Uproar, revenge, and rage, and hate, appear In all their murderous forms; and flame and blood And sweat and duft array the broad campaign In horror: hafty feet, and sparkling eyes, And all the favage paffions of the foul, Engage in the warm business of the day.
Here mingling hands, but with no friendly gripe, Join in the fight; and breafts in close embrace, But mortal as the iron arms of death.
Here words auftere, of perilous command, And valour fwift t' obey; bold feats of arms Dreadful to fee, and glorious to relate,
Shine through the field with more furprizing brightness Than glittering helms or fpears. What loud applaufe (Beft meed of warlike toil) what manly fhouts, And yells unmanly through the battle ring! And fudden wrath dies into endless fame.
Long did the fate of war hang dubious. Here Stood the more numerous Turk, the valiant Pole Fought here ; more dreadful, though with leffer wings.
But what the Dahets or the coward foul Of a Cydonian, what the fearful crowds Of bafe Cilicians'fcaping from the flaughter, Of Parthian beafts, with all their racing riders, What could they mean against th' intrepid breast Of the pursuing foe? Th' impetuous Poles Rush here, and here the Lithuanian horfe Drive down upon them like a double bolt
Of kindled thunder raging through the sky On founding wheels; or as fome mighty flood Rolls his two torrents down a dreadful fteep Precipitant, and bears along the ftream
Rocks, woods, and trees, with all the grazing herd, And tumbles lofty forefts headlong to the plain.
The bold Boruffian fmoaking from afar Moves like a tempeft in a dusky cloud, And imitates th' artillery of heaven,
The lightning and the roar. Amazing scene! What showers of mortal hail, what flaky fires Burft from the darkness! while their cohorts firm Met the like thunder, and an equal ftorm, From hoftile troops, but with a braver mind. Undaunted bofoms tempt the edge of war,
And rush on the sharp point; while baleful mischiefs, Deaths, and bright dangers flew across the field Thick and continual, and a thousand fouls
Fled murmuring through their wounds. I ftood aloof, For 'twas unfafe to come within the wind
Of Ruffian banners, when with whizzing found,
Eager of glory, and profufe of life,
They bore down fearless on the charging foes, And drove them backward. Then the Turkish moons Wander'd in difarray. A dark eclipfe
Hung on the filver crefcent, boding night, Long night, to all her fons: at length difrob'd The standards fell: the barbarous enfigns torn Fled with the wind, the fport of angry heaven:
And a large cloud of infantry and horfe Scattering in wild diforder, fpread the plain.
Not noife, nor number, nor the brawny limb, Nor high-built fize prevails: 'Tis courage fights, 'Tis courage conquers. So whole forefts fall (A fpacious ruin) by one fingle axe.
And steel well-fharpned: fo a generous pair Of young-wing'd eaglets fright a thousand doves.
Vaft was the flaughter, and the flowery green Drank deep of flowing crimson. Veteran bands Here made their laft campaign. Here haughty chiefs Stretch'd on the bed of purple honour lie Supine, nor dream of battle's hard event, Opprefs'd with iron flumbers, and long night. Their ghofts indignant to the nether world Fled, but attended well: for at their fide Some faithful Janizaries ftrew'd the field, Fall'n in juft ranks or wedges, lunes or fquares, Firm as they ftood; to the Warfovian troops, A nobler toil, and triumph worth their fight. But the broad fabre and keen poll-axe flew With speedy terror through the feebler herd, And made rude havock and irregular spoil Amongst the vulgar bands that own'd the name Of Mahomet. The wild Arabians fled
In fwift affright a thoufand different ways [mountains Through brakes and thorns, and climb'd the craggy Bellowing; yet hafty fate o'ertook the cry, And Polish hunters clave the timorous deer.
Thus the dire prospect distant fill'd my foul With awe; till the last relicks of the war, The thin Edonians, flying had disclos'd The ghaftly plain: I took a nearer view, Unfeemly to the fight, nor to the smell Grateful. What loads of mangled flesh and limbs (A difmal carnage!) bath'd in reeking gore Lay weltering on the ground; while flitting life Convuls'd the nerves still shivering, nor had lost All tafte of pain! Here an old Thracian lies, Deform'd with years and scars, and groans aloud Torn with fresh wounds; but inward vitals firm Forbid the foul's remove, and chain it down By the hard laws of nature, to sustain
Long torment: his wild eye-balls roll: his teeth, Gnathing with anguifh, chide his lingering fate. Emblazon'd armour spoke his high command Amongst the neighbouring dead; they round their lord Lay proftrate; fome in flight ignobly flain, Some to the skies their faces upwards turn'd Still brave, and proud to die fo near their prince.
I mov'd not far, and lo, at manly length Two beauteous youths of richeft Ott'man blood Extended on the field: in friendship join'd, Nor fate divides them: hardy warriors both; Both faithful; drown'd in showers of darts they fell, Each with his fhield spread o'er his lover's heart, In vain for on those orbs of friendly brafs Stood groves of javelins; fome, alas, too deep
Were planted there, and through their lovely bofoms Made painful avenues for cruel death.
O my dear native land, forgive the tear
I dropt on their wan cheeks, when strong compaffion Forc'd from my melting eyes the briny dew, And paid a facrifice to hoftile virtue.
Dacia, forgive the fight that wish'd the fouls Of thofe fair infidels fome humble place /Among the bleft. "Sleep, fleep, ye hapless pair, "Gently, I cry'd, worthy of better fate, "And better faith." Hard by the General lay, Of Saracen defcent, a grizly form
Breathlefs, yet pride fat pale upon his front In disappointment, with a furly brow Louring in death, and vext; his rigid jaws Foaming with blood bite hard the Polish spear: In that dead visage my remembrance reads Rah Caraccas: In vain the boasting slave Promis'd and footh'd the fultan threatening fierce With royal fuppers and triumphant fare Spread wide beneath Warfovian filk and gold; See on the naked ground all cold he lies Beneath the damp wide covering of the air Forgetful of his word. How heaven confounds Infulting hopes! with what an awful smile Laughs at the proud, that loosen all the reins To their unbounded wishes, and leads on Their blind ambition to a fhameful end!
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