On the next morrow,--as by Voice Divine
Commanded,--before Pharaoh Moses stood,
And sternly spake. ''Well know I all thy thoughts,
O king; and how the tongues of wicked men
Have counselled thee to slay me. Not the less,
Here do I stand before thee; fearing not
What man shall say, or do; for, in God's hands
Are all things; and His will alone shall be,
In heaven and earth. Plain speech must now be mine;
Heeding not kingly state, when kingly faith
Is all forgotten. With most solemn word,--
So I the Lord would pray that plague to end,--
Didst thou to Israel promise, they should go
A three days' journey in the wilderness:
Yet, when our God had hearkened, and the scourge
Had bid depart,--all truth despising, thou
Thy word revoked; and, for the three days' grace,
Didst give them yet worse bondage; labor more,
And taxes doubled: nor with that content,
Didst of their cattle rob them; for each beast,
Lost by Egyptians, from their hapless slaves
Three taking. But, O Pharaoh, three times three
Doomed yet to lose, if thy most stony heart,
This day thou soften not, and let them forth.
For, thus the Lord God of the Hebrews saith:
'Let thou my people to the desert go,
That they may serve me. But, if thou refuse
To let them go, and wilt withhold them still,
Behold, upon thy cattle in the field
The hand of God shall be,--on horse, on ass,
On camel, on the ox, and on the sheep,--
A very grievous murrain. And the Lord
Shall sever between those of Israel,
And those of Egypt,--there shall nothing die
Of all the cattle of Israel. And the Lord
This thing shall do tomorrow in the land.'
Take thou then thought, O king; and, lest the plague
Come on thee, let us go.'' With gleaming eye,
Pharaoh looked on him; wrathful, yet afraid:
For Moses with a mien and voice of power
Had spoken, as the mighty to the weak;
And the king's heart misgave him; and a shame
Rankled within him; knowing how with lies
He had defiled himself. A secret dread
Likewise was on him; for, now, all alone
With Moses was he; and, what sudden stroke
Of witchcraft in that privacy might be done,
He knew not. Silent, therefore, for awhile
He sat. But Satan, him beholding thus,
His spirit entered--stirring up anew
Pride, anger, headstrong will: kindling within
Suspicions foul; and urging to defy
At once the insolent wizard, and his god;
And be himself the threatener. With dark look,
Pharaoh, at length, thus spake. ''I counsel thee,
Bold Hebrew, to look well unto thy feet.
A road thou treadest which, too far pursued,
In death must end. Thy magic spells most black,
My sorcerers soon will match: for, day and night,
Dark secrets they dig up; such as, at length,
Thine art will master. But even now, methinks,
Thy cunning halts; and with mere mortal means
Thou'rt forced to work; bad leaving, for yet worse;
The wizard's craft, for poisoner's. Hopeless now,
Upon ourselves, by magic,--with foul drugs,
Thou'lt work upon our cattle; and, by night,
Send forth thy men to creep into our fields,
And with some subtile venom slay the beasts;
Then, on the morrow, glorify thy god,
Saying, his hand it was that smote them all;
Even as through thee he had threatened. If a power
Of magic still thou hast, such spite to do,
Why on our cattle wreak it,--not on us?
They hold you not in bonds: why, then, on them
Your murrain send? Yet, easy answer is:
They at your mercy lie; but you at ours.
Slept we within the fields, your pestilence
On us, perchance, as on our beasts, might come.
Into your land of Goshen ye send not
Your poisoners; and, behold a miracle!
Your cattle shall not die! Art not ashamed,
With such poor lie to come before the king?
Yet, for thy warning, thanks. Our fields, this night,
Well watched shall be: and every Israelite
Who therein shall be found,--with instant stroke,--
No questions asked, and no excuses heard,
Shall on that spot be slain. Now, answer not;
But hence. Thee, and thy god do I defy.
Meantime, be sure, thy people shall not go.
If, at the last, by some black sorcery,--
Thy poisoning hindered,--thou the mischief bring,--
Then, first, what worse to Israel I can do,
In quittance, will I ponder: next, for thee,
What punishment the fittest. Heed thou, then:
For,--whatsoe'er thine impudence, and guile,--
I tell thee, at thy root there lies an axe;
A strong man near at hand; and, be thou sure,
If evil more thou do, a voice will speak;
The axe will be uplifted; and thy top
Will quickly beat the dust.'' Thus having said,
He started from his throne, intent to go.
