THE EQUINOX
Mankind, matured from myriad wombs,
Is but the garden where it blooms.
Jovian. Oh, but too precious is the burden we bear.
It is the God’s own priest, the shrine’s sole heir,
Whose corpse must fare into the nether air.
nu [Mounting the steps]. 1 have no ship worthy of
such a freight.
The voice from the shrine.
Ay, but thou hast.
Nu. Most ancient is her date,
And manya sea hath battered her, and time
Hath eaten her, I fear ; corrosive crime
Of the wild zon. Ho! thou wife o’ the waters !
Our three strong sons and our three stalwart
daughters,
Bid them discover if the old ship’s sound!
The voice from the west.
Beware! Beware! the Lords of Heaven confound
The cities, and their habitants are drowned.
JULIAN and JovIAN. We go ; our master’s body must be tended.
[They go to the body and occupy themselves with it.
CHINESE. O that our miserable lives were ended !
ARAB. Curse this right hand the hammer that extended!
zuLu. This damned spear that holy heart that rended!
CHINESE. They hunt us for our lives.
ARAB. The soldiers search.
Now our fate laughs and leaves us in the lurch.
zuLv. Can we not hide across the sea?
CHINESE, Who will give aid to such as we?
ARAB. Come, let us grope eternity!
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