The Poetical Works of Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton, Bart. M.P Part 55

In moonless nights, every eighth year, the Spartan Ephors consulted the heavens; if there appeared the meteor, which we call the shooting-star, they adjudged their kings to have committed some offence against the G.o.ds, and suspended them from their office till acquitted by the Delphic oracle, or Olympian priests.--PLUT. _Agis_, 11; MULLER'S _Dorians_, b. iii. c. 6.

12.--Page 287, stanza c.

_Etrurian Naeniae, load the lagging wind._

Naeniae, the funeral hymns borrowed by the Romans from the Etrurians.

13.--Page 288, stanza vi.

_Bright Cupra braids thy hair._

Cupra, or Talna, corresponding with Juno, the nuptial G.o.ddess.

[D] The _w_ is to be p.r.o.nounced as _oo_.

BOOK VI.

ARGUMENT.

Description of the Cymrian fire-beacons--Dialogue between Gawaine and Caradoc--The raven--Merlin announces to Gawaine that the bird selects him for the aid of the King--The knight's pious scruples--He yields reluctantly, and receives the raven as his guide--His pathetic farewell to Caradoc--He confers with Henricus on the propriety of exorcising the raven--Character of Henricus--The knight sets out on his adventures-- The company he meets, and the obligation he incurs--The bride and the sword--The bride's choice and the hound's fidelity--Sir Gawaine lies down to sleep under the fairy's oak--What there befalls him--The fairy banquet--The temptation of Sir Gawaine--The rebuke of the fairies--Sir Gawaine, much displeased with the raven, resumes his journey--His adventure with the Vikings, and how he comforts himself in his captivity.

On the bare summit of the loftiest peak-- 1 Crowning the hills round Cymri's Iscan home, Rose the grey temple of the Faith Antique, Before whose priests had paused the march of Rome, When the Dark Isle reveal'd its drear abodes, And the last Hades of Cimmerian G.o.ds;

While dauntless Druids, by their shrines profaned, 2 Stretch'd o'er the steel-clad hush, their swordless hands,[1]

And dire Religion, horror-breathing, chain'd The frozen eagles,--till the shuddering bands Shamed into slaughter, broke the ghastly spell, And, lost in reeks of carnage, sunk the h.e.l.l

Quiver'd on column-shafts the poised rock, 3 As if a breeze could shake the ruin down; But storm on storm had sent its thunder-shock, Nor reft the temple of its mystic crown-- So awe of Power Divine on human b.r.e.a.s.t.s Vibrates for ever, and for ever rests.

Within the fane awaits a giant pyre, 4 Around the pyre a.s.sembled warriors stand; A pause of prayer;--and suddenly the fire Flings its broad banner reddening o'er the land.

Shoot the fierce sparks and groan the crackling pines, Toss'd on the Wave of Shields the glory shines.

Lo, from dark night flash Carduel's domes of gold, 5 Glow the jagg'd rampires like a belt of light.

And to the stars springs up the dragon-hold, With one lone image on the lonely height-- O'er those who saw a thrilling silence fell; There, the still Prophet watch'd o'er Carduel!

Forth on their mission rush'd the wings of flame; 6 Hill after hill the land's grey warders rose; First to the Mount of Bards the splendour came, Wreath'd with large halo Trigarn's stern repose; On, post by post, the fiery courier rode, Blood-red Edeirnion's dells of verdure glow'd;

Uprose the hardy men of Merioneth, 7 When, o'er the dismal strata parch'd and bleak, Like some revived volcano's lurid breath Sprang the fierce fire-jet from the herbless peak; Flash'd down on meeting streams the Basalt walls, In molten flame Rhaiadyr's thunder falls.

Thy Faban Mount, Caernarvon, seized the sign, 8 And pa.s.s'd the watchword to the Fairies' Hill; All Mona blazed--as if the isle divine To Bel, the sun-G.o.d, drest her altars still; Menai reflects the prophet hues, and far To twofold ocean knells the coming war.

Then wheeling round, the lurid herald swept 9 To quench the stars yet struggling with the glare Blithe to his task, resplendent Golcun leapt-- The bearded giant rose on Moel-y-Gaer-- Rose his six giant brothers,--Eifle rose, And great Eryri lit his chasms of snows.

So one vast altar was that father-land! 10 But n.o.bler altars flash'd in souls of men, Sublimer than the mountain-tops, the brand Found pyres in every lowliest hamlet glen Soon on the rocks shall die the grosser fire-- Souls lit to freedom burn till suns expire.

Slowly the chiefs desert the blazing fane, 11 (Sure of steel-harvests from the dragon seed) Descend the mountain and the walls regain; As suns to systems, there to each decreed His glorious task,--to marshal star on star, And weave with fate the harmonious pomp of war.

