Page:House of Atreus 2nd ed (1889).djvu/129

Rh For thee, the son, the saviour that should be;

Trust thou thine arm and win thy father's halls!

O aspect sweet of fourfold love to me,

Whom upon thee the heart's constraint bids call

As on my father, and the claim of love

From me unto my mother turns to thee,

For she is very hate; to thee too turns

What of my heart went out to her who died

A ruthless death upon the altar-stone;

And for myself I love thee—thee that wast

A brother leal, sole stay of love to me.

Now by thy side be strength and right, and Zeus

Saviour almighty, stand to aid the twain!

Zeus, Zeus! look down on our estate and us,

The orphaned brood of him, our eagle-sire,

Whom to his death a fearful serpent brought,

Enwinding him in coils; and we, bereft

And foodless, sink with famine—all too weak

To bear unto the eyrie, as he bore,

Such quarry as he slew. Lo! I and she,

Electra, stand before thee, fatherless,

And each alike cast out and homeless made.

And if thou leave to death the brood of him

Whose altar blazed for thee, whose reverence

Was thine, all thine,—whence, in the after years,

Shall any hand like his adorn thy shrine

With sacrifice of flesh? the eaglets slain,

Thou wouldst not have a messenger to bear

Thine omens, once so clear, to mortal men;

So, if this kingly stock be withered all,