Ramayana, Epic of Rama, Prince of India

VI. Sita Lost - 97
“Brahman nor a righteous rishi,” royal Ravan made reply,
“Leader of the wrathful Rakshas, Lanka’s lord and king am I,
He whose valour quells the wide-world, Gods above and men below,
He whose proud and peerless prowess Rakshas and Asuras know!
[100] But thy beauty’s golden lustre, Sita, wins my royal heart,
Be a sharer of my empire, of my glory take a part,
Many queens of queenly beauty on the royal Ravan wait,
Thou shalt be their reigning empress, thou shalt own my regal state!
Lanka girt by boundless ocean is of royal towns the best,
Seated in her pride and glory on a mountain’s towering crest,
And in mountain paths and woodlands thou shalt with thy Ravan stray,
Not in Godavari’s gorges through the dark and dreary day,
And five thousand gay-dressed damsels shall upon my Sita wait,
Queen of Ravan’s true affection, proud partaker of his state!”
Sparkled Sita’s eyes in anger and a tremor shook her frame,
As in proud and scornful accents answered thus the royal dame:
“Knowest thou Rama great and godlike, peerless hero in the strife,
Deep, uncompassed, like the ocean? – I am Rama’s wedded wife!
Knowest thou Rama proud and princely, sinless in his saintly life,
Stately as the tall Nyagrodha? – I am Rama’s wedded wife!
Mighty-arméd, mighty-chested, mighty with his bow and sword,
Lion midst the sons of mortals, – Rama is my wedded lord!
Stainless as the Moon in glory, stainless in his deed and word,
Rich in valour and in virtue, – Rama is my wedded lord!
Sure thy fitful life is shadowed by a dark and dreadful fate,
Since in frenzy of thy passion courtest thou a warrior’s mate,
Tear the tooth of hungry lion while upon the calf he feeds,
Touch the fang of deadly cobra while his dying victim bleeds,
Aye uproot the solid mountain from its base of rocky land,
Ere thou win the wife of Rama stout of heart and strong of hand!