CHORUS
By handfuls, yea, by handfuls, with tears of dole besmeared!
By handfuls, yea, by handfuls, with tears of dole besmeared!
Aeschylus
XERXES
Smite, smite thy bosom, groan aloud for my calamity!
CHORUS
I mourn and am dissolved in tears!
XERXES
Cry, beat thy breast amain!
CHORUS
O king, my heart is in thy woe!
XERXES
Shriek, wail, and shriek again!
CHORUS
O agony!
XERXES
A blackening blow--
CHORUS
A grievous stripe shall fall!
XERXES
Yea, beat anew thy breast, ring out the doleful Mysian call!
CHORUS
An agony, an agony!
XERXES
Pluck out thy whitening beard!
CHORUS
By handfuls, ay, by handfuls, with dismal tear-drops smeared!
XERXES
Sob out thine aching sorrow!
CHORUS
I will thine best obey.
XERXES
With thine hands rend thy mantle's fold--
CHORUS
Alas, woe worth the day!
XERXES
With thine own fingers tear thy locks, bewail the army's weird!
CHORUS
By handfuls, yea, by handfuls, with tears of dole besmeared!
XERXES
Now let thine eyes find overflow--
CHORUS
I wend in wail and pain!
XERXES
Cry out for me an answering moan--
CHORUS
Alas, alas again!
XERXES
Shriek with a cry of agony, and lead the doleful train!
CHORUS
Alas, alas, the Persian land is woeful now to tread!
XERXES
Cry out and mourn! the city now doth wail above the dead!
CHORUS
I sob and moan!
XERXES
I bid ye now be delicate in grief!
CHORUS
Alas, the Persian land is sad and knoweth not relief!
XERXES
Alas, the triple banks of oars and those who died thereby!
CHORUS
Pass! I will lead you, bring you home, with many a broken sigh!
[_Exeunt_
THE SEVEN AGAINST THEBES
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
ETEOCLES.
A SPY.
CHORUS OF CADMEAN MAIDENS.
