Poetry in Movies and Television: Highlander - The Modern Prometheus
Episode S05E17: Lord Byron, the brilliant Romantic poet, is alive and well and living the decadent life of a rock star.
The poems in the episode are by Lord Byron:
To A Lady Who Presented The Author With The Velvet Band Which Bound Her Tresses
This Band, which bound thy yellow hair
Is mine, sweet girl! thy pledge of love;
It claims my warmest, dearest care,
Like relics left of saints above.
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
CXXIV.
We wither from our youth, we gasp away --
Sick -- sick; unfound the boon -- unslaked the thirst,
Though to the last, in verge of our decay,
Some phantom lures, such as we sought at first --
But all too late, -- so are we doubly curst.
Love, fame, ambition, avarice -- 'tis the same,
Each idle -- and all ill -- and none the worst --
For all are meteors with a different name,
And Death the sable smoke where vanishes the flame.
LXXVIII.
Foil'd, bleeding, breathless, furious to the last,
Full in the centre stands the bull at bay,
Mid wounds, and clinging darts, and lances brast,
And foes disabled in the brutal fray:
And now the Matadores around him play,
Shake the red cloak, and poise the ready brand:
Once more through all he bursts his thundering way --
Vain rage! the mantle quits the conynge hand,
Wraps his fierce eye -- 'tis past -- he sinks upon the sand!
CLXXXV.
My task is done—my song hath ceased—my theme
Has died into an echo; it is fit.
She Walks in Beauty
She walks in beauty, like the night
Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.
One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.
And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent!
Music: Marcus Testory (Caspian) and his band M.E.L.T. - "Alpha Et Omega"
More music from Marcus (M.E.L.T. and Chamber aka L’Orchestra De Chambre Noir)
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The Price of Escape
Methos had known about the Watchers for a very long time now, had even lived among them once and after a time had learned their ways and so usually he knew when one was around. He'd gotten good at giving them the slip over the years too and had for the most part done an adequate job of hiding himself.
The world was large and full of anonymity. At any point all he had to do was give it a few decades and people forgot his face and when other immortals however infrequently managed to find him he usually ended up slipping away and leaving town quietly.
The others had Watchers of their own and even after a beheading and quickening there was the chance that he had been found again. In those instances the best thing to do was to disappear into the vastness of the world.
He almost always managed it.
Then however came the fight he didn't. The inevitable fight. He had lived long enough to never doubt that it would come, just like he didn't doubt there would come a final battle from which he wouldn't walk away from.
He swung his sword against a man who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He'd felt the initial warning of another immortal near and then almost immediately been challenged.
The immortal's name was Cedwin and at the very least he seemed unaware of who he had chosen to face. He hadn't reacted when Methos had given a fake name. Barely even seemed to care but there were immortals like him. A handful who only wanted to head hunt and didn't care what head they hunted after.
He stared at the man from across the street and sized him up.
Wherever his Watcher was, he was keeping out of sight.
"Give it up," Cedwin sneered at him, blade raised and ready. "You young immortals aren't built for this. You're all weak."
Young immortals?
Cedwin had no idea who he was fighting and Methos was just fine with that.
He didn't respond and swung at the man, the evening light growing dim around them as they warmed to their fight.
"Oh, so you've got some fire." The man said.
Methos almost rolled his eyes. "You know a lot of immortals consider it. . ." He paused, letting the man know he was searching for the most insulting way to put it. "rather candy assed to go after new immortals."
The man snorted and swung, blade meeting blade and ringing through the dark street.
Methos was neutral. He could very well win this, he knew he could but he also could just as easily escape if the opportunity presented itself to him.
"You're not talking your way out of this one." Cedwin said, eyes narrowed as he stalked backwards a few paces and renewed his stance. "Mark my words."
Consider them marked.
Methos wasn't impressed. Too many men talked big without ever delivering anything that even remotely resembled backing it up. This one was no different so let him think he had the advantage and the years and knowledge. . . let him think he would win this.
