"Dulce Est Mori Pro Patria" a machine-readable transcription R. J. Weir Elizabeth Lorang Kristen Treen transcription and encoding Kristen Treen R. J. Weir Elizabeth Lorang aa.18650225.2 cwnewspaperpoetry Scholarly Editing: The Annual of the Association for Documentary Editing
http://www.scholarlyediting.org
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2012

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 Scholarly Editing: The Annual of the Association for Documentary Editing editor Amanda Gailey editor Andrew Jewell 34 2167-1257 G. H. Thomas "Dulce Est Mori Pro Patria" The Anglo-African 25 February 1865 [2] The microfilm copy used for transcription was loaned by Indiana University-Bloomington. <imprint> <date sameAs="#issue_date"/> </imprint> </monogr> </biblStruct> </sourceDesc> </fileDesc> <encodingDesc> <p>This electronic text is a semi-diplomatic transcription of the source text. Hyphenation, punctuation, variant spellings, and errors present in the source text have been retained. The transcription does not attempt to capture all aspects of the original formatting or layout.</p> </encodingDesc> <profileDesc> <creation> <persName xml:id="ght">Thomas, G. H.</persName> <persName xml:id="rh">Hamilton, Robert</persName> <persName xml:id="th">Hamilton, Thomas</persName> <date when="1865">1865</date> </creation> <langUsage> <language ident="en-US">modern American English</language> <language ident="latin">Latin</language> </langUsage> <textClass> <classCode scheme="http://authorities.loc.gov"> <term>Abolitionists United States</term> <term>Antislavery movements--United States</term> <term>Antislavery movements--United States--History--19th century</term> <term>Death--Social aspects--United States--History--19th century</term> <term>Death--United States--Psychological aspects--History--19th century</term> <term>Lincoln, Abraham, 1744-1786</term> <term>Slavery--United States--History--19th century</term> <term>United States. Constitution</term> <term>United States --Foreign relations--1861-1865</term> </classCode> </textClass> </profileDesc> <revisionDesc> <change when="2013-03-05" who="#el">notes tweaks</change> <change when="2013-03-02" who="#el">made copyediting changes</change> <change when="2013-01" who="#el">revised transcription and encoding to address errors and inconsistencies; updated editorial notes</change> <change when="2012-11" who="#awj">added Scholarly Editing info to TEI header</change> <change when="2012-10-28" who="#el">added and encoded editorial notes</change> <change when="2012-09-02" who="#el">checked basic encoding</change> <change when="2012-06-15" who="#el">checked transcription; encoded</change> <change when="2012-04-29" who="#bw">checked transcription</change> <change when="2012-05-23" who="#kt">transcribed</change> </revisionDesc> </teiHeader> <facsimile corresp="#issue"> <surface xml:id="pp1"> <graphic url="aa.18650225.pp1.jpg"/> </surface> <surface xml:id="pp2"> <graphic url="aa.18650225.pp2.jpg"/> <zone xml:id="pp2_cropped" corresp="#poem"> <graphic url="aa.18650225.pp2_cropped.jpg"/> </zone> </surface> <surface xml:id="pp3"> <graphic url="aa.18650225.pp3.jpg"/> </surface> <surface xml:id="pp4"> <graphic url="aa.18650225.pp4.jpg"/> </surface> </facsimile> <text corresp="#poem #pp2_cropped"> <body> <lg type="poem"> <note type="newspaper-editorial" rend="center">FOR THE <choice><sic>ANGLO AFRICAN</sic><corr>ANGLO-AFRICAN</corr></choice>.</note> <head type="main" subtype="authorial" rend="center">"DULCE EST MORI PRO PATRIA."<note type="editorial" resp="#bw #el">An abbreviated version of a phrase from Horace: "Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"—"sweet it is and honorable to die for one's native land" (<title level="m">Odes, book 3, no. 2, vol. 13; David West, trans., Horace Odes II: Dulce Periculum [Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002], 23. Thanks, also, to Anthony Bowen for his assistance). Who says—That, bent on conquest, or for glory's empire sighing, We gave our fallen heroes; give our warriors daily dying— Who says: that we, with heart's of pride, and envious souls o'erflowing, Fight 'gainst the right, and set mankind—death's awful harvests mowing— Proclaims a solemn, sinful lie—a self-deluding sham! We fight for God, and liberty, and Father Abraham. Where hold we in this awful strife, a single selfish aim? Is it a crime