CASSANDRA. Ah me! woe! woe! Again strong divination's troublous whirl Seizes my soul, and stirs my labouring breast With presages of doom. Lo! where they sit, These pitiful young ones on the fated roof, Like to the shapes of dreams! The innocent babes, Butchered by friends that should have blessed them, and In their own hands their proper bowels they bear, Banquet abhorred, and their own father eats it.[f28] This deed a lion, not a lion-hearted Shall punish; wantonly in her bed, whose lord Shall pay the heavy forfeit, he shall roll, And snare my master--woe's me, even _my_ master, For slavery's yoke my neck must learn to own. Ah! little weens the leader of the ships, Troy's leveller, how a hateful bitch's tongue, With long-drawn phrase, and broad-sown smile, doth weave His secret ruin. This a woman dares; The female mars the male. Where shall I find A name to name such monster? dragon dire, Rock-lurking Scylla, the vexed seaman's harm, Mother of Hades, murder's Mænad, breathing Implacable breath of curses on her kin.[f81] All-daring woman! shouting in her heart, As o'er the foe, when backward rolls the fight, Yet hymning kindliest welcome with her tongue. Ye look mistrustful; I am used to that. That comes which is to come; and ye shall know Full soon, with piteous witness in your eyes, How true, and very true, Cassandra spake. CHORUS. Thyestes' banquet, and his children's flesh I know, and shudder; strange that she should know The horrors of that tale; but for the rest She runs beyond my following. CASSANDRA. Thus I said; {79} Thine eyes shall witness Agamemnon's death CHORUS. Hush, wretched maiden! lull thy tongue to rest, And cease from evil-boding words! CASSANDRA. Alas! The gods that heal all evil, heal not this. CHORUS. If it must be; but may the gods forefend! CASSANDRA. Pray thou, and they will have more time to kill. CHORUS. What man will dare to do such bloody deed? CASSANDRA. I spake not of a _man_: thy thoughts shoot wide. CHORUS. The deed I heard, but not whose hand should do it. CASSANDRA. And yet I spake good Greek with a good Greek tongue. CHORUS. Thou speakest Apollo's words: true, but obscure.