Summary of Lord Byron By the Rivers of Babylon We Sat Down and Wept

We sat down and wept by the waters
Of Babel, and thought of the day
When our foe, in the hue of his slaughters,
Made Salem’s high places his prey;
And ye, oh her desolate daughters!
Were scattered all weeping away.

These lines express the deep sorrow and anguish felt by the people as they sat down and wept by the waters of Babel. They reflect on the day when their enemy, with the bloodshed he caused, conquered the sacred places of Salem. The poem mourns the plight of the desolate daughters of Salem who were scattered and left in tears. It portrays the pain and loss experienced by the people in the face of destruction and the longing for a time when their land was free from such devastation.

While sadly we gazed on the river
Which rolled on in freedom below,
They demanded the song; but, oh never
That triumph the stranger shall know!
May this right hand be withered for ever,
Ere it string our high harp for the foe!

As the victims sadly looked at the river flowing freely below, they asked the victims to sing a song, but the victims vowed that the triumph of the stranger would never be known. The people would rather have their right hand wither forever than play their sacred harp for the enemy. These lines convey the strong determination and loyalty of the people, refusing to celebrate or showcase their cultural heritage for those who have caused harm and destruction. They express a deep sense of pride and defiance in preserving their traditions and refusing to give in to the demands of the oppressor.

On the willow that harp is suspended,
Oh Salem! its sound should be free;
And the hour when thy glories were
ended
But left me that token of thee:
And ne’er shall its soft tones be blended
With the voice of the spoiler by me!

The lines describe how the harp, symbolic of the cultural heritage of Salem, hangs on a willow tree. It expresses the belief that the sound of the harp should be free, resonating with the glory that once belonged to Salem. Despite the end of those glorious days, the harp remains as a cherished token of the city. The poem emphasizes that the soft tones of the harp will never be mixed or blended with the voice of those who seek to destroy or oppress. It signifies a steadfast commitment to preserving and protecting the purity and essence of Salem’s cultural identity.