He pass'd bleak Pindus, Acherusia's lake, (17) And left the primal city of the land,
And onwards did his further journey take
To greet Albania's chief, (18) whose dread command Is lawless law; for with a bloody hand
He sways a nation, turbulent and bold;
Yet here and there some daring mountain band Disdain his power, and from their rocky hold Hurl their defiance far, nor yield, unless to gold. (19) XLVIII.
Monastic Zitza! (20) from thy shady brow, Thou small, but favour'd spot of holy ground! Where'er we gaze, around, above, below, What rainbow tints, what magic charms are found! Rock, river, forest, mountain, all abound And bluest skies that harmonize the whole; Beneath, the distant torrent's rushing sound Tells where the volum'd cataract doth roll
Between those hanging rocks, that shock yet please the
Amidst the grove that crowns yon tufted hill, Which were it not for many a mountain nigh Rising in lofty ranks, and loftier still, Might well itself be deem'd of dignity,
The convent's white walls glisten fair on high; Here dwells the caloyer, (21) nor rude is he, Nor niggard of his cheer; the passer by
Is welcome still; nor heedless will he flee From hence, if he delight kind Nature's sheen to see. L.
Here in the sultriest season let him rest, Fresh is the green beneath those aged trees; Here winds of gentlest wing will fan his breast, From heaven itself he may inhale the breeze; The plain is far beneath-oh! let him seize Pure pleasure while he can; the scorching ray Here pierceth not, impregnate with disease; Then let his length the loitering pilgrim lay, And gaze, untired, the morn, the noon, the eve away.
Dusky and huge, enlarging on the sight, Nature's volcanic amphitheatre, (22) Chimæra's alps extend from left to right:
Beneath, a living valley seems to stir;
Flocks play, trees wave, streams flow, the mountain fir Nodding above, behold black Acheron! (23) Once consecrated to the sepulchre.
Pluto! if this be hell I look upon,
Close sham'd Elysium's gates, my shade shall seek for
Ne city's towers pollute the lovely view; Unseen is Yanina, though not remote,
Veil'd by the screen of hills: here men are few, Scanty the hamlet, rare the lonely cot;
But, peering down each precipice, the goat Browseth? and, pensive o'er his scattered flock, The little shepherd in his white capote (24) Doth lean his boyish form along the rock, Or in his cave awaits the tempest's short liv'd shock. LIII.
Oh! where, Dodona! is thine aged grove, Prophetic fount, and oracle divine?
What valley echo'd the response of Jove? What trace remaineth of the thunderer's shrine ? Ah, all forgotten-and shall man repine
That his frail bonds to fleeting life are broke?
Cease, fool! the fate of Gods may well be thine: Wouldst thou survive the marble or the oak? [stroke. When nations, tongues, and worlds must sink beneath the
Epirus' bounds recede, and mountains fail;
Tir'd of up-gazing still, the wearied eye
Reposes gladly on as smooth a vale
As every spring yclad in grassy dye :
Ev'n on a plain no humble beauties lie,
Where some bold river breaks the long expanse,
And woods along the banks are waving high.
Whose shadows in the glassy waters dance, [trance.
Or with the moon-beam sleep in midnight's solemn
The sun had sunk behind vast Tomerit, (25) And Laos wide and fierce came roaring by; (26) The shades of wonted night were gathering yet, When, down the steep banks winding warily, Childe Harold saw, like meteors in the sky, The glittering minarets of Tepalen,
Whose walls o'erlook the stream; and drawing nigh, He heard the busy hum of warrior-men [glen. Swelling the breeze that sighed along the lengthening
He pass'd the sacred Haram's silent tower, And underneath the wide o'erarching gate Survey'd the dwelling of this chief of power, Where all around proclaim'd his high estate. Amidst no common pomp the despot sate, While busy preparation shook the court Slaves, eunuchs, soldiers, guests, and santons wait; Within, a palace, and without, a fort; Here men of every clime appear to make resort. LVII.
Richly caparison'd, a ready row
Of armed horse, and many a warlike store Circled the wide extending court below; Above, strange groups adorn'd the corridore; And oft-times through the Area's echoing door Some high capp'd Tartar spurr'd his steed away; The Turk, the Greek, the Albanian, and the Moor, Here mingled in their many hued array,
[day. While the deep war drum's sound announc'd the close of
The wild Albanian kirtled to his knee,
With shawl girt head and ornamented gun, And gold embroider'd garments, fair to see; The crimson-scarfed men of Macedon; The Delhi with his cap of terror on,
And crooked glaive; the lively, supple Greek; And swarthy Nubia's mutilated son,
The bearded Turk that rarely deigns to speak, Master of all around, too potent to be meek,
Are mix'd conspicuous: some recline in groups, Scanning the motley scene that varies round; There some grave Moslem to devotion stoops, And some that smoke, and some that play, are found; Here the Albanian, proudly treads the ground; Half whispering there the Greek is heard to prate; Hark! from the mosque the mighty solemn sound, The Muezzin's call doth shake the minaret, [great!" "There is no god but God !-to prayer-lo! God is
Just at this season Ramazani's fast
Through the long day its penance did maintain, But when the lingering twilight hour was past, Revel and feast assum'd the rule again; Now all was bustle, and the menial train Prepar'd and spread the plenteous board within: The vacant gallery now seem'd made in vain, But from the chambers came the mingling din, As page and slave anon were passing out and in. LXI.
Here woman's voice is never heard apart, And scarce permitted, guarded, veil'd, to move, She yields to one her person and her heart, Tam'd to her cage, nor feels a wish to rove: For, not unhappy in her master's love, And joyful in a mother's gentlest cares, Blest cares! all other feelings far above! Herself more sweetly rears the babe she bears, Who never quits the breast, no meaner passion shares. LXII.
In marble-pav'd pavillion, where a spring, Of living water from the centre rose,
Whose bubbling did a genial freshness fling,
And soft voluptuous couches breath'd repose, ALI reclin'd, a man of war and woes; Yet in his lineaments ye cannot trace,
While Gentleness her milder radiance throws
Along that aged venerable face,
The deeds that lurk bencath, and stain him with disgrace,
It is not that yon hoary lengthening beard Ill suits the passions which belong to youth; Love conquers age-so Hafiz hath averr'd, So sings the Teian, and he sings in sooth- But crimes that scorn the tender voice of Ruth, Beseeming all men ill, but most the man
In years, have marked him with a tyger's tooth; Blood follows blood, and, through their mortal span, In bloodier acts conclude those who with blood began LXIV.
'Mid many things most new to ear and eye The pilgrim rested here his weary feet, And gaz'd around on Moslem luxury, Till quickly wearied with that spacious seat Of Wealth and Wantonness, the choice retreat Of sated Grandeur, from the city's noise : And were it humbler it in sooth were sweet; But Peace abhorreth artificial joys,
[destroys. And Pleasure, leagued with Pomp, the zest of both
Fierce are Albania's children, yet they lack Not virtues, were those virtues more mature, Where is the foe that ever saw their back? Who can so well the toil of war endure? Their native fastnesses not more secure
Than they in doubtful time of troublous need : Their wrath how deadly! but their friendship sure, When Gratitude or Valour bids them bleed, Unshaken rushing on where'er their chief may lead. LXVI.
Childe Harold saw them in their chieftain's tower Thronging to war in splendour and success; And after view'd them, when, within their power, Himself awhile the victim of distress;
That saddening hour when bad men hotlier press: But these did shelter him beneath their roof,
When less barbarians would have cheered him less, And fellow countrymen have stood aloof-(27) [proof! In aught that tries the heart how few withstand the
« ՆախորդըՇարունակել » |