13. 
’The Tyrant knew his power was gone, but Fear,
The nurse of Vengeance, bade him wait the event—­
That perfidy and custom, gold and prayer,
And whatsoe’er, when force is impotent, 3580
To fraud the sceptre of the world has lent,
Might, as he judged, confirm his failing sway. 
Therefore throughout the streets, the Priests he sent
To curse the rebels.—­To their gods did they
For Earthquake, Plague, and Want, kneel in the public way. 3585

14. 
’And grave and hoary men were bribed to tell
From seats where law is made the slave of wrong,
How glorious Athens in her splendour fell,
Because her sons were free,—­and that among
Mankind, the many to the few belong, 3590
By Heaven, and Nature, and Necessity. 
They said, that age was truth, and that the young
Marred with wild hopes the peace of slavery,
With which old times and men had quelled the vain and free.

15. 
’And with the falsehood of their poisonous lips 3595
They breathed on the enduring memory
Of sages and of bards a brief eclipse;
There was one teacher, who necessity
Had armed with strength and wrong against mankind,
His slave and his avenger aye to be; 3600
That we were weak and sinful, frail and blind,
And that the will of one was peace, and we
Should seek for nought on earth but toil and misery—­

16. 
’"For thus we might avoid the hell hereafter.” 
So spake the hypocrites, who cursed and lied; 3605
Alas, their sway was past, and tears and laughter
Clung to their hoary hair, withering the pride
Which in their hollow hearts dared still abide;
And yet obscener slaves with smoother brow,
And sneers on their strait lips, thin, blue and wide, 3610
Said that the rule of men was over now,
And hence, the subject world to woman’s will must bow;

17. 
’And gold was scattered through the streets, and wine
Flowed at a hundred feasts within the wall. 
In vain! the steady towers in Heaven did shine 3615
As they were wont, nor at the priestly call
Left Plague her banquet in the Ethiop’s hall,
Nor Famine from the rich man’s portal came,
Where at her ease she ever preys on all
Who throng to kneel for food:  nor fear nor shame, 3620
Nor faith, nor discord, dimmed hope’s newly kindled flame.

18. 
’For gold was as a god whose faith began
To fade, so that its worshippers were few,
And Faith itself, which in the heart of man
Gives shape, voice, name, to spectral Terror, knew 3625
Its downfall, as the altars lonelier grew,
Till the Priests stood alone within the fane;
The shafts of falsehood unpolluting flew,
And the cold sneers of calumny were vain,
The union of the free with discord’s brand to stain. 3630