to cherish deep our noble father's fame— Who left us one great empire; and one loved flag to wave Far o'er its fields, where erst they had bled o'er a tyrant's grave? Ah, never tell a specious thing like that to men of sense— Would England, with her Ireland part, on any false pre-tencepretence?The question likens England to the United States, and the rebel South to Ireland. Thomas identifies his commitment to the Union with British abolitionism and imperialism. His praise for emancipation in the British West Indies renders an ironic subtext unlikely. Is it a crime to give to faithful Afric's sons at last That freedom England nobly gave, full thirty years and past?The British government passed legislation abolishing slavery in British colonies in July 1833. The terms of the Abolition of Slavery Bill (introduced May 1833) were amended as a result of parliamentary debate: slaves in the British West Indies would be freed on August 1, 1834; in return, planters would receive a grant of twenty million pounds, plus the right to the labor of former slaves over the age of six (now termed "apprentices") for a period of six years. Several years later, on August 1, 1838, the apprenticeship system was abandoned and full freedom for former slaves declared (James Walvin, Black Ivory: A History of British Slavery [London: Harper Collins, 1992], 308). A nation, who has toiled for us, through unrewarded years! Should we forever be unjust, through interest or weak fears? O, never let the giant heart of the YengeesAccording to John Russell Bartlett's 1859 Dictionary of Americanisms, "The name [Yengees or Yenkees] was originally given by the Massachusetts Indians to the English colonists, being the nearest sound they could give for 'English.' It was afterward adopted by the Dutch on the Hudson, who applied the term in contempt to all the people of New England. During the American Revolution, it was eagerly caught at by the British soldiers" (518). beat with aught Save honor's—valor's—Freedom's pulse, with these be it overfraught. The Great Jehovah, in his Tome, of wondrous wisdom written— Tells how he had in ancient times black Pharoah'sPharaoh's war-hosts smitten. Because they—like these Southern hosts; fought for a na-tion'snation's woe— Enslaved industrious millions, and would not let them go. Then Israel crossed the Red Sea's gulf, and gained free Canaan's land, The tyrants, strewed a palsied dust, along their native strand. And so in this great Freedom's war, shall these enslaved be free Cross through the mighty gulf of blood, the modern red, red sea;— And rolling back the purple tide, in torrents on the foe— Disperse them on its war-worn banks, or ere to peace we go. And all who truly will obey, the Father Great—"I am," Will fight for Freedom, Union, and Father Abraham. Fight on then war-worn patriots—the world cannot up-braid And history in characters of golden light and shade, Shall picture forth thy glorious deeds to coming valorous hosts, While they on veneration's knee, shall praise their father's ghosts Who dying left them liberty complete and full and free, A great united people, who shall "rule the stormy sea."Probably from a version of "The Hardy Norseman's House of Yore," by British composer Robert Lucas Pearsall (1795–1856); the phrase "ruled the stormy sea" serves as the song's refrain. And yon ye colored mothers, if your milk be pure and white, And ye love your manly sons, and truly wish their manes bright; And high and lofty—while at home ye bandages may sew, Send forth your youths—deserving them—by conflict with the foe, And ye poor serfs, whene'er ye can, all Jack and Jim and Sam, Fly to our ranks, and strike your blows for Father Abra-hamAbraham. Who says—That, bent on conquest, or for glory's empire sighing, We gave our fallen heroes; give our warriors daily dying— Who says, that we, with hearts of pride, and envious souls o'erflowing— Fight 'gainst the right, and set mankind—death's awful harvests mowing— Proclaims a solemn sinful lie, a self-deluding sham! We fight for God, and liberty, and Father Abraham. New York. Feb. 15th, 1865. G. H. Thomas.Unidentified. In March 1865 the Anglo-African published two more poems attributed to Thomas: a verse letter paired with a similar piece by "Little Unknown" under the title "Correspondents Wanted" (March 18, 1865) and "The Flag We Love So Well" (March 25, 1865).