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HEROD. 

 EY DELTA. 



Upon his throne, 'mid gems and gold. 

 The impious Herod sat, 



In pomp of royalty 

 With arrogance and hauteur cold, 

 While crouching slaves cried, 'caveat' 



To crowds on bended knee. 



There Tyre and Sidon's legates bowed 

 To crave that they should still be held 



By bonds of amity : 

 Then, from the hushed and mighty crov;dj 

 Long shouts of homage loud up-swelled 



Like anthems of the sea ! 



And hushed again, while Herod spoke. 

 Still swayed that countless host 



In blind servility; 

 Then, forth in thunder-tones loud broke 

 Of blasphemy and godless boast, 



« The voice of Deity ! "' 



" The voice of God, and not of man ! " 

 The tones the godless Monarch drank. 



Drunk with idolatry ! 

 Eut lo ! a with'ring silence ran 

 O'er that dense sea, as backward shrank. 



Its billows fearfully ! 



A curse ! The Angel of Jehovah God '. 

 The Mighty One, in vengeance drest 



And awful majesty. 

 Smote the bold wretch, who, godless, trod 

 Through martyr's blood, and dared to wrest 



The throne from Deity ! 



" The voice of God," accursed king I , 

 Earth's fame hath made thee mad, 



To claim Divinity ; 

 Nor, pay to Heaven, thy offering. 

 But, fill a throne, in crimson clad. 



And utter blasphemy ! 



"A God !" — The basest worm of earth. 

 Thou sat'st, thyself a banquet-room 



For grave-worms' revelry ! 

 Cursing the hour that gave thee birth 

 Thou found'st thy rebel throne, a tomb — 



Sin's fearful destiny '. 



