Hannibal

Greatest of military men, Carthage's son, bright and bold Took the elephants of war over the Pyrenees frozen cold And would delay the Gentile's time fulfilling when the race Stood proud, under your command of the second Punic war But then that Africanus, your student with love displaced Entered North Africa, to plunder, to maim, and there to scar Except you had relinquished pride for love of native land To find your Waterloo at Judas unwaning hand in the sand Tell me how you conquered Spain again, tell me how Iberia Under Africa's constellation slipped from darkness and hysteria Into confidence and light; Tell me about Bithynia's fast fleet That routed the Pergamons, and revenged Antiochus plight Look now how Alexander, Caesar, Napolean, before your feet Lay their laurels, and in Tunisia old men eyes gleamed light When your name is called, but where is your grave, great one? How past all mighty empires in the dusk of the setting sun?