True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1855-01-04
From the Dollar Newspaper.
THE OATH OF HANNIBAL.
by MANRRED

BY MANFRED
Twas night the deathlike silence of the tomb
Pervaded fair Numantia the gloom
Of darkness round her lofty mountains spread,
Hung like mantle round her glorious dead
The moon had left her beauteous throne on high,
And lot star begemmed the summer sky;
While cloud on cloud, trav ersng heaven, rolled
In all the splendor of their shadowy fold,
Like blackened banners sweeping through the
air,
Waved in magnifcence of grandeur there;
flushed was the scene-the echo of no sound
profaned the loneliness that regned around;
Nought save the sighings of the wind arose
To break the stiffness of the worlds repose.
Deep in the forest shade temple stood,
Reared like a phantom in a solitude;
Its jutting towers and its walls sublime,
Still rose triumphant DER the hand of time;
While round its sides, on every massive stone,
Was carved the glories of name, its own.
A footstep falls, its echo strikes the ear
Agaiu-againl It's no illusion there,
From out the thicket of yon tangled wild,
Appears warrior with an infant child,
Firm is his step-thet tall, commanding form,
Unbent, unconquered by the battles storm,
Preserves its naughty and majestic mein,
And frowns its grandeur on this gloomy scene
His raven locks now wear the tint of snow,
And veil the furrows of his regal brow
Though quenched the lightnings of his eagle
eye,
1t flashes now rodoubled brilliancy,
AS gazing down upon his youthful son,
His only boy, his country's chosen one,
He sees in him the Carthagenians' pride;
The scourge of Rome-Revenge personiied.
The noble cEild holds fast his fathers hand,
Obeys he now, though born to give command ;
Nine summers scarce have shono upon his
head
His form erect, elastic is his tread
And fearless as Hamilcar he surveys
The wilds around him with contemptuous gaze
They reach the door, the Threshold now is
gain'd,
Ne'er trod by Roman ne'er by Gaul profaned
Mysterious silence broods spirit there,
Anon the thunder rends the midnight air,
Aud while the storm, long gathering in its
might,
Awoke the echoes of the slumbering night
And while the lightning leapt along the sky,
And burst the clouds in wild sublimity-
Hamlcar and his son undaunted stood
Before the altar of the Punic god
Molochs huge image rises there alone,
And smiles approval on the warriors son.
"Kneel, kneel, my boy, before great Saturn's
shrine,
And consecrate to hin: thy grand design;
Look on the god, thy guardian and thy guide
And swear by all that he has sanctifed,
By all thy counry's wrongs, by all thine own,
Swear lasting hatred gainst Italia's throne!
Swear ne'er to sheath the Carthagenian blade,
Till Roman empire at thy feet is laid "
Yes kneels he there! No smoking sacrifice
Now watts its incense to the blackened skies
And while the storm yet beats against the walls,
The twain still bend within the temples halls.
Father! "-one glance is where his parent
stood,
The next is fastened on the naughty god
His hands are clasped, and, gently raised OIL
high,
Proclaim his reverence for the deity
"Father | swear by all that thou hast named,
By all that Roman lust and pride hath shamed
By Afric's wrongs, the wrecks of temple, hal
and dome;
BY these swear Eternal hate to Romcn'
'Tis past-the storm is past--the thunder roll;
no more,
And all is calm aud tranquil as before.
The curse of Carthage, by an infant hurled,
Was wreaked upon the Mistress of the World
The snow clad Alps, the Rhine, and Cannae's
plains,
Re-echoed vengeance, for the Punic names
His oath was kept on Zama's field he STOOD
! And saw his banner bathed in Roman blood
His star had sunk--hs glorious noon wa
o'er--
And Hannibal, the Carthagenian, reigned NJ
more.