ERSONAE.

ANGELS.

SAMIASA.

AZAZIEL.

RAPHAEL, THE ARCHANGEL.

MEN.

NOAH AND HIS SONS.

IRAD.

JAPHET.

WOMEN.

ANAH.

AHOLIBAMAH.

_Chorus of Spirits of the Earth.--Chorus of Mortals_.

HEAVEN AND EARTH.

PART I.

SCENE I.--_A woody and mountainous district near Mount
Ararat.--Time, midnight_.

_Enter_ ANAH _and_ AHOLIBAMAH.[138]

_Anah_. OUR father sleeps: it is the hour when they
Who love us are accustomed to descend
Through the deep clouds o'er rocky Ararat:--
How my heart beats!

_Aho._ Let us proceed upon
Our invocation.

_Anah_. But the stars are hidden.
I tremble.

_Aho._ So do I, but not with fear
Of aught save their delay.

_Anah_. My sister, though
I love Azaziel more than----oh, too much!
What was I going to say? my heart grows impious.

_Aho._ And where is the impiety of loving 10
Celestial natures?

_Anah_. But, Aholibamah,
I love our God less since his angel loved me:
This cannot be of good; and though I know not
That I do wrong, I feel a thousand fears
Which are not ominous of right.

_Aho._ Then wed thee
Unto some son of clay, and toil and spin!
There's Japhet loves thee well, hath loved thee long:
Marry, and bring forth dust!

_Anah_. I should have loved
Azaziel not less were he mortal; yet
I am glad he is not. I cannot outlive him. 20
And when I think that his immortal wings
Will one day hover o'er the sepulchre
Of the poor child of clay[139] which so adored him,
As he adores the Highest, death becomes
Less terrible; but yet I pity him:
His grief will be of ages, or at least
Mine would be such for him, were I the Seraph,
And he the perishable.

_Aho._ Rather say,
That he will single forth some other daughter
Of earth, a