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Rh Sleep'st thou? Rise up, and spurning sleep away,

See we if false to us this prelude rang.

Alack, alack, sisters, we have toiled,

O much and vainly have we toiled and borne!

Vainly! and all we wrought the gods have foiled,

And turnèd us to scorn!

He hath slipped from the net, whom we chased: he hath 'scaped us who should be our prey—

O'ermastered by slumber we sank, and our quarry hath stolen away!

Thou, child of the high God Zeus, Apollo, hast robbed us and wronged;

Thou, a youth, hast down-trodden the right that to godship more ancient belonged;

Thou hast cherished thy suppliant man; the slayer, the God-forsaken,

The bane of a parent, by craft from out of our grasp thou hast taken;

A god, thou hast stolen from us the avengers a matricide son—

And who shall consider thy deed and say It is rightfully done?

The sound of chiding scorn

Came from the land of dream;

Deep to mine inmost heart I felt it thrill and burn,

Thrust as a strong-grasped goad, to urge

Onward the chariot's team.

Thrilled, chilled with bitter inward pain

I stand as one beneath the doomsman's scourge.

Shame on the younger gods who tread down right,

Sitting on thrones of might!