efiance after him, waves his fatal sword and
crosses the threshold. {81}

PARODE, OR CHORUS-ENTRY

_Enter the Orchestra [by the Right Archway, as from the neighborhood]
the Chorus: Old Men of Pherae, come to enquire how it is with the Queen
on the morning of this appointed day of her death. As usual in such
Chorus-Entries their chanting is accompanied with music and
gesture-dance to a rhythm traditionally associated with marching. But
by a very unusual effect they enter in disordered ranks, moving in two
loosely-formed bodies towards the Central Altar._ {82}

_1st Semichorus._ What a silence encloses the Palace!
What a hush in the house of Admetus!
_2nd Semichorus._ Not a soul is at hand of the household
To answer our friendly enquiry--
Is it over, all over but weeping?
Or sees she the light awhile longer,
Our Queen, brightest pattern of women
The wide world through,
Most devoted of wives, our Alcestis?

_Arriving at the Altar they fall for a time into compact order, and
exchange their marching rhythm for the elaborate Choral ritual, the
evolutions taking them to the Right of the Orchestra._ {89}

_Strophe_

_Full Chorus._ Listen for the heavy groan,
Smitten breast and piercing moan,
Ringing out that life is gone.
The house forgets its royal state,
And not a slave attends the gate.
Our sea of woe runs high:--ah, mid the waves
Appear, Great Healer, Apollo!

_They break again into loose order and marching rhythm, remaining on
the Right of the Orchestra._

_1st Semi._ Were she dead, could they keep such a silence? {94}
_2nd Semi._ May it be--she is gone from the Palace?
_1st Semi._ Never!
_2nd Semi._ Nay, why so confident answer?
_1st Semi._ To so precious a corpse could Admetus
Give burial bare of its honours?

_They reunite in Choral order and work back to the Altar._

_Antistrophe_

_Full Chorus._ Lo, no bath the porch below, {99}
Nor the cleansing fountain's flow,
Gloomy rite for house of woe.
The threshold lacks its locks of hair,
Clipp'd for the dead in death's despair.