And the wall, which now had moldered,
From its very age has fallen.
And Jamblika says,--whose beauty
Far exceedeth all the others,--
When the
fearfulshepherd lingers:--
"I will run, and food
procure you,
Life and piece of gold I'll wager!"--
Ephebus had many a year now
Own'd the teaching of the Prophet
Jesus (Peace be with the Good One!)
And he ran, and at the gateway
Were the warders and the others.
Yet he to the nearest baker's,
Seeking bread, went
swiftly onwards.--
"Rogue!" thus cried the baker--"hast thou,
Youth, a treasure, then, discover'd?
Give me,--for the gold betrays thee,--
Give me half, to keep thy secret!"--
And they quarrel.--To the monarch
Comes the matter; and the monarch
Fain would halve it, like the baker.
Now the
miracle is proven
Slowly by a hundred tokens.
He can e'en his right establish
To the palace he erected,
For a
pillar, when pierced open.
Leads to
wealth he said 'twould lead to.
Soon are gather'd there whole races,
Their
relationship to show him.
And as great-grandfather, nobly
Stands Jamblika's
youthful figure.
As of ancestors, he hears them,
Speaking of his son and grandsons.
His great-grandsons stand around him,
Like a race of
valiant mortals,
Him to honour,--him, the youngest.
And one token on another
Rises up, the proof completing;
The
identity is proven
Of himself, and of his comrades.
Now returns he to the cavern,
With him go both king and people.--
Neither to the king nor people
E'er returns that chosen mortal;
For the Seven, who for ages--
Eight was, with the dog, their number--
Had from all the world been sunder'd,
Gabriel's
mysterious power,
To the will of God obedient,
Hath to Paradise conducted,--
And the cave was closed for ever.
1814-15.
-----
SONGS FROM VARIOUS PLAYS, ETC
-----
FROM FAUST.
I.
DEDICATION.
YE
shadowy forms, again ye're
drawing near,
So wont of yore to meet my troubled gaze!
Were it in vain to seek to keep you here?
Loves still my heart that dream of olden days?
Oh, come then! and in pristine force appear,
Parting the vapor mist that round me plays!
My bosom finds its
youthful strength again,
Feeling the magic
breeze that marks your train.
Ye bring the forms of happy days of yore,
And many a shadow loved attends you too;
Like some old lay, whose dream was well nigh o'er,
First-love appears again, and friendship true;
Upon life's labyrinthine path once more
Is heard the sigh, and grief revives anew;
The friends are told, who, in their hour of pride,
Deceived by fortune, vanish'd from my side.
No longer do they hear my
plaintive song,
The souls to whom I sang in life's young day;
Scatter'd for ever now the friendly throng,
And mute, alas! each sweet responsive lay.
My strains but to the
careless crowd belong,
Their smiles but sorrow to my heart convey;
And all who heard my numbers erst with gladness,
If living yet, roam o'er the earth in sadness.
Long buried yearnings in my breast arise,
Yon calm and
solemn spirit-realm to gain;
Like the AEONIAN harp's sweet melodies,
My murmuring song breathes forth its changeful strain.
A trembling seizes me, tears fill mine eyes,
And softer grows my
rugged heart amain.
All I possess far distant seems to be,
The vanish'd only seems reality.
II.
PROLOGUE IN HEAVEN.
THE ARCHANGELS' SONG.
RAPHAEL.
THE sun still chaunts, as in old time,
With brother-spheres in choral song,
And with his thunder-march sublime
Moves his predestined course along.
Strength find the angels in his sight,
Though he by none may
fathomed be;
Still
glorious is each work of might
As when first form'd in majesty.
GABRIEL.
And swift and swift, in
wondrous guise,
Revolves the earth in splendour bright,
The
radiant hues of Paradise
Alternating with deepest night.
From out the gulf against the rock,
In spreading billows foams the ocean,--
And cliff and sea with
mighty shock,
The spheres whirl round in endless motion.
MICHAEL.
And storms in emulation growl
From land to sea, from sea to land,
And fashion, as they wildly howl,
A circling, wonder-working band.
Destructive flames in mad career
Precede Thy thunders on their way;
Yet, Lord, Thy messengers revere
The soft mutations of Thy day.
THE THREE.
Strength find the angels in Thy sight,
Though none may hope to
fathom Thee;
Still
glorious are Thy works of might,
As when first form'd in majesty.
III.
CHORUS OF ANGELS.
CHRIST is arisen!
Mortal, all hail!
Thou, of Earth's prison
Dreary and frail,
Bursting the veil,
Proudly hast risen!
CHORUS OF WOMEN.
Rich spices and myrrh,
To embalm Him we brought;
His
corpse to inter
His true followers sought.
In pure cerements shrin'd,
'Twas placed in the bier
But, alas! we now find
That Christ is not here.
CHORUS OF ANGELS.
Christ is arisen!
Speechless His love.
Who to Earth's prison
Came from above,
Trials to prove.
Now is He risen!
CHORUS OF YOUTHS.
Death's
gloomy portal
Now hath He rended,--
Living, immortal,
Heavenward ascended;
Freed from His anguish,
Sees He God's throne;
We still must languish,
Earthbound, alone.
Now that He's reft us,
Heart-sad we pine;
Why hast Thou left us,
Master divine?
CHORUS OF ANGELS.
Christ is arisen,
Death hath He slain;
Burst ye your prison,
Rend ye each chain!
Songs of praise lead ye,--
Love to show, heed ye,--
Hungry ones feed ye,--
Preaching, on speed ye,--
Coming joys plead ye,--
Then is the Master near,
Then is He here!
IV.
CHORUS OF SPIRITS.
VANISH, dark clouds on high,
Offspring of night!
Let a more
radiant beam
Through the blue ether gleam,
Charming the sight!
Would the dark clouds on high
Melt into air!
Stars
glimmer tenderly,
Planets more fair
Shed their soft light.
Spirits of heav'nly birth,
Fairer than sons of earth,
Quivering emotions true
Hover above;
Yearning affections, too,
In their train move.
See how the spirit-band,
By the soft
breezes fann'd,
Covers the smiling land,--
Covers the leafy grove,
Where happy lovers rove,
Deep in a dream of love,
True love that never dies!
Bowers on bowers rise,
Soft tendrils twine;