THE TALE OF ARCHAIS 
41 
Flames love no more,  but fierce defiance now 
Knotted the veins, suffused them with rich blood, 
And wrath restrained from sight the torrid flood 
Of tears ;  her eyes were terrible ;  she spake : 
“ Rise for thy life, and flee.  Arise, awake, 
And hide thee in the temple ;  Zeus hath spoken 
To me—me, Queen of Love—O sceptre broken !— 
O vainest of all realms !  that thou must die. 
This only chance is left thee yet, to fly 
Within that sanctity even he not dares 
To touch with impious hand ;  thus unawares 
Creep in among the columns to a gate 
My hand shall show thee ;  it will open straight 
And thou must lie forgotten till his rage 
Have lost its first excess—then may we wage 
A more successful war against his power.” 
But Charicles :  “ Shall I for one short hour 
Fly from his tyranny ?  Am I such man 
As should flee from him ?  Let the pale and wan 
Women have fear—in strength of justice, I 
His vain fierce fury do this hour defy ! ” 
There shot through Heaven an awful tongue of 
fire, 
Attended by its minister, the dire 
Black thunder.  In clear accents, cold and chill,