For lo! Ægyptos' house,
In pride intolerable,
O'er-masculine in mood,
Pursuing me in many a winding course,
Poor wandering fugitive,
With loud and wild desires,
Seek in their frenzied violence to seize: 800
But thine is evermore
The force that turns the balance of the scale:
What comes to mortal men apart from Thee?
Ah! ah! ah! ah!
*Here on the land behold the ravisher
Who comes on us by sea!
*Ah, may'st thou perish, ravisher, ere thou
Hast stopped or landed here!
*I utter cry of wailing loud and long,
*I see them work the prelude of their crimes,
Their crimes of violence.
Ah! ah! Ah me! 810
Haste in your flight for help!
The mighty ones are waxing fat and proud,
By sea and land alike intolerable.
Be thou, O King, our bulwark and defence!
_Enter_ Herald _of the sons of_ ÆGYPTOS, _advancing to
the daughters of_ DANAOS
_Her._ Haste, haste with all your speed unto the barque.
_Chor._ Tearing of hair, yea, tearing now will come,
And print of nails in flesh,
And smiting off of heads,
With murderous stream of blood.
_Her._ Haste, haste ye, to that barque that yonder lies, 820
Ye wretches, curse on you.