Amid the chestnut groves
On Sella’s side, Alphonso had in charge
To watch the foe; a prowling band came nigh,
Whom with the ardour of impetuous youth
He charged and followed them in close pursuit:
Quick succours join’d them; and the strife grew hot,
Ere Pedro hastening to bring off his son,
Or Julian and his Captains,.. bent alike
That hour to abstain from combat, (for by this
Full sure they deem’d Alcahman had secured
The easy means of certain victory,)..
Could reach the spot. Both thus in their intent
According, somewhat had they now allay’d
The fury of the fight, though still spears flew,
And strokes of sword and mace were interchanged,
When passing through the troop a Moor came up
On errand from the Chief, to Julian sent;
A fatal errand fatally perform’d
For Julian, for the Chief, and for himself,
And all that host of Musselmen he brought;
For while with well-dissembled words he lured
The warrior’s ear, the dexterous ruffian mark’d
The favouring moment and unguarded place,
And plunged a javelin in his side. The Count,
Fell, but in falling called to Cottila,
Treachery! the Moor! the Moor!..He too on whom
He call’d had seen the blow from whence it came,
And seized the murderer. Miscreant! he exclaim’d,
Who set thee on? The Musselman, who saw
His secret purpose baffled, undismayed,
Replies, What I have done is authorized;
To punish treachery and prevent worse ill
Orpas and Abuleacem sent me here;
The service of the Caliph and the Faith
Required the blow.
The Prophet and the Fiend
Reward thee then! cried Cottila; meantime
Take thou from me thy proper earthly meed;
Villain!.. and lifting as be spake the sword,
He smote him on the neck: the trenchant blade
Through vein and artery pass’d and yielding bone;
And on the shoulder, as the assassin dropt,
His head half-severed fell. The curse of God
Fall on the Caliph and the Faith and thee!
Stamping for anguish, Cottila pursued;
African dogs, thus is it ye requite
Our services?.. But dearly shall ye pay
For this day’s work!.. O Fellow-soldiers, here,
Stretching his hands toward the host, he cried,
Behold your noble leader basely slain!
He who for twenty years hath led us forth
To war, and brought us home with victory.
Here he lies foully murdered,.. by the Moors...
Those whom he trusted, whom he served so well
Our turn is next! but neither will we wait
Idly, nor tamely fall!
Amid the grief,
Tumult, and rage, of those who gather’d round,
When Julian could be heard, I have yet life,
He said, for vengeance. Virimar, speed thou
To yonder Mountaineers, and tell their Chiefs
That Julian’s veteran army joins this day
Pelayo’s standard! The command devolves
On Gunderick. Fellow-soldiers, who so well
Redress’d the wrongs of your old General,
Ye will not let his death go unrevenged!..
Tears then were seen on many an iron cheek,
And groans were heard from many a resolute heart,
And vow’s with imprecations mix’d went forth,
And curses check’d by sobs. Bear me apart,
Said Julian, with a faint and painful voice,
And let me see my daughter ere I die.
Scarce had he spoken when the pitying throng
Divide before her. Eagerly she came;
A deep and fearful lustre in her eye,
A look of settled woe,.. pale, deadly pale,
Yet to no lamentations giving way,
Nor tears nor groans;.. within her breaking heart
She bore the grief, and kneeling solemnly
Beside him, raised her aweful hands to heaven,
And cried, Lord God! be with him in this hour
Two things have I to think of, O my child,
Vengeance and thee; said Julian. For the first
I have provided: what remains of life
As best may comfort thee may so be best
Employ’d; let me be borne within the church,
And thou, with that good man who follows thee,
Attend me there.
Thus when Florinda heard
Her father speak, a gleam of heavenly joy
Shone through the anguish of her countenance.
O gracious God, she cried, my prayers are heard;
Now let me die!.. They raised him from the earth;
He, knitting as they lifted him his brow,
Drew in through open lips and teeth firm-closed
His painful breath, and on the lance laid hand,
Lest its long shaft should shake the mortal wound.
Gently his men with slow and steady step
Their suffering burthen bore, and in the Church
Before the altar laid him down, his head
Upon Florinda’s knees — Now, friends, said he,
Farewell. I ever hoped to meet my death
Among ye, like a soldier,.. but not thus!
Go join the Asturians; and in after years,
When of your old commander ye shall talk,
How -well he loved his followers, what he was
In battle, and how basely he was slain,
Let not the tale its fit completion lack,
But say how bravely was his death revenged.
Vengeance! in that good word doth Julian make
His testament; your faithful swords must give
The will its full performance. Leave me now,
I have done with worldly things. Comrades, farewell,
And love my memory!
They with copious tears
Of burning anger, grief exasperating
Their rage, and fury giving force to grief,
Hasten’d to form their ranks against the Moors.
