Sebastia

Nicholas Michell

But seek ye ruins? — pilgrim, raise thine eye,
On yon steep mount what whitening relics lie?
'Tis Herod's city, built where Israel reared
Samaria's walls, ere conquering Rome appeared,
Royal Sebasta, crowning Shemer's brow,
A spot of wildness, and of silence now.
See yon fair pillars threatening soon to fall,
Once rich with gold, they graced a royal hall;
Calm on their tops the raven folds his wing,
And round their base long grass and thistles spring:
And this was Herod's palace, luxury's slave,
Who ruled the land to Jordan's northern wave;
And here his goblets flowed, fair women sang,
And charming night, sweet harp and tabret rang:
Yes, by these pillars, mourners of the wild,
Once danced Herodias' beauty-beaming child;
Here waved her locks, and pealed her laughter sweet,
And, light as fairy's, gleamed her sandalled feet.
The prince who gazed with rapture in his eye,
Nought to that fair enchantress could deny:
A mother's hate then burned, and sped the blow
That smote a prophet in those cells below.
On yon steep mount what whitening relics lie?
'Tis Herod's city, built where Israel reared
Samaria's walls, ere conquering Rome appeared,
Royal Sebasta, crowning Shemer's brow,
A spot of wildness, and of silence now.
See yon fair pillars threatening soon to fall,
Once rich with gold, they graced a royal hall;
Calm on their tops the raven folds his wing,
And round their base long grass and thistles spring:
And this was Herod's palace, luxury's slave,
Who ruled the land to Jordan's northern wave;
And here his goblets flowed, fair women sang,
And charming night, sweet harp and tabret rang:
Yes, by these pillars, mourners of the wild,
Once danced Herodias' beauty-beaming child;
Here waved her locks, and pealed her laughter sweet,
And, light as fairy's, gleamed her sandalled feet.
The prince who gazed with rapture in his eye,
Nought to that fair enchantress could deny:
A mother's hate then burned, and sped the blow
That smote a prophet in those cells below.