Mithridates At Chios Poem Rhyme Scheme and Analysis
Rhyme Scheme: ABCCBADEEEEFGHIIHGJK LGKJGMNGMOPQRRQS| KNOW'ST thou O slave cursed land | A |
| How when the Chian's cup of guilt | B |
| Was full to overflow there came | C |
| God's justice in the sword of flame | C |
| That red with slaughter to its hilt | B |
| Blazed in the Cappadocian victor's hand | A |
| The heavens are still and far | D |
| But not unheard of awful Jove | E |
| The sighing of the island slave | E |
| Was answered when the gean wave | E |
| The keels of Mithridates clove | E |
| And the vines shrivelled in the breath of war | F |
| 'Robbers of Chios hark ' | G |
| The victor cried 'to Heaven's decree | H |
| Pluck your last cluster from the vine | I |
| Drain your last cup of Chian wine | I |
| Slaves of your slaves your doom shall be | H |
| In Colchian mines by Phasis rolling dark ' | G |
| Then rose the long lament | J |
| From the hoar sea god's dusky caves | K |
| The priestess rent her hair and cried | L |
| 'Woe woe The gods are sleepless eyed ' | G |
| And chained and scourged the slaves of slaves | K |
| The lords of Chios into exile went | J |
| 'The gods at last pay well ' | G |
| So Hellas sang her taunting song | M |
| 'The fisher in his net is caught | N |
| The Chian hath his master bought ' | G |
| And isle from isle with laughter long | M |
| Took up and sped the mocking parable | O |
| Once more the slow dumb years | P |
| Bring their avenging cycle round | Q |
| And more than Hellas taught of old | R |
| Our wiser lesson shall be told | R |
| Of slaves uprising freedom crowned | Q |
| To break not wield the scourge wet with their blood and tears | S |
John Greenleaf Whittier
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