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! Themselves to chaos at his high command! His shadow is the Pestilence; his path To him Death pays his tribute; Life is his, 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 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, (Enter MANFRED.) A SPIRIT. What is here ? A mortal!-Thou most rash and fatal wretch, 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, 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 MANFRED. Bid him bow down to that which is above him, Who made him not for worship-let him kneel, 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 Of earth and heaven, from which no power, nor being, NEMESIS. What doth he here then? FIRST DESTINY. Let him answer that. MANFRED. Ye know what I have known, and without power 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 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, 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; |