O heritage of Neleus, _ant._ 3. Ill-kept by his infirm heirs! O kingdom of Messene, Of rich soil, chosen by craft, Possess'd in hatred, lost in blood! O town, high Stenyclaros, With new walls, which the victors From the four-town'd, mountain-shadow'd Doris, For their Heracles-issued princes Built in strength against the vanquish'd! Another, another sacrifice on this day Ye witness, ye new-built towers! When the white-robed, garland-crowned Monarch Approaches, with undoubting heart, Living, his own sacrifice-block, And stands, shouting for a slaughterous axe; And the stern, destiny-brought Stranger, The inheritor of the realm, Coming swiftly through the jocund Dorians, Drives the axe to its goal. That the blood rushes in streams to the dust; Bearing with it, to Erinnys, To the Gods of Hades, To the dead unavenged, The fiercely-required Victim. Knowing he did it, unknowing pays for it. [_epode._ Unknowing, unknowing, Thinking atoned-for Deeds unatonable, Thinking appeased Gods unappeasable, Lo, the ill-fated one, Standing for harbour Right at the harbour-mouth Strikes with all sail set Full on the sharp-pointed Needle of ruin! [_A_ MESSENGER _comes in_. _Messenger_ O honour'd Queen, O faithful followers Of your dead master's line, I bring you news To make the gates of this long-mournful house Leap, and fly open of themselves for joy! [_noise and shouting heard._ Hark how the shouting crowds tramp hitherward With glad acclaim! Ere they forestall my news, Accept it:--Polyphontes is no more. _Merope_ Is my son safe? that question bounds my care. _Messenger_ He is, and by the people hail'd for king. _Merope_ The rest to me is little; yet, since that Must from some mouth be heard, relate it thou. _Messenger_