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You seat yourself upon the throne,
Your own autocracy,
And damn your brothers, as if you
Are holding Hades’ keys!

The merest hint of heresy
And he is sent to trial;
You torment ’til he grovels
And judge him with a smile;

If he does not submit to you,
The king in you awakes—
You shame him with the laws you wrote
Then burn him at the stake!

Oh listen, king, before too late,
To innocent appeals,
For you usurp the throne of Christ,
And stand where you should kneel—

You judge as if for God—but look!—
He died for those you kill!—
I fear, if you don’t abdicate
You’ll taste the flames of hell!