Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE RIOT IN EPHESUS, by AMOS RUSSEL WELLS


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THE RIOT IN EPHESUS, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: My faith, it was a triumph, claudius!
Last Line: Good claudius. We'll hear no more of paul.
Subject(s): Ephesus


[Demetrius speaks.]

My faith, it was a triumph, Claudius!
Diana never knew a better day
Than yesterday. The theatre was full,
A mass of people and a mass of rage.
I still can hear them shouting: "Great is she!
Great is Diana of the Ephesians, great!"
They kept it up for two immortal hours,
Waving and screaming in the theatre,
Baiting the Jews, and singing temple songs,
And trying to make speeches here and there,
But no one listened -- faith, a glorious day!
I think they would be at it even yet
If the city clerk had let them. You should see
How Master Paul is humbled. Not a word,
And going to leave the city, so I hear.
Good riddance! There's a gladsome end of him.
We'll have no more of Paul, with his contempt
Of images and shrines. He's finished now.
You should have heard me speaking, Claudius!
I swayed them like Demosthenes himself.
Men of my guild -- I know them like a book,
And I could play upon their very hearts
With talk of gain, and gods, and silver shrines,
Diana, and religion, and our wealth, --
Rare words to conjure with, I used them all.
And then they bore me, me, Demetrius,
High on their shoulders to the theatre,
And I was king among them. Well, good-by,
Good Claudius. We'll hear no more of Paul.





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