Worse than the wolves: and King Leodogran Groan'd for the Roman legions here again, And Cæsar's eagle: then his brother king, Rience, assail'd him: last a heathen horde, Reddening the sun with smoke and earth with blood, And on the spike that split the mother's heart Spitting the child, brake on him, till, amazed, He knew not whither he should turn for aid. But for he heard of Arthur newly crown'd, Tho' not without an uproar made by those the king Who cried, "He is not Uther's son" And Arthur yet had done no deed of arms, But heard the call, and came: and Guinevere Stood by the castle walls to watch him pass; But since he neither wore on helm or shield The golden symbol of his kinglihood, But rode a simple knight among his knights, Smite on the sudden, yet rode on, and pitch'd His tents beside the forest: and he drave The heathen, and he slew the beast, and fell'd The forest, and let in the sun, and made Broad pathways for the hunter and the knight, And so return'd. For while he linger'd there, A doubt that ever smoulder'd in the hearts And find nor face nor bearing, limbs nor voice, This is the son of Gorloïs, not the king. And Arthur, passing thence to battle, felt Travail, and throes and agonies of the life, Desiring to be join'd with Guinevere; And thinking as he rode, "Her father said That there between the man and beast they die. Shall I not lift her from this land of beasts Up to my throne, and side by side with me? O earth, that soundest hollow under me, To her that is the fairest under heaven, I seem as nothing in the mighty world, And cannot will my will, nor work my work Victor and lord; but were I join'd with her, Then might we live together as one life, And reigning with one will in everything Have power on this dark land to lighten it, And power on this dead world to make it live." And Arthur from the field of battle sent His new-made knights, to King Leodogran, Whom when he heard, Leodogran in heart Debating- “How should I that am a king, However much he holp me at my need, Give my one daughter saving to a king, And a king's son lifted his voice, and call'd A hoary man, his chamberlain, to whom He trusted all things, and of him required. His counsel: "Knowest thou aught of Arthur's birth ?” Then spake the hoary chamberlain and said, "Sir king, there be but two old men that know: And each is twice as old as I; and one Is Merlin, the wise man that ever served Laid magie by, and sat him down, and wrote In one great annal-book, where after years Will learn the secret of our Arthur's birth." To whom the King Leodogran replied, "O friend, had I been holpen half as well By this King Arthur as by thee to-day, Then beast and man had had their share of me: But summon here before us yet once more Ulfius, and Brastias, and Bedivere.” B |