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Radames, Radames: thou hast betrayed

Of thy country the secrets to aid the foeman.

Defend thyself!

He is silent.

Traitor vile!

Radames, Radames: and thou wast absent

From the camp the very day before the combat!

Defend thyself!

He is silent.

Traitor vile!

Radames, Radames: and thou hast played

The part of a traitor to King, and to honour!

Defend thyself!

He is silent.

Traitor vile! Radames, we thy fate have decided,

Of all traitors the fate shall be thine—

'Neath the altar whose God thou'st derided

Thou a sepulchre living shalt find.

Find a sepulchre living! hated wretches!

Ever vengeful, bloodthirsty and blind,

Yet who serve of kind Heaven the shrine.

Priests of Heaven, a crime you have enacted,

Tigers ever in bloodshed exulting,

Earthly justice and Heaven's you are insulting,

On the guiltless your sentence will fall.

None can his doom recall!

Priest of Heaven: thou death hast inflicted

On whom well ye know once I treasured;

May a broken heart's curses unmeasured

With his blood on thy guilty head fall!

None can his doom recall!

(Departing slowly.)

Impious priesthood, curses light on ye all!

On your heads Heaven's vengeance will fall!

(Exit wildly.)