The Works of Lord Byron Volume IV Part 74

_Doge_. And yet I find a comfort in The thought, that these things are the work of Fate; For I would rather yield to G.o.ds than men, Or cling to any creed of destiny, Rather than deem these mortals, most of whom[fr]

I know to be as worthless as the dust, 70 And weak as worthless, more than instruments Of an o'er-ruling Power; they in themselves Were all incapable--they could not be Vistors of him who oft had conquered for them.

_Ang_. Employ the minutes left in aspirations Of a more healing nature, and in peace Even with these wretches take thy flight to Heaven.

_Doge_. I _am_ at peace: the peace of certainty That a sure Hour will come, when their sons' sons, And this proud city, and these azure waters, 80 And all which makes them eminent and bright, Shall be a desolation and a curse, A hissing and a scoff unto the nations, A Carthage, and a Tyre, an Ocean Babel.

_Ang_. Speak not thus now: the surge of Pa.s.sion still Sweeps o'er thee to the last; thou dost deceive Thyself, and canst not injure them--be calmer.

_Doge_. I stand within Eternity, and see Into Eternity, and I behold-- Aye, palpable as I see thy sweet face 90 For the last time--the days which I denounce Unto all time against these wave-girt walls, And they who are indwellers.

_Guard_ (_coming forward_). Doge of Venice, The Ten are in attendance on your Highness.

_Doge_. Then farewell, Angiolina!--one embrace-- Forgive the old man who hath been to thee A fond but fatal husband--love my memory-- I would not ask so much for me still living, But thou canst judge of me more kindly now, Seeing my evil feelings are at rest. 100 Besides, of all the fruit of these long years, Glory, and Wealth, and Power, and Fame, and Name, Which generally leave some flowers to bloom Even o'er the grave, I have nothing left, not even A little love, or friendship, or esteem, No, not enough to extract an epitaph From ostentatious kinsmen; in one hour I have uprooted all my former life, And outlived everything, except thy heart, The pure, the good, the gentle, which will oft 110 With unimpaired but not a clamorous grief[fs]

Still keep----Thou turn'st so pale!--Alas! she faints, She has no breath, no pulse!--Guards! lend your aid-- I cannot leave her thus, and yet 'tis better, Since every lifeless moment spares a pang.

When she shakes off this temporary death, I shall be with the Eternal.--Call her women-- One look!--how cold her hand!--as cold as mine Shall be ere she recovers.--Gently tend her, And take my last thanks--I am ready now. 120

[_The Attendants of_ ANGIOLINA _enter, and surround their Mistress, who has fainted.--Exeunt the_ DOGE, _Guards, etc., etc._

SCENE III.--_The Court of the Ducal Palace; the outer gates are shut against the people.--The_ DOGE _enters in his ducal robes, in procession with the_ COUNCIL OF TEN _and other Patricians, attended by the Guards, till they arrive at the top of the "Giants' Staircase[469] (where the Doges took the oaths); the the Executioner is stationed there with his sword.--On arriving, a_ CHIEF OF THE TEN _takes off the ducal cap from the Doge's head_.

_Doge_. So now the Doge is nothing, and at last I am again Marino Faliero: 'Tis well to be so, though but for a moment,[ft]

Here was I crowned, and here, bear witness, Heaven!

With how much more contentment I resign That shining mockery, the ducal bauble, Than I received the fatal ornament.

_One of the Ten_. Thou tremblest, Faliero!

_Doge_. 'Tis with age, then.[470]

_Ben_. Faliero! hast thou aught further to commend, Compatible with justice, to the Senate? 10

_Doge_. I would commend my nephew to their mercy, My consort to their justice; for methinks My death, and such a death, might settle all Between the State and me.

_Ben_. They shall be cared for; Even notwithstanding thine unheard-of crime.

_Doge_. Unheard of! aye, there's not a history But shows a thousand crowned conspirators _Against_ the people; but to set them free, One Sovereign only died, and one is dying.

_Ben_. And who were they who fell in such a cause? 20

_Doge_. The King of Sparta, and the Doge of Venice-- Agis and Faliero!

_Ben_. Hast thou more To utter or to do?

_Doge_. May I speak?

_Ben_. Thou may'st; But recollect the people are without, Beyond the compa.s.s of the human voice.

_Doge_. I speak to Time and to Eternity, Of which I grow a portion, not to man.

Ye Elements! in which to be resolved I hasten, let my voice be as a Spirit Upon you! Ye blue waves! which bore my banner. 30 Ye winds! which fluttered o'er as if you loved it, And filled my swelling sails as they were wafted To many a triumph! Thou, my native earth, Which I have bled for! and thou, foreign earth, Which drank this willing blood from many a wound!

Ye stones, in which my gore will not sink, but Reek up to Heaven! Ye skies, which will receive it!

Thou Sun! which shinest on these things, and Thou!

