Pause to repose themselves in passing by- Here do I wait my sisters, on our way Is our great festival-'tis strange they come not. A Voice without, singing. The Captive Usurper, Hurl'd down from the throne, Lay buried in torpor, Forgotten and lone; I broke through his slumbers, I shiver'd his chain, I leagued him with numbers— He's Tyrant again! With the blood of a million he'll answer my care, With a nation's destruction-his flight and despair. Second Voice, without. The ship sail'd on, the ship sail'd fast, But I left not a sail, and I left not a mast; There is not a plank of the hull or the deck, And there is not a wretch to lament o'er his wreck; Save one, whom I held, as he swam, by the hair, But I saved him to wreak further havoc for me! FIRST DESTINY, answering. The city lies sleeping; The morn, to deplore it, May dawn on it weeping: Sullenly, slowly, The black plague flew o'er it— Thousands lie lowly; Tens of thousands shall perish— The sick they should cherish; And evil and dread, Envelope a nation— The blest are the dead, Who see not the sight Of their own desolation. This work of a night— This wreck of a realm-this deed of my doing- Enter the SECOND and THIRD DESTINIES. The Three. Our hands contain the hearts of men, Our footsteps are their graves; We only give to take again The spirits of our slaves! FIRST DES. Welcome!-Where's Nemesis? SECOND DES. At some great work; But what I know not, for hands were full. my THIRD DES. Behold she cometh. Enter NEMESIS. FIRST DES. Say, where hast thou been? My sisters and thyself are slow to-night. NEM. I was detain'd repairing shatter'd thrones, Marrying fools, restoring dynasties, Avenging men upon their enemies, And making them repent their own revenge; Goading the wise to madness; from the dull To weigh kings in the balance, and to speak We have outstaid the hour-mount we our clouds! [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Hall of Arimanes—Arimanes on his Throne, a Globe of Fire, surrounded by the Spirits. Hymn of the SPIRITS. Hail to our Master!-Prince of Earth and Air! Who walks the clouds and waters-in his hand The sceptre of the elements, which tear Themselves to chaos at his high command! He breatheth-and a tempest shakes the sea; He moveth-earthquakes rend the world asunder. Beneath his footsteps the volcanos rise; His shadow is the Pestilence; his path The comets herald through the crackling skies; To him War offers daily sacrifice; To him Death pays his tribute; Life is his, With all its infinite of agonies And his the spirit of whatever is! Enter the DESTINIES and NEMESIS. FIRST DES. Glory to Arimanes! on the earth His power increaseth-both my sisters did His bidding, nor did I neglect my duty! SECOND DES. Glory to Arimanes! we who bow The necks of men, bow down before his throne! THIRD DES. Glory to Arimanes!—we await - His nod! NEM. Sovereign of Sovereigns! we are thine, Have been fulfill'd to the utmost. 45 |