Last of the n.o.ble conclave, linger'd two; 12 Gawaine the mirthful, Caradoc the mild, And, as the watchfires thicken'd on their view.

War's fearless playmate raised his hand and smiled, Pointing to splendours, linking rock to rock;-- And while he smiled--sigh'd earnest Caradoc.

"Now by my head--(an empty oath and light!) 13 No taller tapers ever lit to rest Rome's stately Caesar;--sigh'st thou, at the sight, For cost o'er-lavish, when so mean the guest?"

"Was it for this the gentle Saviour died?

Is Cain so glorious?" Caradoc replied.

"Permit, Sir Bard, an argument on that," 14 True to his fame, said golden-tongued Gawaine, "The hawk may save his fledglings from the cat, Nor yet deserve comparisons with Cain; And Abel's fate, to hands unskill'd, proclaims The use of practice in gymnastic games.

"Woes that have been are wisdom's lesson-books-- 15 From Abel's death, the men of peace should learn To add an inch of iron to their crooks And strike, when struck, a little in return-- Had Abel known his quarterstaff, I wot, Those Saxon Ap-Cains ne'er had been begot!"

More had he said, but a strange, grating note, 16 Half laugh--half croak, was here discordant heard; An _ave_ rose--but died within his throat, As close before him perch'd the enchanter's bird, With head aslant, and glittering eye askew, It near'd the knight--the knight in haste withdrew.

"All saints defend me, and excuse a jest!" 17 Mutter'd Sir Gawaine--"bird or fiend avaunt: Oh, holy Abel, let this matter rest, I do repent me of my foolish taunt!"

With that the cross upon his sword he kist, And stared aghast--the bird was on his wrist.

"Hem--_vade Satanas!--discede! retro_," 18 The raven croak'd, and fix'd himself afresh; "_Avis d.a.m.nata!--salus sit in Petro_,"

Ten pointed claws here fasten'd on his flesh; The knight, sore smarting, shook his arm--the bird Peck'd in reproach, and kept its perch unstirr'd.

Quoth Caradoc--whose time had come to smile, 19 And smile he did in grave and placid wise-- "Let not thine evil thoughts, my friend, defile The harmless wing descended from the skies."

"Skies!!!" said the knight--"black imps from skies descend With claws like these!--the world is at an end!"

"Now shame, Gawaine, O knight of little heart, 20 How, if a small and inoffensive raven Dismay thee thus, couldst thou have track'd the chart By which aeneas won his Alban-haven?

On Harpies, Scylla, Cerberus, reflect-- And undevour'd--rejoice to be but peckt."

"True," said a voice behind them,--"gentle bard, 21 In life as verse, the art is--to compare."

Gawaine turn'd short, gazed keenly, and breathed hard As on the dark-robed magian stream'd the glare Of the huge watch-fire--"Prophet," quoth Gawaine, "My friend scorns pecking--let him try the pain!

"Please to call back this--offspring of the skies! 22 Unworthy I to be his earthly rest!"

"Methought," said Merlin, "that thy King's emprize Had found in thine a less reluctant breast; Again is friendship granted to his side-- Thee the bird summons, be the bird thy guide."

Dumb stared the knight--stared first upon the seer, 23 Then on the raven,--who, demure and sly, Turn'd on his master a respectful ear, And on Gawaine a magisterial eye.

"What hath a king with ravens, seer, to do?"

"Odin, the king of half the world, had two.

"Peace--if thy friendship answer to its boast, 24 Arm, take thy steed and with the dawn depart-- The bird will lead thee to the ocean coast; Strange are thy trials, stalwart be thy heart."

"Seer," quoth Gawaine, "my heart I hope is tough Nor needs a prop from this portentous chough.

"You know the proverb--'birds of the same feather,' 25 A proverb much enforced in penal laws,[2]-- In certain quarters were we seen together It might, I fear, suffice to d.a.m.n my cause: You cite examples apt and edifying-- Odin kept ravens!--well, and Odin's frying!"

The enchanter smiled, in pity or in scorn; 26 The smile was sad, but lofty, calm, and cold-- "The straws," he said, "on pa.s.sing winds upborne Dismay the courser--is the man more bold?

Dismiss thy terrors, go thy ways, my son, To do thy duty is the fiend to shun.

"Not for thy sake the bird is given to thee, 27 But for thy King's."--"Enough," replied the knight, And bow'd his head. The bird rose jocundly, Spread its dark wing and rested in the light-- "Sir Bard," to Caradoc the chosen said In the close whisper of a knight well bred:

"Vow'd to my King--come man, come fiend, I go, 28 But ne'er expect to see thy friend again, That bird carnivorous hath designs I know Most Anthropophagous on doom'd Gawaine; I leave you all the goods that most I prize-- Three steeds, six hawks, four gre-hounds, two blue eyes.