The Sabine Women

Represents when the Sabine women intervened in battle.

To our husbands and our fathers.

We ask you to look at each other

See who you are fighting

And remember who you are trying to save.

We can see you look at each other

With equal anger in your eyes,

And with equal reason.

But you do not see

That your spears have hit the wrong target.

For the ones you have fought bravely for

Are the very ones to fight against.

 

To our fathers, the Sabines.

You witnessed the day we were taken

By these men, now our husbands.

You ran that day

Knowing you were no match,

Knowing your actions were the cause.

Now you return to this new city,

Spears ready in your hands,

To free us from the prison you imagined.

Seeing us now walk freely,

You think you are mistaken, but you are not.

Along with our bodies, these men have taken our hearts.

We are more tightly trapped here

Than any prison could hold us,

And no amount of force you bring

Could break down its walls.

 

To our husbands, the Romans.

You have forcibly kept us from our homeland,

You have decieved us,

Welcoming all our people to your great city

With words of friendship

Only to become violent,

Using any means to satisfy your greed,

Ensuring your nation could grow

So it could remain strong for generations.

You cooled our anger with your words,

Your words of love and passion.

You gave us children, to which nothing is dearer.

And so our hearts are here,

So here we are trapped.

 

Husbands and fathers, you must not forget -

We are the Sabine women

We throw ourselves into this battle

Because we are the cause.

The proof is in our arms, our newborn children,

The future of this nation.

If you see an enemy in us,

Then to us you must turn your anger.

Better for us to parish,

Than to see our children carry the taint of this battle.

 

 

Author's Note

Probably most people aren't familiar with this story. It's about the Rape of the Sabine Women. It's an event supposed to have happened in the early hisory of Rome. Romulus founded Rome and had mostly male followers. They tried to negotiate with the Sabines, who lived near them. The Sabines feared future rivals, and would not allow their women to marry the Romans. So Romulus invited the families to a festival, where at a signal all his men grabbed the woman nearest them and fought off the men. The Sabines went to war with the Romans, but ended when the women intervened. My favorite name is Sabine, that's how I found this story, and I thought it was interesting so decided to make this poem. It's meant to take place when the women intervened.

Reviews

[Alexander Fox]

Fascinating. And you captured the multi-leveled emotions and thoughts of the women so elegantly....beautiful.

[Emily B]

Wonderfully written. I knew the story. Well, not so much of it as I know now. I can't say enough how well the words flow, the thought, the passion, the honest words of women who intervene. Wow!

[Blade & Blood (The ..]

Ooh, I really like this. ^^ Gotta love History-- that's for sure! :D This was definitely a neat read. Women intervention! The true warriors in battle! lol I really like the way you displayed the women's devotion to the soldiers. It's simply excellent. :) Thanks for posting this, my friend! ^^

Eternally Yours.

[dilettante1890]

Great work! I love history and I love writing inspired by it.