the broken arches Waved dark in the blue midnight, and the stars Shone through the rents of ruin; from afar
15 The watchdog bayed beyond the Tiber;1 and More near from out the Caesars' palace2 came The owl's long cry, and, interruptedly, Of distant sentinels the fitful song Begun and died upon the gentle wind.
20 Some cypresses beyond the time-worn breach Appeared to skirt the horizon, yet they stood Within a bowshot?where the Caesars dwelt, And dwell the tuneless birds of night; amidst A grove which springs through levell'd battlements,
25 And twines its roots with the imperial hearths, Ivy usurps the laurel's place of growth;? But the gladiators' bloody Circus3 stands,
1. The river that flows through Rome. 3. The circular arena within the Coliseum where 2. The palace of the Roman emperors. It stands professional gladiators fought to the death as pub- on the Palatine hill, immediately southwest of the lic entertainment. Coliseum.
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666 / GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON
A noble wreck in ruinous perfection! While Caesar's chambers, and the Augustan halls, 30 Grovel on earth in indistinct decay.? And thou didst shine, thou rolling moon, upon All this, and cast a wide and tender light, Which soften'd down the hoar austerity Of rugged desolation, and fill'd up, 35 As 'twere anew, the gaps of centuries; Leaving that beautiful which still was so, And making that which was not, till the place Became religion, and the heart ran o'er With silent worship of the great of old!? 40 The dead, but sceptred sovereigns, who still rule Our spirits from their urns.? 'Twas such a night! 'Tis strange that I recall it at this time; But I have found our thoughts take wildest flight Even at the moment when they should array Themselves in pensive order. Enter the ABBOT. 45 ABBOT My good Lord! I crave a second grace for this approach; But yet let not my humble zeal offend By its abruptness?all it hath of ill Recoils on me; its good in the effect so May light upon your head?could I say heart? Could I touch that, with words or prayers, I should Recall a noble spirit which hath wandered, But is not yet all lost. MANFRED Thou know'st me not; My days are numbered, and my deeds recorded: 55 Retire, or 'twill be dangerous?Away! ABBOT Thou dost not mean to menace me? MANFRED Not I; I simply tell thee peril is at hand, And would preserve thee. ABBOT What dost mean? MANFRED Look there! What dost thou see? ABBOT Nothing. MANFRED Look there, I say, 60 And steadfastly;?now tell me what thou seest? ABBOT That which should shake me,?but I fear it not ? I see a dusk and awful figure rise Like an infernal god from out the earth; His face wrapt in a mantle, and his form 65 Robed as with angry clouds; he stands between Thyself and me?but I do fear him not. MANFRED Thou hast no cause?he shall not harm thee?but His sight may shock thine old limbs into palsy. I say to thee?Retire!
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IMANFRED, ACT 2 / 66 7
ABBOT And, I reply? 70 Never?till I have battled with this fiend? What doth he here? MANFRED Why?ay?what doth he here? 1 did not send for him,?he is unbidden. ABBOT Alas! lost mortal! what with guests like these Hast thou to do? I tremble for thy sake;
75 Why doth he gaze on thee, and thou on him? Ah! he unveils his aspect; on his brow The thunder-scars are graven; from his eye Glares forth the immortality of hell? Avaunt!-?
MANFRED Pronounce-?what is thy mission?
SPIRIT Come!
so ABBOT What art thou, unknown being? answer!?speak! SPIRIT The genius4 of this mortal.?Come! 'tis time. MANFRED I am prepared for all things, but deny
The power which summons me. Who sent thee here? SPIRIT Thou'lt know anon?Come! come! MANFRED I have commanded
85 Things of an essence greater far than thine,
And striven with thy masters. Get thee hence! SPIRIT Mortal! thine hour is come?Away! I say. MANFRED I knew, and know my hour is come, but not
To render up my soul to such as thee:
90 Away! I'll die as I have lived?alone. SPIRIT Then I must summon up my brethren.?Rise! [Other Spirits rise up.] ABBOT Avaunt! ye evil ones!?Avaunt! I say,?
Ye have no power where piety hath power,
And I do charge ye in the name?
SPIRIT Old man!
95 We know ourselves, our mission, and thine order; Waste not thy holy words on idle uses, It were in vain; this man is forfeited. Once more I summon him?Away! away!
MANFRED I do defy ye,?though I feel my soul
loo Is ebbing from me, yet I do defy ye; Nor will I hence, while I have earthly breath To breathe my scorn upon ye?earthly strength To wrestle, though with spirits; what ye take Shall be ta'en limb by limb. SPIRIT Reluctant mortal!
105 Is this the Magian who would so pervade The world invisible, and make himself Almost our equal??Can it be that thou Art thus in love with life? the very life Which made thee wretched! MANFRED Thou false fiend, thou liest!
110 My life is in its last hour,?that I know,
4. The spirit or deity presiding over a human being from birth.
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668 / GEORGE GORDON, LORD BYRON
Nor would redeem a moment of that hour; I do not combat against death, but thee And thy surrounding angels; my past power Was purchased by no compact with thy crew,
