Classic Poem

Athenian prophet of the soaring mind!
What new lamp shines so brightly as his old?
He changed philosophy from dross to gold
By poet's alchemy, and he combined,
In logic's crucible to be refined,
The ancient wisdom Cadmus' letters hold,
The sweeter ethics Socrates foretold,
With all the lore of Egypt and of Ind.
He opened Speculation's gleaming gates
To Western fields by later Science trod;
And, unaffrighted by the awful Fates,
Renouncing Zeus for a diviner God,
From pagan twilight Plato led the way
To new religions of the clearer day.