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Page 1 of 11904 · PDF PAGE 13
ACTUS PRIMUS Within our temple-walls and make One glory of the skies— Until the King shall die and live, Athena never shall forgive.” MEN. Surely, O friends, at last ’tis clear The man was mad indeed! Such nonsense we did never hear As this prophetic screed! More, as ’tis never like this land Should ever see an arméd hand. JASON. Where is the son of Tyro and Poseidon? MEN. Iolchus’ King has here a dwelling-place. WOMEN. See you the sword shake—and the iron hand Not shaking? The man’s mood is full of wrath. MEN. Peace, foolish! Were it so, we wo…
1904 · PDF PAGE 76
4 ARGONAUTAE MEDEA. But this is like That Indian fable of a king: how he, Taking some woman—an indecent act Not proper to be done!—against the will Of priests or princes, sought the nuptial bed And “Climbed the bed’s disastrous side, He found a serpent, not a bride; And scarcely daring to draw breath, He passed the dumb night-hours with death, Till in the morning cold and gray The hooded fear glided away. Which morning saw ten thousand pay The price of jesting with a king!”— JASON. Indeed these toils and dangerous pursuits, Labours and journeys…
1904 · PDF PAGE 35
…s whom Demeter tamed. THESEUS. I promise thee, the next time thou art wroth, A second kindness from Alcides’ hand. ARGUS. Spare me that, King, and take, thyself, a club. JASON. King Theseus, thou art far reputed wise. Hast thou not learnt a lesson from the hap Of Heracles supreme in—shipbuilding? I by my meekness will abash thy strength. Good Argus, thou art unsurpassed in art To curve the rougher timbers, to make smooth The joints and girders, and to plane and work The iron and the nailheads, and to lift Row after raw the tiers of benches thri…
1904 · PDF PAGE 46
…jesty of light Shed from the splendour of our Queen Athena! mystery and might; These worked invisibly to bring The end of triumph to our King. Great Jason, wronged by hate of man, Shall pass the portals of the deep; Shall seek the waters wide and wan; Shall pass within the land of sleep; And there the guardians of the soil Shall rest at last from pain and toil. O ruler of the empyréan, Behold his fervour conquering The fury of the breed Cadmean, The dragons of the Theban king; And arméd men shall spring from earth In vain to ward the gloomy gir…
1904 · PDF PAGE 20
… and also “She who buildeth towns.” PELIAS. Think also, I am born of deity. I am inured to majesty; I know How venerable is the sight of kings, And how the serpent Treason writhes beneath The royal foot, conscious of its own shame, And how the Lion of Rebellion cowers Before the presence of a king unarmed, Quelled by one mild glance of authority. JASON. A king unjust is shorn of majesty. PELIAS, Still the one fool’s-word—justice—answers all. Would thou wert older and more politic! JASON. Would I were liar with thine own foul brand! The gods are…
1904 · PDF PAGE 69
ACTUS TERTIUS MEDEA. Guarding your king and queen on every side— CHORUS, We sail triumphant to the land of Greece. MEDEA. A woman’s love, a woman’s power be told Through ages, gainers of the Fleece of Gold. EXPLICIT ACTUS TERTIUS. 19
1904 · PDF PAGE 53
…oebus, subtler than the Sphinx, This plague should catch him, nor my wisdom spare. CHORUS OF HEROES. Thus hast thou sent him unto Hades, king. AEETES. Not otherwise were such gain possible. Ye are the witnesses that with much skill, And eloquence of shining words, and thought Darkling behind their measured melody, I did dissuade him. CHORUS. Such an enterprise After such toils no man should lightly leave.
1904 · PDF PAGE 14
ARGONAUTAE JASON. Iolchus’ King is here, in very truth. Where is the son of Tyro? MEN. Who art thou? JASON. Know me for Jason and great Aeson’s heir. MEN. We learn good news, most enviable sir; That Aeson hath such grand inheritance. JASON. You have grown fat beneath an evil rule. Your period is at hand. Go, one of you, And drag the impious wretch before my sight! MEN. Aeson? Thy father? JASON. Play not with my wrath! My mood is something dangerous. MEN. Dangerous sir, 1 go indeed, to bring some danger more Hither. JASON. Poltroonery dislikes t…
1904 · PDF PAGE 68
… forward ABSYRTUS.] I know a better way than that, my lord. This boy shall come with us. JASON. Ah, not to Greece! Aea needs to-morrow’s king. MEDEA. “With us” I said. ‘To Greece ”—I said not. CHORUS. What is this? Thou hintest at some dangerous destiny. MEDEA. Come, love, to the long years of love with me! JASON. Form, heroes, and in solemn order stride; The body-guardians of the Golden Fleece!
