e city, and seek out
Whate'er in the Messenian people stirs
Of faithful fondness for their former king
Or hatred to their present; in this last
Will lie, my grandsire said, our fairest chance.
For tyrants make man good beyond himself;
Hate to their rule, which else would die away,
Their daily-practised chafings keep alive.
Seek this! revive, unite it, give it hope;
Bid it rise boldly at the signal given.
Meanwhile within my father's palace I,
An unknown guest, will enter, bringing word
Of my own death--but, Laias, well I hope
Through that pretended death to live and reign.

[THE CHORUS _comes forth_.

Softly, stand back!--see, to these palace gates
What black procession slowly makes approach?--
Sad-chanting maidens clad in mourning robes,
With pitchers in their hands, and fresh-pull'd flowers--
Doubtless, they bear them to my father's tomb.

[MEROPE _comes forth_.

And look, to meet them, that one, grief-plunged Form,
Severer, paler, statelier than they all,
A golden circlet on her queenly brow!
O Laias, Laias, let the heart speak here--
Shall I not greet her? shall I not leap forth?

[POLYPHONTES _comes forth, following_ MEROPE.

_Laias_

Not so! thy heart would pay its moment's speech
By silence ever after, for, behold!
The King (I know him, even through many years)
Follows the approaching Queen, who stops, as call'd.
No lingering now! straight to the city I;
Do thou, till for thine entrance to this house
The happy moment comes, lurk here unseen
Behind the shelter of thy father's tomb;
Remove yet further off, if aught comes near.
But, here while harbouring, on its margin lay,
Sole offering that thou hast, locks from thy head;
And fill thy leisure with an earnest prayer
To his avenging Shade, and to the Gods
Who under earth watch guilty deeds of men,
To guide our vengeance to a prosperous close.

[LAIAS _goes out_. POLYPHONTES, MEROPE, _and_ THE
CHORUS _come forward. As they advance_, AEPYTUS,
_who at first conceals himself behind the tomb,
moves off the stage_.

_Polyphontes_ (_To_ THE CHORUS)

Set down your pitchers, maidens, and fall back!
Suspend your melancholy rites awhile;
Shortly ye shall resume them with your Queen.