Indian Poetry Author:Sir Edwin Arnold General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1886 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: KING SALADIN. Long years ago -- so tells Boccaccio In such Italian gentleness of speech As finds no echo in this northern air To counterpart its music -- long ago, "When Saladin was Soldan of the East, The kings let cry a general crusade; And to the trysting-plains of Lombardy The idle lances of the North and West Bode all that spring, as all the spring runs down Into a lake, from all its hanging hills, The clash and glitter of a hundred streams. Whereof the rumour reached to Saladin; And that swart king -- as royal in his heart As any crowned champion of the Cross -- That he might fully, of his knowledge, learn The purpose of the lords of Christendom, And when their war and what their armament, Took thought to cross the seas to Lombardy. Wherefore, with wise and trustful Amirs twain, All habited in garbs that merchants use, With trader's band and gipsire on the breasts That best loved mail and dagger, Saladin Set forth upon his journey perilous. In that day, lordly land was Lombardy! A sea of country-plenty, islanded With cities rich; nor richer one than thee, Marble Milano! from whose gate at dawn -- With ear that little recked the matin-bell, But a keen eye to measure wall and foss -- The Soldan rode; and all day long he rode For Pavia; passing basilic, and shrine, And gaze of vineyard-workers, wotting not Yon trader was the Lord of Heathenesse. All day he rode; yet at the wane of day No gleam of gate, or ramp, or rising spire, Nor Tessin's sparkle underneath the stars Promised him Pavia; but he was 'ware Of a gay company upo...« less