its birth,
Here is it, precious to the sophist now
Who laughs the myth of Aeschylus to scorn,
As precious to those satyrs of his play, {285}
Who touched it in gay wonder at the thing.
While were it so with the soul,--this gift of truth
Once grasped, were this our soul's gain safe, and sure
To prosper as the body's gain is wont,--
Why, man's probation would conclude, his earth {290}
Crumble; for he both reasons and decides,
Weighs first, then chooses: will he give up fire
For gold or purple once he knows its worth?
Could he give Christ up were His worth as plain?
Therefore, I say, to test man, the proofs shift, {295}
Nor may he grasp that fact like other fact,
And straightway in his life acknowledge it,
As, say, the indubitable bliss of fire.
Sigh ye, `It had been easier once than now?'
To give you answer I am left alive; {300}
Look at me who was present from the first!
Ye know what things I saw; then came a test,
My first, befitting me who so had seen:
`Forsake the Christ thou sawest transfigured, Him
Who trod the sea and brought the dead to life? {305}
What should wring this from thee?'--ye laugh and ask.
What wrung it? Even a torchlight and a noise,
The sudden Roman faces, violent hands,
And fear of what the Jews might do! Just that,
And it is written, `I forsook and fled': {310}
There was my trial, and it ended thus.
Ay, but my soul had gained its truth, could grow:
Another year or two,--what little child,
What tender woman that had seen no least
Of all my sights, but barely heard them told, {315}
Who did not clasp the cross with a light laugh,
Or wrap the burning robe round, thanking God?
Well, was truth safe forever, then? Not so.
Already had begun the silent work
Whereby truth, deadened of its absolute blaze, {320}
Might need love's eye to pierce the o'erstretched doubt.
Teachers were busy, whispering `All is true
As the aged ones report; but youth can reach
Where age gropes dimly, weak with stir and strain,
And the full doctrine slumbers till to-day.' {325}
Thus, what the Roman's lowered spear was found,
A bar to me who touched and handled truth,
Now proved the glozing of some ne