| |
(From Liberty)
ON a tribunal raised, Flaminius sat: | |
| A victor he, from the deep phalanx pierced | |
| Of iron-coated Macedon; and back | |
| The Grecian tyrant to his bounds repelled, | |
| In the high thoughtless gayety of game, | 5 |
| While sport alone their unambitious hearts | |
| Possessed; the sudden trumpet, sounding hoarse, | |
| Bade silence o’er the bright assembly reign. | |
| Then thus a herald: “To the states of Greece | |
| The Roman people, unconfined, restore | 10 |
| Their countries, cities, liberties, and laws; | |
| Taxes remit, and garrisons withdraw.” | |
| The crowd, astonished half, and half informed, | |
| Stared dubious round; some questioned, some exclaimed | |
| (Like one who dreaming, between hope and fear, | 15 |
| Is lost in anxious joy), “Be that again, | |
| Be that again proclaimed, distinct and loud.” | |
| Loud and distinct it was again proclaimed; | |
| And still as midnight in the rural shade, | |
| When the gale slumbers, they the words devoured. | 20 |
| Awhile severe amazement holds them mute, | |
| Then, bursting broad, the boundless shout to heaven | |
| From many a thousand hearts ecstatic sprung. | |
| On every hand rebellowed to their joy | |
| The swelling sea, the rocks, and vocal hills: | 25 |
| Through all her turrets stately Corinth shook, | |
| And, from the void above of shattered air, | |
| The flitting bird fell breathless to the ground. | |
| Mixed in a tempest of superior joy, | |
| They left the sports; like Bacchanals they flew, | 30 |
| Each other straining in a strict embrace, | |
| Nor strained a slave; and loud acclaims till night | |
| Round the Proconsul’s tent repeated rung. | |
| |
