Friedrich Schiller - Wallenstein's Camp

"Not he it is, who on the tragic scene
Will now appear – but in the fearless bands
Whom his command alone could sway, and whom
His spirit fired, you may his shadow see,
Until the bashful Muse shall dare to bring
Himself before you in a living form;
For power it was that bore his heart astray
His Camp, alone, elucidates his crime."

Father, I fear it will come to harm,
So let us be off from this soldier swarm;
But boist'rous mates will ye find in the shoal —
'Twere better to bolt while our skins are whole.

How now, boy! the fellows wont eat us, though
They may be a little unruly, or so.
See, yonder, arriving a stranger train,
Fresh comers are they from the Saal and Mayne;
Much booty they bring of the rarest sort —
'Tis ours, if we cleverly drive our sport.
A captain, who fell by his comrade's sword,
This pair of sure dice to me transferred;
To-day I'll just give them a trial to see
If their knack's as good as it used to be.
You must play the part of a pitiful devil,
For these roaring rogues, who so loosely revel,
Are easily smoothed, and tricked, and flattered,
And, free as it came, their gold is scattered.
But we – since by bushels our all is taken,
By spoonfuls must ladle it back again;
And, if with their swords they slash so highly,
We must look sharp, boy, and do them slyly.

Hark, how they shout! God help the day!
'Tis the peasant's hide for their sport must pay.
Eight months in our beds and stalls have they
Been swarming here, until far around
Not a bird or a beast is longer found,
And the peasant, to quiet his craving maw,
Has nothing now left but his bones to gnaw.
Ne'er were we crushed with a heavier hand,
When the Saxon was lording it o'er the land:
And these are the Emperor's troops, they say!

From the kitchen a couple are coming this way,
Not much shall we make by such blades as they.

They're born Bohemian knaves – the two —
Belonging to Terzky's carabineers,
Who've lain in these quarters now for years;
The worst are they of the worthless crew.
Strutting, swaggering, proud and vain,
They seem to think they may well disdain
With the peasant a glass of his wine to drain
But, soft – to the left o' the fire I see
Three riflemen, who from the Tyrol should be
Emmerick, come, boy, to them will we.
Birds of this feather 'tis luck to find,
Whose trim's so spruce, and their purse well lined.

What would the boor? Out, rascal, away!

Some victuals and drink, worthy masters, I pray,
For not a warm morsel we've tasted to day.

Ay, guzzle and guttle – 'tis always the way.

Not broken your fast! there – drink, ye hound!
He leads the peasant to the tent – the others come forward.

Think ye they've done it without good ground?
Is it likely they double our pay to-day,
Merely that we may be jolly and gay?

Why, the duchess arrives to-day, we know,
And her daughter too —

Tush! that's mere show —
'Tis the troops collected from other lands
Who here at Pilsen have joined our bands —
We must do the best we can t' allure 'em,
With plentiful rations, and thus secure 'em.
Where such abundant fare they find,
A closer league with us to bind.

Yes! – there's something in the wind.

The generals and commanders too —

A rather ominous sight, 'tis true.

Who're met together so thickly here —

Have plenty of work on their hands, that's clear.

The whispering and sending to and fro —

Ay! Ay!

The big-wig from Vienna, I trow,
Who since yesterday's seen to prowl about
In his golden chain of office there —
Something's at the bottom of this, I'll swear.

A bloodhound is he beyond a doubt,
By whom the duke's to be hunted out.

Mark ye well, man! – they doubt us now,
And they fear the duke's mysterious brow;
He hath clomb too high for them, and fain
Would they beat him down from his perch again.

But we will hold him still on high —
That all would think as you and I!

Our regiment, and the other four
Which Terzky leads – the bravest corps
Throughout the camp, are the General's own,
And have been trained to the trade by himself alone
The officers hold their command of him,
And are all his own, or for life or limb.