No,  Ikou  shalt  win  it !     Here,  in  brief,
^    Shalt  thou  be  General-in-Chief.
FAUST.
A  high  distinction  thou  wouldst  lend,  —

There  to  command,  where  naught  I  comprehend !


ACT  IV.
MEPHISTOPHELES.
Leave  to  the  Staff  the  work  and  blame,
Then  the  Field-Marshal 's  sure  of  fame  !
Of  War-Uncouncils  I  have  had  enough,
And  my  War-Council  fashion  of  the  stuff
Of  primal  mountains'  primal  human  might :
He  's  blest,  for  whom  its  elements  unite !

FAUST.
What  do  I  see,  with  arms,  in  yonder  place  ?
Hast  thou  aroused  the  mountain-race  ?

MEPHISTOPHELES.
No !     But  I  Ve  brought,  like  Peter  Squence,'3'
From  all  the  raff  the  quintessence.
The  Three  Mighty  Men  appear. ^^


239


^


MEPHISTOPHELES.
My  fellows  draw  already  near !

Thou  seest,  of  very  different  ages.
Of  different  garb  and  armor  they  appear :

They  will  not  serve  thee  ill  when  battle  rages.
[Ad  spectatores.)
Now  every  child  delights  to  see
The  harness  and  the  helm  of  knightly  action  ;
And  allegoric,  as  the  blackguards  be.
They  '11  only  all  the  more  give  satisfaction.
BULLY
(young,  lightly  armed,  dad  in  motley).
When  one  shall  meet  me,  face  to  face.
My  fisticuffs  shall  on  his  chops  be  showered ;
And  midway  in  his  headlong  race.
Fast  by  his  flying  hair  I  '11  catch  the  coward.
240  FAUST.
HAVEQUICK
(manly,  well-armed,  richly  clad).
Such  empty  brawls  are  only  folly  !
They  spoil  whate'er  occasion  brings.
In  taking,  be  unwearied  wholly,
And  after,  look  to  other  things !

HOLDFAST
(well  in  years,  strongly-armed,  without  raiment).
Yet  little  gain  thereafter  lingers !
Soon  slips  great  wealth  between  your  fingers,
Borne  by  the  tides  of  Life  as  down  they  run.
