THE DEATH OF THE TITAN

EPICUREAN

From night's great womb with pain the horrid morn hao broke,

Far o'er the throbbing earth the clattering thunders roar,

The Titan wakes at last, his front begrimed with gore,

His brutal gasp abrupt uproots the rugged oak.

In mortal throes he raves, and with his stertorous croak

The birds are struck, the streams with terror dried, the shore

Caves into sea, mounts break down to their horrid core,

The tottering crags are rent, is rent the cloud’s gray cloak.

The lightning shrinks, the seas in roaring clangor splash,

The giant sways and now, with sudden thunderous crash,

Falls, and the throned stars from glittering seats are torn.

He fell; the startl'd earth, with frantic fury stung,

Split, burst, and broke; the air with rankling curses rung

But in the sky the sun still smiled as in scorn.