Foes of your blood, polluters of your race.

Can bird eat bird and be an holy thing?[n18]

Can man be pure, from an unwilling father

Robbing unwilling brides? Who does these deeds

Will find no refuge from lewd guilt in Hades;

For there, as we have heard, another Jove

Holds final judgment on the guilty shades.

But now be ready. Here await their coming;

May the gods grant a victory to our prayers!

Enter King.