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As trophies on a carven tomb: nor less
For that no memory of my deed survive,
Nor any eye to see, nor tongue to tell.

CH. So vast injustice, Lady, were not good.
DEM. TO you I seem unjust involving man.

CH. Why should man suffer in thy feud with Zeus?
DEM. Let Zeus relent. There is no other way.
I will destroy the seeds of plant and tree :
Vineyard and orchard, oliveyard and cornland
Shall all withhold their fruits, and in their stead
Shall flourish the gay blooms that Cora loved.
There shall be dearth, and yet so gay the dearth
That all the land shall look in holiday

With mockery of foison; every field

With splendour aflame. For wheat the useless poppy
In sheeted scarlet; and for barley and oats

The blue and yellow weeds that mock men's toil,

Centaury and marigold in chequer'd plots:

Where seed is sown, or none, shall dandelions

And wretched ragwort vie, orchis and iris
And garish daisy, and for every flower

That in this vale she pluckt, shall spring a thousand.

Where'er she stept anemones shall crowd,

And the sweet violet. These things shall ye see.

-But I behold him whom I came to meet,

Hermes :-he, be he laden howsoe'er,

Will heavier-laden to his lord return.

HERMES (entering).

Mighty Demeter, Mother of the seasons,
Bountiful all-sustainer, fairest daughter

Of arch-ancestral Rhea,—to thee Zeus sendeth

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Kindly message.

He grieves seeing thy godhead

Offended wrongly at eternal justice,

'Gainst destiny ordain'd idly revolting.

Ever will he, thy brother, honour thee

And willingly aid thee; but since now thy daughter
Is raised to a place on the tripartite throne,
He finds thee honour'd duly and not injur'd.
Wherefore he bids thee now lament no more,
But with thy presence grace the courts of heav'n.
DEM. Bright Hermes, Argus-slayer, born of Maia,
Who bearest empty words, the mask of war,

To Zeus make thine own words, that thou hast found me
Offended, that I still lament my daughter,

Nor heed his summons to the courts of heav'n.

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HER. Giv'st thou me nought but these relentless words?
DEM. I send not words, nor dost thou carry deeds.
But know, since heav'n denies my claim, I take
Earth for my battle-field. Curse and defiance
Shall shake his throne, and, readier then for justice,
Zeus will enquire my terms: thou, on that day,
Remember them; that he shall bid thee lead
Persephone from Hades by the hand,

And on this spot, whence she was stol'n, restore her
Into mine arms. Execute that; and praise
Shall rise from earth and peace return to heav'n.
HER. How dare I carry unto Zeus thy threats?
DEM. Approach him with a gift: this little wallet.

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[Giving a little bag of seeds.

I will not see thee again until the day

Thou lead my daughter hither thro' the gates of Hell. [Going. HER. Ah! mighty Queen, the lightness of thy gift

Is greater burden than thy weighty words.

[Exeunt severally r. and l.

CHORUS.

(1) Sisters! what have we heard!

Our fair Persephone, the flower of the earth,
By Hades stolen away, his queen to be.

(others) Alas!-alas!—ay me!

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(2) And great Demeter's bold relentless word

To Hermes given,

Threatening mankind with dearth. (others) Ay me! alas! alas!

(3 or 1) She in her sorrow strong

Fears not to impeach the King of Heaven,

And combat wrong with wrong.—

(others confusedly) What can we do?-Alas!

Back to our ocean-haunts return

Το weep and mourn.—

What use to mourn ?

Nay, nay!-Away with sorrow:
Let us forget to-day

And look for joy to-morrow :—

[(1) Nay, nay! hearken to me!]

Nay, how forget that on us too, —
Yea, on us all

The curse will fall.

[(1) Hearken! I say!]

What can we do? Alas! alas!

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(1) Hearken! There's nought so light,

But that in even balance 'twill avail

Nothing of weight so small,

Wholly to turn the scale.

Let us our feeble force unite,

And giving voice to tears,

Assail Poseidon's ears;

Rob pleasure from his days,

Darken with sorrow all his ways,

Until his shifty mind

Become to pity inclined,

And 'gainst his brother turn.

(others) 'Tis well, thou sayest well.

(2) Yea; for if Zeus should learn

That earth and sea were both combined

Against his cruel intent,

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Sooner will he relent.

(others) 'Tis well-we do it 'tis well.

(1) Come let us vow. Vow all with one accord

To harden every heart

Till we have won Poseidon to our part.

(all) We vow-we do it—we vow.

(1) Till we have conquer'd heav'n's almighty lord

And seen Persephone restored.

(all) We vow-we vow.

(1) Come then all; and, as ye go,

Begin the song of woe.

Song.

Close up, bright flow'rs, and hang the head,

Ye beauties of the plain,

The Queen of Spring is with the dead,

Ye deck the earth in vain.

From your deserted vale we fly,

And where the salt waves mourn

Our song shall swell their burd'ning sigh
Until sweet joy return.

ACT III

CHORUS.

Song.

Lo where the virgin veiled in airy beams,
All-holy Morn, in splendor awakening,

Heav'n's gate hath unbarrèd, the golden
Aerial lattices set open.

With music endeth night's prisoning terror,
With flow'ry incense: Haste to salute the sun,
That for the day's chase, like a huntsman,
With flashing arms cometh o'er the mountain.

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Inter se. That were a song for Artemis-I have heard
Men thus salute the rising sun in spring-

-See, we have wreaths enough and garlands plenty
To hide our lov'd Persephone from sight

If she should come. But think you she will come ?—
If one might trust the heavens, it is a morn
Promising happiness-Tis like the day
That brought us all our grief a year ago.—

ODE.

O that the earth, or only this fair isle wer' ours
Amid the ocean's blue billows,

With flow'ry woodland, stately mountain and valley,
Cascading and lilied river;

Nor ever a mortal envious, laborious,

By anguish or dull care opprest,

Should come polluting with remorseful countenance
Our haunt of easy gaiety.

For us the grassy slopes, the country's airiness,

The lofty whispering forest,

Where rapturously Philomel invoketh the night

And million eager throats the morn;

With doves at evening softly cooing, and mellow
Cadences of the dewy thrush.

We love the gentle deer, the nimble antelope;

Mice love we and springing squirrels ;

To watch the gaudy flies visit the blooms, to hear
On ev'ry mead the grasshopper.

All thro' the spring-tide, thro' the indolent summer,
(If only this fair isle wer' ours)

Here might we dwell, forgetful of the weedy caves
Beneath the ocean's blue billows.

Enter Demeter.

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CH. Hail, mighty Mother!--Welcome, great Demeter !(1) This day bring joy to thee, and peace to man!

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