Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1882-07-01

DAMON ANO PKTHLAS.
Translated from Schiller, by Sir L. Bulwe
Lytton.l

LytlOn.I
"Now Observation-Disclosures
stern Damon with his pOinaird crept;
The watchful guards upon him swept;
The grim King marked his bearing high.
"What would'st thou with thy knife? Re-
"Fhe city from the tyrnnt free -
''The death-cross shall thy guerdon be-
al am prepared for death, nor pray"
Haughtily Damon said, 'to live;
Enough, if thou one grace will give:
For three brief suns the death delay!
\ sisters nuptial rites now stay
My promised coming, leagues away;
boast a friend, whose life for mine,
If should fail the Cross is thine.
The tyrant unused, and smiled, and said,
With gloomy craft, $50 let ii be;
Three days L will Vouchsafeto thee.
But, mark; 4, when the time be sped,
ThOa faif'St thy surety die instead.
His life Shall buy thine own release
Thy guilt atoned. my wrath shall cease"
And Damon soughthis friend; "The King
Ordains my life the cross upon
Shall pay the deed would have done.
Yet grants three days delay to me,
My sisters marriage rites to see,
II thou, my Pythias, will remain
Hostage till return again "
One clasp OF hands-and Pythias said
No word, but to the tyrant strobe,
While Damon went upon his road.
Ere the third sun in Heaven was red,
The rite was DER, the sister wed,
And back, with anxious heart unquailing,
He hastes to keep the pledge untailing.
Down the great rains amending bore!
Down from the hills the torrents rushed
In one broad stream the brOOklets gushed!
And Damon halts beside the shore.
The bridge was swept the tide before!
And the tumultuOus waves, in thunder,
Rushed DER the shattered arch and under.
Frantic, dismayed, he takes his stand
Dismayed, he Strays and shouts around
His voice awakeS no answering sound.
No boat will leave the sheltering strand
To bear him for the wished for land
No bOatman will Deaths pilot be;
The wild stream gathers TO sea
PROSTATE awhile he raves-hc weeps;
Then raised his arms to JOYe, and cried:
''Stay thou, o, stay the maddening tide!
Midway, behold, the swift sun sweeps,
And ere he sinks adown the deeps,
II should fail, his beams will see
My friend last anguish-slain for me :"
Fierce runs the stream more broad it flows,
And wave on wave succeeds and dies,
And hour on hour, remOrselesS, flies;
Despair at last to daring grows;
Amid the flood his form he throws,
With vigorous arms the roaring waves
Cleaves, and God that pities saves.
He wins the bank, his path pursues,
The anxious terrors bounds him on
10! reddening in the evening sun,
From far, the dOmes ofSyracuSe!
When towards him comes PhilOstrutus
fHis leal and trusty herdsman he, as
And to the master bends his knee.
Back thou canst aid thy friend no more
The niggard time already s flown
His life IS forfeit-saye thine own,
Hour after hour in hope he bore,
For might his soul its faith give DER?
Nor could the tyrant's scorn, deriding,
Steal from that faith one thought contid-
ingH'
Too late What horror hast thou spoken
Vain life, since it cannot requite him
But death can yet with me unite him;
No boasts the tyrant's scorn shall make
How friend to friend can faith fOrSake;
But from the double death shall know
That Truth and Love yet live below!
The sun strikes down the gates i'll view,
The cross looms dismal on the ground
The eager crowd cape murmuring round.
Lo {! Pythian bound the cross unIO!-
When, crowd-gunrds- all-bursts Damon
through
"Me, doomsman % shouts he,-''me alone!
His life is rescued-lOt mine own!
Amusement seized the circling ring
Linked in each others arms the pair
Stood, thrilled with joy-yet anguish
therel
Moist every eye that gazed they bring
The wondrOus tidings to the King;
His breast man. heart at length has known,
And the friends stand before his throne.
Long silent he,-and wondering long
Gazcd on the pair, then said: "Depart,
NictOrs, We have SuDducd my heart!
Truth is no dream its power Is strong
Give grace TO him who owns his wrong
Ills mine yOIu Suppliaht now to be-
Ali let the bond OF Love hold THREE!'