Mazeppa: A Poem

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John Murray, 1819 - 69 pages
Byron's romantic narrative poem about Mazeppa, the hero of the story, who is strapped naked to a horse in punishment for his affair with a married countess. This volume also contains a fragment of a novel that is widely considered to be one of the first vampire stories in English literature.
 

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Page 55 - Still one great clime, in full and free defiance, Yet rears her crest, unconquer'd and sublime, Above the far Atlantic ! — She has taught Her Esau-brethren that the haughty flag, The floating fence of Albion's feebler crag, May strike to those whose red right hands have bought Rights cheaply eam'd with blood.
Page 22 - Twas but a day he had been caught ; And snorting, with erected mane, And struggling fiercely, but in vain, In the full foam of wrath and dread To me the desert-born was led : They bound me on, that menial throng, Upon his back with many a thong ; Then loosed him with a sudden lash — Away ! — away ! — and on we dash ! — Torrents less rapid and less rash.
Page 38 - His first and last career is done ! On came the troop — they saw him stoop, They saw me strangely bound along His back with many a bloody thong. They stop — they start — they snuff the air, Gallop a moment here and there, Approach, retire, wheel round and round...
Page 31 - O'ertortured by that ghastly ride, I felt the blackness come and go, And strove to wake; but could not make My senses climb up from below: I felt as on a plank at sea, When all the waves that dash o'er thee, At the same time upheave and whelm, And hurl thee towards a desert realm.
Page 23 - Twas scarcely yet the break of day, And on he foam'd — away ! — away ! — The last of human sounds which rose, As I was darted from my foes, Was the wild shout of savage laughter, Which on the wind came roaring after A moment from that rabble rout : With sudden wrath I wrench'd my head, And snapp'd the cord, which to the mane Had bound my neck in lieu of rein.
Page 56 - In their proud charnel of Thermopylae, Than stagnate in our marsh, — or o'er the deep Fly, and one current to the ocean add, One spirit to the souls our fathers had, One freeman more, America, to thee...
Page 55 - Bequeathed — a heritage of heart and hand, And proud distinction from each other land, Whose sons must bow them at a monarch's motion, As if his senseless sceptre were a wand...
Page 28 - By night I heard them on the track, Their troop came hard upon our back, With their long gallop, which can tire The hound's deep hate, and hunter's fire : Where'er we flew they...

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