e feal to the Romans
His lorn wife and daughters--
When the wolf, Death,
Gnawed life from his heart.
Ye know how the Roman,
Ravenous traitor,
Slaves us with thongs
Of brutal behest.
Will ye still daunt
Your necks to the noose?

_All._ No! no! Queen! no, no, no!

_Boadicea._ Then, warriors of iron,
Sworded with terror,
Fly to your henges!
Fight till ye crowd
Hell with the ghosts
Of ethlings that Britons hate.

_Warriors._ To the slaughter! Hro! to the slaughter!

[_They rush from the hall in haste._

_Boadicea (continuing)._ And ye, Druid seers,
Heard by the gods,
Feared by the fiends,
Ye must away!
To your dark fane,
The gaunt oak-forest
Holy with mistle!
White-robed as spirits,
Gold knives uplifting,
Sing to the serpents,
Seek the Charmed Egg!

_Druids (bowing with weird signs)._ Great is the Queen.
Her Druids hear.
But shall no gift be made?

_Boadicea._ Yea ... since Lactantius,
God more than all gods,
Will not be soothed
By sheep or cattle,
On your high altar
Slay ye this maiden of Gaul!

[_Points to_ LAMORA, _who cries out to her, then to_ BRUDE:

_Lamora._ Nay, Queen, O pity!
O, Brude, win pity!
Let her not yield me
Prey to the gods.
Rather in battle
'Gainst the hard Roman
Would I be trampled
Into the grave.
Trampled by war-hoofs ...
Into a grave of blood!

_Boadicea._ Proud-lip! mocker!
Dare you sputter
Shame on the awful gods?

[_Strikes her down...._ BRUDE _watches helpless._

_Corlun (coming forward)._ Kneel, Druids, kneel!
Then bear her away!
Meet me at midnight,
Druids' day,
Deep within Mona's wood.

[_They kneel, then go, bearing_ LAMORA.

SCENE II: _Sunset. A rocky cave near the forest._ BRUDE
_facing back and forth with restless muttering._

_Brude._ O thou Lactantius,
Whom other gods
Worship with trembling,
While their star-chariots
Roll to the sea!
Symbolled by circles,
Endless in being,
Dost thou love life-blood
As Druids say?
When the white maiden's
Pierced on the altar
Dost thou drink praises
From her wide wound?
So teach the seers,
So did I, Brude, swear--
Till I saw Lamora!
Her eyes are love-fires,
Her words are sorcery
Stronger than god-laws!
But ... who comes hither?