28. 
’"These perish as the good and great of yore
Have perished, and their murderers will repent,—­
Yes, vain and barren tears shall flow before 4695
Yon smoke has faded from the firmament
Even for this cause, that ye who must lament
The death of those that made this world so fair,
Cannot recall them now; but there is lent
To man the wisdom of a high despair, 4700
When such can die, and he live on and linger here.

29. 
’"Ay, ye may fear not now the Pestilence,
From fabled hell as by a charm withdrawn;
All power and faith must pass, since calmly hence
In pain and fire have unbelievers gone; 4705
And ye must sadly turn away, and moan
In secret, to his home each one returning;
And to long ages shall this hour be known;
And slowly shall its memory, ever burning,
Fill this dark night of things with an eternal morning. 4710

30. 
’"For me that world is grown too void and cold,
Since Hope pursues immortal Destiny
With steps thus slow—­therefore shall ye behold
How those who love, yet fear not, dare to die;
Tell to your children this!” Then suddenly 4715
He sheathed a dagger in his heart and fell;
My brain grew dark in death, and yet to me
There came a murmur from the crowd, to tell
Of deep and mighty change which suddenly befell.

31. 
’Then suddenly I stood, a winged Thought, 4720
Before the immortal Senate, and the seat
Of that star-shining spirit, whence is wrought
The strength of its dominion, good and great,
The better Genius of this world’s estate. 
His realm around one mighty Fane is spread, 4725
Elysian islands bright and fortunate,
Calm dwellings of the free and happy dead,
Where I am sent to lead!’ These winged words she said,

32. 
And with the silence of her eloquent smile,
Bade us embark in her divine canoe; 4730
Then at the helm we took our seat, the while
Above her head those plumes of dazzling hue
Into the winds’ invisible stream she threw,
Sitting beside the prow:  like gossamer
On the swift breath of morn, the vessel flew 4735
O’er the bright whirlpools of that fountain fair,
Whose shores receded fast, while we seemed lingering there;

33. 
Till down that mighty stream, dark, calm, and fleet,
Between a chasm of cedarn mountains riven,
Chased by the thronging winds whose viewless feet 4740
As swift as twinkling beams, had, under Heaven,
From woods and waves wild sounds and odours driven,
The boat fled visibly—­three nights and days,
Borne like a cloud through morn, and noon, and even,
We sailed along the winding watery ways 4745
Of the vast stream, a long and labyrinthine maze.