A Very Mournful Ballad On The Siege And Conquest Of Alhama
Which,
in
the
Arabic
language,
is
to
the
following
purport:
I
THE
Moorish
King
rides
up
and
down,
Through
Granada's
royal
town;
From
Elvira's
gate
to
those
Of
Bivarambla
on
he
goes.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
II
Letters
to
the
monarch
tell
How
Alhama's
city
fell:
In
the
fire
the
scroll
he
threw,
And
the
messenger
he
slew.
Woe
is
me,
Albamal
III
He
quits
his
mule,
and
mounts
his
horse,
And
through
the
street
directs
his
course;
Through
the
street
of
Zacatin
To
the
Alhambra
spurring
in.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
IV
When
the
Alhambra
walls
he
gain'd,
On
the
moment
he
ordain'd
That
the
trumpet
straight
should
sound
With
the
silver
clarion
round.
Woe
is
me,
Alhamal
V
And
when
the
hollow
drums
of
war
Beat
the
loud
alarm
afar,
That
the
Moors
of
town
and
plain
Might
answer
to
the
martial
strain.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
VI
Then
the
Moors,
by
this
aware,
That
bloody
Mars
recall'd
them
there,
One
by
one,
and
two
by
two,
To
a
mighty
squadron
grew.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
VII
Out
then
spake
an
aged
Moor
In
these
words
the
king
before,
'Wherefore
call
on
us,
oh
King?
What
may
mean
this
gathering?'
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
VIII
'Friends!
ye
have,
alas!
to
know
Of
a
most
disastrous
blow;
That
the
Christians,
stern
and
bold,
Have
obtain'd
Albania's
hold.'
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
IX
Out
then
spake
old
Alfaqui,
With
his
beard
so
white
to
see,
'Good
King!
thou
art
justly
served,
Good
King!
this
thou
hast
deserved.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
X
'By
thee
were
slain,
in
evil
hour,
The
Abencerrage,
Granada's
flower;
And
strangers
were
received
by
thee
Of
Cordova
the
Chivalry.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XI
'And
for
this,
oh
King!
is
sent
On
thee
a
double
chastisement:
Thee
and
thine,
thy
crown
and
realm,
One
last
wreck
shall
overwhelm.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XII
'He
who
holds
no
laws
in
awe,
He
must
perish
by
the
law;
And
Granada
must
be
won,
And
thyself
with
her
undone.'
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XIII
Fire
Crashed
from
out
the
old
Moor's
eyes,
The
Monarch's
wrath
began
to
rise,
Because
he
answer'd,
and
because
He
spake
exceeding
well
of
laws.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XIV
'There
is
no
law
to
say
such
things
As
may
disgust
the
ear
of
kings:
'Thus,
snorting
with
his
choler,
said
The
Moorish
King,
and
doom'd
him
dead.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XV
Moor
Alfaqui!
Moor
Alfaqui!
Though
thy
beard
so
hoary
be,
The
King
hath
sent
to
have
thee
seized,
For
Alhama's
loss
displeased.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XVI
And
to
fix
thy
head
upon
High
Alhambra's
loftiest
stone;
That
thus
for
thee
should
be
the
law,
And
others
tremble
when
they
saw.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XVII
'Cavalier,
and
man
of
worth!
Let
these
words
of
mine
go
forth!
Let
the
Moorish
Monarch
know,
That
to
him
I
nothing
owe.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XVIII
'But
on
my
soul
Alhama
weighs,
And
on
my
inmost
spirit
preys;
And
if
the
King
his
land
hath
lost,
Yet
others
may
have
lost
the
most.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XIX
'Sires
have
lost
their
children,
wives
Their
lords,
and
valiant
men
their
lives!
One
what
best
his
love
might
claim
Hath
lost,
another
wealth,
or
fame.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XX
'I
lost
a
damsel
in
that
hour,
Of
all
the
land
the
loveliest
flower;
Doubloons
a
hundred
I
would
pay,
And
think
her
ransom
cheap
that
day.'
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XXI
And
as
these
things
the
old
Moor
said,
They
sever'd
from
the
trunk
his
head;
And
to
the
Alhambra's
wall
with
speed
'Twas
carried,
as
the
King
decreed.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XXII
And
men
and
infants
therein
weep
Their
loss,
so
heavy
and
so
deep;
Granada's
ladies,
all
she
rears
Within
her
walls,
burst
into
tears.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
XXIII
And
from
the
windows
o'er
the
walls
The
sable
web
of
mourning
falls;
The
King
weeps
as
a
woman
o'er
His
loss,
for
it
is
much
and
sore.
Woe
is
me,
Alhama!
