Page:Memoir and poems of Phillis Wheatley, a native African and a slave.djvu/68

62 "So shall Goliath fall, and all his crew.

"The God who saved me from these beasts of prey,

"By me this monster in the dust shall lay."

So David spoke. The wondering king reply'd;

"Go thou, with heaven and victory on thy side:

"This coat of mail, this sword, gird on," he said,

And placed a mighty helmet on his head.

The coat, the sword, the helm, he laid aside,

Nor chose to venture with those arms untry'd;

Then took his staff, and to the neighboring brook

Instant he ran, and thence five pebbles took.

Meantime descended to Philistia's son

A radiant cherub, and he thus begun:

"Goliath, well thou know'st thou hast defy'd

"Yon Hebrew armies, and their God deny'd.

"Rebellious wretch! audacious worm! forbear,

"Nor tempt the vengeance of their God too far:

"Those who with his omnipotence contend,

"No eye shall pity and no arm defend.

"Proud as thou art, in short-lived glory great,

"I come to tell thee thine approaching fate.

"Regard my words. The Judge of all the gods,

"Beneath whose steps the tow'ring mountain nods,

"Will give thine armies to the savage brood,

"That cut the liquid air, or range the wood.

"Thee, too, a well aimed pebble shall destroy,

"And thou shalt perish by a beardless boy.

"Such is the mandate from the realms above,

"And, should I try the vengeance to remove,

"Myself a rebel to my king would prove