Erinnys, slow but sure avenger;
So against young Alexandros
Atreus' sons the Great King sendeth,
Zeus, of host and guest protector: {60}
He, for bride with many a lover,
Will to Danai give and Troians
Many conflicts, men's limbs straining,
When the knee in dust is crouching,
And the spear-shaft in the onset
Of the battle snaps asunder.
But as things are now, so are they,
So, as destined, shall the end be.
Nor by tears nor yet libations
Shall he soothe the wrath unbending {70}
Caused by sacred rites left fireless.

They are going on to soliloquize how they themselves have been shut out
of the glorious expedition, for, in matters of War, old age is but a
return to boyhood; when {82}

_The Chorus-Procession having reached the Thymele, turn towards the
Stage. Meanwhile the great Central Door of the Stage has opened, and a
solemn Procession filed out on the Stage, consisting of the Queen and her
Attendants, bearing torches and incense, and offerings for the Gods; they
have during the Choral Procession silently advanced to the different
Statues along the front of the Palace, made offerings and commenced the
sacrificial riles. When the Chorus turn towards the Stage, the whole
Scene is ablaze with fires and trembling with clouds of incense, rich
unguents perfume the whole Theatre, while a solemn Religious ritual is
being celebrated in dumb show._

_The Chorus_ break off their Processional Chant [_keeping the same
rhythm_] to enquire what is the meaning of these solemn rites, and
whether the Queen can solve their doubt, which wavers between hope and
foreboding:

_The Queen signifying, by a gesture, that the Ritual must not be
interrupted by speech, the Chorus proceed to take their regular position
round the Thymele, and address themselves to their_ {104}

PRELUDE

_the Music, Poetry, and Gesture-dance changing from a March to a highly
Lyrical rhythm; the evolutions of the Dance taking Right and Left hand
directions, but without the Chorus quitting their position round the
Altar_.[1]

_Strophe: during which the evolutions take a Right Hand direction._

_The Chorus_ resume: though shut out from War their old age has still
suasive power of song, and they can tell of the famous omen seen by the
two kings and the whole army as they waited to embark: two eagles on the
left devouring a pregnant hare:

Sing a strain o