Codrus [pp. 186-187]

1893. 1 Codn~s. 187
It must be so; th' eternal ones themselves
Must once have been as mortals. Then how else
Than by the braving of unnumbered ills
Have they become immortal? When the soul
Subdues the cringing terror in the flesh
And laughs at what can make the sudden pulse
Send fevered tumult thro' the startled veins;
When nothing but the thought of being touched
By some infirmity, however slight,
Yet lessening the soul's nobility,
Can bring pale fear to darken o'er the heart; -
What more of godlike can there be than this?
By any other way I cannot think
That they have climbed Olympus, and for me
This path that leads from Athens, howsoe er
I travel it as other than a king,
May bring me to the selfsame end at last.
But if it do not -let no thought of that
Assail me; noble deeds are noble deeds,
And nobler as they have the less reward.
What! two to one? right glad am I.
Strike hard, for I am more than common man.
Well done! and now one last avenging stroke,No, live to tell your king that by your hand
Is Codrus dead, and gone to seek the gods,
While Athens laughs his gathered power to scorn.
Lcz~i& tYoqii'in~to,i Sm it/i.