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(From Roderick, the Last of the Goths)
AND like a cloud of locusts, whom the South | |
| Wafts from the plains of wasted Africa, | |
| The Musselmen upon Iberia’s shore | |
| Descend. A countless multitude they came, | |
| Syrian, Moor, Saracen, Greek renegade, | 5 |
| Persian and Copt and Tartar, in one bond | |
| Of erring faith conjoined, strong in the youth | |
| And heat of zeal,—a dreadful brotherhood, | |
| In whom all turbulent vices were let loose; | |
| While Conscience, with their impious creed accurst | 10 |
| Drunk as with wine, had sanctified to them | |
| All bloody, all abominable things. | |
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| Thou, Calpë, saw’st their coming; ancient rock | |
| Renowned, no longer now shalt thou be called | |
| From gods and heroes of the years of yore, | 15 |
| Kronos, or hundred-handed Briareus, | |
| Bacchus or Hercules; but doomed to bear | |
| The name of thy new conqueror, and thenceforth | |
| To stand his everlasting monument. | |
| Thou saw’st the dark-blue waters flash before | 20 |
| Their ominous way, and whiten round their keels; | |
| Their swarthy myriads darkening o’er thy sands. | |
| There on the beach the Misbelievers spread | |
| Their banners, flaunting to the sun and breeze; | |
| Fair shone the sun upon their proud array, | 25 |
| White turbans, glittering armor, shields engrailed | |
| With gold, and cimeters of Syrian steel; | |
| And gently did the breezes, as in sport, | |
| Curl their long flags outrolling, and display | |
| The blazoned scrolls of blasphemy. Too soon | 30 |
| The gales of Spain from that unhappy land | |
| Wafted, as from an open charnel-house, | |
| The taint of death; and that bright sun, from fields | |
| Of slaughter, with the morning dew drew up | |
| Corruption through the infected atmosphere. | 35 |
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