The luscious fruit. When thus through that dark world of souls Sweet Orpheus poured such heavenly strains 1080 That the impious rock of Sisyphus Was moved to follow him; Then did the goddesses of fate Renew the exhausted thread of life For fair Eurydice. But when, Unmindful of the law they gave, 1085 And scarce believing that his wife Was following, the hapless man Looked back, he lost his prize of song; For she, who to the very verge Of life had come again, fell back And died again. Then, seeking solace still in song, 1090 Orpheus unto the Getans sang: * * * * * The gods themselves are under law, Yea he, who through the changing year Directs the seasons in their course. 1095 * * * * * Dead Hercules bids us believe The bard, that not for any man The fates reweave the broken web; And that all things which have been born, 1100 And shall be, are but born to die. When to the world the day shall come On which the reign of law shall cease, Then shall the southern heavens fall, And overwhelm broad Africa 1105 With all her tribes; the northern skies Shall fall upon those barren plains Where sweep the blasts of Boreas. Then from the shattered heaven the sun Shall fall, and day shall be no more. 1110 The palace of the heavenly ones Shall sink in ruins, dragging down The east and western skies. Then death And chaos shall o'erwhelm the gods 1115 In common ruin; and at last, When all things else have been destroyed, Death shall bring death unto itself. Where shall the earth find haven then? Will hades open wide her doors To let the shattered heavens in? 1120 Or is the space 'twixt heaven and earth Not great enough (perchance too great) For all the evils of the world? What place is great enough to hold Such monstrous ills of fate?[37] What place Will hold the gods? Shall one place then 1125 Contain three kingdoms--sea and sky And Tartara?-- But what outrageous clamor this That fills our frightened ears? Behold, It is the voice of Hercules. 1130 FOOTNOTES: [30] Lines 725-28 follow the text of Schroeder. [31] Reading, _funus_. [32] Reading, _quid stupes factum scelus?_ [33] Reading, _reddi_. [34] Reading, _vacat_. [35] Reading, _restitit_. [36] Reading, _atras_. [37] Reading, _fati_. ACT IV [_Enter_ Hercules _in the extremity of suffering_.]