Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume VIII. National Spirit. 1904. | | | | III. War | | Hermann and Thusnelda | | Freidrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724–1803) |
| | Anonymous translation from the German
HA! there comes he, with sweat, with blood of Romans, | |
| And dust of the fight all stained! Oh, never | |
| Saw I Hermann so lovely! | |
| Never such fire in his eyes! | |
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| Come! I tremble for joy; hand me the Eagle | 5 |
| And the red dripping sword! come, breathe, and rest thee; | |
| Rest thee here in my bosom; | |
| Rest from the terrible fight! | |
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| Rest thee, while from thy brow I wipe the big drops, | |
| And the blood from thy cheek!—that cheek, how glowing! | 10 |
| Hermann! Hermann! Thusnelda | |
| Never so loved thee before! | |
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| No, not then, when thou first in old oak shadows, | |
| With that manly brown arm didst wildly grasp me! | |
| Spell-bound I read in thy look | 15 |
| That immortality then | |
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| Which thou now hast won. Tell to the forests, | |
| Great Augustus, with trembling, amidst his gods now, | |
| Drinks his nectar; for Hermann, | |
| Hermann immortal is found! | 20 |
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| “Wherefore curl’st thou my hair? Lies not our father | |
| Cold and silent in death? Oh, had Augustus | |
| Only headed his army,— | |
| He should lie bloodier there!” | |
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| Let me lift up thy hair; ’t is sinking, Hermann: | 25 |
| Proudly thy locks should curl above the crown now! | |
| Sigmar is with the immortals! | |
| Follow, and mourn him no more! | | | | |
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