Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Italy: Vols. XI–XIII. 1876–79. | | | | Venice | | Venice | | Saverio Bettinelli (1718–1808) |
| | Translated by James Montgomery
WITH talons terrible, for slaughter spread, | |
| On wings that made a tempest of their way, | |
| Down darting from the Alps, by vengeance led, | |
| The Hungarian falcon pounced upon his prey. | |
| From wrath and rapine, trembling with dismay, | 5 |
| The Italian doves before the spoiler sped, | |
| And wide o’er vales and mountains driven astray, | |
| Far from their ravaged homes forever fled. | |
| Then found the wiser halcyon’s lovely brood | |
| (Scared from their country ruined and opprest) | 10 |
| A safe asylum on the rolling flood; | |
| By worth upheld, by liberty caresst: | |
| Midst thrones in ashes, cities sunk in blood, | |
| Ages on ages past,—behold the beauteous nest. | | | | |
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