She spake: her lips lay on the bed: "Ah, unavenged to die! But let me die! Thus, thus 'tis good to go into the night! 660 Now let the cruel Dardan eyes drink in the bale-fire's light, And bear for sign across the sea this token of my death." Her speech had end: but on the steel, amid the last word's breath, They see her fallen; along the blade they see her blood foam out, And all her hands besprent therewith: wild fly the shrieks about The lofty halls, and Rumour runs mad through the smitten town. The houses sound with women's wails and lamentable groan; The mighty clamour of their grief rings through the upper skies. 'Twas e'en as if all Carthage fell mid flood of enemies, Or mighty Tyre of ancient days,--as if the wildfire ran 670 Rolling about the roof of God and dwelling-place of man. Half dead her sister heard, and rushed distraught and trembling there, With nail and fist befouling all her face and bosom fair: She thrust amidst them, and by name called on the dying Queen: "O was it this my sister, then! guile in thy word hath been! And this was what the bale, the fire, the altars wrought for me! Where shall I turn so left alone? Ah, scorned was I to be For death-fellow! thou shouldst have called me too thy way to wend. One sword-pang should have been for both, one hour to make an end. Built I with hands, on Father-Gods with crying did I cry 680 To be away, a cruel heart, from thee laid down to die? O sister, me and thee, thy folk, the fathers of the land, Thy city hast thou slain----O give, give water to my hand, And let me wash the wound, and if some last breath linger there, Let my mouth catch it!" Saying so she reached the topmost stair, And to her breast the dying one she fondled, groaning sore, And with her raiment strove to staunch the black and flowing gore. Then Dido strove her heavy lids to lift, but back again They sank, and deep within her breast whispered the deadly bane: Three times on elbow struggling up a little did she rise, 690 And thrice fell back upon the bed, and sought with wandering eyes The light of heaven aloft, and moaned when it was found at last.