Poems By Alfred Domett |
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PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS
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219
PAUL PREACHING AT ATHENS
SUGGESTED BY THE CARTOON OF RAFFAELLE.
The glorious gathering of palaces,
Where groves of whitest pillars proudly rose,—
The temples, rife with capital and frieze,
And frequent with the silent life which glows
In marble statues, mocking human woes
And frail Mortality, with godlike mien,
And pure perfection of divine repose,
Secure as calm, immortal as serene,—
Made Athens and her hill a more than earthly scene.
Where groves of whitest pillars proudly rose,—
The temples, rife with capital and frieze,
And frequent with the silent life which glows
In marble statues, mocking human woes
And frail Mortality, with godlike mien,
And pure perfection of divine repose,
Secure as calm, immortal as serene,—
Made Athens and her hill a more than earthly scene.
As two long waves approach with swelling might,
And meeting—ere in backward curl o'erthrown—
Shoot up with boiling crests to equal height;
So reared that hill its tower-studded crown:
Like foam-streaks, on its verdure-chequered brown
The girdling walls ran up from side to side;
And high o'er all, Minerva's fane looked down
In dignified reserve, retiring pride—
And like her own chaste brow—still, solemn, quiet-eyed.
And meeting—ere in backward curl o'erthrown—
Shoot up with boiling crests to equal height;
So reared that hill its tower-studded crown:
Like foam-streaks, on its verdure-chequered brown
The girdling walls ran up from side to side;
And high o'er all, Minerva's fane looked down
In dignified reserve, retiring pride—
And like her own chaste brow—still, solemn, quiet-eyed.
220
But with far nobler charms that fair clime shone;
In every porch and grove young Genius stept;
Seemed it her very Atmosphere had grown
Subtle with Intellect; the sunbeam crept
Athwart her pillared shades, and on it slept
The Spirit of deep Musing; Attic bees
On her lone hills a thoughtful music kept;
Inquiry murmured in the plaintive breeze,
And stooped in pensive Reverie the stilly trees.
In every porch and grove young Genius stept;
Seemed it her very Atmosphere had grown
Subtle with Intellect; the sunbeam crept
Athwart her pillared shades, and on it slept
The Spirit of deep Musing; Attic bees
On her lone hills a thoughtful music kept;
Inquiry murmured in the plaintive breeze,
And stooped in pensive Reverie the stilly trees.
There all the little vain, the humble great,
Of the Mind's children dwelt;—her throne of Pride
It was,—her ever-famed, world-worshipped seat
Of centuries of Triumph:—thither hied
Sage, Sophist, Bard, Philosopher, and vied
In wrestling-bouts of Reason;—keenly blind
Each wildest wilderness of Thought they tried;
Their marts the Schools—Wisdom their wealth refined,
They long monopolised all merchandise of Mind.
Of the Mind's children dwelt;—her throne of Pride
It was,—her ever-famed, world-worshipped seat
Of centuries of Triumph:—thither hied
Sage, Sophist, Bard, Philosopher, and vied
In wrestling-bouts of Reason;—keenly blind
Each wildest wilderness of Thought they tried;
Their marts the Schools—Wisdom their wealth refined,
They long monopolised all merchandise of Mind.
Thither, well-nigh two thousand years ago,
While some dreamed dreams ingeniously untrue,
And more, in wonted idlesse, to and fro,
Lounged listlessly in search of “something new,”
Toil-worn and travel-soiled came there a Jew:
While the broad Sun did westering expand,—
Simple, august, serene, amid a crew
Of hoary sages, dark-browed, subtle band,
High-raised on Mars's hill, methought I saw him stand!
While some dreamed dreams ingeniously untrue,
And more, in wonted idlesse, to and fro,
Lounged listlessly in search of “something new,”
Toil-worn and travel-soiled came there a Jew:
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Simple, august, serene, amid a crew
Of hoary sages, dark-browed, subtle band,
High-raised on Mars's hill, methought I saw him stand!
