The Maid of Orleans and Other Poems Author:Friedrich Schiller General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1843 Original Publisher: John Owen Subjects: Drama / General Drama / Continental European History / General Literary Criticism / Drama 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... more » 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 books for free. Excerpt: PROLOGUE. A Rural District. In front, towards the right, a small Chapel with an Image of the Virgin; on the left, a high Oak. Scene I. THIBAUT of Arc; his three DAUGHTERS, and three young SHEPHERDS, their Lovers. THIBAT7T. Yes, one day more, dear neighbours, we are Frenchmen, Free citizens and lords of the old soil Our fathers ploughed ; God only knows who may Be ruling here to-morrow ! All around, Proud waves the Briton's banner on our walls ; Fierce sweep his trampling war-steeds o'er our fields. Already Paris has received the victor, And with the ancient crown of Dagobeit Adorns the sapling of a foreign race. "Disherited and'fugitive in his Own realm, must the descendant of our kings Go forth ; his nearest cousin, his first peer, In hostile arms ; nay, his own raven-mother Conspiring with invaders to destroy him. Farms, villages, are blazing round us ; nearer And nearer still, to these yet peaceful vales, On rolls the ruthless flame of desolation. -- 'T is therefore, neighbours, that, with God's permission, I would, whilst means are yet within my power, Provide for my dear daughters. Woman needs In time of war some firm friend and protector, And true love helps to make all burdens lighter. [To the First Shepherd. l Come, Stephen ! Long have you been wooing Margot. Our fields run neighbourly beside each other, Your hearts accord as one ; -- this will knit closer The marriage-band! -- [To the Second Shepherd. l C...« less