Robert Southey
Roderick, the last of the Goths : $b A tragic poem
"Roderick, the last of the Goths: A tragic poem" by Robert Southey is an epic poem composed in 1814. The work chronicles the downfall of Roderick, last Visigoth king of Spain, whose seizure of the throne and assault on Florinda trigger a catastrophic Moorish invasion. Wounded and fugitive, Roderick begins a secret journey across Spain, ultimately seeking redemption by rescuing the imprisoned heir Pelayo and leading resistance against the conquering forces that his own actions helped unleash.