Text: Edgar Allan Poe, “[Latin Hymn]” (Text-04) Southern Literary Messenger, March 1837, p. 237


∞∞∞∞∞∞∞


[[Latin Hymn]]

Mille, mille, mille

Mille, mille, mille

Decollavimus, unus homo!

Mille, mille, mille, mille, decollavimus!

Mille, mille, mille!

Vivat qui mille mille occidit!

Tantum vini habet nemo

Quantum sanguinis effudit!*

A thousand, a thousand, a thousand!

A thousand, a thousand, a thousand!

We with one warrior have slain.

A thousand, a thousand, a thousand, a thousand!

Sing a thousand over again.

Soho! let us sing

Long life to our king

Who knocked over a thousand so fine.

Soho! let us roar

He has given us more

Red gallons of gore

Than all Syria can furnish of wine!


[[Footnotes]]

[The following footnote appears at the bottom of page 237, column 1:]

*  Flavius Vopiscus says that the Hymn which is here introduced, was sung by the rabble upon the occasion of Aurelian, in the Sarmatic war, having slain with his own hand nine hundred and fifty of the enemy.


∞∞∞∞∞∞∞


Notes:

This version shows the poem as it was first published, as part of the tale “Epimanes.” Unlike “The Haunted Palace” and “The Conqueror Worm,” also used as part of a tale, Poe never collected this poem outside of the story.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

[S:1 - SLM, 1837] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Poems - Latin Hymn (Text-04)