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Page 1 of 51899 · PDF PAGE 63
JEPHTHAH. 4! To give Thee thanks, nor take ungratefully This first of favours from the Hand Divine. SOLDIERS. A noble vow: and God is glad thereat. PROPHET. I charge you in the name of God, go not ! ‘I see a mischief fallen on your souls Most bitter. Aye! an evil day is this If ye go forth with such a sacrifice, And vows most hideous in their consequence. SOLDIERS. It is the prophet of the Lord. JEPHTHAH. Possessed By Baal; scourge him hence; he lies, for God With powerful proof and many lightnings came Devouring up the offering at the altar. P…
1899 · PDF PAGE 69
…this Monstrous impossible villainy of fate. CHORUS. O wise old man, thou speakest cleverly. AHINOAM. So do, and praise be given you from God. ELEAZAR. God, Who this day has sliumbered not, nor slept, He only keepeth Israel: He is God! CHORUS. When God uplifted hands to smite, And earth from chaos was unrolled, And skies and seas from blackest night Unfurled, twin sapphires set with gold, And tumult of the boisterous deep Roared from its slow ungainly sleep, And flocks of heaven were driven to fold, Then rose the walls of Israel] steep, For in H…
1899 · PDF PAGE 80
…will await, and hide myself away Behind yon bushes, to behold the plot Bud to fulfilment. Then, Leviathan, I am thy master. Mockery of a God That seest this thing prosper—Ha! thine altar! Let me give thanks, Jehovah! O thou God That rulest Israel as sheep and slaves, But over me no ruler; thou proud God - That marshallest these petty thunder-clouds That blacken over the inane abyss But canst not tame one fierce desire of mine, Nor satiate my hatred, nor destroy This power of mine over thy devil-brood, The hatchment of thine incest, O thou God W…
1899 · PDF PAGE 32
…nd the struggle is keen as the strife to be, And the heart is tossed by the thankless wind. ELEAZAR, Nay, for a man’s sure purpose is of God. CHORUS. The large pale limbs of the earth are tanned With the sun and the sea and the yellow sand And the face of earth is dark with love Of the lords of hell and the spirits above That move in the foggy air of night, And the spirit of God, most like a dove, Hovers, and lingers, and wings his flight, Spurned and rejected and lost to sight; But we desire him, a holy bird, And we turn eyes to the hollow hil…
1899 · PDF PAGE 58
…their hinges The soul of the sage may discern, Till the water with crimson that tinges Beyond them miraculous burn ; And the presence of God to the senses Is the passion of God in the mind, As the string of a harp that intenses The note that its fire may not find. For here in the tumult and labour And blindness of cowering man, _ The spirit has God for a neighbour, And the wheels unreturning that ran Return to the heart of the roses, And curl in the new blossom now, As the holiest fire that encloses Gray flame on the holiest brow. So midnight w…
1899 · PDF PAGE 149
…y white his beard descended, Flecked with foeman’s crimson gore, And he rose and grasped his broadsword, And he prayed to mighty Thor : “God of thunder, god of battle, God of pillage and of war, Hear the King of Scotland dying On the Leny’s thundrous shore! “Thrice three hundred have I smitten With my single arm this day; Now of life my soul is weary, I am old, I pass away. “Grant me this, immortal monarch, _ Such a tomb as ne’er before, Such a tomb as never after - Monarch thought or monarch saw.”
1899 · PDF PAGE 163
…I walk. Man’s darkness is a leathern sheath, Myself the sun-bright sword ! I have no fear, nor doubt, nor sorrow now, For I give Self to God—I give my best Of soul and blood and brain To my poor Art—there comes to me somehow This fact: Man’s work is God made manifest; Life is all Peace again. And Dreams are beyond life. Their wider scope, Limitless Empire o’er the world of thought, Help my desires to press Beyond all stars toward God and Heaven and Hope; And in the world-amazing chase is wrought Somehow—all Happiness.
