194
ORPHEUS
For my purpose is swift,
And my vengeance strong ;
I shall not shift ;
I shall cry the wrong.
My voice I uplift
In terrible song
As your forms take shape before me in the}
likeness for which ye long.
The shape of my passion
And bitter distress
Shall clothe ye, and fashion
An equal dress.
Ye shall force compassion
With awful stress
From the soul that hath mocked me, and
turned his heart from my song’s excess.
The ruler of Hell,
The invisible Lord,
Hath laughed at my spell,
Hath slept at my word.
He hath heard me well—
Awake, O Sword !
Shall he flout a suppliant thus and no answer
of favour accord?
If mercy be sundered
From splendour and power ;
If he answer with thunder
The plaint ofa flower ;
Shall justice wonder
If Furies devour
So bitter a heart, set a term to his date that
was aye but an hour?
Avenge me, ye forces
Of horror and wrath !
Clear the dread courses !
Split open the path !
With cruel remorse is
Ilis heart brought to scath.
And a terror is on him at last, the seed of his
hate’s aftermath.
MEGARA.
Ha! who invokes? What horror rages
Here, to compel our murderous hands to
smite?
ALECTO.
What mortal summons? Who his battle
wages
So strongly as to call the seed of Night?
TISIPHONE.
Ha! The grim tyrant of despair engages
Our deadly anguish with his useless might.
HADES.
Detested fiends! avaunt !
MEGAERA.
He speaks !
ALECYro.
He thunders !
TISIPHONE.
His lightnings split the living rock.
MEGAERA.
Hell sunders
The livid walls and iron-bound prisons of
death.
HADEs.
Thus ! to your towers and wail !
ALECTO.
He speaks !
TISIPHONE.
His breath
Is cold as ours.
HADES.
Depart! Due silence keep,
Lest I enchain ye in a fouler deep
Than aught your horror pictures !
MEGARA.
Dost thou hear,
Sister ?
ALECTO.
Sweet sister !