"On, Swords of God!" the panting CALIPH calls, — "Thrones for the living-Heav'n for him who falls !""On, brave avengers, on," MOKANNA cries, "And EBLIS blast the recreant slave that flies!" Now comes the brunt, the crisis of the day- MOKANNA's self plucks the black Banner down, The Champions of the Faith through BEDER'S vale,)' Turns on the fierce pursuers' blades, and drives At once the multitudinous torrent back, While hope and courage kindle in his track, 9 In the great victory gained by Mahomed at Beder, he was assisted, say the Mussulmans, by three thousand angels, led by Gabriel, mounted on his horse Hiazum-v. The Koran and its Commentators. WHOSE are the gilded tents that crowd the way, This City of War which, in a few short hours, This world of tents and domes and sun-bright armory!- Of crimson cloth, and topp'd with balls of gold;— But yester-eve, so motionless around, So mute was this wide plain, that not a sound 'The edifices of Chilminar and Balbec are supposed to have been built by the Genii, acting under the orders of Jan ben Jan, who governed the world long before the time of Adam. But the far torrent, or the locust-bird 2 Hunting among the thickets, could be heard;- Shouts, laughs, and screams are revelling in the wind! Who leads this mighty army?-ask ye And mark ye not those banners of dark hue, “who?” ↑ A native of Khorassan, and allured southward by means of the water of a fountain between Shiraz and Ispahan, called the Fountain of Birds, of which it is so fond that it will follow wherever that water is carried. 3 "This trumpet is often called in Abyssinia, nesser cano, which signifies the Note of the Eagle. Note of Bruce's editor. In vain MOKANNA, midst the general flight, Right tow'rds MOKANNA now he cleaves his path, Impatient cleaves, as though the bolt of wrath He bears from Heav'n withheld its awful burst From weaker heads, and souls but half-way curst, To break o'er Him, the mightiest and the worst! `But vain his speed—though, in that hour of blood, Had all God's seraphs round MOKANNA stood, With swords of fire, ready like fate to fall, MOKANNA'S Soul would have defied them all; Yet now, the rush of fugitives, too strong Turns, ev❜n in drowning, on the wretched flocks Bloodies the stream he hath not power to stay! "Alla illa Alla !" the glad shout renew"Alla Akbar!"-the Caliph's in MEROU. Hang out your gilded tapestry in the streets, And light your shrines and chaunt your ziraleets;' The Swords of God have triumph'd on his throne Your Caliph sits, and the Veil'd Chief hath flown. Who does not envy that young warrior now, To whom the Lord of Islam bends his brow, 1 I The Tecbir, or cry of the Arabs. "Alla Acbar!" says Ockley, means God is most mighty." 2 The ziraleet is a kind of chorus, which the women of the East sing upon joyful occasions. Russel. |