Julian meantime toward the altar turn’d
His languid eyes: That Image, is it not
St. Peter, he inquired, he who denied
His Lord and was forgiven?.. Roderick rejoin’d.
It is the Apostle; and may that same Lord,
O Julian, to thy soul’s salvation bless
The seasonable thought
The dying Count
Then fix’d upon the Goth his earnest eyes,
No time, said he, is this for bravery,
As little for dissemblance. I would fain
Die in the faith wherein my fathers died,
Whereto they pledged me in mine infancy...
A soldier’s habits, he pursued, have steel’d
My spirit, and perhaps I do not fear
This passage as I ought. But if to feel
That I have sinn’d, and from my soul renounce
The Impostor’s faith, which never in that soul
Obtain’d a place,.. if at the Saviour’s feet,
Laden with guilt, to cast myself and cry,
Lord, I believe! help thou my unbelief!..
If this in the sincerity of death
Sufficeth,.. Father, let me from thy lips
Receive the assurances with which the Church
Doth bless the dying Christian.
Roderick raised
His eyes to Heaven, and crossing on his breast
His open palms, Mysterious are thy ways
And merciful, O gracious Lord! he cried,
Who to this end hast thus been
pleased to lead
My wandering steps! O Father, this thy son
Hath sinn’d and gone astray: but hast not Thou
Said, When the sinner from his evil ways
Turneth, that he shall save his soul alive,
And Angels at the sight rejoice in Heaven?
Therefore do I, in thy most holy name,
Into thy family receive again
Him who was lost, and in that name absolve
The Penitent.... So saying on the head
Of Julian solemnly he laid his hands.
Then to the altar tremblingly he turn’d,
And took the bread, and breaking it, pursued,
Julian! receive from me the Bread of Life!
In silence reverently the Count partook
The reconciling rite, and to his lips
Roderick then held the consecrated cup.
Me too! exclaim’d Florinda, who till then
Had listen’d speechlessly; Thou Man of God,
I also must partake! The Lord hath heard
My prayers! one sacrament,.. one hour,.. one grave,..
One resurrection!
That dread office done,
Count Julian with amazement saw the Priest
Kneel down before him. By the sacrament
Which we have here partaken, Roderick cried,
In this most aweful moment; by that hope,..
That holy faith which comforts thee in death,
Grant thy forgiveness, Julian, ere thou diest!
Behold the man who most hath injured thee!
Roderick, the wretched Goth, the guilty cause
Of all thy guilt,.. the unworthy instrument
Of thy redemption,.. kneels before thee here,
And prays to be forgiven!
Roderick! exclaim’d
The dying Count,.. Roderick!..and from the floor
With violent effort half he raised himself;
The spear hung heavy in his side, and pain
And weakness overcame him, that he fell
Back on his daughter’s lap. O Death, cried he,..
Passing his hand across his cold damp brow,..
Thou tamest the strong limb, and conquerest
The stubborn heart! But yesterday I said
One Heaven could not contain mine enemy
And me: and now I lift my dying voice
To say, Forgive me, Lord, as I forgive
Him who hath done the wrong!.. He closed his eyes
A moment; then with sudden impulse cried,..
Roderick, thy wife is dead,.. the Church hath power
To free thee from thy vows,.. the broken heart
Might yet be heal’d, the wrong redress’d, the throne
Rebuilt by that same hand which pull’d it down,
And these cursed Africans... Oh for a month
Of that waste life which millions misbestow!..
His voice was passionate, and in his eye
With glowing animation while he spake
The vehement spirit shone: its effort soon
Was past, and painfully with feeble breath
In slow and difficult utterance he pursued,..
Vain hope, if all the evil was ordain’d,
And this wide wreck the will and work of Heaven,
We hut the poor occasion! Death will make
All clear, and joining us in better worlds,
Complete our union there! Do for me now
One friendly office more:.. draw forth the spear,
And free me from this pain!...Receive his soul,
Saviour! exclaim’d the Goth, as he perform’d
The fatal service. Julian cried, O friend!..
True friend!.. and gave to him his dying hand.
Then said he to Florinda, I go first,
Thou followest!.. kiss me, child!.. and now good night!
When from her father’s body she arose,
Her cheek was flush’d, and in her eyes there beam’d
A wilder brightness. On the Goth she gazed
While underneath the emotions of that hour
Exhausted life gave way. O God! she said,
Lifting her hands, thou hast restored me all,..
All... in one hour!.. and round his neck she threw
Her arms and cried, My Roderick! mine in Heaven!
Groaning, he claspt her close, and in that act
And agony her happy spirit fled.
