"And yet that duty, son," replied The chief, "methinks thou hast denied; And dared thy sacred sword to wield For fame in a forbidden field." "Master, thy judgment, howsoe'er It lean, till all is told, forbear-- Thy law in spirit and in will, I had no thought but to fulfil. Not rash, as some, did I depart A Christian's blood in vain to shed; But hoped by skill, and strove by art, To make my life avenge the dead. "Five of our Order, in renown The war-gems of our saintly crown, The martyr's glory bought with life; 'Twas then thy law forbade the strife. Yet in my heart there gnaw'd, like fire, Proud sorrow, fed with stern desire: In the still visions of the night, Panting, I fought the fancied fight; And when the morrow glimmering came, With tales of ravage freshly done, The dream remember'd, turn'd to shame, That night should dare what day should shun. "And thus my fiery musings ran-- 'What youth has learn'd should nerve the man; How lived the great in days of old, Whose Fame to time by bards is told-- Who, heathens though they were, became As gods--upborne to heaven by fame? How proved they best the hero's worth? They chased the monster from the earth-- They sought the lion in his den-- They pierced the Cretan's deadly maze-- Their noble blood gave humble men Their happy birthright--peaceful days. "'What! sacred, but against the horde Of Mahound, is the Christian's sword? All strife, save one, should he forbear? No! earth itself the Christian's care-- From every ill and every harm, Man's shield should be the Christian's arm. Yet art o'er strength will oft prevail, And mind must aid where heart may fail!' Thus musing, oft I roam'd alone, Where wont the Hell-born Beast to lie; Till sudden light upon me shone, And on my hope broke victory! "Then, Prince, I sought thee with the prayer To breathe once more my native air; The license given--the ocean past-- I reach'd the shores of home at last. Scarce hail'd the old beloved land, Than huge, beneath the artist's hand, To every hideous feature true, The Dragon's monster-model grew. The dwarf'd, deformed limbs upbore The lengthen'd body's ponderous load; The scales the impervious surface wore, Like links of burnish'd harness, glow'd. "Life-like, the huge neck seem'd to swell, And widely, as some porch to hell You might the horrent jaws survey, Griesly, and greeding for their prey. Grim fangs an added terror gave, Like crags that whiten through a cave. The very tongue a sword in seeming-- The deep-sunk eyes in sparkles gleaming. Where the vast body ends, succeed The serpent spires around it roll'd-- Woe--woe to rider, woe to steed, Whom coils as fearful e'er enfold!