The ignominy they thought of shall be turned
To shining, yea, to announcing through the world
How God hath used her to beguile the heathen.
It begins! Now it begins! Lo, how dismay
Is fallen on the camp in a strange wind:
The ground, that seemed as spread with yellow embers,
Leaps into blazing, and like cinders whirled
And scattered up among the flames, are black
Bands of frantic men flickering about!
Ozias! seest thou how our enemies
Are labouring in amazement? How they run
Flinging fuel to light them against fear?
Now they begin to roar their terror: now
They wave and beckon wordless desperate things
One to another.
Hear the iron and brass
Ringing above their voices, as they snatch
The arms that seem to fight among themselves,
Seized by their masters' anguish; dost thou hear
The clumsy terror in the camp, the men
Hasting to arm themselves against our God,
Ozias?
Ozias.
Lions have taken a sentinel.
A Citizen. Judith hath taken Holofernes.
Judith's voice outside, under the gate. Yea, And brought him back with her. Open the gates.
The Citizens.
Open the gates. Bring torches. Wake, ye Jews!
Hail, Judith, marvellously chosen woman!
How bringst thou Holofernes? Show him to us.
Judith. Dare you indeed behold him?
A Citizen.
Is he bound?