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LEADIER
And yet forsooth dost chide us following him！；
APOLLO
Ay…not for you it is； to near this fane。
LEADER
Yet is such office ours； imposed by fate。
APOLLO
What office？ vaunt the thing ye deem so fair。
LEADER
From home to home we chase the matricide。
APOLLO
What？ to avenge a wife who slays her lord？
LEADER
That is not blood outpoured by kindred hands。
APOLLO
How darkly ye dishonour and annul
The troth to which the high accomplishers；
Hera and Zeus； do honour。 Yea； and thus
Is Aphrodite to dishonour cast；
The queen of rapture unto mortal men。
Know； that above the marriage…bed ordained
For man and woman staddeth Right as guard；
Enhancing sanctity of trothplight sworn；
Therefore； if thou art placable to those
Who have their consort slain； nor will'st to turn
On them the eye of wrath； unjust art thou
In hounding to his doom the man who slew
His mother。 Lo； I know thee full of wrath
Against one deed； but all too placable
Unto the other； minishing the crime。
But in this cause shall Pallas guard the right。
LEADER
Deem not my quest shall ever quit that man。
APOLLO
Follow then； make thee； double toil in vain
LEADER
Think not by speech mine office to curtail。
APOLLO
None hast thou； that I would accept of thee！
LEADER
Yea； high thine honour by the throne of Zeus：
But I； drawn on by scent of mother's blood；
Seek vengeance on this man and hound him down。
（The CHORUS goes in pursuit of ORESTES。）
APOLLO
But I will stand beside him； 'tis for me
To guard my suppliant： gods and men alike
Do dread the curse of such an one betrayed；
And in me Fear and Will say Leave him not。
（He goes into the temple。）
（The scene changes to Athens。 In the foreground is the Temple
of ATHENA on the Acropolis； her statue stands in the
centre； ORESTES is seen clinging to it。）
ORESTES
Look on me； queen Athena； lo； I come
By Loxias' behest； thou of thy grace
Receive me； driven of avenging powers…
Not now a red…hand slayer unannealed；
But with guilt fading； half…effaced； outworn
On many homes and paths of mortal men。
For to the limit of each land； each sea；
I roamed； obedient to Apollo's best；
And come at last； O Goddess； to thy fane；
And clinging to thine image； bide my doom。
（The CHORUS OF FURIES enters； questing like hounds。）
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Ho！ clear is here the trace of him we seek：
Follow the track of blood； the silent sign！
Like to some hound that hunts a wounded fawn；
We snuff along the scent of dripping gore；
And inwardly we pant； for many a day
Toiling in chase that shall fordo the man；
For o'er and o'er the wide land have I ranged；
And o'er the wide sea； flying without wings；
Swift as a sail I pressed upon his track；
Who now hard by is crouching； well I wot；
For scent of mortal blood allures me here。
CHORUS （chanting）
Follow； seek him…round and round
Scent and snuff and scan the ground；
Lest unharmed he slip away；
He who did his mother slay！
Hist…he is there！ See him his arms entwine
Around the image of the maid divine…
Thus aided； for the deed he wrought
Unto the judgment wills he to be brought。
It may not be！ a mother's blood； poured forth
Upon the stained earth；
None gathers up： it lies…bear witness； Hell！…
For aye indelible
And thou who sheddest it shalt give thine own
That shedding to atone！
Yea； from thy living limbs I suck it out；
Red； clotted； gout by gout；…
A draught abhorred of men and gods； but
Will drain it； suck thee dry；
Yea； I will waste thee living； nerve and vein；
Yea； for thy mother slain；
Will drag thee downward； there where thou shalt dree
The weird of agony！
And thou and whosoe'er of men hath sinned…
Hath wronged or God； or friend；
Or parent；…learn ye how to all and each
The arm of doom can reach！
Sternly requiteth； in the world beneath；
The judgment…seat of Death；
Yea； Death； beholding every man's endeavour；
Recordeth it for ever。
ORESTES
I； schooled in many miseries； have learnt
How many refuges of cleansing shrines
And when imposeth silence。 Lo； I stand
Fixed now to speak； for he whose word is wise
Commands the same。 Look； how the stain of blood
Is dull upon mine hand and wastes away；
And laved and lost therewith is the deep curse
Of matricide； for while the guilt was new；
'Twas banished from me at Apollo's hearth；
Atoned and purified by death of swine。
Long were my word if I should sum the tale；
How oft since then among my fellow…men
I stood and brought no curse。 Time cleanses all…
Time； the coeval of all things that are。
Now from pure lips； in words of omen fair；
I call Athena； lady of this land；
To come； my champion： so； in aftertime；
She shall not fail of love and service leal；
Not won by war； from me and from my land
And all the folk of Argos； vowed to her。
Now； be she far away in Libyan land
Where flows from Triton's lake her natal wave；…
Stand she with planted feet； or in some hour
Of rest conceal them； champion of her friends
Where'er she be；…Or whether o'er the plain
Phlegraean she look forth； as warrior bold…
I cry to her to come； where'er she be；
（And she； as goddess； from afar can hear）
And aid and free me； set among my foes。
LEADER OF THE CHORUS
Thee not Apollo nor Athena's strength
Can save from perishing； a castaway
Amid the Lost； where no delight shall meet
Thy soul…a bloodless prey of nether powers；
A shadow among shadows。 Answerest thou
Nothing？ dost cast away my words with scorn；
Thou； prey prepared and dedicate to me？
Not as a victim slain upon the shrine；
But living shalt thou see thy flesh my food。
Hear now the binding chant that makes thee mine。
CHORUS （chanting）
Weave the weird dance；…behold the hour
To utter forth the chant of hell；
Our sway among mankind to tell；
The guidance of our power。
Of justice are we ministers；
And whosoe'er of men may stand
Lifting a pure unsullied hand；
That man no doom of ours incurs；
And walks thro' all his mortal path
Untouched by woe； unharmed by wrath。
But if； as yonder man； he hath
Blood on the hands he strives to hide；
We stand avengers at his side；
Decreeing； Thou hast wronged the dead：
We are doom's witnesses to