Who kindlest and who quenchest suns!--Attest![fu]

I am not innocent--but are these guiltless? 40 I perish, but not unavenged; far ages Float up from the abyss of Time to be, And show these eyes, before they close, the doom Of this proud City, and I leave my curse On her and hers for ever!----Yes, the hours Are silently engendering of the day, When she, who built 'gainst Attila a bulwark, Shall yield, and bloodlessly and basely yield, Unto a b.a.s.t.a.r.d Attila,[471] without Shedding so much blood in her last defence, 50 As these old veins, oft drained in shielding her, Shall pour in sacrifice.--She shall be bought And sold, and be an appanage to those Who shall despise her![472]--She shall stoop to be A province for an Empire, petty town In lieu of Capital, with slaves for senates, Beggars for n.o.bles, panders for a people![fv]

Then when the Hebrew's in thy palaces,[473]

The Hun in thy high places, and the Greek Walks o'er thy mart, and smiles on it for his; 60 When thy patricians beg their bitter bread In narrow streets, and in their shameful need Make their n.o.bility a plea for pity; Then, when the few who still retain a wreck Of their great fathers' heritage shall fawn Round a barbarian Vice of Kings' Vice-gerent,[474]

Even in the Palace where they swayed as Sovereigns, Even in the Palace where they slew their Sovereign, Proud of some name they have disgraced, or sprung From an adulteress boastful of her guilt 70 With some large gondolier or foreign soldier, Shall bear about their b.a.s.t.a.r.dy in triumph To the third spurious generation;--when Thy sons are in the lowest scale of being, Slaves turned o'er to the vanquished by the victors, Despised by cowards for greater cowardice, And scorned even by the vicious for such vices As in the monstrous grasp of their conception Defy all codes to image or to name them; Then, when of Cyprus, now thy subject kingdom, 80 All thine inheritance shall be her shame Entailed on thy less virtuous daughters, grown A wider proverb for worse prost.i.tution;-- When all the ills of conquered states shall cling thee, Vice without splendour, Sin without relief[fw][475]

Even from the gloss of Love to smooth it o'er, But in its stead, coa.r.s.e l.u.s.ts of habitude,[476]

Prurient yet pa.s.sionless, cold studied lewdness, Depraving Nature's frailty to an art;-- When these and more are heavy on thee, when 90 Smiles without mirth, and pastimes without Pleasure, Youth without Honour, Age without respect, Meanness and Weakness, and a sense of woe 'Gainst which thou wilt not strive, and dar'st not murmur,[477]

Have made thee last and worst of peopled deserts, Then, in the last gasp of thine agony, Amidst thy many murders, think of _mine!_ Thou den of drunkards with the blood of Princes![478]

Gehenna of the waters! thou Sea-Sodom![fx][479]

Thus I devote thee to the Infernal G.o.ds! 100 Thee and thy serpent seed!

[_Here the_ DOGE _turns and addresses the Executioner._ Slave, do thine office!

Strike as I struck the foe! Strike as I would Have struck those tyrants! Strike deep as my curse!

Strike--and but once!

[_The_ DOGE _throws himself upon his knees, and as the Executioner raises his sword the scene closes._

SCENE IV.--_The Piazza and Piazzetta of St. Mark's.-- The people in crowds gathered round the grated gates of the Ducal Palace, which are shut._

_First Citizen_. I have gained the Gate, and can discern the Ten, Robed in their gowns of state, ranged round the Doge.

_Second Cit_. I cannot reach thee with mine utmost effort.

How is it? let us hear at least, since sight Is thus prohibited unto the people, Except the occupiers of those bars.

_First Cit_. One has approached the Doge, and now they strip The ducal bonnet from his head--and now He raises his keen eyes to Heaven; I see Them glitter, and his lips move--Hush! hush!--no, 10 'Twas but a murmur--Curse upon the distance!

His words are inarticulate, but the voice Swells up like muttered thunder; would we could But gather a sole sentence!

_Second Cit_. Hush! we perhaps may catch the sound.

_First Cit_. 'Tis vain.

I cannot hear him.--How his h.o.a.ry hair Streams on the wind like foam upon the wave!

Now--now--he kneels--and now they form a circle Round him, and all is hidden--but I see The lifted sword in air----Ah! hark! it falls! 20

[_The people murmur._

_Third Cit_. Then they have murdered him who would have freed us.

_Fourth Cit_. He was a kind man to the commons ever.

_Fifth Cit_. Wisely they did to keep their portals barred.

Would we had known the work they were preparing Ere we were summoned here--we would have brought Weapons, and forced them!

_Sixth Cit_. Are you sure he's dead?

_First Cit_. I saw the sword fall--Lo! what have we here?

_Enter on the Balcony of the Palace which fronts St. Mark's Place a_ CHIEF OF THE TEN,[480] _with a b.l.o.o.d.y sword.

He waves it thrice before the People, and exclaims,_