A CHORUS.
Sister of Cannae! Winfield's fight!
We saw thee with thy streaming bloody hair,
With fiery eye, bright with the world's despair,
Sweep by Walhalla's bards from out our sight.
Herrman outspake—"Now Victory or Death!"
The Romans,... "Victory!"
And onward rushed their eagles with the cry.
—So ended the FIRST day.
"Victory or Death!" began
Then, first, the Roman chief; and Herrman spake
Not, but home struck: the eagles fluttered—brake.
—So sped the SECOND day.
TWO CHORUSES.
And the third came.... The cry was "Flight or Death!"
Flight left they not for them who'd make them slaves—
Men who stab children!—flight for THEM!... no! graves!
—'Twas their LAST day.
TWO BARDS.
Yet spared they messengers: two came to Rome.
How drooped the plume! the lance was left to trail
Down in the dust behind: their cheek was pale:
So came the messengers to Rome.
High in his hall the Imperator sate—
OCTAVIANUS CAESAR AUGUSTUS sate.
They filled up wine-cups, wine-cups filled they up
For him the highest, Jove of all their state.
The flutes of Lydia hushed before their voice,
Before the messengers—the "Highest" sprung—
The god against the marble pillars, wrung
By the dred words, striking his brow, and thrice
Cried he aloud in anguish—"Varus! Varus!
Give back my legions, Varus!"
And now the world-wide conquerors shrunk and feared
For fatherland and home
The lance to raise; and 'mongst those false to Rome
The death-lot rolled, and still they shrunk and feared;
"For she her face hath turned,
The victor goddess," cried these cowards—(for aye
Be it!)—"from Rome and Romans, and her day
Is done!"—And still be mourned
And cried aloud in anguish—"Varus! Varus!
Give back my legions, Varus!"
[Notes:—The battle of Cannae, B.C. 216—Hannibal's victory over the Romans. Winfield—the probable site of the "Herrmanschladt." See SUPRA. Augustus was worshipped as a deity in his lifetime. I have taken this translation from an anonymous writer in FRASER, two years ago.]
SYNOPSIS OF EVENTS BETWEEN ARMINIUS'S VICTORY OVER VARUS, AND THE BATTLE OF CHALONS.
A.D. 43. The Romans commence the conquest of Britain, Claudius being then Emperor of Rome. The population of this island was then Celtic. In about forty years all the tribes south of the Clyde were subdued, and their land made a Roman province.
68-60. Successful campaigns of the Roman general Corbulo against the Parthians.
64. First persecution of the Christians at Rome under Nero.
68-70. Civil wars in the Roman World. The emperors Nero, Galba, Otho, and Vitellius, cut off successively by violent deaths. Vespasian becomes emperor.
70. Jerusalem destroyed by the Romans under Titus.
83. Futile attack of Domitian on the Germans.