Page:An Anthology of Modern Bohemian Poetry.pdf/92

88 :Countenance seemingly Slav sadly the hearing deceives. For on her sons right deeply has Sláva imprinted her tokens,
 * Nor can the place or the time ever their traces erase;

Just as two rivers whose waters a single bed has united, Still for long on the way parted their colours remain. So by violent strife are these nations confusedly mingled,
 * Yet does their nature till now visibly sundered remain.

But have degenerate sons heaped often upon their own mother
 * Curses, and yet in their guilt cringed to the step-mother's lash;

They in their nature are neither Slavic or Teuton, but bat-like,
 * Half of the nature of one, half of the other possess.

Thus do the Osman hordes run riot in countries Hellenic,
 * Lofty Olympus is now crowned with the tail of a horse;

Thus the two worlds of the Indies has grasping Europe corrupted,
 * Civilization removed virtue, land, colour, and speech.