CHORUS 1. To which of the gods and the goddesses now Shall I pay my vow? CHORUS 2. Shall I cling to the altar, and kneeling embrace The guardian gods of the Theban race? TUTTI. Ye blissful Olympians, throned sublime, In the hour of need, in the urgent time, May the deep drawn sigh, And the heart's strong cry Ascend not in vain to your seats sublime! CHORUS 1. Heard ye the shields rattle, heard ye the spear? In this dark day of dole, With chaplet and stole[n8] Let us march to the temples, and worship in fear! CHORUS 2. I heard the shield's rattle, and spear clashed on spear Came stunning my ear. TUTTI. O Ares, that shines in the helmet of gold,[n9] Thine own chosen city wilt thou behold To slavery sold? O Ares, Ares, wilt thou betray Thy Theban home to-day? {266} III. _The_ CHORUS _crown the altars of the gods, and then, falling on their knees, sing the following Theban Litany, in one continuous chaunt._ Patron gods that keep the city, Look, look down upon our woe, Save this band of suppliant virgins From the harsh-enslaving foe! For a rush of high-plumed warriors Round the city of the free, By the blast of Ares driven, Roars, like billows of the sea. Father Jove the consummator,[f12] Save us from the Argive spear; For their bristling ranks enclose us, And our hearts do quake with fear, And their steeds with ringing bridles[n10] Knell destruction o'er the land; And seven chiefs, with lance in hand, Fixed by lot to share the slaughter, At the seventh gate proudly stand. Save us, Pallas, war-delighting Daughter of immortal Jove! Save us, lord of billowy ocean! God of pawing steeds, Poseidon,[n11] Join thine aid to his above, And with thy fish-piercing trident Still our hearts, our fears remove. Save us Ares! father Ares, Father now thy children's need! Save us Cypris, mother of Thebans,[n12] For we are thy blood indeed! Save us, save us, Wolf-Apollo,[n13] Be a wolf against the foe! Whet thine arrows, born of Leto, Leto's daughter bend thy bow! IV. _The Litany is here interrupted by the noise of the besiegers storming the city, and is continued in a hurried irregular manner._ CHORUS 1. I hear the dread roll of the chariots of war! TUTTI. O holy Hera! {267} CHORUS 2. And the axles harsh-creaking with dissonant jar! TUTTI. O Artemis dear! CHORUS 1. And the vext air is madded with quick-brandished spears. SEMI-CHORUS 1. To Thebes, our loved city, what hope now appears? SEMI-CHORUS 2. And when shall the gods bring an end of our fears? CHORUS 1. Hark! hark! stony hail the near rampart is lashing! TUTTI. O blest Apollo! CHORUS 2. And iron-bound shield against shield is clashing!