XERXES.
Cry, beat thy breast amain!
CHORUS.
O king, my heart is in thy woe!
XERXES.
Shriek, wail, and shriek again!
CHORUS.
O agony!
XERXES.
A blackening blow—
CHORUS.
A grievous stripe shall fall!
XERXES.
Yea, beat anew thy breast, ring out the doleful Mysian call!
CHORUS.
An agony, an agony!
XERXES.
Pluck out thy whitening beard!
CHORUS.
By handfuls, ay, by handfuls, with dismal tear-drops smeared!