194
THE PICCOLOMINI, OR THE
Upon thy single head, and only man
The vessel of thy fortune. Yet a day
Will come, when Destiny shall once more scatter
All these in many a several direction:
Few be they who will stand out faithful to thee."
I yearn'd to know which one was faithfullest
Of all, this camp include. Great Destiny,
Give me a sign! And he shall be the man,
Who, on th' approaching morning, comes the first
To meet me with some token of his love:
And thinking this, I fell into a slumber.
Then midmost in the battle was I led
In spirit. Great the pressure and the tumult!
Then was my horse kill'd under me: I sank;
And over me away, all unconcernedly,
Drove horse and rider—and thus trod to pieces
I lay, and panted like a dying man.
Then seiz'd me suddenly a saviour arm.
It was Octavio's—I awoke at once.
'Twas broad day, and Octavio stood before me.
"My brother," said he, "do not ride to-day
"The dapple, as you're wont; but mount the horse
"Which I have chosen for thee. Do it, brother!
"In love to me. A strong dream warn'd me so."
It was the swiftness of this horse that snatch'd me
From the hot pursuit of Bannier's dragoons.
My cousin rode the dapple on that day,
And never more saw I or horse or rider.
The vessel of thy fortune. Yet a day
Will come, when Destiny shall once more scatter
All these in many a several direction:
Few be they who will stand out faithful to thee."
I yearn'd to know which one was faithfullest
Of all, this camp include. Great Destiny,
Give me a sign! And he shall be the man,
Who, on th' approaching morning, comes the first
To meet me with some token of his love:
And thinking this, I fell into a slumber.
Then midmost in the battle was I led
In spirit. Great the pressure and the tumult!
Then was my horse kill'd under me: I sank;
And over me away, all unconcernedly,
Drove horse and rider—and thus trod to pieces
I lay, and panted like a dying man.
Then seiz'd me suddenly a saviour arm.
It was Octavio's—I awoke at once.
'Twas broad day, and Octavio stood before me.
"My brother," said he, "do not ride to-day
"The dapple, as you're wont; but mount the horse
"Which I have chosen for thee. Do it, brother!
"In love to me. A strong dream warn'd me so."
It was the swiftness of this horse that snatch'd me
From the hot pursuit of Bannier's dragoons.
My cousin rode the dapple on that day,
And never more saw I or horse or rider.
ILLO.
That was a chance.
That was a chance.
WALLENSTEIN.