1904 · PDF PAGE 34
… Yet act not. ARGUS. Hero, stay that heavy hand! The ship shall sail ere spring. THESEUS. But now you talk More as befits a workman to a king. JASON. Be gentle now, my friends! These shipbuilders, Reared in the rugged borders of the North,
1904 · PDF PAGE 11
…phecies are spoken in vain, The auguries vainly cast, Since twenty years of joyous reign In peace are overpast; And those who cursed our King’s desires Are branded in the brow for liars. SEMI-CHORUS OF WOMEN. We heard the aged prophet speak The doom of woe and fear. We wait with blanched and icy cheek The one-and-twentieth year: For Justice lies, as seeds lie, dead, But lifts at last a Gorgon head! MEN. What fear can reach our Thessaly? What war disturb our peace?
1904 · PDF PAGE 104
…d gaily in incertitude! SECOND DANAID. Nay, grieve not, dear Medea! All men say The prophecy is well fulfilled. MEDEA. Ay me! “Until the king shall die and live again.” ALCESTIS. What means that? MEDEA, I have meditated long. SECOND DANAID. To what sad end? MEDEA. At the full end I see Allusion to my magic—to that spell Whereby an old man may renew his youth. ALCESTIS. Our father! MEDEA. You have guessed aright, my child. Your father must abandon his old age And—by my magic—find sweet youth again!
1904 · PDF PAGE 65
…the praise of the gold, and its glory be told where the heavenly fold rejoices to hold the stars in its sphere. O hero Iolchian! Warrior king! From the kingdom Colchian The Fleece dost bring! Our song shall be sung and its melody flung where the Lyre and the Tongue are fervid and young, all islands among where the Sirens sing.
1904 · PDF PAGE 15
…avails not: cast it down! The sword alone may win the crown! JASON. Ye languish wretched in the tyrant’s rule? WOMEN. Most happy are we, King. But change is sweet. JASON. A short-lived omen of success to me. WOMEN. Nay, but adventure and the prophecy! JASON. I see I have but small support in you. WOMEN. Not so, great Jason! Had I suffered much, My spirit had been broken to the scourge. Now, being strong and happy, with what joy I cry: Evohe! Revolution! I have grown weary of this tiresome peace. JASON. I promise you intense unhappiness. WOMEN, …
1904 · PDF PAGE 56
… blaspheme the gods. MEDEA. Belike I seem, O ye of little wit. CHORUS. Surely thy tender years and gentle looks Belie such hatred to our king! I scorn To triumph on an enemy once fallen. MEDEA. Fools always! I am tenderer than my years, And gentler than my glances. CHORUS. Sayst thou—what? MEDEA, Ye know me a most powerful sorceress. CHORUS. So I have heard, O lotus-footed one! Nathless I see not any miracle. MEDEA, Last night the heavy-hearted audience Broke up, and Jason wended wearily His way, oppressed by direful bodements of The fate of th…
1904 · PDF PAGE 55
ACTUS TERTIUS CHORUS. We fear indeed that in the trap Of wiles our king is taken. Lachesis shakes a careless lap And dooms divine awaken! A desolate and cruel hap In this sad hour is shaken. The desperate son and violent Of Helios hath designed A fate more hard than Pelias meant, Revolving in his mind Mischief to catch the coiled ascent Of groaning humankind. O bright Athena, hitherto Protectress of the quest, Divide the deep descending blue! Be present, ever-blest! Bring thou the hero Jason through To victory—and rest! MEDEA. Not by Athena’s c…
1904 · PDF PAGE 61
…spise Lewd conduct in the lowest, and detest Spells hurtful to the head, when ancient hags Brew their bad liquors at the waning moon, Barking their chants of murder. But to rule A land, and wive a king, and breed to him Kings—then such persons are unsuitable. MEDEA. Unless these words were well repented of I might transform ye into—— CHORUS. Stay, great queen! MEDEA. Well for your respite comes this messenger. MESSENGER. Queen and fair mother of great kings unborn, And mighty chosen of the land of Greece, A tidings of deep bliss is born to you.
1904 · PDF PAGE 25
…r’s none! Let but swords flash—and guilt grows God for might! Indeed I rule—until he come again. Ay, when the stars fall, Jason shall be king! EXPLICIT ACTUS PRIMUS. c 17
1904 · PDF PAGE 103
…e. But surely must be means—— MADNESS. The prophecy! MEDEA. Happy my thought be! I have found it! Ha! “ Athena shall relent not till the king Shall die and live.” Vainly the prophet meant Mere transference of the crown. I'll twist his saying To daze the children—fools they are! So mask Evil beneath the waxen face of Good, Trick out Calamity in robes of Luck— Come, children! Is the sun bright? And your eyes? ALCESTIS. Dear queen, all’s well with us. Such happiness Crowds daylight—even sleep seems sorrowful, Though bright with dainty dreams! FIRS…
1904 · PDF PAGE 21
…ear writ large and deep In mine old eyes? Or shudderest thou with fear? JASON. More hate than fear. In sooth, I cannot strike. PELIAS. A king is not so slain—except a madman May fall upon him with averted head. Indeed, I conquer. [Aside.] Even so, beware! Victory ill-nurtured breeds the babe defeat. [4Zoud.] Listen, my brother’s son! Nay, stoop not so, Bending ashaméd brows upon the earth! I am well weary of the world of men. I grow both old and hateful to myself, Most on the throne: power which to youth is sweet To age looks fearful. Also I ha…