| Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888. | | | | Buried Cities | | By Vincenzo da Filicaja (1642–1707) |
| | Translated by Thomas Le Mesurier
HERE once ye stood, ye cities! now no more, | |
| In witness of your place, one stone remains, | |
| Where one may write, “Here oped the yawning plains, | |
| Here Syracuse, Catania stood of yore.” | |
| I o’er your doleful solitary shore | 5 |
| You in yourselves oft seek, where only reigns | |
| A horrid stillness, that with sorrow drains | |
| My soul: my feet are check’d, my eyes run o’er. | |
| And, oh! of wrath divine example dread! | |
| I cry,—I see thee, nor yet read thee right; | 10 |
| Nor to thy awful dictates bow my head! | |
| Then rise, o’erwhelmëd cities! bring to light | |
| The mighty wonder! let your huge bones spread, | |
| And strike each guilty age with just affright! | | | | |
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