BOOK THE NINTH.
351
O'er whose black marble sides a dim drear light
Struggled with darkness from the unfrequent lamp.
Enthroned around, the Murderers of Mankind! 695
Monarchs, the great! the glorious! the august!
Each bearing on his brow a crown of fire,
Sat stern and silent. Nimrod he was there,
First King the mighty hunter; and that Chief
Who did belie his mother's fame, that so 700
He might be called young Ammon. In this court
Cæsar was crown'd, accurst liberticide;
And he who murdered Tully, that cold villain!
Octavius, tho' the courtly minion's lyre
Hath hymn'd his praise, tho' Maro sung to him, 705
And when Death levelled to original clay
The royal carcase, Flattery, fawning low,
Fell at his feet, and worshipp'd the new God!
Titus was here, the Conqueror of the Jews,[1]
Struggled with darkness from the unfrequent lamp.
Enthroned around, the Murderers of Mankind! 695
Monarchs, the great! the glorious! the august!
Each bearing on his brow a crown of fire,
Sat stern and silent. Nimrod he was there,
First King the mighty hunter; and that Chief
Who did belie his mother's fame, that so 700
He might be called young Ammon. In this court
Cæsar was crown'd, accurst liberticide;
And he who murdered Tully, that cold villain!
Octavius, tho' the courtly minion's lyre
Hath hymn'd his praise, tho' Maro sung to him, 705
And when Death levelled to original clay
The royal carcase, Flattery, fawning low,
Fell at his feet, and worshipp'd the new God!
Titus was here, the Conqueror of the Jews,[1]
He
- ↑ Line 709. During the siege of Jerusalem, "the Roman commander, with a generous clemency, that inseparable attendant on true heroism, laboured incessantly, and to the very last moment, to preserve the place. With this view, he again and again intreated the tyrants to surrender and save their lives. With the same view also, after carrying the second wall, the
siege
