Classic Poem

A LEGEND OF CORNELIUS AGRIPPA .

" And hast thou nerve enough!" he said,
That grey Old Man, above whose head
Unnumber'd years had roll'd, —
" And hast thou nerve to view," he cried,
" The incarnate Fiend that Heaven defied!
— Art thou indeed so bold?

" Say, canst Thou, with unshrinking gaze,
Sustain, rash youth, the withering blaze
Of that unearthly eye,
That blasts where'er it lights, — the breath
That, like the Simoom, scatters death
On all that yet can die!

— " Darest thou confront that fearful form,
That rides the whirlwind, and the storm,
In wild unholy revel!
The terrors of that blasted brow,
Archangel's once, — though ruin'd now —
— Ay, — dar'st thou face T HE D EVIL ?" —

" I dare!" the desperate Youth replied,
And placed him by that Old Man's side,
In fierce and fiantic glee,
Unblench'd his cheek, and firm his limb
— " No paltry juggling Fiend, but H IM .
— T HE D EVIL ! — I fain would see! —

" In all his Gorgon terrors clad,
His worst, his fellest shape!" the Lad
Rejoin'd in reckless tone. —
— " Have then thy wish!" Agrippa said,
And sigh'd and shook his hoary head,
With many a bitter groan.

He drew the mystic circle's bound,
With skull and cross-bones fenc'd around;
He traced full many a sigil there;
He mutter'd many a backward pray'r,
That sounded like a curse —
" He comes!" — he cried with wild grimace,
" The fellest of Apollyon's race!" —
— Then in his startled pupil's face
He dash'd — an E MPTY P URSE !!