Pharaoh.-Spare me this once. I'll let them go. Take all, but stay the plague! What noise is that? Chephren. My lord, we know not. But all around are dying. Pharaoh. Where is Menes? Let some one hasten! See that he is safe! Jannes.-Horrible dream! I will not yield to shadows! Sethos.-His face blackens, his cramped and knotted limbs The gods have mercy on him.-Look at Pharaoh. Pharaoh.-This is thy hand. The threatening is fulfilled. I feel thine awful presence, dread Destroyer! I see thy dim form, and thy face severe Frowning on Egypt. Thou standest in the city, And reachest over all the land. On, on Thou movest! Still thine arm smites high and low, I see the dying thousands; populous cities Beasts, men, and gods, falling beneath thy sword. Enter a Soldier. Sethos.-Speak, Speak! Soldier.-Oh, horrible! Sethos.-Tell us the worst. Soldier. No tongue can tell.-The guards around the palace, Struck by some unknown foe, drop in their ranks, And die. Scarce half are left. Chephren.-The wretch is dead. Enter Women and Children from all parts of the palace. A Woman.-O whither shall we flee? Death follows us. Sethos.-How the king is stunned; And Jambres appears lifeless as a statue. The noise increases. Horrid tumult rages Enter many nobles. One speaks.-Saw you the awful form? Chephren.-I saw it, whither shall we flee? Where hide From this dread foe? A Noble.-Pharaoh, our children die : Noble, and slave, and prisoner in the pit. He moves not hears not.-Quick arouse thee, Pharaoh, Enter Rameses.-Pharaoh, send to Moses See the Destroyer moving o'er the land. Death fills the palace crammed with wedding guests! Enter Arsinoe.-Pharaoh, the prince is dead! The maddened roar of twice ten thousand lions ; Chephren. See the crowds pouring in on every side. Crowd.-Help Pharaoh, help! We shall be all dead men! MEMPHIS. A street at midnight. Crowds running in all directions. A confused uproar of men, and herds of wild dogs; mingled with the cry of death from every house. An old man.-O death! death! death! Thy triumphs are complete! It is the end of time. In my long life I have seen nothing equal. A young man. Gracious gods, Be merciful! Be merciful! O spare me! (He dies) Crowd. (Many falling in the street.)-Isis, have mercy! Great Osiris, save us! Old man. They will not hear you. Call on Israel's God. He hath done this. Crowd.-O God of Israel, save us! Old man.-Behold him! See you not the stern Destroyer? And know you not the cause? This day again The king refused to liberate the Hebrews. Therefore their God, enraged, pours out his vengeance An Egyptian.-Why does he refuse? Why should we suffer for the tyrant's pride? Crowd.-Down with the tyrant! To the palace! Let us all to the palace! Old man. My friends, the king himself hath not escaped. Our country's pride and ornament, prince Menes. Hear that cry! Old man.-Hark! Death has not yet finished. Old man.-See, hither comes a crowd, as if in haste. Egyptian.-They are the men Who have misled the king. Seize on the priests! Hang them in their own temples! Crowd.-Seize the magicians! Trample them under foot! (Enter priests and magicians, with a great crowd.) Chephren.-We go to Goshen, To send the Hebrews hence. Therefore, good friends, We shall be all dead men. Egyptian.-Let us go too, And beg them to be gone-force them away. Old man. Take with you money, jewels, ornaments, To buy their favour. Chephren.-To your houses! Go! Meet us at Goshen ! GOSHEN. The close of the paschal supper. Moses. Pheron, Rachel, and others. Chorus of virgins. Hail to thee, lovely bride! The God of Israel ever shield thee! 'Mid Israel's camp no plague shall blight thee; Then cheer thee, happy bride! GOSHEN. Moses and Hebrews assembled. Moses.-Children of Israel, swelling 'mid our feast The sword of the Destroyer has not fallen. Let us rejoice; and in our passover Enter an Egyptian. See, Moses.-Fear hath bereft his soul of reason. Enter another Egyptian. Egyptian.-Help, Moses, help! Am I in safety yet? Egyptian.-Oh! this horrid night! I thought all human kind had met their doom! Ne'er quit my sight. Maddened, I fled, and fled, Enter another Egyptian. Pheron.-Another fugitive! Egyptian.-Oh! Moses, stay the plague! If e'er sweet pity touched your heart, have mercy Youth and old age, are mown down like the grass. Enter others. An Egyptian.-No god is like Jehovah. He hath conquered; And Pharaoh, proud no longer, gives you freedom. You are the masters; we your lowly slaves. But O, my lord, be god-like. Spare the lives |