But Moses raised the hand, and spake. ''O king,
A strong deceit is on thee. As I live,
And as thou livest, rather would I die
Than falsely speak. Within the house, this night,
Imprison thou all Israel; not the less,
Upon the morrow will the pestilence come
On all your cattle in the field. On them,
And not on you, wherefore the plague shall be,
I cannot answer: the mere messenger I
From Israel's God; His words, not mine, to speak.
Three times already warning have I brought;
Three times hast thou regarded not; three times
The threat hath been accomplished: and the fourth,
If thou obey not, will as surely come
As day--light on the morrow. Canst thou hope
To strive 'gainst God! Though yet a hundred times
Thou should resist, 'twere but a hundred times
To feel a grievous scourge, thou might have 'scaped
And bow thee down at last.'' ''That will I prove,
Fiercely cried Pharaoh; ''for, by earth, and sky,
Thy people shall not go. Thy god, and thee,
Alike I scorn: thy witchcraft damnable,
Spell against spell, soon will my sorcerers front:
And, if in that fight victor, thou shalt, next,
Try spells 'gainst Death: him conjure if thou can.

With laugh of haught derision, saying thus,
Hastily turned he, and the chamber left.
Nor Moses sought to stay him; headstrong still
Beholding him; and knowing all words vain.

On the next morning early, went a cry
Throughout all Egypt, for their cattle struck,
Thousands on thousands, by a pestilence
Such as, till then, no eye of man had seen,
No ear had heard of. Post--haste messengers,
Sent Pharaoh then through all the land around,--
Far as, 'twixt rise and set of sun, swift horse
Might go, and come,--to question everywhere,
What cattle of the Egyptians had been slain;
What cattle of the Hebrews. But, when night
Had fallen, and every missive had returned,--
To Pharaoh went his ministers, and said;
''Splendor of heaven! so heavy is the count
Of cattle lost to Egypt, that the sum
All figures fail to tell: but, as for them
Of Israel, not one horse, ass, ox, or sheep,
Hath by this pestilence perished.'' Hard as rock
Was Pharaoh still; headstrong, and proud, and stern.
Command he gave; and, promptly, nigh the throne,
Priests and magicians stood. At heart dismayed,
Yet,--the bold front assuming,--with big words
Outspake they: making boast how, speedily,
Spell against spell, with every day more strong,
Would they the cunning of the Hebrew match;
And, at the last, o'ercome. A willing ear
Gave Pharaoh; and yet harder grew of heart;
Pondering how best on Israel he might work
Avengement. But, on that same evening, came
To Moses and to Aaron, as they walked
Within the garden, musing silently,
A Voice from out the firmament, which said;
''Handfuls of ashes of the furnace take;
And toward the heaven let Moses sprinkle it,
In sight of Pharaoh: and it shall become,
Through all the land of Egypt, a small dust;
And shall a boil be, breaking forth with blains,
On man and beast through all Egyptian land.''

Prone on the earth,--soon as the Voice they heard,
The sons of Amram fell; and long time lay,
Silently worshipping: then slowly rose,
And, without word, unto the house returned:
Nor that night spake at all,--so with great awe
Their souls were bowed; but, with a brotherly love,
Embraced, and parted, each unto his rest.

At sunrise, toward the river they went forth,
That Pharaoh they might meet; and, as they walked,
From ashes of the furnace, handfuls took;
And, to the water having come, made pause,
Awaiting his approach. Him soon they saw,
With a great company, princes, rulers, lords,
Priests, and magicians, walking after him:
And, as they nigher drew, still more and more,--
Like torrent's murmur wafted on the wind,--
Sounded their angry voices. Them to meet,
The sons of Amram went; and speedily
Knew that themselves were seen; for, as a man,
Right in his path, a panther, or wild bull
Beholding, suddenly stops,--so instantly,
Those hated Israelites seeing, Pharaoh stayed,
And, blackly frowning, stood. Then stood they all,
Marvelling why paused the king; till, looking forth,
They, too, beheld the Hebrews coming on;
And, as they thought, ill threatening; for their mien,
Their port erect, their majesty of gait,
Sense of power tokened; nay, as nigher they drew,
Seemed as from out their faces beamed forth light;
So with a consciousness of strength divine
Infused within them, were their souls uplift,
Sustained, and glorified. Still paused the king,
And gladly would have shunned them; for he felt
How they must triumph o'er him; and well knew
That not yet could his sorcerers their spells match;
Howe'er in the future might they. But great wrath
Stirred in him soon, and pride; and on he went,
Shooting before him, like bright lamps through night,
Eye--flashes fierce; and muttering, as he walked,
Threats of dark vengeance. Quickly they drew nigh.
