ce of fear.

_Merope_

More piercing the second cry rang, _ant._ 5.
Wail'd from the palace within,
From the Children.... The Fury to them,
Fresh from their father, draws near.
Ah bloody axe! dizzy blows!
In these ears, they thunder, they ring,
These poor ears, still! and these eyes
Night and day see them fall,
Fiery phantoms of death,
On the fair, curl'd heads of my sons.

_The Chorus_

Not to thee only hath come _str._ 6.
Sorrow, O Queen, of mankind.
Had not Electra to haunt
A palace defiled by a death unavenged,
For years, in silence, devouring her heart?
But her nursling, her hope, came at last.
Thou, too, rearest in hope,
Far 'mid Arcadian hills,
Somewhere, for vengeance, a champion, a light.
Soon, soon shall Zeus bring him home!
Soon shall he dawn on this land!

_Merope_

Him in secret, in tears, _str._ 7.
Month after month, I await
Vainly. For he, in the glens
Of Lycaeus afar,
A gladsome hunter of deer,
Basks in his morning of youth,
Spares not a thought to his home.

_The Chorus_

Give not thy heart to despair. _ant._ 6.
No lamentation can loose
Prisoners of death from the grave;
But Zeus, who accounteth thy quarrel his own,
Still rules, still watches, and numb'reth the hours
Till the sinner, the vengeance, be ripe.
Still, by Acheron stream,
Terrible Deities throned
Sit, and eye grimly the victim unscourged.
Still, still the Dorian boy,
Exiled, remembers his home.

_Merope_

Him if high-ruling Zeus _ant._ 7.
Bring to me safe, let the rest
Go as it will! But if this
Clash with justice, the Gods
Forgive my folly, and work
Vengeance on sinner and sin--
Only to me give my child!

_The Chorus_

Hear us and help us, Shade of our King! _str._ 8.

_Merope_

A return, O Father! give to thy boy! _str._ 9.

_The Chorus_

Send an avenger, Gods of the dead! _ant._ 8.

_Merope_

An avenger I ask not--send me my son! _ant._ 9.

_The Chorus_

O Queen, for an avenger to appear,
Thinking that so I pray'd aright, I pray'd;
If I pray'd wrongly, I revoke the prayer.

_Mero