| |
| THERE have been bright and glorious pageants here, | |
| Where now gray stones and moss-grown columns lie; | |
| There have been words, which earth grew pale to hear, | |
| Breathed from the cavern’s misty chambers nigh; | |
| There have been voices, through the sunny sky, | 5 |
| And the pine woods, their choral hymn-notes sending, | |
| And reeds and lyres, their Dorian melody, | |
| With incense-clouds around the temple blending, | |
| And throngs, with laurel-boughs, before the altar bending; | |
| |
| There have been treasures of the seas and isles | 10 |
| Brought to the day-god’s now forsaken throne; | |
| Thunders have pealed along the rock-defiles, | |
| When the far-echoing battle-horn made known | |
| That foes were on their way!—the deep-wind’s moan | |
| Hath chilled the invader’s heart with secret fear, | 15 |
| And from the Sibyl-grottos, wild and lone, | |
| Storms have gone forth, which, in their fierce career, | |
| From his bold hand have struck the banner and the spear. | |
| |
| The shrine hath sunk!—but thou unchanged art there! | |
| Mount of the voice and vision, robed with dreams! | 20 |
| Unchanged, and rushing through the radiant air, | |
| With thy dark-waving pines, and flashing streams, | |
| And all thy founts of song! their bright course teems | |
| With inspiration yet; and each dim haze, | |
| Or golden cloud which floats around thee, seems | 25 |
| As with its mantle, veiling from our gaze | |
| The mysteries of the past, the gods of elder days! | |
| |
| Away, vain fantasies!—doth less of power | |
| Dwell round thy summit, or thy cliffs invest, | |
| Though, in deep stillness now, the ruin’s flower | 30 |
| Wave o’er the pillars mouldering on thy breast? | |
| Lift through the free blue heavens thine arrowy crest! | |
| Let the great rocks their solitude regain! | |
| No Delphian lyres now break thy noontide rest | |
| With their full chords: but silent be the strain! | 35 |
| Thou hast a mightier voice to speak the Eternal’s reign! | |
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