Poems, Sacred and Moral/Fortitude

by Thomas Gisborne

For works with similar titles, see Fortitude.

FORTITUDE.

 

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Its wings around the yielding town^[1]
The victor host unfurl'd—
"And shall my shame," said Cato, "crown
"The conquest of the world?

"Unarm'd, bareheaded, on the sands
"Shall I the tyrant meet?
"Shall I be dragg'd by servile hands
"To crouch at Cæsar's feet?

"Shall I, the jest of gazing Rome,
"Swell his triumphal pride?
"Be life and shame the coward's doom———"
He grasp'd the sword, and died.

Unpitied Louis groan'd forlorn,
While murderous Hate decreed
In the broad eye of public scorn
His destined head to bleed.

Malice, afraid to lose her prey,
Watch'd o'er his forfeit breath;
And snatch'd with jealous haste away
Each instrument of death^[2].

"Unknown the temper of my soul,"
He cries, "ye seize the knife.
"A stronger Power than man's control
"For you shall guard my life.

"Let Paris, while she rears the block,
"With exultation ring;
"And send her myriads forth to mock
"Him that was once her King!

"O, never shall this hand profane
"The faith to God it owes.
"Thou bid'st me, Heaven, the life retain
"Thy will as yet bestows!"

Lo here the Fortitude compared
That Truth and Error give!
'Twas but to die the Roman dared:
The Christian dares to live.

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1. Utica.
2. See Clery's Journal de ce qui s'est passé à la Tour du Temple pendant la captivité de Louis XVI. A Londres, 1798.