Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ROMANCERO: BOOK 1. HISTORIES: RHAMPSENITUS, by HEINRICH HEINE


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ROMANCERO: BOOK 1. HISTORIES: RHAMPSENITUS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: When the king rhampsenitus
Last Line: In his reign was quite surprising.
Subject(s): Courts & Courtiers; Daughters; Laughter; Royal Court Life; Royalty; Kings; Queens


WHEN the King Rhampsenitus
Enter'd in the halls resplendent
Of his daughter, she was laughing,
As was also each attendant.

E'en the blackamoors, the eunuchs,
Follow'd in loud chorus after;
E'en the mummies, e'en the sphynxes
Seem'd about to burst with laughter.

Then the princess said: "I fancied
"That I held the thief securely,
"But it was a dead arm only
"That my hand had seized so surely.

"I can see now how the robber
"To thy storehouse penetrated,
"And despite all bars and fast'nings
"All thy treasure confiscated.

He a magic key possesses,
"Which the door of house or stable
"Straightway opens; to resist it
"Are the strongest doors unable.

'Now I'm really not a strong door,
"Nor could I resist his pleasure;
"So this night, while treasure-watching,
"Have I lost my little treasure!"

Round the chamber danced the princess,
Laughing at this notion clever,
And the maidens and the eunuchs
Laugh'd again as loud as ever.

On that day all Memphis laugh'd too,
E'en the crocodiles so bloody
Laughingly their heads protruded
From the yellow Nile-stream muddy,

When they heard the drum's loud beating,
And the foll'wing proclamation
Shouted by the public crier
On the bank, to all the nation: --

"We, Rhampsenitus, by God's grace
"King of Egypt, to our loyal
"Well-beloved friends and subjects
"Hereby send our greeting royal.

"In the night between the third and
"Fourth of June, the fourteen hundred
"Four and twentieth year before Christ,
"Came a certain thief, who plunder'd

"Many jewels from the storehouse
"Where we kept them, and more lately
"Further thefts has perpetrated,
"So that we have suffer'd greatly.

"To discover the offender,
"Made we our beloved daughter
"Sleep beside the treasure; but he
"Robb'd her too, and napping caught her.

"Now, to check this wholesale plunder,
"And to show our deep affection
"For the thief, our admiration,
"And our grateful recollection,

"We will give our only daughter
"As his lawful wife -- God bless her! --
"And to princely rank promote him,
"Owning him as our successor.

"Since our son-in-law's abode is
"Unknown to us just at present,
"This our rescript shall inform him
"That we've now made all things pleasant.

"Done the third of January
"Thirteen hundred twenty-six
"Years before Christ; here our seal we,
"King Rhampsenitus, affix."

And he kept his word; the thief he
As his son-in-law soon counted,
And when he was dead, the robber
On the throne of Egypt mounted.

And he ruled like other monarchs,
Trade and talent patronizing,
And the fewness of the robb'ries
In his reign was quite surprising.





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