Great Titus wept, and who could well refrain, Her love avouch’d but now increas’d his pain. Back to the blazing town again he rides, Where death still stalks, and floats in bloody tides, While near the temple’s ruins, once so gay, Stood captur’d Simon, cloth’d in bright array, {78} And calls aloud for Titus—he appears, Nor mocks his fallen foe, nor proudly jeers, But pours his anger thus to Simon’s ears. “Thou most accursed of thy griping race, Thy crimes are painted on that wrinkled face; Yes, each foul hair that forms thy gristly beard, Which speaks an age by all to be rever’d, Would, had they fifty tongues, and each tongue free, Could tell a murder basely done by thee. Look on yon dying heaps, then look again, Where in full pomp once stood your sacred fane; See how its ruins jag the sacred hill, Look round and view your city blazing still, Then think that thou the author art of all, Thy kindred’s murders, and thy city’s fall; But now thy days shall know but woe and fear, No hope shall point thee to the coming year, But ev’ry minute bring some torment new, Till you shall own none ever felt like you, And in deep anguish bid the world adieu.” Simon but answers with a dreary frown, While Romans lead him through the conquer’d town, Through trackless wastes, where palaces once stood, O’er hills of slain, and streams of darken’d blood: Still Titus rides amidst the awful roar, Recalls his men, and bids them burn no more; But vain his threats, and lost his loud commands, They think of nought but what their rage demands. With crash on crash the flames with force profound Run thro’ whole streets, and hurl them to the ground, There swamp’d in gore the ruins smoking lay, While clouds of smoke obscure the shining day; A sight like this was never seen before, A sight so horrid shall be seen no more, Till the last trump shall wake the slumb’ring dead, And bid them rise from out their clayey bed; Till Jesus’ blood-cross’d banner be unfurl’d, And God’s avenging fire shall strike the world, When fearing men and fiends shall dread the hour, But all shall own the Saviour’s mighty pow’r, Till Jews and Romans shall like friends arise, And take their flight together through the skies; There lost to anger and the love of fame Shall join to bless the Tri-une’s sacred name; Or like their native cities, burning go, And sink for ever to eternal woe. FINIS. FOOTNOTES. {9} Antient writers affirm, that Titus was converted to the Christian religion, during the Jewish war, by a high priest whom he had taken prisoner, though he afterwards espoused paganism. {12} Titus is called king by Josephus and others, though Vespasian reigned at that time.