Tallies as footprint with the foot of man?
Four hundred years ago--that self-same day -
Connor, the son of Nessa, Ulster's King,
Sat throned, and judged his people. As he sat,
Under clear skies, behold, o'er all the earth
Swept a great shadow from the windless east;
And darkness hung upon the air three hours;
Dead fell the birds, and beasts astonied fled.
Then to his Chief of Druids, Connor spake
Whispering; and he, his oracles explored,
Shivering made answer, 'From a land accursed,
O King, that shadow sweeps; therein, this hour,
By sinful men sinless God's Son is slain.'
Then Ulster's king, down-dashing sceptre and crown,
Rose, clamouring, 'Sinless! shall the sinless die?'
And madness fell on him; and down that steep
He rushed whereon the Emanian Palace stood,
And reached the grove, Lambraidhe, with two swords,
The sword of battle, and the sword of state,
And hewed and hewed, crying, 'Were I but there
Thus they should fall who slay that Sinless One;'
And in that madness died. Old Erin's sons
Beheld this thing; nor ever in the land
Hath ceased the rumour, nor the tear for him
Who, wroth at justice trampled, martyr died.
And now we know that not for any dream
He died, but for the truth: and whensoe'er
The Prophet of that Son of God who died
Sinless for sinners, standeth in this place,
I, Bacrach, oldest Druid in this Isle,