Philosophies

by Sir Ronald Ross

Ocean and the Dead
The Dead:	‘Dost dare to rouse us from our sleep,
	Eternal, given of God, O Deep?’
Ocean:	‘A thunder on your bones! In life
	You waged with me your pigmy strife.’
The Dead:	‘Living, but humble mariners we;
	Dead, Ocean, what are we to thee?’
Ocean:	‘You hoped to find within your graves
	Eternal refuge from my waves.’
The Dead:	‘Living, we faced thee full of fears;
	Dying, thy roar was in our ears.’
Ocean:	‘Dead, I will break your bones for ever.
	Man may forgive, but Nature never.’
Andamans, 1886-7.

In 1740 the cemeteries of Dunwich were laid bare by the sea.

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Ocean and the Rock

Ocean and the Rock
The Rock:	‘Cease, O rude and raging Sea,
	Thus to waste thy war on me.
	Hast thou not enough assail’d,
	All these ages, Fool, and fail’d?’
Ocean:	‘Gaunt and ghastly Skeleton,
	Remnant of a time that’s gone,
	Tott’ring in thy last decay
	Durst thou still to darken day?’
The Rock:	‘Empty Brawler, brawl no more;
	Cease to waste thy watery war
	On my bastion’d Bases broad,
	Sanctified by Time and God.’
Ocean:	‘Thou that beëst but to be,
	Scornest thou my energy?
	Not much longer lasts the strife.
	I am Labour, I am Life.’
The Rock:	‘Roar, then, roar, and vent thy Surge;
	Thou not now shalt drone my dirge.
	Dost imagine to dismay
	This my iron breast with Spray?’
Ocean:	‘Relic of primeval Slime,
	I shall whelm thee in my time.
	Changeless thou dost ever die;
	Changing but immortal I.’
Andamans, 1886-7.

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The Brothers

The Brothers
	Beneath Socotra, and before
	The mariner makes the Libyan shore,
	Or him the Doubtful Cape beguiles,
	Black in the Night two dreadful Isles.
	By Allah chain’d to Ocean’s bed,
	Each shows above an awful head,
	And front to front, envisaged, frown
	To frown retorts—by loud renown
	The Brothers. But no love between:
	Tho’ bound, they nurse a mutual spleen;
	And, when the thundering Waves engage
	In battle, vent immortal rage.
Darzé:	‘Ho! Thro’ the Midnight learn my hate.
	When God releases, then thy fate.’
Samhé:	‘When God unbinds thy fetter’d feet,
	For mercy him, not me, entreat.’
Darzé:	‘Dost think, because thy head is high,
	That thou art more divine than I?’
Samhé:	‘Because thy looks are earthward given
	Thou hatest one who looks to Heaven.’
Darzé:	‘Because thou gazest at the Sun
	Think’st thou thou art the nobler one?’
Samhé:	‘For them who with the Stars converse
	There is no better and no worse.’
Darzé:	‘So! hold thy old philosophy!
	Truth and the World enough for me.
	For humble Truth was born on Earth,
	But Lies, forsooth, have better birth!’
Samhé:	‘I watch the white Stars rise and fall;
	I hear the vanish’d Eagles call;
	For me the World is but a Sod;
	I strive to see the eyes of God.’
1888.

The islands about which this legend is told are known as Jezírat Darzé and Jezírat Samhé, east of Cape Gardafui—one high and the other low.

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