ur mars
The beauty of the evening stars,
And wild and fearful is the sky
As though the wreck of worlds were nigh.
Around our heads in boding flight
Wheel hawk and vulture, crow and kite;
And every bird of happy note
Shrieks terror from his altered throat.
Sword, spear and shaft shall strew the plain
Dyed red with torrents of the slain.
To-day the Vanar troops shall close
Around the city of our foes."

Canto XXIV. The Spy's Return.

As shine the heavens with autumn's moon
Refulgent in the height of noon,
So shone with light which Rama gave
That army of the bold and brave,
As from the sea it marched away
In war's magnificent array,
And earth was shaken by the beat
And trampling of unnumbered feet.
Then to the giants' ears were borne,
The mingled notes of drum and horn,
And clash of tambours smote the sky,
And shouting and the battle cry.
The sound of martial strains inspired
Each chieftain, and his bosom fired:
While giants from their walls replied,
And answering shouts the foe defied,
Then Rama looked on Lanka where
Bright banners floated in the air,
And, pierced with anguish at the view,
His loving thoughts to Sita flew.
"There, prisoned by the giant, lies
My lady of the tender eyes,
Like Rohini the queen of stars
O'erpowered by the fiery Mars."
Then turned he to his brother chief
And cried in agony of grief:
"See on the hill, divinely planned
And built by Visvakarma's hand,
The towers and domes of Lanka rise
In peerless beauty to the skies.
Bright from afar the city shines
With gleam of palaces and shrines,
Like pale clouds through the region spread
By Vishnu's self inhabited.
Fair gardens grow, and woods between
The stately domes are fresh and green,
Where trees their bloom and fruit display,
And sweet birds sing on every spray.
Each bird is mad with joy, and bees
Sing labouring in the bloomy trees
On branches by the breezes bowed,
Where the gay Koil's voice is loud."

This said, he ranged with warlike art
Each body of the host apart.
"There in the centre," Rama cried,
"Be Angad's place by Nila's side.
Let Rishabh of impetuous might
Be lord and leader on the right,
And Gandhamadan, next in rank,
Be captain of the farther flank.
Lakshman and I the hosts will lead,
And Jambavan of ursine breed,
With bold Sushen unused to fear,
And Vegadarsi, guide the rear."

Thus Rama spoke: the chiefs obeyed;
And all the Vanar hosts arrayed
Showed awful as the autumn sky
When clouds emb