532 A SCHOLAR'S "PASSAGE OF ARMS." 



There's not a man whose name in song of mine should have a place 



For prowess in the wrestling match, or swiftness in the race : 



Nor if he had the Cyclops' strength and eke their stature too ; 



Or Thracian Boreas himself in fleetness might out-do ; 



Nor if than e'en Tithonus were his beauty far more fair, 



Nor if his wealth with Eingras and Midas might compare ; 



Nor if than Pelops, mighty king, his power were more strong, 



And sweeter than Adrastus' voice the honey of his song ; 



Nor if, Without a warlike soul all virtues he might have 



For no man in the battle's heat can e'er be truly brave, 



Who steadfastly to look on deeds of slaughter cannot bear, 



And boldly front the foeman, man to man, and spear to spear. 



This, this alone is valour, and the best of gifts hath he, 



The youth to whom this gift is given most abundantly. 



To the city and the citizens he hath done a common good, 



Who in the battle's foremost rank unwavering hath stood. 



And he whose noble soul disdains to think of shameful flight, 



Who coming danger doth oppose with life, and main, and might ; 



And with courage e'en to perish can his comrade's heart inspire, 



In such a bosom truly glows the flame of martial fire ; 



And he whose single arm hath turned the phalanx of the foe, 



And made the stream of battle in another channel flow ; 



And fighting in the foremost rank hath sunk and fallen down, 



And a blaze of glory o'er his father's name and city thrown. 



Thro' the boss upon his shield, and thro' the breastplate o'er his heart, 



And thro' his noble bosom pierced with many a foeman's dart, 



His funeral cry of young and old, alike the voices swell, 



And his country for her hero mourns who fighting for her fell. 



And sacred is the tomb wherein his hallowed ashes lie, 



And his fame in generations yet unborn shall never die. 



No ! by the taint of death his name shall never sullied be, 



But ever shall enjoy the greatest immortality : 



Whomever fighting manfully amid the dread affray 



For his country and his kindred, bloody Mars shall put away. 



But should it be his lot to 'scape the dreamless sleep of fate, 



And from the battle to return with victory elate ; 



O then with due respect to him, both young and old will bend, 



And to his course of honor, death alone shall put an end ; 



Old age shall have no cares for him, for reverence and right 



Will be his shield but none to such a man would do despite. 



And in the theatre to him both young and old arise, 



And very proud is he whose seat the hero occupies. 



Go now, my friends ! let each one strive to gain this glory's height, 



With heart and soul intent upon the fortune of the fight. 



The minstrel ceased, for he was now prodigiously exalted in the 

 minds of those who heard him. We marched forward with a loud 

 shout, our hearts beat with ecstasy ; we shouted amain we heard a 

 sudden crash as of a wall battered in we felt the pain of a wound 

 which was as nothing in our character of a Spartan warrior, but 

 which was abundantly sufficient to awaken us to the dull realities of 

 this every-day world. Our housekeeper burst into the room with a 

 shriek " Lord deliver us !" cried she ; " why, Mr. Barnaby, if you 

 have not broke every bit of that new china tea service, and thrown 

 over the kettle, and broke the table and all ! O Lord ! O Lord ! 

 Surely my poor master is demented." All save the last clause of the 



