The Hostage 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 AH2H2AATTThe 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 |
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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 |
- | |
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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 |
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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
(1)
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