I had stumbled, first thing, on the serpent’s head
Coiled with a leer at foot of it. (1660)
Then was I rapt away by the impluse, one
Immeasurable everlasting wave of a need
To abolish that detested life. ’Twas done:
You know the rest and how the folds o’ the thing,
Twisting for help, involved the other two
More or less serpent-like: how I was mad,
Blind, stamped on all, the earth-worms with the asp,
And ended so.
Your officers of justice,—caught the crime
In the first natural frenzy of remorse?
Twenty miles off, sound sleeping as a child
On a cloak i’ the straw which promised shelter first,
With the bloody arms beside me,—was it not so?
Wherefore not? Why, how else should I be found?
I was my own self, had my sense again,
My soul safe from the serpents. I could sleep:
Indeed and, dear my lords, I shall sleep now,
Spite of my shoulder, in five minutes’ space, (1680)
When you dismiss me, having truth enough!
It is but a few days are passed, I find,
Since this adventure. Do you tell me, four?
Then the dead are scarce quiet where they lie,
Old Pietro, old Violante, side by side
At the church Lorenzo,—oh, they know it well!
So do I. But my wife is still alive,
Has breath enough to tell her story yet,
Her way, which is not mine, no doubt at all.
And Caponsacchi, you have summoned him,— (1690)
Was he so far to send for? Not at hand?
I thought some few o’ the stabs were in his heart,
Or had not been so lavish,—less had served.
Well, he too tells his story,—florid prose
As smooth as mine is rough. You see, my lords,
There will be a lying intoxicating smoke
Born of the blood,—confusion probably,—
For lies breed lies—but all that rests with you!
The trial is no concern of mine; with me
The main of the care is over: I at least (1700)
Recognise who took that huge burthen off,
Let me begin to live again. I did
God’s bidding and man’s duty, so, breathe free;
Look you to the rest! I heard Himself prescribe,
That great Physician, and dared lance the core
Of the bad ulcer; and the rage abates,
I am myself and whole now: I prove cured
By the eyes that see, the ears that hear again,
The limbs that have relearned their youthful play,
The healthy taste of food and feel of clothes (1710)
And taking to our common life once more,
All that now urges my defence from death.
The willingness to live, what means it else?
Before,—but let the very action speak!
Judge for yourselves, what life seemed worth to me
Who, not by proxy but in person, pitched
Head-foremost into danger as a fool
That never cares if he can swim or no—
So he but find the bottom, braves the brook.
No man omits precaution, quite neglects (1720)
Secresy, safety, schemes not how retreat,
Having schemed he might advance. Did I so scheme?
Why, with a warrant which ’tis ask and have,
With horse thereby made mine without a word,
I had gained the frontier and slept safe that night.
Then, my companions,—call them what you please,
Slave or stipendiary,—what need of one
To me whose right-hand did its owner’s work?
Hire an assassin yet expose yourself?
As well buy glove and then thrust naked hand (1730)
I’ the thorn-bush. No, the wise man stays at home,
Sends only agents out, with pay to earn:
At home, when they come back,—he straight discards
Or else disowns. Why use such tools at all
When a man’s foes are of his house, like mine,
Sit at his board, sleep in his bed? Why noise,
When there’s the acquetta and the silent way?
Clearly my life was valueless.
Health is returned, and sanity of soul (1740)
Nowise indifferent to the body’s harm.
I find the instinct bids me save my life;
My wits, too, rally round me; I pick up
And use the arms that strewed the ground before,
Unnoticed or spurned aside: I take my stand,
Make no defence. God shall not lose a life
May do Him further service, while I speak
And you hear, you my judges and last hope!
You are the law: ’tis to the law I look.
I began life by hanging to the law, (1750)
To the law it is I hang till life shall end.
My brother made appeal to the Pope, ’tis true,
To stay proceedings, judge my cause himself
Nor trouble law,—some fondness of conceit
That rectitude, sagacity sufficed
The investigator in a case like mine,
Dispensed with the machine of law. The Pope
Knew better, set aside my brother’s plea
And put me back to law,—referred the cause
Ad judices meos,—doubtlessly did well. (1760)
Here, then, I clutch my judges,—I claim law—
Cry, by the higher law whereof your law
O’ the land is humbly representative,—
Cry, on what point is it, where either accuse,
I fail to furnish you defence? I stand
Acquitted, actually or virtually,
By every intermediate kind of court
That takes account of right or wrong in man,
Each unit in the series that begins
With God’s throne, ends with the tribunal here. (1770)
God breathes, not speaks, his verdicts, felt not heard,
Passed on successively to each court I call
Man’s conscience, custom, manners, all that make
More and more effort to promulgate, mark
God’s verdict in determinable words,
Till last come human
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