him arise and control both that man and his labour.'
They said: 'Who is eaten by sloth? Whose unthrift has destroyed him?
He shall levy a tribute from all because none have employed him.'
They said: 'Who hath toiled? Who hath striven, and gathered
possession?
Let him be spoiled. He hath given full proof of transgression.'
They said. 'Who is irked by the Law? _Though we may not remove it,
If he lend us his aid in this raid, we will set him above it!_'
So the robber did judgment again upon such as displeased him,
The slayer, too, boasted his slain, and the judges released him.

As for their kinsmen far off, on the skirts of the nation,
They harried all earth to make sure none escaped reprobation,
They awakened unrest for a jest in their newly-won borders,
And jeered at the blood of their brethren betrayed by their orders.
They instructed the ruled to rebel, their rulers to aid them;
And, since such as obeyed them not fell, their Viceroys obeyed them.
When the riotous set them at naught they said: 'Praise the upheaval!
For the show and the word and the thought of Dominion is evil!'

They unwound and flung from them with rage, as a rag that defiled
them
The imperial gains of the age which their forefathers piled them.
They ran panting in haste to lay waste and embitter for ever
The wellsprings of Wisdom and Strength which are Faith and
Endeavour.
They nosed out and digged up and dragged forth and exposed to
derision
All doctrine of purpose and worth and restraint and prevision:
And it ceased, and God granted them all things for which they had
striven,
And the heart of a beast in the place of a man's heart was given....

* * * * *

When they were fullest of wine and most flagrant in error,
Out of the sea rose a sign--out of Heaven a terror.
Then they saw, then they heard, then they knew--for none troubled
to hide it,
An host had prepared their destruction, but still they denied it.
They denied what they dared not abide if it came to the trial,
But the Sword that was forged while they lied did not heed their
denial.
It drove home, and no time was allowed to the crowd that was driven.
The preposterous-minded were cowed--they thought time would be
given.
There was no need of a steed nor a lance