This is the spot, where mighty Constantine, His pagan pride o'ermatching Christian thought, With his fair baths and palace did conjoin The vast arena where his captives fought: Strange! that the first great prince who stood for God, Should disaffect his new-won creed so far, As thus to dally with the lust of blood, And feed himself in peace with shows of war! Here, where the crowd, 'mid plaudits and alarms, With brief stern action seal'd the will of Rome, The vines outstretch their ever-floating arms, That mark no victim, and denounce no doom; But round the ancient circuit waving stand, To swell the vintage of this peaceful land. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ON THE BIRTH OF A CHILD by LOUIS UNTERMEYER CINQUAIN: AMAZE by ADELAIDE CRAPSEY OH! SUSANNA! by STEPHEN COLLINS FOSTER COMPOSED BY THE SEA-SIDE NEAR CALAIS [AUGUST 1802] by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH DANS LA BOHEME by THOMAS BAILEY ALDRICH PET'S PUNISHMENT by JOSEPH ASHBY-STERRY |