XIV.
Where was thine aegis, Pallas, that
appalled
Stern Alaric and Havoc on their
way?
Where Peleus’ son? whom Hell
in vain enthralled,
His shade from Hades upon that dread
day
Bursting to light in terrible array!
What! could not Pluto spare the
chief once more,
To scare a second robber from his
prey?
Idly he wandered on the Stygian
shore,
Nor now preserved the walls he loved to shield before.
XV.
Cold is the heart, fair Greece,
that looks on thee,
Nor feels as lovers o’er the
dust they loved;
Dull is the eye that will not weep
to see
Thy walls defaced, thy mouldering
shrines removed
By British hands, which it had best
behoved
To guard those relics ne’er
to be restored.
Curst be the hour when from their
isle they roved,
And once again thy hapless bosom
gored,
And snatched thy shrinking gods to northern climes
abhorred!
XVI.
But where is Harold? shall I then
forget
To urge the gloomy wanderer o’er
the wave?
Little recked he of all that men
regret;
No loved one now in feigned lament
could rave;
No friend the parting hand extended
gave,
Ere the cold stranger passed to
other climes.
Hard is his heart whom charms may
not enslave;
But Harold felt not as in other
times,
And left without a sigh the land of war and crimes.
XVII.
He that has sailed upon the dark
blue sea,
Has viewed at times, I ween, a full
fair sight;
When the fresh breeze is fair as
breeze may be,
The white sails set, the gallant
frigate tight,
Masts, spires, and strand retiring
to the right,
The glorious main expanding o’er
the bow,
The convoy spread like wild swans
in their flight,
The dullest sailer wearing bravely
now,
So gaily curl the waves before each dashing prow.
XVIII.
And oh, the little warlike world
within!
The well-reeved guns, the netted
canopy,
The hoarse command, the busy humming
din,
When, at a word, the tops are manned
on high:
Hark to the boatswain’s call,
the cheering cry,
While through the seaman’s
hand the tackle glides
Or schoolboy midshipman that, standing
by,
Strains his shrill pipe, as good
or ill betides,
And well the docile crew that skilful urchin guides.
XIX.
White is the glassy deck, without
a stain,
Where on the watch the staid lieutenant
walks:
Look on that part which sacred doth
remain
For the lone chieftain, who majestic
stalks,