up, and after drinking
and tinkling the reversed cup, as a drop falls,
exclaims_--

And this libation
Is for the excellent Beleses.

_Myr._ Why
Dwells thy mind rather upon that man's name
Than on his mate's in villany?

_Sar._ The other
Is a mere soldier, a mere tool, a kind 460
Of human sword in a friend's hand; the other
Is master-mover of his warlike puppet;
But I dismiss them from my mind.--Yet pause,
My Myrrha! dost thou truly follow me,
Freely and fearlessly?

_Myr._ And dost thou think
A Greek girl dare not do for love, that which
An Indian widow braves for custom?[as]

_Sar._ Then
We but await the signal.

_Myr._ It is long
In sounding.

_Sar._ Now, farewell; one last embrace.

_Myr._ Embrace, but _not_ the last; there is one more. 470

_Sar._ True, the commingling fire will mix our ashes.

_Myr._ And pure as is my love to thee, shall they,
Purged from the dross of earth, and earthly passion,
Mix pale with thine. A single thought yet irks me.

_Sar._ Say it.

_Myr._ It is that no kind hand will gather
The dust of both into one urn.

_Sar._ The better:
Rather let them be borne abroad upon
The winds of heaven, and scattered into air,
Than be polluted more by human hands
Of slaves and traitors. In this blazing palace, 480
And its enormous walls of reeking ruin,
We leave a nobler monument than Egypt
Hath piled in her brick mountains, o'er dead kings,[32]
Or _kine_--for none know whether those proud piles
Be for their monarch, or their ox-god Apis:
So much for monuments that have forgotten
Their very record!

_Myr._ Then farewell, thou earth!
And loveliest spot of earth! farewell, Ionia!
Be thou still free and beautiful, and far
Aloof from desolation! My last prayer 490
Was for thee, my last thoughts, save _one_, were of thee!

_Sar._ And that?

_Myr._ Is yours.
[_The trumpet of_ PANIA _sounds without_.

_Sar._ Hark!

_Myr._