Of Thebes, and reaped the harvest wonderful.
O my beloved, though thy heart is dull
In death, O still beloved, and alway
Beloved! Never more, then, shalt thou lay
Thine hand to this white beard, and speak to me
Thy "Mother's Father"; ask "Who wrongeth thee?
Who stints thine honour, or with malice stirs
Thine heart? Speak, and I smite thine injurers!"
But now--woe, woe, to me and thee also,
Woe to thy mother and her sisters, woe
Alway! Oh, whoso walketh not in dread
Of Gods, let him but look on this man dead!

LEADER
Lo, I weep with thee. 'Twas but due reward
God sent on Pentheus; but for thee ... 'Tis hard.

AGAVE
My father, thou canst see the change in me,
* * * * *
* * * * *
[_A page or more has here been torn out of the MS. from which all our
copies of "The Bacchae" are derived. It evidently contained a speech of
Agave (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance
of_ DIONYSUS _upon a cloud. He must have pronounced judgment upon the
Thebans in general, and especially upon the daughters of_ CADMUS, _have
justified his own action, and declared his determination to establish his
godhead. Where the MS begins again, we find him addressing_ CADMUS.]
* * * * *