They spread their soft wings in the sunny beam; They spread their wings and chant the hymn of joy; For the bright Sun, he is the lord of all. The beasts of earth lift up their patient eyes; They lift their eyes and utter deep-voiced words; For the bright Sun; he is the lord of all. The nations rise and bow them to the earth; They bow them to the earth; they wake the chant; They praise the god, giver of light and joy; For the bright Sun; he is the lord of all. The ragged mountains raise their awful heads; They raise their heads and gaze upon his face; They raise their heads rejoicing in his beams; For the bright Sun; he is the lord of all. The cloud kings seated high on empty air, The star-gods at his shining quit their thrones, Praise ye the Sun; for he is lord of earth. There the chant paused, and all the tumult died, While a deep voiceless calm oppressed the air It was a calm like that of sultry day, When the whole heaven is black with tempest clouds, Ere the white bolt of heaven destroying falls; , when the praise-hymn died, ar the vengeance of the gods, I's priests laid hold on the South king, outh king's breast, piercing the heart. ts took the corpse with ready hands, embling yet with parting life, sive altar of the Sun, unto the shining god. two score and nineteen men, otives, prisoners ta'en in war, Were done to death on the black slaughter-stone; And been acquaint so long with deeds of blood, That his heart was within him as a stone. Now when all these were slain, the black-robed priests. Laid by the body of the southern king Five other victims, chiefest of the slain, This the High Priest, the old man, when he saw, He held aloft the consecrated dish, Brazen that held the coals of sacred fire, To look upon the precious sacrifice. Then kindled he the wood with holy flame; And first the fire burned low; but soon it rose, 1, forming the lengthened line. the High Priest and the king, he dark procession moved, their breasts the life of fire. imes, like fiery-crested snakes ads above the vanquished foes, le corpses, soiled with ruddy blood 1 even as pleasant meat. se the adoring multitude rth worshipped the mighty Sun, one great voice, "The Sun is God." prostrate thousands, o'er the ranks n, over the holy fane, palace, dwelling of the king, yal city's farthest homes, clouds funereal, black as night, wide earth in a shroud of gloom. CANTO IV. THE sacrifice was o'er. The victims' blood Showed black and clotted 'neath the silver Moon, Who now, girt by the star-gods, ruled in heaven; Great God of death, white herald of the months, That, slowly circling, build the perfect year, Lover of men, averse to misery, That meeteth weary mortals on life's way, Is he; therefore he sendeth sleep and death, For that he gladly giveth easeful rest. Thence doth he, silver-sceptred, mount his throne Of thrice-bleached ivory, when holy night With dew-wet hands hath cooled the hearts of men, And wrought in them great longings after peace. Now did he oversilver all the roofs Uncounted of the city of the Rha; And glanced from Arvan's marble palace-walls, |