Page:15 decisive battles of the world Vol 1 (London).djvu/267

 great poet of modern Germany, Klopstock, on the victory to which we owe our freedom, and Arminius mainly owes his fame. Klopstock calls it the "Battle of Winfeld." The epithet of "sister of Cannæ" shows that Klopstock followed some chronologers, according to whom Varus was defeated on the anniversary of the day on which Paulus and Varro were defeated by Hannibal.

SONG OF TRIUMPH AFTER THE VICTORY OF HERRMAN, THE DELIVERER OF GERMANY FROM THE ROMANS.

FROM KLOPSTOCK'S "HERRMAN UND DIE FÜRSTEN."

Supposed to be sung by a chorus of Bards.

A CHORUS. Sister of Cannæ! Winfeld's fight! We saw thee with thy streaming, bloody hair, With fiery eye, bright with the world's despair, Sweep by Walhalla's bards from out our sight.

Herrman outspake — "Now Victory, or Death!" The Romans. . . "Victory!" And onward rushed their eagles with the cry— — So ended the first day.

"Victory, or Death!" began Then, first, the Roman chief — and Herrman spake Not, but home-struck : — the eagles fluttered — brake — — So sped the second day.