Chronicles and Characters By Robert Lytton (Owen Meredith): In Two Volumes |
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GENSERIC. |
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 | Chronicles and Characters |  |
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GENSERIC.
Genseric, King of the Vandals, who, having laid waste seven lands,From Tripolis far as Tangier, from the sea to the Great Desert sands,
Was lord of the Moor and the African,—thirsting anon for new slaughter,
Sail'd out of Carthage, and sail'd o'er the Mediterranean water;
Plunder'd Palermo, seized Sicily, sack'd the Lucanian coast,
And paused, and said, laughing, “Where next?”
Then there came to the Vandal a Ghost
From the Shadowy Land that lies hid and unknown in the Darkness Below,
And answer'd, “To Rome!”
Said the King to the Ghost, “And whose envoy art thou?
Whence art thou? and name me his name that hath sent thee: and say what is thine.”
“From far: and His name that hath sent me is God,” the Ghost answer'd, “and mine
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But arise, and be swift, and return. For God waits, and the moment is late.”
And “I go,” said the Vandal. And went.
When at last to the gates he was come,
Loud he knock'd with his fierce iron fist. And full drowsily answer'd him Rome.
“Who is it that knocketh so loud? Get thee hence. Let me be. For 'tis late.”
“Thou art wanted,” cried Genseric. “Open! His name that hath sent me is Fate,
And mine, who knock late, Retribution.”
Rome gave him her glorious things:
The keys she had conquer'd from kingdoms: the crowns she had wrested from kings:
And Genseric bore them away into Carthage, avenged thus on Rome,
And paused, and said, laughing, “Where next?”
And again the Ghost answer'd him, “Home!
For now God doth need thee no longer.”
“Where leadest thou me by the hand?”
Cried the King to the Ghost. And the Ghost answer'd, “Into the Shadowy Land.”
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