Page:House of Atreus 2nd ed (1889).djvu/113

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Thou losel soul, was then thy strength too slight

To deal in murder, while a woman's hand,

Staining and shaming Argos and its gods,

Availed to slay him? Ho, if anywhere

The light of life smite on Orestes' eyes,

Let him, returning by some guardian fate,

Hew down with force her paramour and her!

How thy word and act shall issue, thou shalt shortly understand.

Up to action, O my comrades! for the fight is hard at hand.

Swift, your right hands to the sword hilt! bare the weapon as for strife—

Lo! I too am standing ready, hand on hilt for death or life.

'Twas thy word and we accept it: onward to the chance of war!

Nay, enough, enough my champion! we will smite and slay no more.

Already have we reaped enough the harvest-field of guilt:

Enough of wrong and murder, let no other blood be spilt.

Peace, old men! and pass away unto the homes by Fate decreed,

Lest ill valour meet our vengeance—'twas a necessary deed.

But enough of toils and troubles—be the end, if ever, now,

Ere thy talon, O Avenger, deal another deadly blow.

'Tis a woman's word of warning, and let who will list thereto.