Feda with Other Poems Chiefly Lyrical. By Rennell Rodd ... With an Etching by Harper Pennington |
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JUBA'S DEATH. |
 | Feda with Other Poems |  |
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JUBA'S DEATH.
Cæsar landing and Pompey dead;
Sittius beaten and Juba fled!
Sittius beaten and Juba fled!
Lines that close in a narrow ring,
And the gates of Zama shut on the king!
And the gates of Zama shut on the king!
Swift as flight to the end of day,
The king and the Roman ride away.
The king and the Roman ride away.
Numidian Juba, the Roman's friend,
Friendless, crownless, and near the end,
Friendless, crownless, and near the end,
With old Petreius scored with scars,
Won for Rome in the Spanish wars;
Won for Rome in the Spanish wars;
A kingdom lost and an empire won—
And over the desert sinks the sun!
And over the desert sinks the sun!
Into a village the old men ride
As the hours draw to the eventide,
As the hours draw to the eventide,
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And the swarthy landfolk quake to see
The blood splashed over their horses' knee.
The blood splashed over their horses' knee.
“Scour the village in haste and bring
“What cheer ye have, it is I, the king!”
“What cheer ye have, it is I, the king!”
Side by side in the village street
The king and the Roman sat at meat.
The king and the Roman sat at meat.
The sun stood still on the desert line
As they filled their helms to the brim with wine,
As they filled their helms to the brim with wine,
And first they poured with their bloody hands
A helmet full in the thirsty sands.
A helmet full in the thirsty sands.
“In many a battle side by side,
“Comrade mine, were we used to ride.”
“Comrade mine, were we used to ride.”
“To the god of battles,” the red king saith,
“To the good friends gone, and the truce of death!
“To the good friends gone, and the truce of death!
“Fill me again, and then drink deep,
“Night draws on and it's time to sleep.”
“Night draws on and it's time to sleep.”
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A star dawned clear in the blue o'erhead
As the red king bared his sword and said,
As the red king bared his sword and said,
“Comrade mine, by the love you bear,
“Draw your blade from its sheath and swear,
“Draw your blade from its sheath and swear,
“If first I fall in the loyal strife
“We will do for death as of old for life.
“We will do for death as of old for life.
“Grip me the hand and swear as I
“On the self same sword you will fall and die!”
“On the self same sword you will fall and die!”
Face to face by the desert sand
The king and the Roman take their stand.
The king and the Roman take their stand.
“Now, old friend, for the true sword-play,
“Face to face in the warrior way!”
“Face to face in the warrior way!”
And the large stars grew in the Eastern sky;
Merry was life and—now to die!
Merry was life and—now to die!
Flashed their blades in the starry light,
Clashed the steel on the still of night,
Clashed the steel on the still of night,
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Laughed they hoarse as the blows fell fast;
Merry his laugh who laughs at last.
Merry his laugh who laughs at last.
Parry and counter and—“curse the sand!”
Thurst and parry and—“hold thine hand!”
Thurst and parry and—“hold thine hand!”
A fall! no groan, but a clutch at dust—
The king struck home with a master thrust!
The king struck home with a master thrust!
Forcing the blade out, jagged and gored,
Fell himself on the self same sword.
Fell himself on the self same sword.
So they lay in the starlight side by side—
That was the way that the red king died!
That was the way that the red king died!
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