The poetical works of John Nicholson ... Carefully edited from the original editions, with additional notes and a sketch of his life and writings. By W. G. Hird |
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THE FALL OF BELSHAZZAR. |
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 | The poetical works of John Nicholson |  |
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THE FALL OF BELSHAZZAR.
Thus spoke Israel's God,—“Earth's inhabitants tell,
Great Babylon's fallen, confounded is Bel!
Merodach is broken! let Israel wave
Its flag o'er the idols which never could save!”
Great Babylon's fallen, confounded is Bel!
Merodach is broken! let Israel wave
Its flag o'er the idols which never could save!”
Her gates were of brass, and her ramparts were strong,
And there were the feasting, the dance, and the song;
Her horsemen were brave, and her archers were sure,
And her streets were perfumed till the zephyrs were pure.
And there were the feasting, the dance, and the song;
Her horsemen were brave, and her archers were sure,
And her streets were perfumed till the zephyrs were pure.
Her great heathen temples were grand to behold,
Their pillars were marble, their capitals gold;
Since Adam first dwelt in fair Eden alone,
Such glory and pomp on this earth never shone.
Their pillars were marble, their capitals gold;
Since Adam first dwelt in fair Eden alone,
Such glory and pomp on this earth never shone.
Poor Israel, imprisoned, oppressed with the rod,
Sat cheerless, but still they remembered their God;
No armour had they but the fast falling tear,
For the best arms of Israel were always a prayer.
Sat cheerless, but still they remembered their God;
No armour had they but the fast falling tear,
For the best arms of Israel were always a prayer.
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From the holes of the prison to Zion they turned
Their sorrowful features, and inwardly mourned;
They cried—“Let us once our Jerusalem see,
And, Lord, all our praise shall be given to Thee!”
Their sorrowful features, and inwardly mourned;
They cried—“Let us once our Jerusalem see,
And, Lord, all our praise shall be given to Thee!”
The Lord saw their tears, and an army came forth—
The terrible nations in arms from the north;
The beasts of the forest were never more strong,
And the very hills shook as the host marched along.
The terrible nations in arms from the north;
The beasts of the forest were never more strong,
And the very hills shook as the host marched along.
All drunk in the city, none saw them advance;
The music was there, and the timbrel and dance;
The feast and the pleasures beneath night's dark pall,
They thought not how soon the great city must fall,
The music was there, and the timbrel and dance;
The feast and the pleasures beneath night's dark pall,
They thought not how soon the great city must fall,
As the army drew nearer, no trumpet was heard,
No flashing of spears or of helmets appeared;
But their armour was such as but giants could wield,
And their spears were as num'rous as corn in the field.
No flashing of spears or of helmets appeared;
But their armour was such as but giants could wield,
And their spears were as num'rous as corn in the field.
The horsemen were spread in the front of the line—
Chaldea! such horsemen were never yet thine;
On the high northern hills, many furlongs afar,
Stretched miles either way, was the rear of the war.
Chaldea! such horsemen were never yet thine;
On the high northern hills, many furlongs afar,
Stretched miles either way, was the rear of the war.
As, guided by Heaven, the strong rampart they found,
And hundreds of soldiers soon cut up the ground,
Euphrates, released, ran swift from its bed,
As the sign that great Babylon's glory was fled.
And hundreds of soldiers soon cut up the ground,
Euphrates, released, ran swift from its bed,
As the sign that great Babylon's glory was fled.
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Then thousands and thousands effected a pass,
And found all unbolted the strong gates of brass;
In silence they marched, till the palace they found,
Then the trump of the host was commanded to sound.
And found all unbolted the strong gates of brass;
In silence they marched, till the palace they found,
Then the trump of the host was commanded to sound.
The brave sought their armour, the cowardly fled,
And terror through every palace was spread:
Such terror, such paleness the city spread o'er,
As no trumpets can cause till old time is no more.
And terror through every palace was spread:
Such terror, such paleness the city spread o'er,
As no trumpets can cause till old time is no more.
Belshazzar's strong army awoke from their rest,
And buckled a breastplate on every breast;
But the armour was rusted, and blunt was the spear,
No sharp-whetted swords, though the foe was so near.
And buckled a breastplate on every breast;
But the armour was rusted, and blunt was the spear,
No sharp-whetted swords, though the foe was so near.
The torches were lighted, and blazed on each tower,
The scene which they showed quite unnerved every power;
For the arms of the foes were all polished so bright,
That each seemed a torch by reflecting the light.
The scene which they showed quite unnerved every power;
For the arms of the foes were all polished so bright,
That each seemed a torch by reflecting the light.
The Medians, drunk in the monarch's proud court,
The vessels destroyed, and made grandeur their sport;
But those which belonged to the house of the Lord,
Were all by the warriors, though barb'rous, restored.
The vessels destroyed, and made grandeur their sport;
But those which belonged to the house of the Lord,
Were all by the warriors, though barb'rous, restored.
When drunken with wine, the wine ran a flood,
Then they fought through the streets in a torrent of blood;
Their swords were as red as the wine they had drunk,
And little they fought ere ten thousand had sunk.
Then they fought through the streets in a torrent of blood;
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And little they fought ere ten thousand had sunk.
The garments of princesses hung on their spears,
And the crown of a prince on the pavement appears;
The mighty Belshazzar is dragged from his seat,
And the gems of his throne are as dust in the street.
And the crown of a prince on the pavement appears;
The mighty Belshazzar is dragged from his seat,
And the gems of his throne are as dust in the street.
The breasts of the num'rous white chargers were red
With the blood which had flowed from the dying and dead;
The bright helms of steel, which the Medians wore,
Were spotted all over with Babylon's gore.
With the blood which had flowed from the dying and dead;
The bright helms of steel, which the Medians wore,
Were spotted all over with Babylon's gore.
When morning arose, what dread terrors appeared!
The streets of the city, which nothing had feared,
Were strewed o'er with slain, and nor music nor mirth
Shall ever sound more—for 'tis sunk to the earth.
The streets of the city, which nothing had feared,
Were strewed o'er with slain, and nor music nor mirth
Shall ever sound more—for 'tis sunk to the earth.
The shouts of the captives now joyful arise,
And the praises of Israel ascend to the skies.
The princes of earth, and the tyrants of all;
If God be against them, how certain their fall!
And the praises of Israel ascend to the skies.
The princes of earth, and the tyrants of all;
If God be against them, how certain their fall!
Awake, all ye captives! ye dead, from the grave!
Shout—“The idols are broken which never could save!”
And bear it, ye winds!—earth's inhabitants, tell
Great Babylon's fallen, confounded is Bel!
Shout—“The idols are broken which never could save!”
And bear it, ye winds!—earth's inhabitants, tell
Great Babylon's fallen, confounded is Bel!
| The poetical works of John Nicholson | |