Page:Hellas, a Lyrical Drama - Shelley (1822).djvu/47

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
HELLAS.
27
We met night three hours to the west of Patmos,
And with night, tempest——

Mahmud.
Cease!

(Enter a Messenger.)

Messenger.
Your Sublime Highness,
That Christian hound, the Muscovite Ambassador,
Has left the city.—If the rebel fleet
Had anchor'd in the port, had victory
Crowned the Greek legions in the Hippodrome,
Panic were tamer.—Obedience and Mutiny,
Like giants in contention planet-struck,
Stand gazing on each other.—There is peace
In Stamboul.—

Mahmud.
Is the grave not calmer still?
Its ruins shall be mine.

Hassan.
Fear not the Russian:
The tiger leagues not with the stag at bay
Against the hunter.—Cunning, base, and cruel,
He crouches, watching till the spoil be won,
And must be paid for his reserve in blood.
After the war is fought, yield the sleek Russian