But, pausing now, the sons of Amram bowed,
And waited the king's words. All quivering
With ire suppressed, like a caged leopard he
Glared on them, and broke forth. ''Infatuate fools!
Come ye to seek for punishment? Said I not,
If ye our cattle slay, I first will think
How yet worse things on Israel I may do,--
Next, how yourselves to punish? Speed ye then
To know your sentence? But, be patient yet:
I have not all considered: when the account
Lies full before me, then shall I resolve,
How, when, and where, to strike. Meantime, go hence:
I will not hear you; nor myself will speak,
Save this,--beware! Strong as your magic is,
Yet stronger may be found. Our cattle ye
Have withered: heed lest we should wither you.
But, perhaps some witchcraft fresh ye have in hand;
Some plague upon ourselves, since through our beasts
Ye cannot move us: and, if so, at once
Speak out: discharge your venom, and be gone;
For ye do darken daylight. Only this
Remember,--that, for every ill on us,
Three on yourselves ye bring: and, though ye turn
This land into a grave--pit, yet herein
Shall ye be buried; for, by earth, and sea,
And sun, and stars, and by all Egypt's gods,
Hence shall ye never go!'' With face all wild,
Livid, distorted with excess of rage,
Thus spake he; and his priests and sorcerers came
Thronging about him; upon Moses, now,
Like maniacs glaring; now, upon the king
Eagerly looking, as though all athirst
The word to hear which should their rage let loose
Upon those insolent, whom, limb from limb,
Longed they to rend. In silent dignity,
And more with pity than with anger moved,
A moment Moses stood; then, with firm voice,
Thus spake. ''Not from the God of Israel, now,
Warning we bring thee, Pharaoh. Thou his words
Hast heard, and disobeyed: and judgment, sent,
Hast disregarded. Well, no doubt, your fields
Last night were watched: but yet the pestilence,
Even as I prophesied, fell upon your beasts,
That ye the slain can count not: while, on those
Of Israel, as I also said would be,
No pestilence touched at all. Yet, even now,
The hand of God thou seest not in this stroke;
But witchcraft only; and, with marble heart,
Refusest still His bidding. Punishment,
Not warning, therefore, by my hand He sends;
Not on your beasts alone, but on yourselves;
Boils, breaking forth with blains, on every man,
Woman, and child, of Egypt.'' At that word,
From sorcerers, rulers, priests, burst forth a yell;
All clamoring on the king, to give command
That they should slay him. Some, upon the knee,
Trembling with fury, sank; and Pharaoh prayed,
For sake of all in Egypt, that, at once,
The wizard in the river might be flung,
Or hanged on nearest tree; and some, with looks
Demoniac, toward the Hebrews stiffly walked;
Jaws locked, hands clenched,--awaiting, as it seemed,
The word to slay them. But, unheeding all,
Above the din a great voice Moses raised,
And, looking upon Pharaoh, cried, ''Behold.''

