George Gordon Byron

Hebrew Melodies 23. Herod's Lament for Mariamne

I.

Oh, Mariamne! now for thee
⁠     The heart for which thou bled'st is bleeding;
Revenge is lost in Agony
⁠     ⁠And wild Remorse to rage succeeding.
Oh, Mariamne! where art thou?
⁠⁠     Thou canst not hear my bitter pleading:
Ah! could'st thou—thou would'st pardon now,
⁠⁠     Though Heaven were to my prayer unheeding.

II.

And is she dead?—and did they dare
⁠⁠     Obey my Frenzy's jealous raving?
My Wrath but doomed my own despair:
⁠     ⁠The sword that smote her 's o'er me waving.—
But thou art cold, my murdered Love!
⁠⁠     And this dark heart is vainly craving
For he who soars alone above,
⁠⁠     And leaves my soul unworthy saving.

III.

She's gone, who shared my diadem;
⁠     ⁠She sunk, with her my joys entombing;
I swept that flower from Judah's stem,
⁠⁠     Whose leaves for me alone were blooming;
And mine's the guilt, and mine the hell,
⁠     ⁠This bosom's desolation dooming;
And I have earned those tortures well,
⁠     ⁠Which unconsumed are still consuming!