i murder hate by flood or field,
tho' glory's name may screen us;
in wars at home i'll spend my blood—
life-giving wars of venus.
the deities that i adore
are social peace and plenty;
i'm better pleas'd to make one more,
than be the death of twenty.
i would not die like socrates,
for all the fuss of plato;
nor would i with leonidas,
nor yet would i with cato:
the zealots of the church and state
shall ne'er my mortal foes be;
but let me have bold zimri's fate,
within the arms of cozbi!