He hath taken
His stand in creation!
His stand in creation!
Byron
_ Even so.
380
[_The Stranger takes some earth and moulds it
along the turf, and then addresses
the phantom of Achilles_.
Beautiful shadow
Of Thetis's boy!
Who sleeps in the meadow
Whose grass grows o'er Troy:
From the red earth, like Adam,[222]
Thy likeness I shape,
As the Being who made him,
Whose actions I ape.
Thou Clay, be all glowing,
Till the Rose in his cheek 390
Be as fair as, when blowing,
It wears its first streak!
Ye Violets, I scatter,
Now turn into eyes!
And thou, sunshiny Water,
Of blood take the guise!
Let these Hyacinth boughs
Be his long flowing hair,
And wave o'er his brows,
As thou wavest in air! 400
Let his heart be this marble
I tear from the rock!
But his voice as the warble
Of birds on yon oak!
Let his flesh be the purest
Of mould, in which grew
The Lily-root surest,
And drank the best dew!
Let his limbs be the lightest
Which clay can compound, 410
And his aspect the brightest
On earth to be found!
Elements, near me,
Be mingled and stirred,
Know me, and hear me,
And leap to my word!
Sunbeams, awaken
This earth's animation! [dc]
'Tis done!
He hath taken
His stand in creation! 420
[ARNOLD _falls senseless; his soul passes into the shape
of Achilles, which rises from the ground; while
the phantom has disappeared, part by part,
as the figure was formed from the earth_.
_Arn. _ (_in his new form_). I love, and I shall be beloved! Oh, life!
At last I feel thee! Glorious Spirit!
_Stran. _ Stop!
What shall become of your abandoned garment,
Yon hump, and lump, and clod of ugliness,
Which late you wore, or were?
_Arn. _ Who cares? Let wolves
And vultures take it, if they will.
_Stran. _ And if
They do, and are not scared by it, you'll say
It must be peace-time, and no better fare
Abroad i' the fields.
[_The Stranger takes some earth and moulds it
along the turf, and then addresses
the phantom of Achilles_.
Beautiful shadow
Of Thetis's boy!
Who sleeps in the meadow
Whose grass grows o'er Troy:
From the red earth, like Adam,[222]
Thy likeness I shape,
As the Being who made him,
Whose actions I ape.
Thou Clay, be all glowing,
Till the Rose in his cheek 390
Be as fair as, when blowing,
It wears its first streak!
Ye Violets, I scatter,
Now turn into eyes!
And thou, sunshiny Water,
Of blood take the guise!
Let these Hyacinth boughs
Be his long flowing hair,
And wave o'er his brows,
As thou wavest in air! 400
Let his heart be this marble
I tear from the rock!
But his voice as the warble
Of birds on yon oak!
Let his flesh be the purest
Of mould, in which grew
The Lily-root surest,
And drank the best dew!
Let his limbs be the lightest
Which clay can compound, 410
And his aspect the brightest
On earth to be found!
Elements, near me,
Be mingled and stirred,
Know me, and hear me,
And leap to my word!
Sunbeams, awaken
This earth's animation! [dc]
'Tis done!
He hath taken
His stand in creation! 420
[ARNOLD _falls senseless; his soul passes into the shape
of Achilles, which rises from the ground; while
the phantom has disappeared, part by part,
as the figure was formed from the earth_.
_Arn. _ (_in his new form_). I love, and I shall be beloved! Oh, life!
At last I feel thee! Glorious Spirit!
_Stran. _ Stop!
What shall become of your abandoned garment,
Yon hump, and lump, and clod of ugliness,
Which late you wore, or were?
_Arn. _ Who cares? Let wolves
And vultures take it, if they will.
_Stran. _ And if
They do, and are not scared by it, you'll say
It must be peace-time, and no better fare
Abroad i' the fields.