Uttering the word, his arm uplifted he,
And from his hand the furnace ashes loosed,
And sprinkled them toward heaven. Tumult was hushed;
All hearts beat quickly; every straining eye
Intently watched; expecting, as before,
In the blood--plague, some ghastly spectacle,
On the instant to appear: but, when they saw
That, from the hand, ashes alone were cast,
Which a small dust became, and melted off
Like a thin smoke,--then quickly rose again
Their fury,--and, with threats, sharp mockery too,
And scornful laughter. Full before the king,
Thamusin, the chief priest, with face inflamed,
And tongue for madness stuttering, hurried on;
And, both hands lifting, franticly cried out,
''O Pharaoh, free thy kingdom, and the earth,
From these detestable. Speak but the word,
And quickly they, too, shall as dust pass off,
Like that they juggle with. One only word
Speak, Pharaoh, we implore thee. Strength enough
Here is to rend them into very threads:
Cords, trees, stones, water,--death in any shape,
To end them on the instant.'' While he spake,
His face, wrath--burning, with yet other fire
Rapidly kindled; and his trembling hands,
As if flame--touched, 'gan sting him. Suddenly mute,
He stared upon them. Swoln were they, and red,
And with strange blisters gleaming. His hot brow
Then touched he; and, beneath his tingling palm,
Felt the boils rising. Terrified he stood,
Stupidly staring round: and lo! the king,
Even like himself he saw, fire--faced, and swollen,
And in great horror staring. Every man
On whom he looked, stood staring on the rest;
Red--visaged, bloated, terrified. No voice
Cried unto Pharaoh now, for punishment
Upon the Hebrews: each man his own pangs,
And wrath, in silence smothered. With stern eye,
The sons of Amram gazed around on all:
But the magicians turned away, ashamed:
By reason of the boils, they could not stand
Before the face of Moses: nor the king,
For shame, dared look upon him. Brief time thus,
Inwardly cursing; though no word he spake;
Stood Pharaoh,--then turned quickly; and, forthwith,
Back toward his palace walked; still, as he went,
Angrily moaning. All his rulers, too,
Priests, princes, sorcerers, moaned: and whomsoe'er
They passed upon the way,--with head depressed,
They saw, and flaming face, and dark--red hands,
Which, as fire--scorched, for coolness still they waved,
Moaning, and hurrying on. And when, at last,
Unto the palace came they, all the house
Resounded with deep moaning. Through the land,
Save in the dwellings of the Israelites,
And in the peaceful Goshen, thus it was
With all the people: and their cattle, too,
With boils were struck; so that, of men, and beasts,
That day, and through the night, were thousands slain.

Yet, hard as furnace--brick still was the heart
Of the proud king; nor for his daughters aught
He heeded, nor his beauteous wife, when they
Implored him to free Israel. ''Never! no!
No!'' roared he out; ''this left hand on the block
I'd lay, and with this right hand smite it off,
Rather than loose them. Every bone, at last,
Shall rot in Egypt; but their flesh, meanwhile,
Shall toil, and sweat, and groan beneath the whip,
Till vengeance cry, 'enough.' 'Tis now the hour
For their magicians: soon our own will come:
And then, shall they cry out, as now the cry
They force from us. But, for each separate wail
By us sent up, a chorus shall they send,
Till the clouds rock with the uproar. In few hours
This burning will pass off: as best ye may,
Endure it then: for no ease can ye have,
That would not ten pangs bring, for one now 'scaped.''

So all that day and night, throughout the land,
The plague tormented Egypt: but, at morn,
By Power Supernal ordered, it passed off;
And they who had not perished,--sound again
In flesh became, as though no plague had been.

Then did the priests and sorcerers exult,
Saying, that through their magic had the scourge
Been ended; and that speedily their might
Would tread down that of Moses. Them the king
Heard, and applauded; and yet more his heart
Hardened 'gainst Israel's God. Within the shade
Of a thick grove,--for now it was high noon,
And from a cloudless sky the sun poured fire--
Alone walked Moses; on God's gracious ways
Toward Israel musing; and deliverance sure,
At hand foreseeing. Almost midnight--hush
Was round him; for no gentlest breath of air
Stirred leaf: no sound of water was; no bird,
For heat, could sing; no voice, or foot of beast,
Broke the deep stillness: even in the grass,
No rustle was, of snake, or creeping thing:
Life, earth, and air, seemed slumbering; when, behold,
As from Heaven's inmost heart, came down the Voice,
Thus speaking. ''Early in the morning rise,
And before Pharaoh stand; and say to him:
'Lo, thus the Lord God of the Hebrews saith:
Let thou my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, at this time will I send heavier plagues
On thee, thy servants, and throughout the land:
That thou mayst know that there is none like me,
In all the earth. As yet exaltest thou
Thyself against my people, and wilt not
Permit them to go forth. But, now, behold,
About this time tomorrow will I send
A very grievous hail; such as, before,
Hath not been seen in Egypt, since the day
Of its foundation. Send thou therefore out,
And gather all thy cattle, all thou hast
Within the field: for, upon every man,
And beast, which in the field shall then be found,
And shall not be brought home, the hail shall come;
And they shall die.''' With forehead to the ground,
That great Voice Moses heard; and, spirit--bowed,
Long time lay worshipping: but rose, at length,
And homeward hastened: unto Aaron first,
And his own wife and children, with low tone,
Awe--filled, the bidding of the Power Divine
Made known; then through the city took his way,
Where'er the wretched Hebrews he might find,
The tidings to impart, and their hearts cheer
With hope of good at hand. By different ways,
Went Aaron also: till the evening closed,
Throughout the city went they; and their words
As sunshine were to some; but, to the most,--
So darkness shadowed them,--as but the gleam
Of a marsh--meteor; dead, ere well alive.

