George Gordon Byron

Such be the sons of Spain, and strange her fate!
They fight for freedom, who were never free:
A kingless people for a nerveless state,
Her vassals combat when their chieftains flee,
True to the veriest slaves of Treachery;
Fond of a land which gave them nought but live,
Pride points the path that leads to liberty
Back to the struggle, buffled in the strife,
War, war is still the cry, ‘War even to the knife!’