The act must now be done, and that with speed.
O Death, Death, come now and look upon me.—
No, 'tis there I shall meet and speak to thee.
But thee, bright daylight which I now behold,
And Helios in his chariot I accost
For this last time of all, and then no more.
O sunlight! O thou hallowed soil, my own
Salamis, stablished seat of my sire's hearth,
And famous Athens, with thy kindred race,
And you, ye springs and streams, and Trojan plains,
Farewell, all ye who have sustained my life.
This is the last word Aias speaks to you.
All else in Hades to the dead will I say.
[He falls upon his sword.]
[Enter Semi-Chorus. 1.]
SEMI-CHORUS 1
'Tis toil on toil, and toil again.
Where! where!
Where have not my footsteps been?
And still no place reveals the secret of my search.
But hark!
There again I hear a sound.
[Enter Semi-Chorus. 2.]
SEMI-CHORUS 2
'Tis we, the ship-companions of your voyage.
SEMI-CHORUS 1
Well how now?
SEMI-CHORUS 2
We have searched the whole coast westward from the ship.
SEMI-CHORUS 1
You have found nought?
SEMI-CHORUS 2
A deal of toil, but nothing more to see.
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