The Hostage. A Ballad Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABBAACC DEFDDGG HCCHHII CJKCCLM HNNHHAA OPPOOQQ RSSRRCC TUUTTTT TTTTTTT RVVRRMM WXXYWTT RZZRRA2A2 B2WYB2DQO AC2C2AADD TJKTTTT OD2D2OQAA KE2E2AAF2F2 G2SSG2G2D2D2 AVVAAD2D2 AH2H2AATT| The tyrant Dionys to seek | A |
| Stern Moerus with his poniard crept | B |
| The watchful guard upon him swept | B |
| The grim king marked his changeless cheek | A |
| What wouldst thou with thy poniard Speak | A |
| The city from the tyrant free | C |
| The death cross shall thy guerdon be | C |
| - | |
| I am prepared for death nor pray | D |
| Replied that haughty man I to live | E |
| Enough if thou one grace wilt give | F |
| For three brief suns the death delay | D |
| To wed my sister leagues away | D |
| I boast one friend whose life for mine | G |
| If I should fail the cross is thine | G |
| - | |
| The tyrant mused and smiled and said | H |
| With gloomy craft So let it be | C |
| Three days I will vouchsafe to thee | C |
| But mark if when the time be sped | H |
| Thou fail'st thy surety dies instead | H |
| His life shall buy thine own release | I |
| Thy guilt atoned my wrath shall cease | I |
| - | |
| He sought his friend The king's decree | C |
| Ordains my life the cross upon | J |
| Shall pay the deed I would have done | K |
| Yet grants three days' delay to me | C |
| My sister's marriage rites to see | C |
| If thou the hostage wilt remain | L |
| Till I set free return again | M |
| - | |
| His friend embraced No word he said | H |
| But silent to the tyrant strode | N |
| The other went upon his road | N |
| Ere the third sun in heaven was red | H |
| The rite was o'er the sister wed | H |
| And back with anxious heart unquailing | A |
| He hastes to hold the pledge unfailing | A |
| - | |
| Down the great rains unending bore | O |
| Down from the hills the torrents rushed | P |
| In one broad stream the brooklets gushed | P |
| The wanderer halts beside the shore | O |
| The bridge was swept the tides before | O |
| The shattered arches o'er and under | Q |
| Went the tumultuous waves in thunder | Q |
| - | |
| Dismayed he takes his idle stand | R |
| Dismayed he strays and shouts around | S |
| His voice awakes no answering sound | S |
| No boat will leave the sheltering strand | R |
| To bear him to the wished for land | R |
| No boatman will Death's pilot be | C |
| The wild stream gathers to a sea | C |
| - | |
| Sunk by the banks awhile he weeps | T |
| Then raised his arms to Jove and cried | U |
| Stay thou oh stay the maddening tide | U |
| Midway behold the swift sun sweeps | T |
| And ere he sinks adown the deeps | T |
| If I should fail his beams will see | T |
| My friend's last anguish slain for me | T |
| - | |
| More fierce it runs more broad it flows | T |
| And wave on wave succeeds and dies | T |
| And hour on hour remorseless flies | T |
| Despair at last to daring grows | T |
| Amidst the flood his form he throws | T |
| With vigorous arms the roaring waves | T |
| Cleaves and a God that pities saves | T |
| - | |
| He wins the bank he scours the strand | R |
| He thanks the God in breathless prayer | V |
| When from the forest's gloomy lair | V |
| With ragged club in ruthless hand | R |
| And breathing murder rushed the band | R |
| That find in woods their savage den | M |
| And savage prey in wandering men | M |
| - | |
| What cried he pale with generous fear | W |
| What think to gain ye by the strife | X |
| All I bear with me is my life | X |
| I take it to the king and here | Y |
| He snatched the club from him most near | W |
| And thrice he smote and thrice his blows | T |
| Dealt death before him fly the foes | T |
| - | |
| The sun is glowing as a brand | R |
| And faint before the parching heat | Z |
| The strength forsakes the feeble feet | Z |
| Thou hast saved me from the robbers' hand | R |
| Through wild floods given the blessed land | R |
| And shall the weak limbs fail me now | A2 |
| And he Divine one nerve me thou | A2 |
| - | |
| - | |
| Hark like some gracious murmur by | B2 |
| Babbles low music silver clear | W |
| The wanderer holds his breath to hear | Y |
| And from the rock before his eye | B2 |
| Laughs forth the spring delightedly | D |
| Now the sweet waves he bends him o'er | Q |
| And the sweet waves his strength restore | O |
| - | |
| Through the green boughs the sun gleams dying | A |
| O'er fields that drink the rosy beam | C2 |
| The trees' huge shadows giant seem | C2 |
| Two strangers on the road are hieing | A |
| And as they fleet beside him flying | A |
| These muttered words his ear dismay | D |
| Now now the cross has claimed its prey | D |
| - | |
| Despair his winged path pursues | T |
| The anxious terrors hound him on | J |
| There reddening in the evening sun | K |
| From far the domes of Syracuse | T |
| When towards him comes Philostratus | T |
| His leal and trusty herdsman he | T |
| And to the master bends his knee | T |
| - | |
| Back thou canst aid thy friend no more | O |
| The niggard time already flown | D2 |
| His life is forfeit save thine own | D2 |
| Hour after hour in hope he bore | O |
| Nor might his soul its faith give o'er | Q |
| Nor could the tyrant's scorn deriding | A |
| Steal from that faith one thought confiding | A |
| - | |
| Too late what horror hast thou spoken | K |
| Vain life since it cannot requite him | E2 |
| But death with me can yet unite him | E2 |
| No boast the tyrant's scorn shall make | A |
| How friend to friend can faith forsake | A |
| But from the double death shall know | F2 |
| That truth and love yet live below | F2 |
| - | |
| The sun sinks down the gate's in view | G2 |
| The cross looms dismal on the ground | S |
| The eager crowd gape murmuring round | S |
| His friend is bound the cross unto | G2 |
| Crowd guards all bursts he breathless through | G2 |
| Me Doomsman me he shouts alone | D2 |
| His life is rescued lo mine own | D2 |
| - | |
| Amazement seized the circling ring | A |
| Linked in each other's arms the pair | V |
| Weeping for joy yet anguish there | V |
| Moist every eye that gazed they bring | A |
| The wondrous tidings to the king | A |
| His breast man's heart at last hath known | D2 |
| And the friends stand before his throne | D2 |
| - | |
| Long silent he and wondering long | A |
| Gazed on the pair In peace depart | H2 |
| Victors ye have subdued my heart | H2 |
| Truth is no dream its power is strong | A |
| Give grace to him who owns his wrong | A |
| 'Tis mine your suppliant now to be | T |
| Ah let the band of love be three | T |
Friedrich Schiller
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The Hostage. A Ballad is a poem by Friedrich Schiller. This page includes the poem text, poet information, related topics, comments, and similar poems.
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