IN gay hostility and barbarous pride, With half mankind embattled at his side, Great Xerxes comes to seize the certain prey, And starves exhausted regions in his way; Attendant Flattery counts his myriads o'er, Till counted myriads soothe his pride no more; Fresh praise is tried till madness fires his mind, The waves he lashes, and enchains the wind; New powers are claimed, new powers are still bestowed, Till rude resistance lops the spreading god; The daring Greeks deride the martial show, And heap their valleys with the gaudy foe; The insulted sea with humbler thoughts he gains, A single skiff to speed his flight remains; The incumbered oar scarce leaves the dreaded coast Through purple billows and a floating host. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...FACADE: 7. MADAME MOUSE TROTS by EDITH SITWELL SONNET: TO DANTE by GUIDO CAVALCANTI BUDMOUTH DEARS by THOMAS HARDY TO HIS MISTRESS by ROBERT HERRICK CORRYMEELA by NESTA HIGGINSON SKRINE |