Page:The Incas of Peru.djvu/413

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SCENE II
SOLILOQUY OF RUMI-ÑAUI
373
  Thou art a fated rolling stone,[1]  Escaped indeed, but quite alone,   And this is now thy yarahui.
  Ollantay posted on the height,   Thou couldst not either fight or see,   Thy men did quickly fall or flee;   No room was there to move or fight.
  Thou knowest now thy heart did beat   And flutter like a butterfly;  Thy skill thou couldst not then apply,   No course was left thee but retreat.
  They had recourse to a surprise,   Our warriors immolated quite.   Ah! that alone could turn thee white—  From shame like that, canst e'er arise?
  By thousands did thy warriors fall,   I hardly could alone escape,   With open mouth fell death did gape,   A great disaster did befall.
  Holding that traitor to be brave,   I sought to meet him face to face—   Rushing to seek him with my mace,   I nearly found a warrior's grave.
  My army then was near the hill,   When suddenly the massive stones   Came crashing down, with cries and moans,   While clarions sounded loud and shrill.

    original Quichua, has recourse to octosyllabic quatrains, the first and last lines rhyming, and the second and third.

  1. ↑ Rumi, a stone.
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