CXLI. He heard it, but he heeded not his eyes All this rush'd with his blood-Shall he expire CXLII. But here, where Murder breathed her bloody steam; And here, where buzzing nations choked the ways, And roar'd or murmur'd like a mountain stream Dashing or winding as its torrent strays; Here, where the Roman million's blame or praise Was death or life, the playthings of a crowd, (61) My voice sounds much-and fall the stars' faint rays On the arena void-seats crush'd-walls bow'dAnd galleries, where my steps seem echoes strangely loud. CXLIII. A ruin-yet what ruin! from its mass Walls, palaces, half-cities, have been rear'd; When the colossal fabric's form is near'd: away. CXLIV. But when the rising moon begins to climb Heroes have trod this spot-'tis on their dust ye tread. CXLV. "While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; (63) "When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; [land "And when Rome falls-the World." From our own Thus spake the pilgrims o'er this mighty wall In Saxon times, which we are wont to call Ancient; and these three mortal things are still On their foundations, and unalter'd all; Rome and her Ruin past Redemption's skill, The World, the same wide den-of thieves, or what ye will. CXLVI. Simple, erect, severe, austere, sublime Shrine of all saints and temple of all gods, From Jove to Jesus-spared and blest by time; (64) Looking tranquillity, while falls or nods Arch, empire, each thing round thee, and man plods His way through thorns to ashes-glorious dome! Shalt thou not last? Time's scythe and tyrants' rods Shiver upon thee-sanctuary and home Of art and piety-Pantheon!-pride of Rome! CXLVII. Relic of nobler days, and noblest arts! To art a model; and to him who treads Their eyes on honour'd forms, whose busts around them close. (65) CXLVIII. There is a dungeon, in whose dim drear light (66) The blood is nectar :-but what doth she there, With her unmantled neck, and bosom white and bare? CXLIX. Full swells the deep pure fountain of young life, Man knows not, when from out its cradled nook What may the fruit be yet ?-I know not-Cain was CL. But here youth offers to old age the food, Great Nature's Nile, whose deep stream rises higher Drink, drink and live, old man! Heaven's realm holds no such tide. CLI. The starry fable of the milky way And sacred Nature triumphs more in this Where sparkle distant worlds :-Oh, holiest nurse! CLII. Turn to the Mole which Hadrian rear'd on high, (67) Imperial mimic of old Egypt's piles, Colossal copyist of deformity, Whose travell'd phantasy from the far Nile's Enormous model, doom'd the artist's toils To build for giants, and for his vain earth His shrunken ashes raise this dome: How smiles The gazer's eye with philosophic mirth, To view the huge design which sprung from such a birth! CLIII. But lo! the dome-the vast and wondrous dome, (68) To which Diana's marvel was a cellChrist's mighty shrine above his martyr's tomb! I have beheld the Ephesian's miracle— Its columns strew the wilderness, and dwell The hyæna and the jackall in their shade; I have beheld Sophia's bright roofs swell Their glittering mass i' the sun, and have survey'd Its sanctuary the while the usurping Moslem pray'd; CLIV. But thou, of temples old, or altars new, Power, Glory, Strength, and Beauty, all are aisled In this eternal ark of worship undefiled. CLV. Enter: its grandeur overwhelms thee not; |