Chiefest of all the warrior-kings that were,
Swift with the sword, sent of the gods to slay.

So the sad realm which Arvan had o'ercome
Mourned low in ashes; and the red wine flowed,
In honour of that mighty victory,

Freely as the red blood by which 'twas won.
Thus past the hours, until the first pale gleams,
Silvery and pure, of the approaching morn,
Stole on the lurid radiance of the hall,
Gently, as steal the first sweet thoughts of love
Into a hot heart filled with hate and strife.
Then rose the king. High over all the guests
Towered his imperial form, as the Ur peak,
Its shoulders crimson with the sunset glow,
Shows o'er the lesser hills that gird him round.
Instant to left and right, from brazen throats
Of clamorous trumpets, stormed tempestuous blasts,
Commanding silence, and a great voice cried,
"The king hath risen." Then, while o'er all the throng
Sank a death silence, the great monarch spoke,
"Kings, nobles, chieftains, ye, who at my side
Have faced rejoicing the gaunt spectre War,
And tamed his terrors; victors from the strife
Ye have once more returned. I will not thank
The loyal hearts, who are my kingdom's guard,
For thanks, howe'er expressed, are payment still,
And I would have free service from the free.
Nor will I vaunt your courage often proved,
Courage to strong hearts is its own reward.
But I would ask you to behold the work

Which your keen swords and your strong arms have wrought.

to where the southern WATER n the golden shore,

ts its defance DOW.

s have beaten down the realma e they who were our foes, tmost mountain fictresses. g arms which defed our mugit ts, all tamei, kave sued fie pra ing still dares our wrath

ttempted strength

hosts of armed mem

as struck. He from his time enowned, fung to the dust L For, Chieftains, um me thed, while yet a foe remains r. I am the lord of earth been given unto my sword, e prey-beasts shining teeth; led of them will weary vidy Fruit to store my grazanie ut my servants who bear sway but when I frown, retire undistinguished slaves,

ing, fearing muth my wrath.
chiefs stooped to my sway!
were they, foremost in £1,
r in wolf-like multitudes
nd, wasting where'er they pain
len, and their thrones are roud
Ari's kings, with countless hoste
g men, assailed our realm,
g our banners in the dus!

Where are the dark kings and their locust swarms
Of arrow-darters now? Last the great lord,

Whose iron sceptre ruled the sunny lands,

Dared, vain of heart, to match his strength with ours.
He came, with myriads on fleet-footed steeds,
Shaking the earth beneath their thunder-path;
He came with iron-fenced ranks of men,
Their lances showed afar off like a wood

Of pines unnumbered on the ragged flanks
Of the Ur mountains, when the glittering stars
O'er-twinkle them, like well-ground points of steel.
He came, he met us on the battle-plain,

His hosts were trampled down into the slime,
Red with much blood of men. He a chained slave
Waiteth in dungeon for the death decree.
Far o'er the plains his chariots fled away ;

His people fled. Vain was their maddened speed,
For the swift sword o'ertook them in their flight.
Now may the wolves and bears flesh their white fangs
Upon the mighty men. Upon the hills,

And through the vales, they in their shining arms,

Lay thick as drops upon the autumn grass,

When the white fog deserts the misty plain.

But our last task remains. This king must fall—
Emeth, who, being harnessed for the fight,
Vaunteth himself our equal. He must fall.
To your strong arms and warrior hearts I trust,
Chieftains, his chastisement. Then shall the world
Be subject unto us from shore to shore,

And the vexed nations shall at last have rest.
Chieftains, the battle-feast hath touched its end.

Hath it not been our custom from of old

ho from the heights of heaven fates of mortal men!

to the sacrifice

hour is offered up
ho grants us victory.

n even now doth break.
car the god will rise
on his worshippers.
read mount of sacrifice

Then raised he his hand
al, as of old

om with the northern kings. crowd. A mighty shout

rded lips rang through the hall, dyed rafters in the roof

great cry, “Live long, oh! king"

he yawning doors, the goodly stream ured out into the day:

, rejoicing in their strength.

round the northern pole,

st-king, breaks its winter's rest

sun returns; then through the straits, iffs, the towering icebergs pass, welled by the solar rays;

tering crowd forth from the hall.

th his chosen men of war,

nsellors, and aged men,

inner portal past in state

council, there to build,

thought, the broad-based plan of war

il to tame the warlike West.

Arvan, to await the hour

When he should don the crown, and take the sword Of sacrifice, seeking the sacred hill.

Without, the people argued much of war;

For all the feasters, ere they sought their homes,
Spake largely of the strife. And of the young,
Many desired war, hoping in the fray

To win fame by the smitings of their swords,
And also wealth; for youth hopes ever much,
Being yet full of the fierce fire of life,

Nor taking thought of failure, nor of death.

But in the greybeards' hearts, who through long days
Of varying existence, thinking much,

Had marked life and its changes, other thoughts,
Unsanguine, of the western war had place.

For they forboded ill. And Morar said,
"Heard ye the king? he meditates new war.
Surely he loveth strife." Karlak replied,
"What wonder though he love it passing well?
Did we not drink from gold within the hall ?—
Of yore we drank from silver." To him spake
His fellow, "We have yellow for the white;
But the changed colour, it hath cost much blood."
Then Oron, rich in ships and merchandise,
Who walked beside them, listening to their speech,
Took up the word, and said, "Arvan is brave,
And hath prevailed greatly o'er his foes.
The kingdom is increased through his might,
And much gain grows therefrom to trading men,
Peaceful, whose souls shun the red fields of war.
Yet let him take heed, for the path of strife
Is full of chances strange. Even strong men
On its rough, slippery ways have sudden reeled,