Page:Tragedies of Seneca (1907) Miller.djvu/394

376 Which it had seen and done; that selfsame throng Returned to witness yet another crime Upon Achilles' tomb. The seaward side Is beaten by Rhoeteum's lapping waves; While on the other sides a level space, And rounded, gently sloping hills beyond, Encompass it, and make a theater. Here rush the multitude and fill the place With eager throngs. A few rejoice that now Their homeward journey's long delay will end, And that another prop of fallen Troy Is stricken down. But all the common herd Look on in silence at the crime they hate. The Trojans, too, attend the sacrifice, And wait with quaking hearts the final scene Of Ilium's fall. When suddenly there shone The gleaming torches of the wedding march; And, as the bride's attendant, Helen came With drooping head. Whereat the Trojans prayed: "Oh, may Hermione be wed like this, With bloody rites; like this may Helena Return unto her lord." Then numbing dread Seized Greeks and Trojans all, as they beheld The maid. She walked with downcast, modest eyes, But on her face a wondrous beauty glowed In flaming splendor, as the setting sun Lights up the sky with beams more beautiful, When day hangs doubtful on the edge of night. All gazed in wonder. Some her beauty moved, And some her tender age and hapless fate; But all, her dauntless courage in the face Of death. Behind the maid grim Pyrrhus came; And as they looked, the souls of all were filled With quaking terror, pity, and amaze. But when she reached the summit of the mound And stood upon the lofty sepulcher, Still with unfaltering step the maid advanced. And now she turned her to the stroke of death With eyes so fierce and fearless that she smote