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Thus urgently commanded, laid him down

Within our bark, and hardly to this shore

Rowed him convulsed and roaring.—Presently,

He will appear, alive or lately dead.

Such, mother, is the crime thou hast devised

And done against our sire, wherefore let Right

And Vengeance punish thee!—May I pray so?

I may: for thou absolv’st me by thy deed,

Thou that hast slain the noblest of the Earth,

Thy spouse, whose like thou ne’er wilt see again.

[Exit.

. Why steal’st thou forth in silence? Know’st thou not

Thy silence argues thine accuser’s plea?

. Let her go off. Would that a sudden flood

Might sweep her far and swiftly from mine eye!

Why fondle vainly the fair-sounding name

Of mother, when her acts are all unmotherly?

Let her begone for me: and may she find

Such joy as she hath rendered to my sire!

[Exit

See where falls the doom, of old

By the unerring Voice foretold,—

‘When twelve troublous years have rolled,

Then shall end your long desire:

Toil on toil no more shall tire

The offspring of the Eternal Sire.’

Lo! the destined Hour is come!

Lo! it hath brought its burden home.

For when the eyes have looked their last

How should sore labour vex again?

How, when the powers of will and thought are past,

Should life be any more enthralled to pain?

And if Nessus’ withering shroud,

Wrought by destiny and craft,

Steep him in a poisonous cloud

Steaming from the venomed shaft,