The Fury’s sleepless foot.

Re-enter Messenger.

Messenger.

Fear not, fair maids of Theban mothers nursed!

The city hath ’scaped the yoke; the insolent boasts

Of violent men hath fallen; the ship o’ the state

Is safe; in sunshine calm we float; in vain

Hath wave on wave lashed our sure-jointed beams,

No leaky gap our close-lipped timbers knew,

Our champions with safety hedged us round,