Page:Anthology of Modern Slavonic Literature in Prose and Verse by Paul Selver.djvu/328

 

With yet greater pride canst thou upraize thy chivalrous head
Heavenwards. Upraise it, upraise it undaunted and joyous
For the world to behold, that everywhere it may see upon thine heroic brow
The kiss of light wherewith God's love hallows thee
For his holy toil here below. Over the unbounded expanse of heaven
The Creator has inscribed by the stars the statute of Love,
And by the eternal course of His decrees through eternity
Has ordained its potence. Thus as His minister,
Everywhere and ever Love labours unfalteringly it moulds, beautifies,
Softens and smoothens, pacifies, tames and subjugates,
Assunges, ennobles, sanctifies, makes like unto God
All that is God's in the world—thee He chooses and empowers
From among the race of mankind to be hero
And idol of her. Ah, it fares ill upon earth
With those favoured by heaven: for heaven they
are in travail, and of hell
They cannot long elude the toils; thus already
Thou bindest upon the thread of thy life
Ages of suffering, and upon each limb of thy huge body