the persians-第7节
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The demons of revenge have spread;
And Ate from her drear abode below
Rises to view the horrid deed。
XERXES
Dismay; and rout; and ruin; ills that wait
On man's afflicted fortune; sink us down。
CHORUS
Dismay; and rout; and ruin on us wait;
And all the vengeful storms of Fate:
Ill flows on ill; on sorrows sorrows rise;
Misfortune leads her baleful train;
Before the Ionian squadrons Persia flies;
Or sinks ingulf'd beneath the main。
Fall'n; fall'n is her imperial power;
And conquest on her banners waits no more。
XERXES
At such a fall; such troops of heroes lost;
How can my soul but sink in deep despair!
Cease thy sad strain。
CHORUS
Is all thy glory lost?
XERXES
Seest thou these poor remains of my rent robes?
CHORUS
I see; I see。
XERXES
And this ill…furnish'd quiver?
CHORUS
Wherefore preserved?
XERXES
To store my treasured arrows。
CHORUS
Few; very few。
XERXES
And few my friendly aids。
CHORUS
I thought these Grecians shrunk appall'd at arms。
XERXES
No: they are bold and daring: these sad eyes
Beheld their violent and deathful deeds。
CHORUS
The ruin; sayst thou; of thy shattered fleet?
XERXES
And in the anguish of my soul I rent
My royal robes。
CHORUS
Wo; wo!
XERXES
And more than wo。
CHORUS
Redoubled; threefold wo!
XERXES
Disgrace to me;
But triumph to the foe。
CHORUS
Are all thy powers
In ruin crush'd?
XERXES
No satrap guards me now。
CHORUS
Thy faithful friends sunk in the roaring main。
XERXES
Weep; weep their loss; and lead me to my house;
Answer my grief with grief; an ill return
Of ills for ills。 Yet once more raise that strain
Lamenting my misfortunes; beat thy breast;
Strike; heave the groan; awake the Mysian strain
To notes of loudest wo; rend thy rich robes;
Pluck up thy beard; tear off thy hoary locks;
And battle thine eyes in tears: thus through the streets
Solemn and slow with sorrow lead my steps;
Lead to my house; and wail the fate of Persia。
CHORUS
Yes; once more at thy bidding shall the strain
Pour the deep sorrows of my soul;
The suff'rings of my bleeding untry plain;
And bid the Mysian measures roll。
Again the voice of wild despair
With thrilling shrieks shall pierce the air;
For high the god of war his flaming crest
Raised; with the fleet of Greece surrounded;
The haughty arms of Greece with conquest bless'd;
And Persia's withered force confounded;
Dash'd on the dreary beach her heroes slain。;
Or whelm'd them in the darken'd main。
THE END
。