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