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Scene the I.
Enter Talthybius, Greeks, Chorus.What long delayes the Greeks i'th' Haven make
Both to the War and now they homeward take
Their way.
Chor.
we pray you shew the causes that
Put thus long stop unto the Grecian Fleet,
And what God stops their voyage back.
Talth.
My heart
Quakes, and a horrid fear shakes every part.
A greater wonder and true too, none yet
'Ere heard of: I, nay I my self did see't.
It was when Titan first 'gan to display
His early beames; Night new o're come by Day;
When on a sodain th'Earth shoke, a hollow sound
Flew from the bottome of the rending ground.
The lofty Forrest, and the sacred Grove
Rung with the crash; the Woods their tops did move.
Idæan Rocks broke from their Cliffs fell down;
The Earth not onely shoke; but Seas did own
Achilles presence: for their Surges rose.
Immense Denns then the chapt Earth did disclose.
And gaping by the broken sides did show
The pervious way unto the Gods below.
9
Sprung the great Ghost of the Thessalian Prince,
Like as when he did Thracian armes annoy,
The Proem to thy fatall fall O Troy!
Or as when he Neptunian Cycnus fought,
Or raging in the battail all about
With a strong courage dam'd the Rivers up
With Carcasses, and did slow Xanthus stop,
Making him wander by new Fords of blood:
Or when he victor in's high Chariot stood,
Great Hector, and Troy drawing on the ground,
Wroth with these words he made the shore resound:
Away away you negligent! and pay
Due honours to my Ghost: Ingrate! away!
Launch out your Ships into our Seas! Greece shall
Appease our anger with no triviall.
A noble prize must do't. Polyxene
Unto our Ashes must betrothed be.
Let her be slain by Pyrhus hand, and her
Hot breathing blood imbrew my Sepulcher.
This said, and night now vanquish'd, down agen
He goes, and mersed in that Hellish den,
The riv'd Earth clos'd againe: the Seas lye still,
VVindes lay their threats aside; soft murmurs fill
The Aire; arising from the still'd profound;
A chore of Tritons th' Hymenæum sound.
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