Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1894) v1.djvu/51

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O Pelias' daughter, I hail thee:

I waft thee eternal farewell

To thine home where the darkness must veil thee,

Where in Hades unsunned thou shalt dwell.

Know, Dark-haired, thy grey Spirit-wafter

Hath sped not with twy-plashing oar

Woman nobler, nor shall speed hereafter

To Acheron's shore.

For the seven-stringed shell, or for pæan

Unharped, shall thy fame be a song,

When o'er Sparta the moon Karnean

High rideth the whole night long.

And in Athens the wealthy and splendid

Shall thy name on her bards' lips ring,

Such a theme hast thou left to be blended

With the lays that they sing.

O that the power were but in me,

From the chambers of Hades, to light,

And from streams of Cocytus, to win thee

With the oar of the River of Night!

O dear among women, strong-hearted

From Hades to ransom thy lord!

Never spirit in such wise departed.

Light lie on thee, Lady, the sward!

And, if ever thine husband shall mate him

Again with a bride in thy stead,

I will loathe him, his children shall hate him,

The babes of the dead.