On the next morrow early, all alone,
Went Moses out; and, nigh the palace gate,
Waiting the coming forth of Pharaoh, stood.
Soon, from within, the sound of feet he heard,
And many deep--toned voices muttering.
Louder, as they came on, the murmur grew;
And when, at length, wide open flew the gate,
Burst forth an angry hum, as when the bees
Pour from their hive disturbed. First came the king,
With countenance dark; and Sethos by his side,
Eagerly talking; with the right hand now,
Now with the left gesticulating quick,
As passion moved him. After them, a train
Of princes, rulers, priests, and sorcerers,
Two and two walking; muttering man to man,
Hot--faced, blown up with wrath. From out the gate
When he beheld that all had issued forth,
Then, slowly moving, with majestic mien,
Moses went on to meet them. Stung with shame,
Yet with rage burning, Pharaoh saw him now;
And would have blighted him. With flaming eye,
Grinding his teeth, he went; and, near him come,
Paused; and, with voice harsh as the raven's croak,
Cried out; ''detested wizard, get thee hence,
While yet thou may. Soon will thy cunning fail:
A stronger gathers 'gainst it. Thy poor plague
Quickly was mastered: as it ne'er had been,
Sound are we all. My sorcerers know thee now,
And will confront thy worst. Away with thee!
I know not why I suffer thee to live;
Unless the most to gall thee ere thou die,
By mocking at thy witchcraft. I will wring
Again from Israel three for every one
Of all the beasts by the last plague destroyed:
And, if again thou try thy sorcery,
For every man of Egypt, thereby slain,
Three Israelites shall hang. Away, away!
I will not hear thee.'' Calmly Moses stood
Till the storm ceased; then gently raised the hand,
And, with a voice of such high dignity,
Though mild, that silence upon all it brought,
Thus made reply. ''Sad ignorance, O king,
Which, in directest proof that God's own hand
Omnipotent all hath done, finds proof of nought
Save man's poor magic! But, purge now thine eyes,
To see the true, and false. From first to last,
Consider all things: then, let reason judge
If man's, the power, or God's. All history search,
To find if ever yet, through a whole land,
Within the self--same moment, magic power
Even weakest thing hath wrought. But, here, behold,
At once on millions, nigh, and far away,
On man, and woman, child, and beast, hath been
Thing done, so strange and fearful, that the spells
Of all thy sorcerers, working with one will
On weakest babe, like wonder could not do.
Thy wizards tell thee, that my spells alone
Brought that plague on you: just as easy 'twere
To say I made the hills; or heaven's great arch
Flung o'er the earth: and by no argument
Might I disprove the lie. Couldst thou believe
That magic power of mine had filled the seas,
Or from the sky had thundered? Yet these things
Nor more impossible than, throughout this land,
At once to send a pestilence. 'Gainst the course
Of Nature, in one moment, of pure flesh
To make the foul,--as far beyond all reach
Of witchcraft is, as, of pure gold, to make
Rust--eaten brass. Of foul, the pure to make,
Like suddenly,--as more 'gainst Nature's course,--
Yet harder, were not both impossible.
All this, O Pharaoh, know thy sorcerers
Surely as I. No power whatever is
Such thing to do, save God's. Yet, hard of heart,
And blind of eye, to them thou giv'st belief;
Though all experience, all world's history,
Cry out, they falsely speak. Let them, in one,
Knit all their strongest spells; and, on pure flesh
Of feeblest woman, or child, bid boils burst forth,--
Then justly might they think, that the same power,
Doubled a millionfold, and then again
A millionfold redoubled, o'er this land
That pestilence had brought. Could I bid here,
Through the air flying, mighty Babylon,
Its countless streets, squares, gardens, rock--like walls,
Palaces, temples, and sky--propping tower
Of Babel,--and bid all before thee stand,
Foundationed in the earth,--then mightst thou think
That power I had, as at one blast, to send
Plague through all Egypt. Yet, the greater power,
In one same moment, throughout all the land,
The plague to stop, the foul flesh to make pure,--
That power thy sorcerers claim! Ah Pharaoh, prove
The might they boast of: from one cheek diseased,
Let them, by stroke of magic, chase death--fire,
And, in its stead, plant health--bloom,--then believe
That they chased Egypt's pestilence.'' ''Death itself,
Our spells can chase,'' cried out an angry voice,
Fiend--prompted. ''From the very grave, our might
Can bring forth the dead man; and bid him live,
And speak; and this, in presence of the king,
Permitted, will we do. Thine argument, then,
Great wizard, is but nought; for.....'' Toward the man
Turned Pharaoh, not ill pleased, though marvelling much
At that great boldness,--no leave prayed, to break
With loud tongue thus on royal conference.
