Page:A history of Hungarian literature.djvu/212

198 And can it—can it be—a meteor,
 * That for a moment burst and blazed­

Lighted with brightness all the heavens, And sunk in darkness while we gazed.

No! 'tis a comet, whose returning
 * Is sure as is the march of doom:

Hungary shall hail it, blazing, burning,
 * It cannot, will not fail to come.

It was on the 14th of March, 1848, that the first news reached Pest of the Viennese revolution, which forced the Cabinet to resign.

The event inspired Petőfi to write the poem Talpra Magyar, which he recited to a vast crowd, amidst tumultuous applause, on the following day, the 15th of March. The refrain, "And we swear that we shall never more be slaves," was repeated by the crowd as though it were a sacred vow which they were making before the bard. When he had finished, the crowd made its way to the printing office, which had formerly been under the yoke of the censor, took possession of the machines and printed the poem, the people waiting outside until it was ready.

It was the first poem printed with out the license of the censor.

Magyars, up! your country calls you. Break the chain which now enthralls you. Freemen be, or slaves for ever. Choose ye, Magyars, now or never. For by the Magyar's God above We truly swear We truly swear the tyrant's yoke No more to bear