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Home  »  library  »  poem  »  The Palace

C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

The Palace

By Alcæus (c. 620–c. 580 B.C.)

Translation of William Mure

FROM roof to roof the spacious palace halls

Glitter with war’s array;

With burnished metal clad, the lofty walls

Beam like the bright noonday.

There white-plumed helmets hang from many a nail,

Above, in threatening row;

Steel-garnished tunics and broad coats of mail

Spread o’er the space below.

Chalcidian blades enow, and belts are here,

Greaves and emblazoned shields;

Well-tried protectors from the hostile spear,

On other battlefields.

With these good helps our work of war’s begun,

With these our victory must be won.