Across the salt sea foam

Orders her Cæsars to remotest regions:

From silver Spain and Albion's clouded seas

To the fair shrines and marble mines of Greece.

Pallas unmatched in war,

To her triumphal car

Rome chains fallen despots and discrownèd queens

With many a rampant beast,

Birds from the gorgeous East,

And wool-haired Nubians torn from tropic scenes;

There huge barbarians from Druidic woods

Tower ominous o'er the humming multitudes;

For still untamed and free

In loathed captivity,

Their spirits bend not to the conqueror's yoke,

[33]

Though for a Roman sight

They must in mimic fight

Give wounds in play and deal Death's mortal stroke,

While round the arena rings the fierce applause

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