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Efforts

By An Invalid [i.e. John Galt]

Galt, John (1779-1839)

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THE APOCALYPSE OF ST. COLM.

THE LEGEND OF THE FLOWERS.

DISTRESS

THE DOMINIE.

THE WORLD OF SPIRITS.

A REVEL.

THE BEGINNING.

THE END.

AKAH, A TALE OF THE FLOOD.

THE QUEEN OF BABYLON.

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THE QUEEN OF BABYLON.

I

“Sound all your trumpets, the war banners wave,
“Come forth, ye virgins, with cymbals and songs,
“Ring the glad timbrels—shout, shout for the brave—
“Ninus of Babylon welcome in throngs!
“Gods but avenge, and to them he belongs;—
“Ninus, the victor,—the Lord of the great,
“Refulgent avenger!—has struck for our wrongs—
“Dread was his arm, and his presence was Fate!”

II

Such were the tumults of exulting joy
That hail'd King Ninus, conqueror from the war,
While, from her gates in numerous deploy,
The might of Babylon was pour'd afar.
Aloft, high-thron'd, on his triumphal car,
With swelling heart of gorgeous pride, he sees
The joyful myriads that his progress mar
Towards that dome where sits Semiramis,

III

The peerless slave, whose dazzling image shone
Still ever brighter to his heart of hearts;—
All the renown he had so glorious' won,
To aid his suit, but a fond hope imparts;
For more was she than aught of kingly arts
The charm of life to him. His crown and fame
He would have barter'd for those cares and smarts,
That only love bestows, or raptures claim.

IV

But she had still been cold, averse, and shy,
When he the throbbings of his bosom told;
And, though his slave, would ever weep and sigh,
Shrinking dejected from his ardent fold;
Nor aught esteem'd of garniture or gold
The King could give—the Babylonian King!—
Her thoughts were ever in those bowers of old,
Where she had sung the songs that maidens sing

V

To win the youths they love. A shepherd swain,
The blithest denizen, in gayest prime,
That bloom'd on mountain, or caress'd on plain,
Sought her fair hand. Oh, Destiny, sublime!
Can e'er in thy decrees be aught of crime?
Their day of bliss was come—the bridal day,
When festal hearts beat high.—'Twas in that time
The royal hunter bore the bride away!

VI

The young king Ninus had, on that fair morn,
With glitt'ring satraps and their slaves gone forth
To hunt the Lion, when a joyful horn,
And gleams of glee, and constant sunshine mirth
Gladden'd his ear, amidst the desert's dearth
Of cheerful sounds, and lur'd him from the chace,
To see what merriment had come to birth,
So jocund, free, in that gay silvan place.

VII

He saw Semiramis—he saw no more—
Sole as the noontide sun, he saw her shine;
And, as the stars its heavenly beams before,
The bridal-maids sank in her light divine.
Amaz'd, he paus'd, then with a sultan sign
He bade his nobles seize the frighten'd fair;
The guests fled scatt'ring,—pale but yet benign
The captive yielded, victim to despair.

VIII

With many a feast and regal banquet bright,
The halls of Babylon resound amain;
But she still dismal as the darkest night,
Sad as the east wind, can but moan and 'plain.
Yet all intent her willing love to gain,
He plans the war to play the hero's part,
And thence victorious, and exulting vain,
Deems her his conquest, his reward her heart.

IX

Pleas'd as his trains triumphant coming ride,
High on the loftiest of the palace towers
He sees her radiant stand in robes of pride—
Hope cheers desire, and strews the road with flowers.
“Oh speed,” he cries, “ye leaden-footed hours:
“Give me, O give her far diviner charms,—
“That conquering grace which reign'd in distant bowers,
“Guerdon of glory, beauteous meed of arms!”

X

Such glowing bliss, as the bright morning star
Sheds as it harbingers returning day,
Her smiles shine to him as he quits the car,
And from the portal wends his golden way.
But who shall tell what ecstacies obey
The ravish'd impulse of his beating breast,
When on his bosom, timid, sad, yet gay,
With trembling pressure, she her love confest.

XI

“All that I have be thine,” he raptur'd cried,
“This joy is as the joys of many years
“In one bless'd moment felt; let me be tried
“In my sincerity;” she but with tears
Answer'd his fondness, and yet more endears,
With playful blandishments, his truth to prove,
And then all smiles, with love's delicious jeers,
She gaily tests him for a proof of love.

XII

“Take all, take all, be Regent over all;”
But she, soft blushing, at the offer shy,
Said, “for this day, then, you may be my thrall,
“But for this day—nay, now, you can't deny,
“Let me enjoy the taste of Sovereignty.”
And round his neck her fond embrace she wreath'd—
Sigh'd as she smil'd, a soul subduing sigh,
And strong enchantments o'er his spirit breath'd.

