Neglect the call, and the desire grows weak.
Ah! whilst from woman's breast thou heedst the sighs,
The flame first flickers, then, untended--dies!

POLY.
You know me ill,--'tis mine, that holy fire,
Fed, not extinguished, by unslaked desire
Her tears--I view them with a lover's eye;
And yet your Christ is mine--a Christian I!
The healing, cleansing flood o'er me shall flow,
I would efface the stain from birth I owe;
I would be pure--my sealed eyes would see!
The birthright Adam lost restored to me
This, this, the unfading crown! For this I yearn,
For that exhaustless fount I thirst, I burn.
Then, since my heart is true, Nearchus, say--
Shall I not grant to pity this delay?

NEAR.
So doth the ghostly foe our souls abuse,
And all beyond his force he gains by ruse;
He hates the purpose fast he cannot foil,--
Then he retreats--retreats but to recoil!
In endless barricade obstruction piles,
To-day 'tis tears impede, to-morrow--smiles!
And this poor dream--his coinage of the night
Gives place to other lures, all falsely bright:
All tricks he knows and uses--threats and prayers
Attacks in parley--as the Parthian dares.
In chain unheeded weakest link must fail,