Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/376

338 Betray'd like him, but, not like him, avenged?

Or with what voice shall I the questions meet

Of my two elder sons, slain long ago,

Who sadly ask me, what, if not revenge,

Kept me, their mother, from their side so long?

Or how reply to thee, my child last-born,

Last-murder'd, who reproachfully wilt say:

Mother, I well believed thou lived'st on

In the detested palace of thy foe,

With patience on thy face, death in thy heart,

Counting, till I grew up, the laggard years,

That our joint hands might then together pay

To our unhappy house the debt we owe.

My death makes my debt void, and doubles thine—

But down thou fleest here, and leav'st our scourge

Triumphant, and condemnest all our race

To lie in gloom for ever unappeased.

What shall I have to answer to such words?—

No, something must be dared; and, great as erst

Our dastard patience, be our daring now!

Come, ye swift Furies, who to him ye haunt

Permit no peace till your behests are done;

Come Hermes, who dost friend the unjustly kill'd,

And canst teach simple ones to plot and feign;

Come, lightning Passion, that with foot of fire

Advancest to the middle of a deed

Almost before 'tis plann'd; come, glowing Hate;

Come, baneful Mischief, from thy murky den

Under the dripping black Tartarean cliff

Which Styx's awful waters trickle down—

Inspire this coward heart, this flagging arm!

How say ye, maidens, do ye know these prayers?

Are these words Merope's—is this voice mine?

Old man, old man, thou hadst my boy in charge,