Page:The Works of Lord Byron (ed. Coleridge, Prothero) - Volume 3.djvu/432

398 And expound the words of fear,

Which mar our royal mirth."

IV.

Chaldea's seers are good,

But here they have no skill;

And the unknown letters stood

Untold and awful still.

And Babel's men of age

Are wise and deep in lore;

But now they were not sage,

They saw—but knew no more.

V.

A captive in the land,

A stranger and a youth,

He heard the King's command,

He saw that writing's truth.

The lamps around were bright,

The prophecy in view;

He read it on that night,—

The morrow proved it true.

VI.

"Belshazzar's grave is made,

His kingdom passed away,

He, in the balance weighed,

Is light and worthless clay;

The shroud, his robe of state,

His canopy the stone;

The Mede is at his gate!

The Persian on his throne!"