Part 7 (1/2)

Ca.s.sANDRA

Woe, woe, alas! Earth, Mother Earth! and thou Apollo, Apollo!

CHORUS

Peace! shriek not to the bright prophetic G.o.d, Who will not brook the suppliance of woe.

Ca.s.sANDRA

Woe, woe, alas! Earth, Mother Earth! and thou Apollo, Apollo!

CHORUS

Hark, with wild curse she calls anew on him, Who stands far off and loathes the voice of wail.

Ca.s.sANDRA

Apollo, Apollo!

G.o.d of all ways, but only Death's to me, Once and again, O thou, Destroyer named, Thou hast destroyed me, thou, my love of old!

CHORUS

She grows presageful of her woes to come, Slave tho' she be, instinct with prophecy.

Ca.s.sANDRA

Apollo, Apollo!

G.o.d of all ways, but only Death's to me, O thou Apollo, thou Destroyer named!

What way hast led me, to what evil home?

CHORUS

Know'st thou it not? The home of Atreus' race: Take these my words for sooth and ask no more.

Ca.s.sANDRA

Home cursed of G.o.d! Bear witness unto me, Ye visioned woes within-- The blood-stained hands of them that smite their kin-- The strangling noose, and, spattered o'er With human blood, the reeking floor!

CHORUS

How like a sleuth-hound questing on the track, Keen-scented unto blood and death she hies!

Ca.s.sANDRA

Ah! can the ghostly guidance fail, Whereby my prophet-soul is onwards led?

Look! for their flesh the spectre-children wail, Their sodden limbs on which their father fed!

CHORUS

Long since we knew of thy prophetic fame,-- But for those deeds we seek no prophet's tongue.

Ca.s.sANDRA