XIII

Won by her spells, he bade the grave Vizier
Her duly rev'rence as the sceptred Queen,
And laugh'd, to see the pliant slaves revere
The haughty Sovereign of the regal scene;
But she, unmov'd, said with undaunted mein,
“Write, Vizier, write, the Captain of the guard
“Must yield his trust to him who bears this skreen,—
“As you obey, so shall be your reward.

XIV

She then proclaim'd a high triumphal feast
For her great thrall, their abdicated lord,
Return'd from battle, and each courtly guest
To come in robes of peace, without his sword.
Ninus laugh'd loud, to see with what accord
The obedient nobles to her will attend;—
None came so mirthful to that festal board,
As he, who deem'd himself the welcom'd friend.

XV

On high, above the gorgeous lamps, enspher'd,
Harmonious musicants and minstrels play'd;
The vaulted roofs were with their anthems cheer'd,
And echoing halls the flying notes delay'd.
Around, chain'd captives wond'ring homage paid,
Aw'd by the pompous Babylonian rite,
And serving slaves in cluster'd gems array'd,
Seem'd orbed lights of starry jewels bright.

XVI

With golden diadems on thrones sublime,
Stern vassals frown'd, a hundred conquer'd kings;
And near, as sullenly as seized in crime,
With clouded visages, their champions cringe;
High o'er the guests, as from resplendent wings,
The swinging censers, scatt'ring incense, gleam,
And all are garmented, as fancy brings
The ens of glory to the Poet's dream.

XVII

There beauty rays its smiles,—the beams of joy,
And there the jocund ply the sparkling jest;
While pale, but sovereign, there the Queen on high,
With glancing vision, searches every guest.—
A thoughtless truant, from her dread behest,
She saw a slave, entranc'd by habitude,
Before King Ninus placing unrepress'd,
Heedless of her as Queen, the trencher'd good.

XVIII

With low'ring aspect, she indignant rose,
And, pallid, bade the serving menials seize
The erring caitiff. Rising to oppose
Her stern intent, her doting lord she sees;
But, as a tower amidst the summer breeze,
Serene she stood, and bade the silent slaves
Bear the doomed traitor to her dignities
A headless body to the field of graves.

XIX

Aw'd by her frown, the King, soft whisp'ring, said—
“I wish this banquet of commands were o'er.”
“What!” she exclaim'd, “What, rebel thoughts invade!
“Do you then wish my Sovereignty no more?
“Hence, treach'rous, hence!—Be mantled with thy gore!
“Guards, seize the slave that would abridge our sway,
“And send him quick to him that died before!”
The guards rush in—her brother they obey.

XX

Then, with the voice of one in jeopardy,
While dumb appall'd the startled thousands gaz'd,
She calls Assar from his obscurity,
And forth a shepherd comes. The court, amaz'd,
Wist not his office; but still brighter blaz'd
Her kindled spirit, and, with accents dread,
She bade him go, where dies the King debas'd,
And in a charger bring the rebel's head.

XXI

The trembling throng beheld him slowly move,
Not with reluctance, but with stately stride.
In his star-eyes shone vengeance mixed with love,
And in his wrathful air exulting pride:—
Him soon the screens of mingling curtains hide;
And all is still, as when apart, unseen,
Some dreadful deed is done. The satraps ey'd
The wan majestic sternness of the Queen;

XXII

And, low inquiring, ask'd, with fear and doubt,
“Who was the stranger, that so stalwart strode?”—
When, all aghast, they heard a sound without,
As if the awful business of a God
Was acting there. The silent satraps nod
Towards each other, and the fearful Throng,
Of grim phantasmas, in their spirits bode,
As proud Assar return'd sublime along.

XXIII

A lordly dish, with damask linen spread,
He bears before him. Through the wond'ring halls,
On to the Queen he moves with sounding tread:—
Silence is startled, and the sound appals
The viewless echoes of the pictur'd walls.—
Yes! an avenger stalks triumphant there;
And now he reverent at her footstool falls—
She lifts the veil, and sees thy gift, Despair!

XXIV

“Thus may they perish!” she exclaim'd aloud,
“The ruthless guilty, in their dreams of bliss,
“And ever be the bridal sheet a shroud
“To those, remorseless, that drive Love to this!
“Rise Babylonians, share my happiness;—
“Behold your King!—my Lord, Assar, behold!
“Shout and rejoice!—the Gods, that give success,
“Have crown'd with victory the true and bold!”