But, when the face he saw, dark, wild, and fierce;
And the voice noted, harsh as clanging brass,--
Of mind disturbed he feared him; and, his arm
Uplifting, with tone strong, yet kind, his speech
Suddenly checked. ''Stay, Hophra. Though thy words
All verity be; yet, at unseasoned time
Thrust forth, even truth slight welcome hath. When kings
Listen, unanswering,--surely meet it is
That subjects hear, and speak not. Calm thee, then.''

But Hophra from the rest stepped quickly forth,
And bowed before the king; then nigher drew;
And, with hushed voice, thus spake. ''Light of the Sun,
Be thou not wroth with me, that to this man
I fling back scorn for scorn. That which I said,
Truth is. Last night from out his grave we took
The body of a Hebrew; and old slave,
As yet but one day dead. Till ends the third,
Power have we to call back the parted soul,
And force it speak. If Israel a god hath,
He knoweth now: if Moses yet more plagues
Can send, he knoweth; and the truth will tell;
For spirits dare not lie. If Pharaoh, then,
So ordereth,--ere the sunset will we lay
The might of spells upon him: and the king
Himself may question; and from out the corpse
Hear the soul answer; thus the truth to know.''
Well pleased heard Pharaoh. ''On the morrow, then,''
Replied he; ''and, when verily your spells
Have power upon the dead, and on the soul,
To make it speak,--then send ye speedily,
And I will come to question it.'' That said,
He signed: the necromancer bowed, and went.

On Hophra, Moses looked, as on a man
Crazed, or intoxicate, unworthy note;
Then, turning to the king, his speech renewed.
''Again, O Pharaoh, say I; from one cheek,
Let them, by spells, the fiery ulcers drive,
And bring back the pure health--bloom,--then believe
That they stopped Egypt's plague. But, seest thou not,
At once their falsehood, and their foolishness?
My power alone, they say, that pestilence sent:
But their sole power removed it. Had my strength
Such been, that over all this land at once,
Plague had I sent on millions,--thinkest thou
I had been baffled by these impotents,
Whose boasted spells not even one blade of grass,
One tenderest flower, could wither? Prove them, king:
From yonder date--tree let their mightiest call
One leaf: or, with his staff, one blade of grass
Wither before thy face...... Ye hear me all,--
Magicians who the dead can bring to life,--
From the young tamarisk near you, bid one leaf
Fall withered; or the withered bid again
Grow to the stem, green, juicy, fresh with life.
Ye would as soon expect, on your staff's point,
To toss a pyramid: yet, with front of brass,
Ye boast that millions, withering, men and beasts,
Over all Egypt scattered,--by your spells
Ye have restored to health! Did ye not bid
The sun his path through heaven? and Night's great crown
Gem with its myriad stars? So might ye boast,
As glibly, and as truly. Heed them not,
O Pharaoh; for deceitfully they speak,
To their own ruin, and thine: but, with clear mind,
The brief whole see, and judge. I came to thee,
No message bringing from offended heaven;
No warning; but a punishment direct
To inflict upon thee,--for that thou hadst lied,
Even to God! As by the Voice Divine
I had been taught, in plain words told I thee,
That boils, with blains forth breaking, would be sent
On thee, thy servants, and on every man,
Woman, and child, and beast, throughout the land.
Thou didst not then repent, and humble thee,
And Israel's God implore that plague to avert;
But poured wrath on me; and thy servants' tongues,
Unblaming, heard, when, fierce as beasts of prey,
They howled to rend me. And what did I then?
As I had been commanded, in thy sight
I stood, and, lifting up mine arm, toward heaven
I sprinkled--not some deadly magic charm,
From festering graves, or fouler things, distilled,
But furnace--ashes only; from a heap
By the way side cast out, which in my hand,
As I came on, I had taken; for the Voice
So had commanded. That the plague 'twould bring,
I knew, instructed so; but, by what course
Of action,--save by God's own will alone,
Nature's great laws o'er--ruling,--nought I knew;
Nought know, more than the infant this day born.
