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SCENE IV.

The Hall of Arimanes—Arimanes on his throne, a globe of fire, surrounded by the Spirits.

HYMN OF THE SPIRITS.

Hail to our Master!-Prince of Earth and Air!
Who walks the clouds and waters-in his hand
The sceptre of the elements, which tear

Themselves to chaos at his high command!
He breatheth-and a tempest shakes the sea;
He speaketh—and the clouds reply in thunder;
He gazeth-from his glance the sunbeams flee;
He moveth-earthquakes rend the world asunder.
Beneath his footsteps the volcanos rise;

His shadow is the Pestilence; his path
The comets herald through the crackling skies;
And planets turn to ashes at his wrath.
To him War offers daily sacrifice;

To him Death pays his tribute; Life is his,
With all its infinite of agonies-

And his the spirit of whatever is!

(Enter the DESTINIES and NEMESIS.)

FIRST DESTINY.

Glory to Arimanes! on the earth

His power increaseth-both my sisters did
His bidding, nor did I neglect my duty!

SECOND DESTINY.

Glory to Arimanes! we who bow

The necks of men, bow down before his throne!

THIRD DESTINY.

Glory to Arimanes !—we await

His nod!

NEMESIS.

Sovereign of Sovereigns! we are thine,

And all that liveth, more or less, is ours,
And most things wholly so; still to increase
Our power, increasing thine, demands our care,
And we are vigilant-Thy late commands
Have been fulfilled to the utmost.

(Enter MANFRED.)

A SPIRIT.

What is here ?

A mortal!-Thou most rash and fatal wretch,
Bow down and worship!

SECOND SPIRIT.

I do know the man

A magian of great power, and fearful skill! ́

THIRD SPIRIT.

Bow down and worship, slave!-What, know'st thou not Thine and our Sovereign?-Tremble, and obey!

ALL THE SPIRITS.

Prostrate thyself, and thy condemned clay,
Child of the Earth! or dread the worst.

MANFRED.

And yet ye see I kneel not.

I know it;

FOURTH SPIRIT.

Twill be taught thee.

MANFRED.

'Tis taught already;-many a night on the earth, On the bare ground, have I bow'd down my face, And strew'd my head with ashes; I have known The fulness of humiliation, for

I sunk before my vain despair, and knelt

Το

my own desolation.

FIFTH SPIRIT.

Dost thou dare

Refuse to Arimanes on his throne

What the whole earth accords, beholding not
The terror of his glory?-Crouch! I say.

MANFRED.

Bid him bow down to that which is above him,
The overruling Infinite-the Maker

Who made him not for worship-let him kneel,
And we will kneel together.

THE SPIRITS.

Crush the worm!

Tear him in pieces!

FIRST DESTINY.

Hence! Avaunt!—he's mine,

Prince of the Powers invisible! This man

Is of no common order,

as his

port

And presence here denote; his sufferings

Have been of an immortal nature, like

Our own; his knowledge, and his powers and will, As far as is compatible with clay,

Which clogs the etherial essence, have been such

As clay hath seldom borne; his aspirations
Have been beyond the dwellers of the earth,
And they have only taught him what we know-
That knowledge is not happiness, and science
But an exchange of ignorance for that
Which is another kind of ignorance.
This is not all the passions, attributes

Of earth and heaven, from which no power, nor being,
Nor breath from the worm upwards is exempt,
Have pierced his heart; and in their consequence
Made him a thing, which I, who pity not,
Yet pardon those who pity. He is mine,
And thine, it may be-be it so, or not,
No other Spirit in this region hath
A soul like his-or power upon his soul.

NEMESIS.

What doth he here then?

FIRST DESTINY.

Let him answer that.

MANFRED.

Ye know what I have known, and without power
I could not be amongst ye: but there are
Powers deeper still beyond-I come in quest
Of such, to answer unto what I seek.

NEMESIS.

What would'st thou?

MANFRED.

Thou canst not reply to me.

Call up the dead-my question is for them.

NEMESIS.

Great Arimanes, doth thy will avouch
The wishes of this mortal?

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Shadow or Spirit!

Whatever thou art,

Which still doth inherit

The whole or a part

Of the form of thy birth,

Of the mould of thy clay,
Which returned to the earth,
Re-appear to the day!
Bear what thou borest,

The heart and the form,

And the aspect thou worest

Redeem from the worm.

Appear!-Appear!—Appear!

Who sent thee there requires thee here!

(The phantom of ASTARTE rises and stands in the midst.)

MANFRED.

Can this be Death? there's bloom upon

her check;

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