om his due doom. Even in my dreams a feeling
of reproach stung me as a whip. Such are the doings of these 'younger
gods.' See Earth's Central Shrine is stained with blood, and Apollo
has taken sides with a mortal against a god; but though the god may vex
them, the culprit shall not escape. {169}

_Apollo, re-appearing from the Inner Shrine, threatens the Furies with
his bow_. He bids them leave his sacred precincts and seek scenes more
fitted to them.

There where heads upon the scaffold lie,
And eyes are gouged and throats of men are cut,
Where men are maimed and stoned to death, and groan
With bitter wailing 'neath the spine impaled.

A stichomuthic contest ensues; the Furies reproach Apollo with taking
the part of a matricide. He urges she had first slain her
husband--they retort that husband is not kin, to which Apollo pleads
the sanctity of the marriage tie; this authorized by the great example
of Zeus and Hera, with its special patroness Cypris, this "assigned by
Fate and guided by the Right is more than any oath." Neither party
will give way; Apollo appeals to Pallas as Umpire, the Furies declare
they will never desist from the pursuit. {225}

CHANGE OF SCENE

_By the turning of the periacti and other mechanical changes the scene
is shifted to the familiar Acropolis of Athens itself, the open Central
Doors being arranged to represent the Porch of the Temple of 'Athene,
Guardian of the City.' Enter by Distance side-door Orestes, who
advances to the Centre and clasps the Statue of Pallas._ {226}

_Orestes_ has come as suppliant, but no longer with the stain of blood
on his hands; that during his long wanderings has been by due rites
washed away.

_Suddenly by the same door the Furies enter upon the Stage, their faces
to the ground and tracking Orestes' steps._ {235}

_Chorus of Furies_: they have been long off the track, at last the
'dumb informer' is clear again, already they catch the loved scent of
blood.--There he is clasping in confidence the statue of the Goddess,
but watch, he escapes not: no trial, as he hopes, for the matricide;
his own blood they must suck from his living members, and when they
have had their fill of this drink undrinkable they will drag him down
alive to bear the fate of a matricide. _Orestes not yet perceiving
them continues his prayer_: long experience has taught him the various
cleansing rites, and they have all been paid;