Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
Greece and Turkey in Europe: Vol. XIX. 1876–79.
The Flight of Xerxes
By Maria Jane Jewsbury (1800–1833)I
When like a king he bore him,—
Proud hosts in glittering helm and greave,
And prouder chiefs before him;
The warrior, and the warrior’s deeds,
The morrow, and the morrow’s meeds,
No daunting thoughts came o’er him;
He looked around him, and his eye
Defiance flashed to earth and sky.
Was covered with his fleet;
On earth,—and saw from east to west
His bannered millions meet;
While rock and glen and cave and coast
Shook with the war-cry of that host,
The thunder of their feet!
He heard the imperial echoes ring,—
He heard, and felt himself a king.
Nor chief his steps attended;
Nor banner blazed, nor courser’s tramp
With war-cries proudly blended.
He stood alone, whom fortune high
So lately seemed to deify;
He who with heaven contended
Fled like a fugitive and slave!
Behind, the foe; before, the wave.
Alone, and in despair!
But wave and wind swept ruthless on,
For they were monarchs there;
And Xerxes, in a single bark,
Where late his thousand ships were dark,
Must all their fury dare.
What a revenge,—a trophy, this,—
For thee, immortal Salamis!