In ghastly numbers-when assembled Hurl'd down the altars of the living God, hordes, With all the infidel's intolerance. Dragg'd from their hovels by despotic The last worst traitor triumphed power, Rush'd o'er her frontiers, plunder'd her fair hamlets, 170 And sack'd her populous towns, and drench'd with blood triumph'd long, 191 Secur'd by matchless villainy—by turns soil The reeking fields of Flanders.-When Of Freedom, the foul tree of treason within, struck Upon her vitals prey'd the rankling Its deep-fix'd roots, and dropt the dews Of mercy-the uxorious dotard Roland, And Vergniaud's eloquence, like the And with worse fury urge this new crusade Than savages have known; though the leagued despots Of some soft Syren wooed us to destruc- Depopulate all Europe, so to pour tion. We triumphed over these. On the same scaffold The accumulated mass upon our coasts, Sublime amid the storm shall France arise, Where the last Louis pour'd his guilty And like the rock amid surrounding And Orleans, villain kinsman of the The thunder-bolt of vengeance-she WALLENSTEIN A DRAMA IN TWO PARTS TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN OF FREDERICK SCHILLER 1799-1800 THE PICCOLOMINI OR THE FIRST PART OF WALLENSTFIN A DRAMA IN FIVE ACTS PREFACE OF THE TRANSLATOR It was my intention to have prefixed a Life of Wallenstein to this translation: but I found that it must either have occupied a space wholly disproportionate to the nature of the publication, or have been merely a meagre catalogue of events narrated not more fully than they already are in the Play itself. The recent translation, likewise, of Schiller's History of the Thirty Years' War diminished the motives thereto. In the translation I endeavoured to render my Author literally wherever I was not prevented by absolute differences of idiom; but I am conscious, that in two or three short passages I have been guilty of dilating the original; and, from anxiety to give the full meaning, have weakened the force. In the metre I have availed myself of no other liberties than those which Schiller had permitted to himself, except the occasional breaking-up of the line by the substitution of a trochee for an iambic; of which liberty, so frequent in our tragedies, I find no instance in these dramas. S. T. COLERIDGE. ATTENDANTS AND HOBÖISTS belonging You'll find Count Tertsky here, and THE MASTER OF THE CELLARS to Count Kolatto, Goetz, Maradas, Hinnersam, The Piccolomini, both son and father— You'll meet with many an unexpected Tertsky.2 VALET DE CHAMBRE of Count Piccolo mini.2 From many an old friend and acquaintance. Only Galas is wanting still, and Altringer. Illo (hesitating). How so? Do you Isolani (interrupting him). Max Piccolomini here?-O bring me to him. I see him yet, ('tis now ten years ago, We were engaged with Mansfeld hard by Dessau) I see the youth, in my mind's eye I see him, Leap his black war-horse from the bridge adown, And t'ward his father, then in extreme peril, 30 Beat up against the strong tide of the Elbe. The down was scarce upon his chin! I hear He has made good the promise of his youth, And the full hero now is finished in him. Illo. You'll see him yet ere evening. He conducts The Duchess Friedland hither, and the To the whole corps, if once in their Princess1 remembrance An old deserving soldier makes his way. Butler. I am perplexed and doubtful, whether or no I dare accept this your congratulation. The Emperor has not yet confirmed the appointment. Isolani. Seize it, friend! Seize it! The hand which in that post To hear of nought but warlike circum- Placed you, is strong enough to keep you He importuned me to remain behind. Illo (with warmth). And you ?—You hold out firmly? [Grasping his hand with affection. Noble Butler ! Butler. After the obligation which the Duke Had layed so newly on me Illo. 50 there, Spite of the Emperor and his Ministers! Illo. Ay, if we would but so consider it! If we would all of us consider it so ! 70 The Emperor gives us nothing; from the Duke Comes all-whate'er we hope, whate'er we have. Isolani (to Illo). My noble brother! The Duke will satisfy my creditors? This kingly-minded man has rescued me From absolute ruin, and restored my honour. Illo. O that his power but kept pace with his wishes! 80 I had forgotten Why, friend! he'd give the whole world to his soldiers. A pleasant duty-Major-General, Isolani. What, you mean, of his regi- I hear, too, that to make the gift still sweeter, The Duke has given him the very same In which he first saw service, and since then, Worked himself, step by step, through Which this same Questenberg brings Octavio. And Colonel Butler-trust me, I rejoice Thus to renew acquaintance with a man. Whose worth and services I know and honour. See, see, my friend! There might we place at once before our eyes ΙΟ The sum of war's whole trade and mystery Tilly 30 Had suffered total rout upon the Lech. Onwards into the very heart of Austria. Before our General, storming him with prayers, [To QUESTENBERG, presenting Unless he took compassion on this And menacing the Emperor's displeasure, BUTLER and ISOLANI at the same time to him. These two the total sum-Strength and 1 Spoken with a sneer. wretchedness. Isolani (steps up to them). Yes, yes, 'tis comprehensible enough, 1 A town not far from the Mine-mountains, on the high road from Vienna to Prague. |