"For that thou
Hast to the ground cast one that walked on earth,
And foully placed within the sepulchre
A living soul; and now they wait for thee,
The sure though slow avengers of the grave,
The dread Erinyes of the mighty gods."—(P.)
There shall be wailing and lamentation in the palace of Thebes, and the cities round shall rise in arms against the polluter of the holiest and most universal law of nature.
Creon, overawed by the reality of this prediction, is smitten with remorse almost before Teiresias is led from the stage. He will yield to necessity, and he summons his attendants to bring axes that may break open the tomb while there is yet time to release the maiden.
Then the Chorus utter a fervent prayer to Bacchus, "the god of many names," to come to the rescue of Thebes, the city of his mother, Semele:—
"Prince of each silver star
That breathes through darkness its celestial light,—
Lord of the train who on the car of night
Swell their wild hymns afar,—
Blest youth! high offspring of eternal Jove!
Haste, and thy fair attendants bring,
Those Naxian nymphs the livelong night who rove,
Dancing around thy throne in festive ring,
And shout Iacchus' name, their leader and their king."
Events crowd on one another in rapid succession, as the action hurries on to the catastrophe. In accord-
