Laid open by the sword; for, side by side,
The brethren of Aberfraw mowed their path;
And, following close, the Cymry drive along,
Till on the summit of the mound, the cry
Of victory rings aloud. The temple floor,
So often which had reeked with innocent blood,
Steams now with righteous slaughter. Franticly,
In the wild fury of their desperate zeal,
The Priests crowd round the God, and with their knives
Hack at the foe, and call on him to save, ..
At the altar, at the Idol's foot they fall.
Nor with less frenzy did the multitude
Flock to defend their God. Fast as they fell,
New victims rushed upon the British sword;
And sure that day had rooted from the earth
The Aztecas, and on their conquerors drawn
Promiscuous ruin, had not Madoc now
Beheld from whence the fearless ardour sprang ; .
They saw Mexitli; momently they hoped
That he would rise in vengeance. Madoc seized
A massy club, and from his azure throne
Shattered the giant idol.
The men of Aztlan pause; so was their pause
Dreadful, as when a multitude expect
The Earthquake's second shock. But when they saw
Earth did not open, nor the temple fall
To crush their impious enemies, dismayed,
They felt themselves forsaken by their Gods;
Then from their temples and their homes. they fled,
And, leaving Aztlan to the conqueror,
Sought the near city, whither they had sent
Their women, timely saved.
With growing fury as the danger grew,
Raged in the battle; but Yuhidthiton
Still with calm courage, till no hope remained,
Fronted the rushing foe. When all was vain,
When back within the gate Cadwallon's force,
Resistless, had compelled them, then the Chief
Called on the Tyger,.. Let us bear from hence
The dead Ocellopan, the slaughtered King;
Not to the Strangers should their bones be left,
O Tlalala!.. The Tyger wept with rage,
With generous anger.. To the place of death,
Where, side by side, the noble dead were stretched. They fought their way. Eight warriors joined their
On these, a bier which well beseemed the dead,
The lifeless Chiefs were laid. Yuhidthiton
Called on the people, . . Men of Aztlan ! yet
One effort more! Bear hence Ocellopan,
And save the body of your noble King!
Not to the Strangers should their bones be left!..
That whoso heard, with wailing and loud cries,
Prest round the body-bearers; few indeed,
For few were they who, in that fearful hour,
Had ears to hear,.. but with a holy zeal,
Careless of death, around the bier they ranged
Their bulwark breasts. So toward the farther gate
They held their steady way, while outermost,
In unabated valour, Tlalala
Faced, with Yuhidthiton, the foe's pursuit.
Vain valour then, and fatal piety,
As the fierce conquerors bore on their retreat,
If Madoc had not seen their perilous strife:
Remembering Malinal, and in his heart
Honouring a gallant foe, he called aloud,
And bade his people cease the hot pursuit. So, through the city gate, they bore away The dead; and, last of all their countrymen, Leaving their homes and temples to the foe, Yuhidthiton and Tlalala retired.
SOUTHWARD of Aztlan stood, beside the Lake, A city of the Aztecas, by name
Patamba. Thither, from the first alarm, The women and infirm old men were sent, And children: thither they who from the fight, And from the fall of Aztlan, had escaped, In scattered bands repaired. Their City lost, Their Monarch slain, their Idols overthrown,. . These tidings spread dismay; but to dismay Succeeded horror soon, and kindling rage, Horror, by each new circumstance increased, By numbers, rage emboldened. Lo! to the town, Lamenting loud, a numerous train approach, Like mountain torrents, swelling as they go. Borne in the midst, upon the bier of shields, The noble dead were seen.
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