The Outlaws

Through learned and laborious years

  They set themselves to find

Fresh terrors and undreamed-of fears

  To heap upon mankind.

All that they drew from Heaven above

  Or digged from earth beneath,

They laid into their treasure-trove

  And arsenals of death:

While, for well-weighed advantage sake,

  Ruler and ruled alike

Built up the faith they meant to break

  When the fit hour should strike.

They traded with the careless earth,

  And good return it gave:

They plotted by their neighbour's hearth

  The means to make him slave.

When all was ready to their hand

  They loosed their hidden sword,

And utterly laid waste a land

  Their oath was pledged to guard.

Coldly they went about to raise

  To life and make more dread

Abominations of old days,

  That men believed were dead.

They paid the price to reach their goal

  Across a world in flame;

But their own hate slew their own soul

  Before that victory came.