Page:The poetical works of Matthew Arnold, 1897.djvu/401

Rh Argos; a juggle to Cresphontes gave

Messenia; to those helpless Boys, the lot

Worst of the three, the stony Sparta, fell.

August, indeed, was the foundation here!

What follow'd?—His most trusted kinsman slew

Cresphontes in Messenia; Temenus

Perish'd in Argos by his jealous sons;

The Spartan Brothers with their guardian strive.

Can houses thus ill-seated, thus embroil'd,

Thus little founded in their subjects' love,

Practise the indulgent, bloodless policy

Of dynasties long-fix'd, and honor'd long?

No! Vigor and severity must chain

Popular reverence to these recent lines.

Be their first-founded order strict maintain'd—

Their murder'd rulers terribly avenged—

Ruthlessly their rebellious subjects crush'd!

Since policy bids thus, what fouler death

Than thine illustrious husband's to avenge

Shall we select? than Polyphontes, what

More daring and more grand offender find?

Justice, my sister, long demands this blow,

And Wisdom, now thou seest, demands it too.

To strike it, then, dissuade thy son no more;

For to live disobedient to these two,

Justice and Wisdom, is no life at all.

THE CHORUS.

The Gods, O mistress dear! the hard-soul'd man,

Who spared not others, bid not us to spare.

MEROPE.

Alas! against my brother, son, and friends,

One, and a woman, how can I prevail?—