Chronicles and Characters By Robert Lytton (Owen Meredith): In Two Volumes |
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DOGE ORSO'S NIGHT'S WORK.
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 | Chronicles and Characters |  |
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DOGE ORSO'S NIGHT'S WORK.
(ELEVENTH CENTURY.)
1
In woeful plight, a piteous sight,The Exarch was that day
We Venice men sat round to hear
The tale he came to say.
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‘The Greek hath lost, with little costThe Lombard he hath won
To the iron crown, the stoutest town
That stands beneath the sun:
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‘For, while the old wolf LuitprandWas fighting for the Franks,
His wily nephew Hildebrand,
Among whose robber ranks
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4
‘Vicenza's Duke rode unabash'd,Hath seized Ravenna town,
And from the Imperial city dash'd
The Imperial standard down.’
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A joyful man the Exarch wasThe morrow of that day
We Venice men set sail again
To seize the Lombard's prey.
6
At close of day Ravenna layBefore us on the height:
We dropp'd adown beneath the town
After the fall of night:
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At fall of night there was no light,There was no noise of bells:
Without a sound we ran aground,
And fix'd our mangonels:
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At mid of night was sound and lightThro' all Ravenna town:
Loud rang the bells above the yells
Of thousands trampled down:
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9
At ope of day in fetters layThe Lombard Hildebrand:
The town was ours: about the towers
We roam'd, a merry band.
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The fight, God wot, was short and hot.“Bear Hildebrand aboard.
Renew your oath,” Doge Orso quoth,
“And take your lawful lord.
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“The Duke is dead,” he laughed, and said“The city is all our own.
Stand forth Exarch! To thee Saint Mark
Gives back Ravenna town.”
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Then all outright for great delightThe Exarch wept, I trow.
As he had woeful been before,
So was he joyful now.
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By that night's cost the Lombard lost,What our Duke Orso won
With great renown, the stoutest town
That stands beneath the sun.
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