Page:House of Atreus 2nd ed (1889).djvu/178

142 Awake and hear—for mine own soul I cry—

Awake, ye powers of hell! the wandering ghost

That once was Clytemnestra calls—Arise.

[The Furies mutter grimly, as in a dream.

Mutter and murmur! He hath flown afar—

My kin have gods to guard them, I have none!

[The Furies mutter as before.

O drowsed in sleep too deep to heed my pain!

Orestes flies, who me, his mother, slew.

[The Furies give a confused cry.

Yelping, and drowsed again? Up and be doing

That which alone is yours, the deed of hell!

[The Furies give another cry.

Lo, sleep and toil, the sworn confederates,

Have quelled your dragon-anger, once so fell!

Seize, seize, seize, seize—mark, yonder!

In dreams ye chase a prey, and like some hound,

That even in sleep doth ply his woodland toil,

Ye bell and bay. What do ye, sleeping here?

Be not o'ercome with toil, nor, sleep-subdued,

Be heedless of my wrong. Up! thrill your heart

With the just chidings of my tongue,—such words

Are as a spur to purpose firmly held.

Blow forth on him the breath of wrath and blood,

Scorch him with reek of fire that burns in you,

Waste him with new pursuit—swift, hound him down.

[Ghost sinks.

Up ! rouse another as I rouse thee; up!