The Destruction of Sennacherib by Lord Byron
The poem describes the destruction of the Assyrian army by an angelic force during a battle with the Babylonians. It is based on a biblical account in 2 Kings 19:35 and Isaiah 37:36, where God sends an angel to destroy the Assyrian camp at night, killing 185,000 soldiers. The poem focuses on the sudden and mysterious nature of this event, using imagery and symbolism to convey the idea that it was a divine intervention.
By Lord Byron · First published 1815 · Genre: Poetry, Historical, Religious · 349 words
First lines
I / The Assyrian came down like the wolf on the fold, / And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; / And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, / When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.
II / Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green, / That host with their banners at sunset were seen: / Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown, / That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.
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Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse form with a rhythmic and metrical pattern typical of poetry.
- Historical — The poem references a historical event, the Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, and incorporates historical figures and settings.
- Religious — The themes involve divine intervention and biblical references, particularly the Angel of Death and the power of the Lord.
- Romantic — The writing style and themes reflect the Romantic era's focus on nature, emotion, and the sublime.
Tags
Poem · Narrative · Historical · Epic · War · Ancient Mesopotamia · Assyrian Empire · Sennacherib · Hebrew Bible · Prophecy · Military Campaign · Battle
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The Destruction of Sennacherib is listed on Textopian as a poem by Lord Byron, dated 1815 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Lord Byron
- Date: 1815 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Historical, Religious, Romantic, Epic
- Length: 349 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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