The Poems of Schiller — First period

HECTOR AND ANDROMACHE

[This and the following poem are, with some alterations, introduced in the Play of "The Robbers."]

ANDROMACHE

 
   Will Hector leave me for the fatal plain,
   Where, fierce with vengeance for Patroclus slain,
          Stalks Peleus' ruthless son?
   Who, when thou glid'st amid the dark abodes,
   To hurl the spear and to revere the gods,
          Shall teach thine orphan one?
 

HECTOR

 
   Woman and wife beloved — cease thy tears;
   My soul is nerved — the war-clang in my ears!
          Be mine in life to stand
   Troy's bulwark! — fighting for our hearths, to go
   In death, exulting to the streams below,
          Slain for my fatherland!
 

ANDROMACHE

 
   No more I hear thy martial footsteps fall —
   Thine arms shall hang, dull trophies, on the wall —
          Fallen the stem of Troy!
   Thou goest where slow Cocytus wanders — where
   Love sinks in Lethe, and the sunless air
          Is dark to light and joy!
 

HECTOR

 
   Longing and thought — yes, all I feel and think
   May in the silent sloth of Lethe sink,
          But my love not!
   Hark, the wild swarm is at the walls! — I hear!
   Gird on my sword — Beloved one, dry the tear —
          Lethe for love is not!
 

AMALIA

 
   Angel-fair, Walhalla's charms displaying,
    Fairer than all mortal youths was he;
   Mild his look, as May-day sunbeams straying
    Gently o'er the blue and glassy sea.
 
 
   And his kisses! — what ecstatic feeling!
   Like two flames that lovingly entwine,
   Like the harp's soft tones together stealing
    Into one sweet harmony divine, —
 
 
   Soul and soul embraced, commingled, blended,
    Lips and cheeks with trembling passion burned,
   Heaven and earth, in pristine chaos ended,
    Round the blissful lovers madly turn'd.
 
 
   He is gone — and, ah! with bitter anguish
    Vainly now I breathe my mournful sighs;
   He is gone — in hopeless grief I languish
    Earthly joys I ne'er again can prize!
 

A FUNERAL FANTASIE

 
   Pale, at its ghastly noon,
   Pauses above the death-still wood — the moon;
   The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs;
    The clouds descend in rain;
    Mourning, the wan stars wane,
   Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres!
   Haggard as spectres — vision-like and dumb,
    Dark with the pomp of death, and moving slow,
   Towards that sad lair the pale procession come
    Where the grave closes on the night below.
 
 
   With dim, deep-sunken eye,
   Crutched on his staff, who trembles tottering by?
   As wrung from out the shattered heart, one groan
   Breaks the deep hush alone!
   Crushed by the iron fate, he seems to gather
    All life's last strength to stagger to the bier,
   And hearken — Do these cold lips murmur "Father?"
    The sharp rain, drizzling through that place of fear,
   Pierces the bones gnawed fleshless by despair,
   And the heart's horror stirs the silver hair.
 
 
   Fresh bleed the fiery wounds
    Through all that agonizing heart undone —
   Still on the voiceless lips "my Father" sounds,
    And still the childless Father murmurs "Son!"
   Ice-cold — ice-cold, in that white shroud he lies —
    Thy sweet and golden dreams all vanished there —
   The sweet and golden name of "Father" dies
   Into thy curse, — ice-cold — ice-cold — he lies!
    Dead, what thy life's delight and Eden were!
 
 
   Mild, as when, fresh from the arms of Aurora,
    While the air like Elysium is smiling above,
   Steeped in rose-breathing odors, the darling of Flora
    Wantons over the blooms on his winglets of love.
   So gay, o'er the meads, went his footsteps in bliss,
    The silver wave mirrored the smile of his face;
   Delight, like a flame, kindled up at his kiss,
    And the heart of the maid was the prey of his chase.
 
 
   Boldly he sprang to the strife of the world,
    As a deer to the mountain-top carelessly springs;
   As an eagle whose plumes to the sun are unfurled,
    Swept his hope round the heaven on its limitless wings.
   Proud as a war-horse that chafes at the rein,
    That, kingly, exults in the storm of the brave;
   That throws to the wind the wild stream of its mane,
    Strode he forth by the prince and the slave!
 
 
   Life like a spring day, serene and divine,
    In the star of the morning went by as a trance;
   His murmurs he drowned in the gold of the wine,
    And his sorrows were borne on the wave of the dance.
   Worlds lay concealed in the hopes of his youth! —
    When once he shall ripen to manhood and fame!
   Fond father exult! — In the germs of his youth
    What harvests are destined for manhood and fame!
 
