But ere they marched to meet the foe and drench the land with gore,
Outspake that Grecian Admiral--from somewhere near the Nore--
And "Ere," he said, "hostilities are ordered to commence,
Just hear a last appeal unto your educated sense:--

"You can't intend," he said, said he, "to turn your Maxims on
The race that fought at Salamis, that bled at Marathon!
You can't propose with brutal force to drive from off your seas
The men of Homer's gifted line--the sons of Socrates!"

Britannia heard the patriot's plea, she checked her murderous plans:
Homer's a name to conjure with, 'mong British artisans:
Her Army too, profoundly moved by arguments like these,
Said 'e'd be blowed afore 'e'd fight the sons of Socrates.

They cast away their fathers' swords, those commoners and peers,--
Demobilized their Army Corps--dismissed their Volunteers:
Soft Sentiment o'erthrew the bars that nations disunite,
And Greece, in Freedom's sacred name, annexed the Isle of Wight.


[1. Transcriber's note: The phrase "To Kurio" was transliterated from
the Greek as follows: "To"--Tau, omega; "Kurio"--Kappa, upsilon, rho,
iota, omega.]




THE ROAD TO RENOWN