Amicicidium Principis

(Sept. 6, 1901.)

The hand of destiny, now fair, now foul,
Blots even our new scroll of Christian time:
Though volume twenty seeks harmonious rhyme,
Its preface gives a Tartarean howl.

From cells Gehennal came the dire advice
To slay the unimpeachable, because
A prince controls himself with righteous laws
While lawless men cast their perdition-dice.

So was it e’er since human time began:
The prophets slain by those they taught to climb;
Philanthropists in poverty alone,
And benefactors curst by succor’d man;
So was it in the Tragedy Sublime
When Christ was martyr’d though His deeds were known.