ee name from under earth, no breath from upper
skies,
When, foredoomed to this day's darkness, their first daylight
filled thine eyes.

PRAXITHEA.

Child, my child that wast and art but death's and now no more
of mine,
Half my heart is cloven with anguish by the sword made sharp
for thine, 870
Half exalts its wing for triumph, that I bare thee thus divine.

CHTHONIA.

Though for me the sword's edge thirst that sets no point against
thy breast,
Mother, O my mother, where I drank of life and fell on rest,
Thine, not mine, is all the grief that marks this hour accurst and
blest.

CHORUS.

Sweet thy sleep and sweet the bosom was that gave thee sleep
and birth;
Harder now the breast, and girded with no marriage-band for girth,
Where thine head shall sleep, the namechild of the lords of under
earth.

PRAXITHEA.

Dark the name and dark the gifts they gave thee, child, in
childbirth were,
Sprung from him that rent the womb of earth, a bitter seed to bear,
Born with groanings of the ground that gave him way toward heaven's
dear air. 880

CHTHONIA.

Day to day makes answer, first to last, and life to death; but I,
Born for death's sake, die for life's sake, if indeed this be
to die,
This my doom that seals me deathless till the springs of time
run dry.

CHORUS.

Children shalt thou bear to memory, that to man shalt bring forth
none;
Yea, the lordliest that lift eyes and hearts and songs to meet the
sun,
Names to fire men's ears like music till the round world's race be
run.

PRAXITHEA.

I thy mother, named of Gods that wreak revenge and brand with blame,
Now for thy love shall be loved as thou, and famous with thy fame,
While this city's name on earth shall be for earth her mightiest
name.

CHTHONIA.

That I may give this poor girl's blood of mine 890
Scarce yet sun-warmed with summer, this thin life
Still green with flowerless growth of seedling days,
To build again my city; that no drop
Fallen of these innocent veins on the