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How? did the hateful thing not bite her teat?

Yea, and sucked forth a blood-gout in the milk.

Not vain this dream—it bodes a man's revenge.

Then out of sleep she started with a cry,

And thro' the palace for their mistress' aid

Full many lamps, that erst lay blind with night,

Flared into light; then, even as mourners use,

She sends these offerings, in hope to win

A cure to cleave and sunder sin from doom.

Earth and my father's grave, to you I call—

Give this her dream fulfilment, and thro' me.

I read it in each part coincident

With what shall be; for mark, that serpent sprang

From the same womb as I, in swaddling bands

By the same hands was swathed, lipped the same breast,

And sucking forth the same sweet mother's-milk

Infused a clot of blood; and in alarm

She cried upon her wound the cry of pain.

The rede is clear: the thing of dread she nursed,

The death of blood she dies; and I, 'tis I,

In semblance of a serpent, that must slay her.

Thou art my seer, and thus I read the dream.