_Execrations of the people, Satni cannot speak. The High Priest is borne out on his throne accompanied by Rheou._ SATNI [_when the uproar subsides_] I was in the temple-- PEOPLE. That is a lie! SATNI. It was I who made the head of the image bow. PEOPLE. He blasphemes. Have done! Have done! Let him not blaspheme! SATNI. It was I! And I ask your forgiveness. A MAN. Why should you do it, if you despise our gods? SATNI. I did it out of pity. PEOPLE. We have no need of your pity. SATNI. That is true. You have need only of my courage. And I failed you. I was touched by your tears. I was weak, thinking to be kind. A MAN. You are not kind. You would have handed us over to foreign gods. PEOPLE. Yes! yes! that is true! SATNI. I gave you the lie that you begged for. I wanted to lull your sorrows to sleep. A MAN. You have brought down on us the anger of the gods. ANOTHER. The evils that crush us, 'tis you have let them loose on us. ALL. Yes, yes! Liar! Curse you! Let him be accursed! SATNI. Curse me. You are right. I am guilty. I had not the strength to persevere; to lead you, in spite of your tears, to the summits I would lead you to. To still a few sobs, to give hope to some who were stricken, I worked the miracle; and, beholding that false miracle, you made submission. I have confirmed, I have strengthened the empire of the lie. A MAN. 'Twas you who lied. SATNI. I have given back your minds, for another age, to slavery and debasement. I have given back to the priests their power that was endangered. I have given them means to increase your burdens, to take your daughters, to send you to a war, covetous, murderous, and unjust. A MAN. You are a spy from Ethiopia! ANOTHER. You are a traitor to your country! ALL. Yes! a traitor! Death to the traitor! SATNI. And to defend your tyrants, you will kill men as wretched as yourselves, dupes like you, and like you enslaved. A MAN. We know you are paid to betray Egypt! ALL. Yes, we know it! We know the price of your treason! ANOTHER. You would sell Egypt, and 'tis to weaken us you would overthrow our gods. ALL. Traitor! Traitor! SATNI. If I am a traitor, 'tis to my own cause! But a while ago I was proud of my deed, thinking I had sacrificed myself to you. Alas! I only sacrificed your future to my pity. I wept for you; to weep for misfortune--what is that but an easy escape from the duty of fighting its cause? I pitied you. Pity is but a weakness, a submission--To perpetuate the falsehood of the miracle, and the life of atonement to come is to drug misery to sleep. A MAN. Misery!--can you give us anything to cure it? _They laugh._ SATNI. They have implanted in you, the belief that misery is immortal, invincible. By my falsehood, I too have seemed to admit this; and thus I have helped those, in whose interest it is that misery should last for ever. A MAN. He insults the Pharaoh! ANOTHER. Do not insult our priests!