Think not to-morrow can repay The pleasures that we lose to-day; 60 To-morrow’s most unbounded store Can but pay its proper score. FIRST PRIEST. RECITATIVE. But hush! See, foremost of the captive choir, The master-prophet grasps his full-ton’d lyre. Mark where he sits, with executing art, 65 Feels for each tone, and speeds it to the heart; See how prophetic rapture fills his form, Awful as clouds that nurse the growing storm; And now his voice, accordant to the string, Prepares our monarch’s victories to sing. 70 FIRST PROPHET. AIR. From north, from south, from east, from west, Conspiring nations come; Tremble thou vice-polluted breast; Blasphemers, all be dumb. The tempest gathers all around, 75 On Babylon it lies; Down with her! down—down to the ground; She sinks, she groans, she dies. SECOND PROPHET. Down with her, Lord, to lick the dust, Ere yonder setting sun; 80 Serve her as she hath served the just! ’Tis fixed—it shall be done. FIRST PRIEST. RECITATIVE. No more! When slaves thus insolent presume, The king himself shall judge, and fix their doom. Unthinking wretches! have not you, and all, 85 Beheld our power in Zedekiah’s fall? To yonder gloomy dungeon turn your eyes; See where dethron’d your captive monarch lies, Depriv’d of sight and rankling in his chain; See where he mourns his friends and children slain. 90 Yet know, ye slaves, that still remain behind More ponderous chains, and dungeons more confin’d. CHORUS OF ALL. Arise, all potent ruler, rise, And vindicate thy people’s cause; Till every tongue in every land 95 Shall offer up unfeign’d applause. [_Exeunt._ ACT III. _Scene as before._ FIRST PRIEST. RECITATIVE. YES, my companions, Heaven’s decrees are past, And our fix’d empire shall for ever last; In vain the madd’ning prophet threatens woe, In vain rebellion aims her secret blow; Still shall our fame and growing power be spread, 5 And still our vengeance crush the traitor’s head. AIR. Coeval with man Our empire began, And never shall fail Till ruin shakes all; 10 When ruin shakes all, Then shall Babylon fall. FIRST PROPHET. RECITATIVE.