Italy : 34. The Roman Pontiffs

Those ancient men, what were they, who achieved A sway beyond the greatest conquerors; Setting their feet upon the necks of kings, And, through the world, subduing, chaining down The free, immortal spirit? Were they not Mighty magicians? Theirs a wondrous spell, Where true and false were the infernal art Close-interwoven; where together met Blessings and curses, threats and promises; And with the terrors of Futurity Mingled whate'er enchants and fascinates, Music and painting, sculpture, rhetoric, And dazzling light and darkness visible, And architectural pomp, such as none else! What in his day the Syracusan sought, Another world to plant his engines on, They had; and, having it, like gods not men Moved this world at their pleasure. Ere they came, Their shadows, stretching far and wide, were known; And Two, that looked beyond the visible sphere, Gave notice of their coming -- he who saw The Apocalypse; and he of elder time, Who in an awful vision of the night Saw the Four Kingdoms. Distant as they were, Those holy men, well might they faint with fear!