1899 · PDF PAGE 55
…it, did determine To gather all his people, and to pitch Tents hostile in the plains before Jahaz. And there he fought with Israel ; but God Delivered Sihon to our hands, and all That followed him: whom therefore we destroyed With many slaughters: so we dispossessed _ The envious Amorites, and had their land, A land whose borders were the Ammon brook On the one hand, and on the other Jabbok And Jordan: we, who slew the Amorites. What hast thou, king of Ammon, here to do? How thinkst thou to inherit their possessions That the Lord God hath given…
1899 · PDF PAGE 70
…sacred songs ineffable, In all the words of power that fly About the world, this song they spell : He keepeth Israel. AHINOAM. Ye praise God of full heart: I would to God Your minds were somewhat fuller, and could keep Discretion seated on her ivory throne. What folly is it they will now be at, Gray beards, and goatish manners? Hearken them! CHORUS. In the brave old days ere men began To bind young hearts with an iron tether, Ere love was brief as life, a span, Ere love was light as life, a feather, Earth was free as the glad wild weather, God …
1899 · PDF PAGE 29
JEPHTHAH. Throbbing with fire more potent than all wine, All sting of fleshly pangs and pleasures. Oh! The god is fast upon my back ; he rides My spirit like a stallion ; for I hate The awful thong his hand is heavy with. ELEAZAR. Speak, for the god compels, and we behold. PROPHET. A harlot shall be mother of Israel. CHORUS. He speaks of her who sighed for Gilead. PROPHET. A maiden shall be slain for many men. CHORUS. A doubtful word, and who shall fathom it? | PROPHET. Thy help is from the hills and desert lands. CHORUS. Our help is from the h…
1899 · PDF PAGE 19
… is poured, And all the earth is blasted ; the green sward Burns where it touches, and the barren sod Rejects the poison of the blood of God. Yet, through the foam of waters that enclose Their sweet salt bosoms, through the summer rose, Through flowers of fatal fire, through fields of air That summer squanders, ere the bright moon bare Her maiden bosom, through the kissing gold Where lovers’ lips are molten, and breasts hold Their sister bodies, and deep eyes are wed, And fire of fire enflowers the sacred head Of mingling passion, through the s…
1899 · PDF PAGE 18
xviii PRELUDE. Stage thunders mock the once terrific nod That spoke the fury of the Christian God, Whose slaves deny, too cowardly to abjure, Their desecrated Moloch. The impure Godhead is powerless, even on the slave, Who once could scar the forehead of the brave, Break love’s heart pitiful, and reach the strong Through stricken children, and a mother’s wrong. Day after darkness, life beyond the tomb! Manhood reluctant from religion’s womb Leaps, and sweet laughters flash for freedom’s birth That thrills the old bosom of maternal earth. The da…
1899 · PDF PAGE 30
8 JEPHTHAH. CHORUS. And who shall bridle him, or turn his way? For Fate alone of gods, inflexible, And careless of men’s deeds, is firm in heaven. PROPHET. I see a sword whose hilt is to thy hand. CHORUS. But which of us shall wield the shining blade? PROPHET. I see a dove departing to the hills. CHORUS. I pray it bring an olive-branch to us. PROPHET. The god has overcome me, I am silent. CHORUS. He lies as one lies dead; none wakens him. Nor life nor death must touch him now: beware! ELEAZAR. Beware now, all ye old wise men, of this. For high …
1899 · PDF PAGE 232
210 MYSTERIES: I wonder whither, and I wonder why. No ray of light this sea of blood illumes. I wonder whether God will let me die.
1899 · PDF PAGE 37
…is sure. But they come hither. Shall we rather flee ? ELEAZAR. I stand here manly, and will die a man. CHORUS. For cowardice not pleases God, nor fear. Shall we not take up weapons? Or shall He Rather defend us with His Holy Arm, We not presuming in our arrogance To come with cunning, and defend ourselves ? ELEAZAR. Nay, but God smites with sharpness of our swords, CHORUS. The sword is made sharp in our hands, but the point He shall guide; We grasp the tough ash of the spear, but His hand is beside ; We drive in a cloud at the foe, but His char…
1899 · PDF PAGE 81
… What is this blackened and distorted thing? , A SOLDIER. | Some fellow by the altar that kept watch, Some faithful fellow—he is gone to God. JEPHTHAH. How is ’t the cattle have been driven home? I trusted we had found a tender lamb, A lamb of the first year, unblemished, white, To greet me, that we do meet sacrifice, Fulfilling thus my vow, and all our duty. [A nose of timbrels and singing. Surely some merriment—our news hath reached. Glad news and welcome: God is very good. Enter Adulah, running, followed by singing Maidens.
1899 · PDF PAGE 35
JEPHTHAH. 13 Who high truth and faith may swear, And betray us at the end /To his robber bands. So we clasp our humble hands, Praying God to lift His sword From our bleeding state, that stands Tottering to its fall. Though we call not Jephthah back To repel the harsh attack, Nor his followers call, Hear thou, O Most High, give ear To our pitiful complaint: Under woes of war we faint. Pity, Lord of Hosts, our fear! Hear, Most High, oh, hear! ° Enter Messenger. MESSENGER. My lords, take heed now, prayer is good to save - While yet the foemen are …
1899 · PDF PAGE 214
…lime satiety, But rather crescent, hotter with the flame Of its own burning, that consumes it not, Because it is the pure white flame of God. I shudder, holding thee to me; thy gaze Is still on me; a thousand years have passed, And yet a thousand thousand ; years they are As men count years, and yet we stand and gaze With touching hands and lips immutable As mortals stand a moment; and no more Is any Sequence, nor Position, Nor any Self, since Death and difference Of all eternal things are passed away: The universe is One: One Soul, One Spirit,…
1899 · PDF PAGE 158
…t know no sea, Where ocean’s stormy greeting Fills no man’s heart with glee ; Where lovers die or sever, And death destroys for ever And God bears slavery. Fly thither, so thou leave us That no man’s hand may reave us Of this—that we are free. Free all men that may heed thee, On freemen’s praises feed thee, Who chorus full, “ God speed thee, Live lyre of Liberty !” And me, ah! float above me Unseen in limpid air, Sing ever, “ Love me, love me,” Or ever I despair. The longings thou hast given With death and dust have striven And risen doubly fai…
1899 · PDF PAGE 34
…desolate marauder Never over us shall swing Such a sceptre as should bring Sorrow to one home of ours. Better bear the heavy hours Under God’s avenging breath, Better brave the horrid powers, Nor avoid the foreign death, Humbling all our pride before God’s most holy throne, abasing Every man’s strong soul, and facing All the heathen Ammon bore On the angry shore, Trusting to the mercy rare Of Jehovah, than to bare Hearts and bosoms to a friend