The Works of Lord Byron Volume II Part 22

He pa.s.sed the sacred Haram's silent tower, And underneath the wide o'erarching gate Surveyed the dwelling of this Chief of power, Where all around proclaimed his high estate.

Amidst no common pomp the Despot sate, While busy preparation shook the court, Slaves, eunuchs, soldiers, guests, and santons[156] wait;[fe]

Within, a palace, and without, a fort: Here men of every clime appear to make resort.

LVII.

Richly caparisoned, a ready row Of armed horse, and many a warlike store, Circled the wide-extending court below; Above, strange groups adorned the corridore; And oft-times through the area's echoing door Some high-capped Tartar spurred his steed away: The Turk--the Greek--the Albanian--and the Moor, Here mingled in their many-hued array, While the deep war-drum's sound announced the close of day.[ff]

LVIII.

The wild Albanian kirtled to his knee, With shawl-girt head and ornamented gun, And gold-embroidered garments, fair to see; The crimson-scarfed men of Macedon; The Delhi with his cap of terror on, And crooked glaive--the lively, supple Greek And swarthy Nubia's mutilated son; The bearded Turk that rarely deigns to speak, Master of all around, too potent to be meek,

LIX.

Are mixed conspicuous: some recline in groups,[157]

Scanning the motley scene that varies round; There some grave Moslem to devotion stoops, And some that smoke, and some that play, are found; Here the Albanian proudly treads the ground; Half-whispering there the Greek is heard to prate; Hark! from the Mosque the nightly solemn sound, The Muezzin's call doth shake the minaret, "There is no G.o.d but G.o.d!--to prayer--lo! G.o.d is great!"

LX.

Just at this season Ramazani's fast[158]

Through the long day its penance did maintain: But when the lingering twilight hour was past, Revel and feast a.s.sumed the rule again: Now all was bustle, and the menial train Prepared and spread the plenteous board within; The vacant Gallery now seemed made in vain, But from the chambers came the mingling din, As page and slave anon were pa.s.sing out and in.[159]

LXI.

Here woman's voice is never heard: apart, And scarce permitted, guarded, veiled, to move,[fg]

She yields to one her person and her heart, Tamed to her cage, nor feels a wish to rove: For, not unhappy in her Master's love,[fh]

And joyful in a mother's gentlest cares, Blest cares! all other feelings far above!

Herself more sweetly rears the babe she bears Who never quits the breast--no meaner pa.s.sion shares.

LXII.

In marble-paved pavilion, where a spring Of living water from the centre rose, Whose bubbling did a genial freshness fling, And soft voluptuous couches breathed repose, ALI reclined, a man of war and woes:[160]

Yet in his lineaments ye cannot trace, While Gentleness her milder radiance throws[161]

Along that aged venerable face, The deeds that lurk beneath, and stain him with disgrace.

LXIII.

It is not that yon h.o.a.ry lengthening beard Ill suits the pa.s.sions which belong to Youth;[fi]

Love conquers Age--so Hafiz hath averr'd, So sings the Teian, and he sings in sooth[162]-- But crimes that scorn the tender voice of ruth,[fj][163]

Beseeming all men ill, but most the man In years, have marked him with a tiger's tooth; Blood follows blood, and, through their mortal span, In bloodier acts conclude those who with blood began.[fk][164]

LXIV.

'Mid many things most new to ear and eye[fl]

The Pilgrim rested here his weary feet, And gazed around on Moslem luxury, Till quickly, wearied with that s.p.a.cious seat Of Wealth and Wantonness, the choice retreat Of sated Grandeur from the city's noise: And were it humbler it in sooth were sweet; But Peace abhorreth artificial joys, And Pleasure, leagued with Pomp, the zest of both destroys.

LXV.

Fierce are Albania's children, yet they lack Not virtues, were those virtues more mature.

Where is the foe that ever saw their back?

Who can so well the toil of War endure?

Their native fastnesses not more secure Than they in doubtful time of troublous need: Their wrath how deadly! but their friends.h.i.+p sure, When Grat.i.tude or Valour bids them bleed, Unshaken rus.h.i.+ng on where'er their Chief may lead.

LXVI.

Childe Harold saw them in their Chieftain's tower Thronging to War in splendour and success; And after viewed them, when, within their power, Himself awhile the victim of distress; That saddening hour when bad men hotlier press: But these did shelter him beneath their roof, When less barbarians would have cheered him less, And fellow-countrymen have stood aloof--[27.B.]

In aught that tries the heart, how few withstand the proof!

LXVII.

It chanced that adverse winds once drove his bark Full on the coast of Suli's s.h.a.ggy sh.o.r.e,[165]

When all around was desolate and dark; To land was perilous, to sojourn more; Yet for awhile the mariners forbore, Dubious to trust where Treachery might lurk: At length they ventured forth, though doubting sore That those who loathe alike the Frank and Turk Might once again renew their ancient butcher-work.

LXVIII.

Vain fear! the Suliotes stretched the welcome hand, Led them o'er rocks and past the dangerous swamp, Kinder than polished slaves though not so bland, And piled the hearth, and wrung their garments damp, And filled the bowl, and trimmed the cheerful lamp, And spread their fare; though homely, all they had: Such conduct bears Philanthropy's rare stamp: To rest the weary and to soothe the sad, Doth lesson happier men, and shames at least the bad.

LXIX.

It came to pa.s.s, that when he did address Himself to quit at length this mountain-land, Combined marauders half-way barred egress, And wasted far and near with glaive and brand; And therefore did he take a trusty band To traverse Acarnania's forest wide, In war well-seasoned, and with labours tanned, Till he did greet white Achelous' tide, And from his further bank aetolia's wolds espied.[166]

LXX.

Where lone Utraikey forms its circling cove,[167]

And weary waves retire to gleam at rest, How brown the foliage of the green hill's grove, Nodding at midnight o'er the calm bay's breast, As winds come lightly whispering from the West, Kissing, not ruffling, the blue deep's serene:-- Here Harold was received a welcome guest; Nor did he pa.s.s unmoved the gentle scene, For many a joy could he from Night's soft presence glean.

LXXI.

On the smooth sh.o.r.e the night-fires brightly blazed, The feast was done, the red wine circling fast,[28.B.]

And he that unawares had there ygazed With gaping wonderment had stared aghast; For ere night's midmost, stillest hour was past, The native revels of the troop began; Each Palikar his sabre from him cast,[29.B.]

And bounding hand in hand, man linked to man, Yelling their uncouth dirge, long daunced the kirtled clan.[168]

LXXII.

Childe Harold at a little distance stood And viewed, but not displeased, the revelrie, Nor hated harmless mirth, however rude: In sooth, it was no vulgar sight to see Their barbarous, yet their not indecent, glee; And, as the flames along their faces gleamed, Their gestures nimble, dark eyes flas.h.i.+ng free, The long wild locks that to their girdles streamed, While thus in concert they this lay half sang, half screamed:--[169][30.B.]

1.

Tambourgi![170] Tambourgi! thy 'larum afar[fm][31.B.]

Gives hope to the valiant, and promise of war; All the Sons of the mountains arise at the note, Chimariot, Illyrian, and dark Suliote!

2.

Oh! who is more brave than a dark Suliote, In his snowy camese[171] and his s.h.a.ggy capote?

To the wolf and the vulture he leaves his wild flock, And descends to the plain like the stream from the rock.

3.

Shall the sons of Chimari, who never forgive[fn]