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And be the prophet of his own destruction.

Against his rage the son of Astacus,

That breathes deliberate valour, at that gate

Will I appoint commander; bent on deeds

Of glory, but a votary at the shrine

Of modesty, he scorns the arrogant vaunt

As base, but bids brave actions speak his worth.

The flower of that bold stem, which from the ground

Rose armed, and fell not in the deathful fight,

Is Menalippus; him his parent earth

Claims as her own, and in her natural right

Calls him to guard her from the hostile spear;

But the brave deed the die of war decides."

Then the Chorus follows, with its prayer:—

At the Electra gates stands Capaneus, the impious, who openly defies both gods and men. He laughs at the thunderbolts of heaven, and will take the city, he says, "whether Zeus will or no." His cognisance is a flaming torch, and his motto, "I will burn the city." Against him is set the fiery Polyphontes; and the Chorus prays that the heaven's lightning which he defies may fall and blast him; as, indeed, it did.