The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but he had fled;
The flame that lit read more

The boy stood on the burning deck
Whence all but he had fled;
The flame that lit the battle's wreck,
Shone round him o'er the dead.
. . . .
The flames roll'd on--he would not go
Without his Father's word;
That father, faint in death below,
His voice no longer heard.

Still the race of hero spirits pass the lamp from hand to hand.

Still the race of hero spirits pass the lamp from hand to hand.

The hero is the world-man, in whose heart
One passion stands for all, the most indulged.

The hero is the world-man, in whose heart
One passion stands for all, the most indulged.

Rarely do they appear great before their valets.
[Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur
valets-de-chambre.]

Rarely do they appear great before their valets.
[Fr., Rarement ils sont grands vis-a-vis de leur
valets-de-chambre.]

The idol of to-day pushes the hero of yesterday out of our
recollection, and will, in turn, be supplanted read more

The idol of to-day pushes the hero of yesterday out of our
recollection, and will, in turn, be supplanted by his successor
of to-morrow.

My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don't really know what's happening read more

My belt holds my pants up, but the belt loops hold my belt up. I don't really know what's happening down there. Who is the real hero?

I want a hero: an uncommon want,
When every year and month sends forth a new one.

I want a hero: an uncommon want,
When every year and month sends forth a new one.

Many heroes lived before Agamemnon, but they are all unmourned,
and consigned to oblivion, because they had no bard read more

Many heroes lived before Agamemnon, but they are all unmourned,
and consigned to oblivion, because they had no bard to sing their
praises.
[Lat., Vixere fortes ante Agamemnona
Multi: sed omnes illacrimabiles
Urgentur, ignotique longa
Nocte, carent quia vate sacro.]

But to the hero, when his sword
Has won the battle for the free,
Thy voice sounds read more

But to the hero, when his sword
Has won the battle for the free,
Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word,
And in its hollow tones are heard
The thanks of millions yet to be.