The German Classics of the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries Volume Iii Part 99

And therefore was it that our sires allow'd, For what they had recover'd from the waste, This honor to the Emperor, the lord Of all the German and Italian soil; And, like the other free men of his realm, Engaged to aid him with their swords in war; The free man's duty this alone should be, To guard the Empire that keeps guard for him.

MELCH.

He's but a slave that would acknowledge more.

STAUFF.

They followed, when the Heribann[53] went forth, The imperial standard, and they fought its battles!

To Italy they march'd in arms, to place The Caesars' crown upon the Emperor's head.

But still at home they ruled themselves in peace By their own laws and ancient usages.

The Emperor's only right was to adjudge The penalty of death; he therefore named Some mighty n.o.ble as his delegate, That had no stake or interest in the land, Who was call'd in, when doom was to be pa.s.s'd, And, in the face of day, p.r.o.nounced decree, Clear and distinctly, fearing no man's hate.

What traces here, that we are bondsmen? Speak, If there be any can gainsay my words!

HOFE.

No! You have spoken but the simple truth; We never stoop'd beneath a tyrant's yoke.

STAUFF.

Even to the Emperor we did not submit, When he gave judgment 'gainst us for the church; For when the Abbey of Einsiedlen claimed The Alp our fathers and ourselves had grazed, And showed an ancient charter which bestowed The land on them as being ownerless-- For our existence there had been concealed-- What was our answer? This: "The grant is void.

No Emperor can bestow what is our own And if the Empire shall deny our rights, We can, within our mountains, right ourselves!"

Thus spake our fathers! And shall we endure The shame and infamy of this new yoke, And from the va.s.sal brook what never king Dared, in his plenitude of power, attempt?

This soil we have created for ourselves, By the hard labor of our hands; we've changed The giant forest, that was erst the haunt Of savage bears, into a home for man; Extirpated the dragon's brood, that wont To rise, distent with venom, from the swamps; Rent the thick misty canopy that hung Its blighting vapors on the dreary waste; Blasted the solid rock; across the chasm Thrown the firm bridge for the wayfaring man.

By the possession of a thousand years The soil is ours. And shall an alien lord, Himself a va.s.sal, dare to venture here, Insult us by our own hearth fires--attempt To forge the chains of bondage for our hands, And do us shame on our own proper soil?

Is there no help against such wrong as this?

_[Great sensation among the people_.]

Yes! there's a limit to the despot's power!

When the oppress'd for justice looks in vain, When his sore burden may no more be borne, With fearless heart he makes appeal to Heaven, And thence brings down his everlasting rights, Which there abide, inalienably his, And indestructible as are the stars.

Nature's primeval state returns again, Where man stands hostile to his fellow man; And if all other means shall fail his need, One last resource remains--his own good sword.

Our dearest treasures call to us for aid Against the oppressor's violence; we stand For country, home, for wives, for children here!

ALL _(clashing their swords)_.

Here stand we for our homes, our wives, and children.

RoSSELMANN _(stepping into the circle)_.

Bethink ye well, before ye draw the sword.

Some peaceful compromise may yet be made; Speak but one word, and at your feet you'll see The men who now oppress you. Take the terms That have been often tendered you; renounce The Empire, and to Austria swear allegiance!

MAUER.

What says the priest? To Austria allegiance?

BUHEL.

Hearken not to him!

WINKELRIED.

'Tis a traitor's counsel, His country's foe!

REDING.

Peace, peace, confederates!

SEWA.

Homage to Austria, after wrongs like these!

FLUE.

Shall Austria extort from us by force What we denied to kindness and entreaty?

MEYER.

Then should we all be slaves, deservedly.

MAUER.

Yes! Let him forfeit all a Switzer's rights, Who talks of yielding thus to Austria's yoke!

I stand on this, Landamman. Let this be The foremost of our laws!

MELCHTHAL.

Even so! Whoe'er Shall talk of bearing Austria's yoke, let him Of all his rights and honors be despoiled, No man thenceforth receive him at his hearth!

ALL _(raising their right hands)_.

Agreed! Be this the law!

REDING _(after a pause)_.

The law it is.

RoSSEL.

Now you are free--this law hath made you free.

Never shall Austria obtain by force What she has fail'd to gain by friendly suit.

WEIL.

On with the order of the day! Proceed!

REDING.

Confederates! Have all gentler means been tried?