XXV. RODERICK IN BATTLE.
EIGHT thousand men had to Asturias march d
Beneath Count Julian’s banner; the remains
Of that brave army which in Africa
So well against the Musselman made head.
Till sense of injuries insupportable,
And raging thirst of vengeance, overthrew
Their leader’s noble spirit. To revenge
His quarrel, twice that number left their bones,
Slain in unnatural battle, on the field
Of Xeres, when the sceptre from the Goths
By righteous Heaven was reft. Others had fallen
Consumed in sieges, alway by the Moor
To the front of war opposed. The policy,
With whatsoever show of honour cloak’d,
Was gross, and this surviving band had oft
At their carousals, of the flagrant wrong,
Held such discourse as stirs the mounting blood,
The common danger with one discontent
Affecting chiefs and men. Nor had the bonds
Of rooted discipline and faith attach’d,
Thus long restrain’d them, had they not known well
That Julian in their just resentment shared,
And fix’d their hopes on him. Slight impulse now
Sufficed to make these fiery martialists
Break forth in open fury; and though first
Count Pedro listen’d with suspicious ear
To Julian’s dying errand, deeming it
Some new decoy of treason,.. when he found
A second legate follow’d Virimar,
And then a third, and saw the turbulence
Of the camp, and how against the Moors in haste
They form’d their lines, he knew that Providence
This hour had for his country interposed,
And in such faith advanced to use the aid
Thus wondrously ordain’d. The eager Chiefs
Hasten to greet him, Cottila and Paul,
Basil and Miro, Theudered, Gunderick,
Felix, and all who held authority;
The zealous services of their brave host
They proffer’d, and besought him instantly
To lead against the African their force
Combined, and in good hour assail a foe
Divided, nor for such attack prepared.
While thus they communed, Roderick from the church
Came forth, and seeing Pedro, bent his way
Toward them. Sirs, said he, the Count is dead;
He died a Christian, reconciled to Heaven,
In faith; and when his daughter had received
His dying breath, her spirit too took flight.
One sacrament, one death, united them;
And I beseech ye, ye who from the work
Of blood which lies before us may return,..
If, as I think, it should not be my fate..
That in one grave with Christian ceremonies
Ye lay them side by side. In Heaven I ween
They are met through mercy:.. ill befall the man
Who should ill death divide them!.. Then he turn’d
His speech to Pedro in an under voice;
The King, said he, I know with noble mind
Will judge of the departed; Christian-like
He died, and with a manly penitence:
They who condemn him most should call to mind
How grievous was the wrong which madden’d him;
Be that remember’d in his histor
y,
And let no shame be offer’d his remains.
As Pedro would have answer’d, a loud cry
Of menacing imprecation from the troops
Arose; for Orpas, by the Moorish Chief
Sent to allay the storm his villainy
Had stirr’d, came hastening on a milk-white steed,
And at safe distance having check’d the rein,
Beckon’d for parley. ’Twas Orelio
On which he rode, Roderick’s own battle-horse,
Who from his master’s hand had wont to feed,
And with a glad docility obey
His voice familiar. At the sight the Goth
Started, and indignation to his soul
Brought back the thoughts and feelings of old times
Suffer me, Count, he cried, to answer him,
And hold these back the while! Thus having said,
He waited no reply, but as he was,
Bareheaded, in his weeds, and all unarm’d,
Advanced toward the renegade. Sir Priest,
Quoth Orpas as he came, I hold no talk
With thee; my errand is with Gunderiek
And the Captains of the host, to whom I bring
Such liberal offers and clear proof...
The Goth,
Breaking with scornful voice his speech, exclaim’d,
What, could no steed but Roderick’s serve thy turn?
I should have thought some sleek and sober mule
Long train’d in shackles to procession pace,
More suited to my lord of Seville’s use
Than this good war-horse,.. he who never bore
A villain, until Orpas cross’d his back!...
Wretch! cried the astonish’d renegade, and stoopt,
Foaming with anger, from the saddle-bow
To reach his weapon. Ere the hasty hand
Trembling in passion could perform its will,
Roderick had seized the reins. How now, he cried,
Orelio! old companion,.. my good horse,..
Off with this recreant burthen!... And with that
He raised his hand, and rear’d and back’d the steed,
To that remember’d voice and arm of power
Obedient. Down the helpless traitor fell
Violently thrown, and Roderick over him
Thrice led with just and unrelenting hand
The trampling hoofs. Go join Witiza now,
Where he lies howling, the avenger cried,
And tell him Roderick sent thee!
At that sight,
Count Julian’s soldiers and the Asturian host
Set up a shout, a joyful shout, which rung
Wide through the welkin. Their exulting cry
With louder acclamation was renew’d,
Complete Poetical Works of Robert Southey Page 176