The Norton Anthology of English literature. Volume 2

215 Make proselytes as madmen thirst to do: How can he give his neighbor the real ground, His own conviction? Ardent as he is� Call his great truth a lie, why, still the old "Be it as God please" reassureth him.

220 I probed the sore2 as thy disciple should: "How, beast," said I, "this stolid carelessness Sufficeth thee, when Rome is on her march To stamp out like a little spark thy town, Thy tribe, thy crazy tale and thee at once?"

225 He merely looked with his large eyes on me. The man is apathetic, you deduce? Contrariwise, he loves both old and young, Able and weak, affects3 the very brutes And birds�how say I? flowers of the field�

230 As a wise workman recognizes tools In a master's workshop, loving what they make. Thus is the man, as harmless as a Iamb: Only impatient, let him do his best, At ignorance and carelessness and sin� 235 An indignation which is promptly curbed: As when in certain travels I have feigned To be an ignoramus in our art According to some preconceived design, And happed to hear the land's practitioners 240 Steeped in conceit sublimed4 by ignorance, Prattle fantastically on disease, Its cause and cure�and I must hold my peace!

Thou wilt object�Why have I not ere this Sought out the sage himself, the Nazarene

245 Who wrought this cure, inquiring at the source, Conferring with the frankness that befits? Alas! it grieveth me, the learned leech0 doctor Perished in a tumult many years ago, Accused,�our learning's fate,�of wizardry,

250 Rebellion, to the setting up a rule And creed prodigious as described to me. His death, which happened when the earthquake fell5 (Prefiguring, as soon appeared, the loss To occult learning in our lord the sage

255 Who lived there in the pyramid alone) Was wrought by the mad people�that's their wont! On vain recourse, as I conjecture it,

2. Investigated the case. 5. The earthquake at the time of Christ's crucifix3. Has affection for. ion (reported in Matthew 27.51). 4. Exalted. "Conceit": foolish fancy.

 .

KARSHISH, THE ARAB PHYSICIAN / 129 5

To his tried virtue, for miraculous help�

How could he stop the earthquake? That's their way!

260 The other imputations must be lies: But take one, though 1 loathe to give it thee,

In mere respect for any good man's fame.

(And after all, our patient Lazarus

Is stark mad; should we count on what he says?

265 Perhaps not: though in writing to a leech

'Tis well to keep back nothing of a case.)

This man so cured regards the curer, then,

As�God forgive me! who but God himself,

Creator and sustainer of the world,

270 That came and dwelt in flesh on it awhile! �'Sayeth that such an one was born and lived,

Taught, healed the sick, broke bread at his own house,6

Then died, with Lazarus by, for aught I know,

And yet was . . . what I said nor choose repeat,

275 And must have so avouched himself, in fact,

In hearing of this very Lazarus

Who saith�but why all this of what he saith?

Why write of trivial matters, things of price

Calling at every moment for remark?

280 I noticed on the margin of a pool Blue-flowering borage, the Aleppo7 sort,

Aboundeth, very nitrous. It is strange!

Thy pardon for this long and tedious case,

Which, now that I review it, needs must seem

Unduly dwelt on, prolixly set forth!

Nor I myself discern in what is writ

Good cause for the peculiar interest

And awe indeed this man has touched me with.

Perhaps the journey's end, the weariness

290 Had wrought upon me first. I met him thus:

I crossed a ridge of short sharp broken hills

Like an old lion's cheek teeth. Out there came

A moon made like a face with certain spots

Multiform, manifold and menacing:

295 Then a wind rose behind me. So we met

In this old sleepy town at unaware,

The man and I. I send thee what is writ.

Regard it as a chance, a matter risked

To this ambiguous Syrian�he may lose,

Or steal, or give it thee with equal good,

Jerusalem's repose shall make amends

For time this letter wastes, thy time and mine;

Till when, once more thy pardon and farewell!

The very God! think, Abib; dost thou think?

305 So, the All-Great, were the All-Loving too�

So, through the thunder comes a human voice

6. John 12.1-2. 7. Town in northern Syria. "Borage": herb used medicinally that contains potassium nitrate.

 .

1296 /

310

ROBERT BROWNING

Saying, "O heart I made, a heart beats here!

Face, my hands fashioned, see it in myself!

Thou hast no power nor mayst conceive of mine,

But love I gave thee, with myself to love,

And thou must love me who have died for thee!"

The madman saith He said so: it is strange.

1855