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Letitia Elizabeth Landon - Hannibal`s Oath
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AND the night was dark and calm,
There was not a breath of air,
The leaves of the grove were still,
As the presence of death were there;

Only a moaning sound
Came from the distant sea,
It was as if, like life,
It had no tranquillity.

A warrior and a child
Pass`d through the sacred wood,
Which, like a mystery,
Around the temple stood.

The warrior`s brow was worn
With the weight of casque and plume,
And sun-burnt was his cheek,
And his eye and brow were gloom.

The child was young and fair,
But the forehead large and high,
And the dark eyes` flashing light
Seem`d to feel their destiny.

They enter`d in the temple,
And stood before the shrine,
It stream`d with the victim`s blood,
With incense and with wine.

The ground rock`d beneath their feet,
The thunder shook the dome,
But the boy stood firm, and swore
Eternal hate to Rome.

There`s a page in history
O`er which tears of blood were wept,
And that page is the record
How that oath of hate was kept.
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