sense he keeps
With constant care that never sleeps.
Whose daring heart has e'er conceived
The exploit Hanuman achieved,
Across the fearful sea to spring,
The tributary rivers' king?
O Rakshas lords, in time be wise,
Nor Rama's matchless power despise.
And say, what evil had the son
Of Raghu to our monarch done,
Who stole the dame he loved so well
And keeps her in his citadel;
If Khara in his foolish pride
Encountered Rama, fought, and died,
May not the meanest love his life
And guard it in the deadly strife?
The Maithil dame, O Rakshas King,
Sore peril to thy realm will bring.
Restore her while there yet is time,
Nor let us perish for thy crime.
O, let the Maithil lady go
Ere the avenger bend his bow
To ruin with his arrowy showers
Our Lanka with her gates and towers.
Let Janak's child again be free
Ere the wild Vanars cross the sea,
In their resistless might assail
Our city and her ramparts scale.
Ah, I conjure thee by the ties
Of brotherhood, be just and wise.
In all my thoughts thy good I seek,
And thus my prudent counsel speak.
Let captive Sita be restored
Ere, fierce as autumn's sun, her lord
Send his keen arrows from the string
To drink the life-blood of our king.
This fury from thy soul dismiss,
The bane of duty, peace, and bliss.
Seek duty's path and walk therein,
And joy and endless glory win.
Restore the captive, ere we feel
The piercing point of Rama's steel.
O spare thy city, spare the lives
Of us, our friends, our sons and wives."

Thus spake Vibhishan wise and brave:
The Rakshas king no answer gave,
But bade his lords the council close,
And sought his chamber for repose.

Canto X. Vibhishan's Counsel.

Soon as the light of morning broke,
Vibhishan from his slumber woke,
And, duty guiding every thought,
The palace of his brother sought.
Vast as a towering hill that shows
His peaks afar, that palace rose.
Here stood within the monarch's gate
Sage nobles skilful in debate.
There strayed in glittering raiment through
The courts his royal retinue,
Where in wild measure rose and fell
The music of the drum and shell,
And talk grew loud, and many a dame
Of fairest feature went and came
Through doors a marvel to behold,
With pearl inlaid on burning gold:
Therein Gandharvas or the fleet
Lords of the storm might joy to meet.
He passed within the wondrous pile,
Chief glory of the giants' isle:
Thus, ere his fiery course be done,
An autumn cloud admits the sun.
He heard