 
   Not to be was that manhood! — The death-bell is knelling,
    The hinge of the death-vault creaks harsh on the ears —
   How dismal, O Death, is the place of thy dwelling!
    Not to be was that manhood! — Flow on, bitter tears!
   Go, beloved, thy path to the sun,
    Rise, world upon world, with the perfect to rest;
   Go — quaff the delight which thy spirit has won,
    And escape from our grief in the Halls of the Blest.
 
 
   Again (in that thought what a healing is found!)
    To meet in the Eden to which thou art fled! —
   Hark, the coffin sinks down with a dull, sullen sound,
    And the ropes rattle over the sleep of the dead.
   And we cling to each other! — O Grave, he is thine!
    The eye tells the woe that is mute to the ears —
   And we dare to resent what we grudge to resign,
    Till the heart's sinful murmur is choked in its tears.
   Pale at its ghastly noon,
   Pauses above the death-still wood — the moon!
   The night-sprite, sighing, through the dim air stirs:
    The clouds descend in rain;
    Mourning, the wan stars wane,
   Flickering like dying lamps in sepulchres.
   The dull clods swell into the sullen mound;
    Earth, one look yet upon the prey we gave!
   The grave locks up the treasure it has found;
   Higher and higher swells the sullen mound —
    Never gives back the grave!
 

FANTASIE — TO LAURA

 
   Name, my Laura, name the whirl-compelling
    Bodies to unite in one blest whole —
   Name, my Laura, name the wondrous magic
    By which soul rejoins its kindred soul!
 
 
   See! it teaches yonder roving planets
    Round the sun to fly in endless race;
   And as children play around their mother,
    Checkered circles round the orb to trace.
 
 
   Every rolling star, by thirst tormented,
    Drinks with joy its bright and golden rain —
   Drinks refreshment from its fiery chalice,
    As the limbs are nourished by the brain.
 
 
   'Tis through Love that atom pairs with atom,
    In a harmony eternal, sure;
   And 'tis Love that links the spheres together —
    Through her only, systems can endure.
 
 
   Were she but effaced from Nature's clockwork,
   Into dust would fly the mighty world;
   O'er thy systems thou wouldst weep, great Newton,
    When with giant force to chaos hurled!
 
 
   Blot the goddess from the spirit order,
    It would sink in death, and ne'er arise.
   Were love absent, spring would glad us never;
    Were love absent, none their God would prize!
 
 
   What is that, which, when my Laura kisses,
    Dyes my cheek with flames of purple hue,
   Bids my bosom bound with swifter motion,
    Like a fever wild my veins runs through?
 
 
   Every nerve from out its barriers rises,
    O'er its banks, the blood begins to flow;
   Body seeks to join itself to body,
    Spirits kindle in one blissful glow.
 
 
   Powerful as in the dead creations
    That eternal impulses obey,
   O'er the web Arachne-like of Nature, —
    Living Nature, — Love exerts her sway.
 
 
   Laura, see how joyousness embraces
    E'en the overflow of sorrows wild!
   How e'en rigid desperation kindles
    On the loving breast of Hope so mild.
 
 
   Sisterly and blissful rapture softens
    Gloomy Melancholy's fearful night,
   And, deliver'd of its golden children,
    Lo, the eye pours forth its radiance bright!
 
 
   Does not awful Sympathy rule over
    E'en the realms that Evil calls its own?
   For 'tis Hell our crimes are ever wooing,
    While they bear a grudge 'gainst Heaven alone!
 
 
   Shame, Repentance, pair Eumenides-like,
    Weave round sin their fearful serpent-coils:
   While around the eagle-wings of Greatness
    Treach'rous danger winds its dreaded toils.
 
 
   Ruin oft with Pride is wont to trifle,
    Envy upon Fortune loves to cling;
   On her brother, Death, with arms extended,
    Lust, his sister, oft is wont to spring.
 
 
   On the wings of Love the future hastens
    In the arms of ages past to lie;
   And Saturnus, as he onward speeds him,
    Long hath sought his bride — Eternity!
 
 
   Soon Saturnus will his bride discover, —
    So the mighty oracle hath said;
   Blazing worlds will turn to marriage torches
    When Eternity with Time shall wed!
 
 
   Then a fairer, far more beauteous morning,
    Laura, on our love shall also shine,
   Long as their blest bridal-night enduring: —
    So rejoice thee, Laura — Laura mine!