- description
- # On the Slain Collegians.
## Overview
This is a segment of poetry titled "On the Slain Collegians." It is part of [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) and was extracted from the file [battle_pieces_and_aspects_of_the_war.txt](arke:01KG89J1G8S4TRWXNCBRKCRKS8). The segment consists of lines 3261-3288 of the source file.
## Context
This segment is part of a larger collection of works by Herman Melville, specifically the [Melville Complete Works](arke:01KG89HMDZKNY753EZE1CJ8HZW) collection. "On the Slain Collegians." is preceded by the segment [Magnanimity Baffled.](arke:01KG8AJPZHXAWSE41N2Z17PT09) and followed by [Rebel Color-bearers at Shiloh:](arke:01KG8AJPZR7NT2M54Y2YFY414Q) within the [Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War.](arke:01KG8AJ6FNQ0XKWBY52P8DRPC9) poetry collection.
## Contents
The poem reflects on the tragic fate of young college students who went to war and died. It explores themes of youth, idealism, and the impact of war on those who are nurtured in the "liberal arts." The poem contrasts the "liberal arts and nurture sweet" with the "bloody bed" where these young men meet their end, highlighting the loss of potential and innocence.
- description_generated_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:23.576Z
- description_model
- gemini-2.5-flash-lite
- description_title
- On the Slain Collegians.
- end_line
- 3288
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:47:35.910Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 3261
- text
- On the Slain Collegians.[20]
Youth is the time when hearts are large,
And stirring wars
Appeal to the spirit which appeals in turn
To the blade it draws.
If woman incite, and duty show
(Though made the mask of Cain),
Or whether it be Truth’s sacred cause,
Who can aloof remain
That shares youth’s ardor, uncooled by the snow
Of wisdom or sordid gain?
The liberal arts and nurture sweet
Which give his gentleness to man--
Train him to honor, lend him grace
Through bright examples meet--
That culture which makes never wan
With underminings deep, but holds
The surface still, its fitting place,
And so gives sunniness to the face
And bravery to the heart; what troops
Of generous boys in happiness thus bred--
Saturnians through life’s Tempe led,
Went from the North and came from the South,
With golden mottoes in the mouth,
To lie down midway on a bloody bed.
- title
- On the Slain Collegians.