Thus in Five and Five and Five did Cyrus the Great of Elam,[40] On a festal night break in with roar of the fierce alalagmos.[41] Over Babylonian walls, over tower and turret of entrance, Over helmed heads, and over the carnage of armies. Idle the spearsman's spear, Assyrian scymitar idle; Broken the bow-string lay of the Mesopotamian archer; 'Ride to the halls of Belshazzar, ride through the murderous uproar; Ride to the halls of Belshazzar!' commanded Cyrus of Elam. They rode to the halls of Belshazzar. Oh, merciful, merciful angels! That prompt sweet tears to men, hang veils, hang drapery darkest,-- If any may hide or may pall this night's tempestuous horror. Like a deluge the army poured in on their snorting Bactrian horses, Rattled the Parthian quivers, rang the Parthian harness of iron, High upon spears rode the torches, and from them in showery blazes Rained splendour lurid and fierce on the dreamlike ruinous uproar, Such as delusions often from fever's fierce vertical ardour Show through the long-chambered halls and corridors endless, Blazing with cruel light--show to the brain of the stricken man; Such as the angel of dreams sometimes sends to the guilty. Such light lay in open front, but palpable ebony blackness, Sealed every far-off street in deep and awful abysses, Out of which rose like phantoms, rose and sank as a sea-bird Rises and sinks on the waves of a dim, tumultuous ocean, Faces dabbled in blood, phantasmagory direful and scenic. * * * * *