They clashed thrice more, blades ringing again in the now mostly dark street.
Cedwin was a descent fighter but he hadn't been around as long as Methos had and he never would be.
The opportunity to flee wasn't presenting and he was making his peace with taking Cedwin's head now.
Just then however Cedwin struck a blow and stabbed at his abdomen, blade piercing flesh.
Methos grunted and stumbled back.
It would heal but it was a handicap at the moment and. . .
He played it up, stooping slightly. . . waiting to see what Cedwin would do in retaliation. If he would get cocky and arrogant.
No such luck.
He turned and was struck hard by a blow, taking a few more steps backwards.
Time to fight for real. Cedwin wasn't taking the bait, he was still in beat down mode and Methos wasn't going to risk playing around, not when the man opposite him seemed so thrilled to be taking a swing at him.
"Come on, no more in you?" Cedwin teased, expression twisted in childish glee. "You can give me a better fight than that."
Methos ignored his now partially healed wound and swung, this time driving Cedwin back a few paces. "Can I now?" He asked.
The glee was gone, instead he could see anger and the man spat. "Clearly so." He snarled, stepping back and circling him.
Methos was ready and waited, sword raised.
"You're playing games with me." The man said, drawing out the syllables. "You're a fool of you intend to hold back against me."
Yeah, probably but Methos had been hoping to escape the conclusion of this fight.
A sound came from behind them however and both men turned, seeing to Cedwin's surprise and Methos's horror a young man had tripped over a stack of wooden crates.
He was staring at them with wide, terrified eyes.
"Is he with you?" Cedwin asked, voice and eyes sharp as they sought Methos out.
He shook his head, eyes on the young man.
A Watcher.
A foolish Watcher and terribly, terribly young but then they all were to him now.
The young man looked between them, face pale and bent to pick the crates up but as soon as he moved Cedwin swung at Methos who fell backwards in his attempt to avoid the blow.
He hadn't been paying attention and while he was down recieved a sharp kick to the ribs from Cedwin who stamped down on his chest.
"You stay here." Cedwin said. "I'll be right back to deal with you."
The boot was gone and the Watcher was running but he was clumsy and scared and Cedwin caught up to him in less than a moment, legs longer and unencumbered by fear.
Methos saw the man pounce out of the corner of his eye and struggled to his feet as the Watcher's head was slammed into the earth.
He heard the young man scream.
"And what are you doing, sneaking around?" Cedwin snarled.
Methos was up, heart hammering as he retrieved his sword.
He had half a second to wonder if he should interfere, if he should strike while Cedwin was distracted but the sound of the young Watcher screaming met his ears, sending cold chills down his spin.
He retreated into the shadows and back down an alley, screams following and then stopping, sudden and silent.
Cedwin had killed the young man but it was too late to worry about it now.
He ran full tilt away from the other immortal and the dead Watcher.
The Watchers should have known better than to send one so young. They should have known better than to send this one after Cedwin. It was their fault he was dead now. Their fault he was silent.
He crossed dark streets and alleyways, escaping the bloodshed and the ringing of silent swords behind him.
He probably could have taken Cedwin but he'd lived too long to be certain. It wasn't worth the risk.
He stopped across town to breath, stopping on a bridge and looking behind him.
No one had followed.
Opportunity had presented itself after all at the expense of the young Watcher.
He shook his head, hands unclean and stomach slightly twisted.
Watchers at least chose what they did.
Immortals didn't.
Still, the boy had been young. It had probably been his first assignment. Stupid to have put him on a man like that. On a man like Cedwin.
He let his stomach settle, safe and away.
He regretted the boy. The boy had only been doing what he'd been trained to do but he was a cautionary tale for all Watchers now. The one who slipped up and got noticed, the one who got himself killed. He'd be recorded in their chronicles now. His name joining the ranks of a secret history at the cost of his life.
Methos would live to see another day, safely out of the line of sight and only sometimes at the expense of others.
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