Page:House of Atreus 2nd ed (1889).djvu/162

126 The god his deepest counsel gave.

Cry out, rejoice ! our kingly hall

Hath 'scaped from ruin—ne'er again

Its ancient wealth be wasted all

By two usurpers, sin-defiled—

An evil path of woe and bane!

On him who dealt the dastard blow

Comes Craft, Revenge's scheming child.

And hand in hand with him doth go,

Eager for fight,

The child of Zeus, whom men below

Call Justice, naming her aright.

And on the foe her breath

Is as the blast of death;

For her the god who dwells in deep recess

Beneath Parnassus' brow,

Summons with loud acclaim

To rise, though late and lame,

And come with craft that worketh righteousness.

For even o'er Powers divine this law is strong—

Thou shall not serve the wrong.

To that which ruleth heaven beseems it that we bow.

Lo, freedom's light hath come!

Lo, now is rent away

The grim and curbing bit that held us dumb.

Up to the light, ye halls! this many a day

Too low on earth ye lay.

And Time, the great Accomplisher,

Shall cross the threshold, whensoe'er

He choose with purging hand to cleanse

The palace, driving all pollution thence.

And fair the cast of Fortune's die

Before our state's new lords shall lie,