{"id":"01KG8AJJPMTNN44NS585ZMJ4CK","cid":"bafkreic4ks7nlm6ayym6x5zoutkhxvtfupukzjskfhgrslct6qaytrxdky","type":"chapter","properties":{"description":"# ON THE SLAIN COLLEGIANS\n## Overview\n\"On the Slain Collegians\" is a poem that appears as a chapter within the larger collection \"John Marr and Other Poems.\" The poem was extracted from the file `john_marr_and_other_poems.txt` and is part of the \"Melville Complete Works\" collection.\n\n## Context\nThis poem is one of many works by Herman Melville, housed within the comprehensive \"Melville Complete Works\" collection. It is specifically included in the poetry collection titled \"[John Marr and Other Poems](arke:01KG8AJ5CWVMSM9AY2938E996H).\" The poem is situated between the chapters \"[FORMERLY A SLAVE](arke:01KG8AJJPS1T3Z35H3SXQGTJMN)\" and \"[AMERICA](arke:01KG8AJJPS3WPFMATJ8SYTVRGK)\" within the collection.\n\n## Contents\nThe poem reflects on the tragic loss of young men, referred to as \"collegians,\" who died during wartime. It explores themes of youth, idealism, duty, and the devastating impact of conflict on families and society. The verses contemplate the motivations for fighting, whether for truth or other causes, and the shared ardor of youth that draws individuals into war. The poem laments the loss of these young lives, emphasizing their bravery and the sorrow of their mothers, while also suggesting a sense of noble sacrifice, comparing their fate to plants that bloom and die in their prime.","description_generated_at":"2026-01-30T20:48:07.948Z","description_model":"gemini-2.5-flash-lite","description_title":"ON THE SLAIN COLLEGIANS","end_line":3331,"extracted_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:32.310Z","extracted_by":"structure-extraction-lambda","label":"ON THE SLAIN COLLEGIANS","source_file":"01KG89J19Y3FNVN5KWASY78BP4","start_line":3263,"text":"ON THE SLAIN COLLEGIANS\r\n\r\n\r\nYouth is the time when hearts are large,\r\n    And stirring wars\r\nAppeal to the spirit which appeals in turn\r\n    To the blade it draws.\r\nIf woman incite, and duty show\r\n    (Though made the mask of Cain),\r\nOr whether it be Truth’s sacred cause,\r\n    Who can aloof remain\r\nThat shares youth’s ardor, uncooled by the snow\r\n    Of wisdom or sordid gain?\r\n\r\nThe liberal arts and nurture sweet\r\n    Which give his gentleness to man—\r\n        Train him to honor, lend him grace\r\nThrough bright examples meet—\r\nThat culture which makes never wan\r\nWith underminings deep, but holds\r\n    The surface still, its fitting place,\r\n    And so gives sunniness to the face\r\nAnd bravery to the heart; what troops\r\n    Of generous boys in happiness thus bred—\r\n    Saturnians through life’s Tempe led,\r\nWent from the North and came from the South,\r\nWith golden mottoes in the mouth,\r\n    To lie down midway on a bloody bed.\r\n\r\nWoe for the homes of the North,\r\nAnd woe for the seats of the South:\r\nAll who felt life’s spring in prime,\r\nAnd were swept by the wind of their place and time—\r\n    All lavish hearts, on whichever side,\r\nOf birth urbane or courage high,\r\nArmed them for the stirring wars—\r\n    Armed them—some to die.\r\n        Apollo-like in pride.\r\nEach would slay his Python—caught\r\nThe maxims in his temple taught—\r\n    Aflame with sympathies whose blaze\r\nPerforce enwrapped him—social laws,\r\n    Friendship and kin, and by-gone days—\r\nVows, kisses—every heart unmoors,\r\nAnd launches into the seas of wars.\r\nWhat could they else—North or South?\r\nEach went forth with blessings given\r\nBy priests and mothers in the name of Heaven;\r\n        And honor in both was chief.\r\nWarred one for Right, and one for Wrong?\r\nSo be it; but they both were young—\r\nEach grape to his cluster clung,\r\nAll their elegies are sung.\r\nThe anguish of maternal hearts\r\n    Must search for balm divine;\r\nBut well the striplings bore their fated parts\r\n    (The heavens all parts assign)—\r\nNever felt life’s care or cloy.\r\nEach bloomed and died an unabated Boy;\r\nNor dreamed what death was—thought it mere\r\nSliding into some vernal sphere.\r\nThey knew the joy, but leaped the grief,\r\nLike plants that flower ere comes the leaf—\r\nWhich storms lay low in kindly doom,\r\nAnd kill them in their flush of bloom.\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r","title":"ON THE SLAIN COLLEGIANS"},"relationships":[{"peer":"01KG8AJ5CWVMSM9AY2938E996H","peer_type":"poetry_collection","predicate":"in"},{"peer":"01KG89J19Y3FNVN5KWASY78BP4","peer_type":"file","predicate":"extractedFrom"},{"peer":"01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW","peer_type":"collection","predicate":"collection"},{"peer":"01KG8AJJPS1T3Z35H3SXQGTJMN","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"prev"},{"peer":"01KG8AJJPS3WPFMATJ8SYTVRGK","peer_type":"chapter","predicate":"next"}],"ver":3,"created_at":"2026-01-30T20:47:36.148Z","ts":"2026-01-30T20:48:08.137Z","edited_by":{"method":"manual","user_id":"01KFF5C36SQEVDHC9CBNZZJH9K"}}