His outstretched arms seemed raised to waft his soul
Far o'er the Abyss, the unfathomable Sky,
Where the great mysteries of the Future roll;
Majestically still, his lighted eye,
Dilating to embrace Eternity,
Deep-held in awe appeared, as by the vast
Presence of mighty Thoughts, divinely high,
Which o'er his mind their brooding Shadows cast,
And terribly sublime, entranced him as they past!
Far o'er the Abyss, the unfathomable Sky,
Where the great mysteries of the Future roll;
Majestically still, his lighted eye,
Dilating to embrace Eternity,
Deep-held in awe appeared, as by the vast
Presence of mighty Thoughts, divinely high,
Which o'er his mind their brooding Shadows cast,
And terribly sublime, entranced him as they past!
In various mood, around him listening prest,
The Stoic, who plucked passions up, like weeds,
And rooted all the man from out his breast;
And he who gave a loose in words and deeds
To that sad bitterness man's baseness breeds—
The snarling Cynic; and the tribe whose aim,
The present pleasure to which virtue leads,
Was oft exchanged for that which vice may claim;—
With these came many more of every sect and name.
The Stoic, who plucked passions up, like weeds,
And rooted all the man from out his breast;
And he who gave a loose in words and deeds
To that sad bitterness man's baseness breeds—
The snarling Cynic; and the tribe whose aim,
The present pleasure to which virtue leads,
Was oft exchanged for that which vice may claim;—
With these came many more of every sect and name.
The Epicurean scowled to hear of meed
And penance paid on that extremest Day;
The Cynic laughed to think another creed
Would lend excuse to persecute and slay;
The Stoic heard without confest dismay,
Words which the Mind's stern mastery o'erthrew
And spurned its self-sufficiency away;
The haughty Roman scorned the humble Jew;
And smiling calm contempt, the polished Greek withdrew.
And penance paid on that extremest Day;
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Would lend excuse to persecute and slay;
The Stoic heard without confest dismay,
Words which the Mind's stern mastery o'erthrew
And spurned its self-sufficiency away;
The haughty Roman scorned the humble Jew;
And smiling calm contempt, the polished Greek withdrew.
Some mocked in mirthful wonderment, and thought
Madness alone in such wild visions dealt;
With upraised brows, protruded lips—some sought
To look the candour which they never felt,
And much on common sense and reason dwelt;
Some seemed to feel Philosophy required
Fair hearing even for error; others knelt,
Such love and reverence his words inspired:
But his presumption more with indignation fired.
Madness alone in such wild visions dealt;
With upraised brows, protruded lips—some sought
To look the candour which they never felt,
And much on common sense and reason dwelt;
Some seemed to feel Philosophy required
Fair hearing even for error; others knelt,
Such love and reverence his words inspired:
But his presumption more with indignation fired.
And thrilling 'twas, that memorable day
To hear such lips to men like those rehearse
The wonder-works of Deity; display
In eloquence, electric, burning, terse,
The solemn Spirit of the Universe.
Unmoved by withering glance, full fiercely hurled,
Ill-feigned indifference, or open curse;
The lip compressed in hate, or scornful curled;
He stood—the moral Atlas of a mightier world!
To hear such lips to men like those rehearse
The wonder-works of Deity; display
In eloquence, electric, burning, terse,
The solemn Spirit of the Universe.
Unmoved by withering glance, full fiercely hurled,
Ill-feigned indifference, or open curse;
The lip compressed in hate, or scornful curled;
He stood—the moral Atlas of a mightier world!
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Oh would he to our awe-struck gaze appear,
As then he seemed—a Being of the Sky—
Majestic tenant of a nobler Sphere—
Creation gathered on his brow—his eye
Sublime with Immortality!
Can that be he—the peasant churl insane—
The scorn of that illustrious company—
Barbarian babbler, visionary vain?
Oh could the pride of Mind that glorious One disdain!
As then he seemed—a Being of the Sky—
Majestic tenant of a nobler Sphere—
Creation gathered on his brow—his eye
Sublime with Immortality!
Can that be he—the peasant churl insane—
The scorn of that illustrious company—
Barbarian babbler, visionary vain?
Oh could the pride of Mind that glorious One disdain!
Nov. 1832.
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