olt to bar off battle from the gate.

CHORUS.

A wide sea-wall, that shatters the besieging sea. 1110

CHTHONIA.

I lift up mine eyes from the skirts of the shadow, [_Str._
From the border of death to the limits of light;
O streams and rivers of mountain and meadow
That hallow the last of my sight,
O father that wast of my mother
Cephisus, O thou too his brother
From the bloom of whose banks as a prey
Winds harried my sister away,
O crown on the world's head lying
Too high for its waters to drown, 1120
Take yet this one word of me dying,
O city, O crown.
Though land-wind and sea-wind with mouths that blow
slaughter [_Ant._
Should gird them to battle against thee again,
New-born of the blood of a maiden thy daughter,
The rage of their breath shall be vain.
For their strength shall be quenched and made idle,
And the foam of their mouths find a bridle,
And the height of their heads bow down
At the foot of the towers of the town. 1130
Be blest and beloved as I love thee
Of all that shall draw from thee breath;
Be thy life as the sun's is above thee;
I go to my death.

CHORUS.

Many loves of many a mood and many a kind [_Str._ 1.
Fill the life of man, and mould the secret mind;
Many days bring many dooms, to loose and bind;
Sweet is each in season, good the gift it brings,
Sweet as change of night and day with altering wings,
Night that lulls world-weary day, day that comforts night, 1140
Night that fills our eyes with sleep, day that fills with light.
None of all is lovelier, loftier love is none, [_Ant._ 1.
Less is bride's for bridegroom, mother's less for son,
Child, than this that crowns and binds up all in one;
Love of thy sweet light, thy fostering breast and hand,
Mother Earth, and city chosen, and natural land;
Hills that bring the strong streams forth, heights of
heavenlier air,
Fields aflower with winds and suns, woods with shadowing hair.
But none of the nations of men shall they liken to thee, [_Str._ 2.
Whose children true-