That heap of furnace--ashes, by the way
Still lieth: if aught of deadly therein be,
Let thy magicians prove it. 'Gainst myself
To sprinkle it they are free. As nought I know
Of that plague's cause, save only as the act
Direct of the Omnipotent,--so, alike,
Of its surcease no cause, save that, I know.
For punishment was it sent,--for token, too,
Doubtless, if thou would see it, that from God
To thee we come, the speakers of His will,--
And, chastisement given enough, it was recalled:
In its outbreak, and its departure, both,
Alike a miracle wholly; a great voice
From Heaven,--wouldst thou but hear it,--crying aloud
'The hand of God alone these things hath done.'
If blind thou art not, then, blind utterly,
So must thou see it: if not hard of heart,
Even as the nether millstone, thou must bend
Thy too long stubborn will, and Heaven obey.
Why shouldst thou farther dream to stand 'gainst God?
Couldst hope to drink up ocean at a draught?
Pluck Horeb from its roots; and through the air
Fling it on Lebanon's top? Yet, tasks like these,
Light were, to strife 'gainst God. With plague six times
Already hath He smitten thee: His scourge
The seventh time now is lifted: bow thyself,
O Pharaoh, to His will: let Israel go;
And a terrific stroke on thee, and thine,
And over all this land, so may thou 'scape.''

Spite of himself, while the great voice he heard,
Pharaoh stood silent: downward looking now,--
Now, with quick glance, on the majestic face;
Glance quick and tremulous, as though he turned
On what might blind him; or an aspect caught,
Surpassing mortal: and, when Moses ceased,
Yet, for a time, fixed, silent, did he stand,
Pondering how best to answer: for great pride,
And a great terror also, in him fought,--
Each victor now, now vanquished. But, at length,
Shame urging him, fresh courage he called up,
And, as he might, replied. ''Nought hast thou proved,
High--talking Hebrew: but, with wordy pomp,
Asserted merely. When contrariously,
Of the same thing, two equal men affirm,--
Which to believe, we know not; and remain
Oft times in doubt; and judgment fear to pass.
But, if, of three men equal, two affirm
That thus it is, then toward them we incline,
Slighting their opposite; unless proof he bring,
Lacked by the two. Hadst thou, then, such proof brought,
And my priests none,--against their voices, thine
Had weighed as gold 'gainst down. But all alike,
Assertion only bring: and there stand'st thou,
One only 'gainst twice ten; thine equals all;
Nay, thy superiors rather; for the priests
Of Egypt's gods are they,--thou, but the priest
Of a false deity, imaged by yourselves,--
A slave--created god. A sorcerer great,
I grant thee; nay even greater far than mine,
Evil to do: but not the likelier, thence,
Pure truth to speak; nor worthy of respect,
More than those weaker. Equal only thus,
At best,--against my sorcerers and priests,
One art thou 'gainst a score. Thy god it is,
Thou say'st, who these foul plagues hath on us sent,
Because we will not let our slaves go forth
Into the wilderness,--knowing, as we do,
That, once escaped, never would they return,
Unless with whips driven back: as, be thou sure,
Quickly they would be: but my sorcerers say,
Thy god is all a fable; a pretence,
With which at once to o'erawe the ignorant,
And cloak the work of magic,--thy true god.
These plagues, they say, are sorcery, first and last:
Nay, in part, proved they this, when water to blood
They turned, as thou hadst done; and frogs brought forth,
As also thou hadst: and, though hitherto weak
Their cunning against thine, yet equal soon,
Through diligent seeking, trust they it shall be;
And, finally, the stronger. But, even now,--
If truth they speak, deceiving not themselves,--
Their power hath thine surpassed; for, though thine art,
Pure flesh to ulcerous in a moment turned,
Yet theirs the wonder greater far performed,
Flesh ulcerous, in a moment to make pure.
Assertions bold alike, alike unproved;
Alike by equals spoken,--unto which
Should I give credence? to mine enemy,
Or to my friends, and counsellors? To one,
Who, for his profit, and to my great loss,
Would steal from me this Egypt's richest gem,--
Or to these twice ten, who exhort me keep
My rightful treasure, and the robber strike?
