Childe Harold - Canto 3, XVIII

XVIII.

And Harold stands upon this place of skulls,
 The grave of France, the deadly Waterloo!
  How in an hour the Power which gave annuls
  Its gifts, transferring fame as fleeting too! -
  In "pride of place" here last the Eagle flew,
  Then tore with bloody talon the rent plain,
  Pierced by the shaft of banded nations through;
  Ambition's life and labours all were vain -
He wears the shattered links of the World's broken chain.