Can'st ask me how I answer? Though alike
In weight of reason were their words, and thine;
Yet one 'gainst four times five, must kick the beam,
At the first scale--lift: but thy words, 'gainst theirs,
Less have in poise of reason. Proofless both,
Yet theirs more truthlike are; more probable;
More consonant to experience, and things told
In oldest records. Of the power of spells,
Lives there the man who doubts? and, of its scope,
Who dare prescribe the limits? Who shall say
If, from the uttermost depths of knowledge dug,
Charms might there not be brought, so terrible,
That they the moon could blacken; or force back
The mid--day sun toward morning? 'Gainst such spells,
Thine were as tricks of childhood: yet, even such,
For aught man knows, may be. Cause probable, then,
Of these vile plagues, we in thy magic find.
We know thee, of all sorcerers, most profound
In the dark learning; and, by proof, we know
That acts like thine, in part, can magic do:
And, if in part, then wholly, full power gained.
This knowing, other cause we need not seek;
Nor, thrust upon us, wisely could believe.
But, for thy words, in reason weigh they nought;
Improbable, 'gainst experience, 'gainst the lore
Of oldest history. Who, till thou, hath dared
Prate of a new--found god? A god, forsooth,
Of but one wretched people? Look thou back
Through the eye--blinding mist of ages gone,
To time's remotest depths,--those gods thou seest
Then throned sublime, are, to this day, the gods
Whom Egypt worships: no new god hath risen;
No god of old hath fallen: unchangeable,
Eternal as the mountains, stand they all.
How, then, can we believe that a new god,
A god of Israel only, hath been found?
A god so potent, too, that the old gods,
Egypt's disposers and protectors, shrink
Before his power; permitting him to fling
Plagues damnable on us, their worshippers,
For disobedience unto him, toward whom
Obedience none we owe? Preposterous all!
Against new god, intruding, would they stand,
Such wrongs to hinder: but, against the power
Of sorcery,--old, perchance, as even themselves,
And through all times permitted,--hindrance none
Might they put forth. Wouldst thou that we believe
In thing so passing wonderful, as a god
Newly existent, never known till now;
And, now, by you alone,--give us to see
Signs, marvels, miracles, that all doubt must crush,
As millstone the corn crushes. But, till then,
Thy god we hold a dream; or a pretence
To cloak thy witchcraft; and to give its power
Semblance of godlike,--so with greater awe
To oppress the feeble: therefore do I still
Defy thee; nor will let thy people go.
Great as thy cunning is, 'twill find its match;
If, ere that time, I end not it, and thee,
By one great stroke of vengeance, merited long;
Too long withheld,--but sure to fall at last,
If more thou vex us. Then, do thou take heed;
And, ere new plague preparing,--weigh, if that,
Or thine own life, more worth. I now have done;
And at my own great patience stand amazed;
So temperate, to thy words most insolent,
Hath been mine answer.'' Ending thus his speech,
Full in the face of Moses, Pharaoh looked;
And, his hand waving, signed the conference o'er.
But, ere a foot had moved, with solemn voice
Thus Moses spake. ''Even as I feared, O king,
Thick darkness blinds thee still; and I must speak
Warning again, and threatening. Who could look
On the noon--sun, and call it candle--light?
Yet worse than that dost thou--the might of God,
Poor magic calling. But, vain now all words,
To clear thy darkness, as sweet music's voice,
To make mid--day of midnight. Hear me then.
Lo, thus the Lord God of the Hebrews saith;
'Let thou my people go, that they may serve me.
Else, at this time will I send heavier plagues
On thee, thy servants, and throughout the land:
That thou mayst know that there is none like me
In all the earth. As yet exaltest thou
Thyself against my people; and wilt not
Permit them to go forth. But now, behold,
About this time tomorrow will I send
A very grievous hail; such as, before,
Hath not been seen in Egypt, since the day
Of its foundation. Send thou, therefore, out,
And gather all thy cattle; all thou hast
Within the field: for, upon every man,
And beast, which in the field shall then be found,
And shall not be brought home, the hail shall come,
And they shall die.' So speaketh Israel's God.
Hearken, I charge thee, Pharaoh, and obey.''

Thus having spoken, Moses bowed, and went.
Dark looks of hate the sorcerers on him cast,
All murmuring together: and the king,
Eye--glances fierce shot after him,--great wrath,
With terror greater mingling; so that word
As yet he found not; but, with head depressed,
Gloomily musing, toward the river went.