Collected Works (Vol. II)

ACTUS PRIMUS 89 JASON. I am of force, I say. I wrestled once From sunrise to sunset with Heracles, Great Heracles! Not till, the full moon rose Availed his might to lay me prone. ware ! Ye weakling knaves ! Be- I am of force, I say. PELIAS. Rebellious youth, the justice of thy cause And force I will admit—where force goes far. But think’st thou wait no wild Erinyes For thee a guest in these my halls, for thee Whose hands are dipped not yet in blood so deep As to have murdered an old man, and him Thy father’s brother? JASON. Justice covers all. The Furies cannot follow if a man To his own heart be reconciled. They feed On his own bosom, nay ! are born thereof. An alien clan he might elude, but these, Blood of his blood, he shall nor slay nor *scape.’ My heart hath never pastured on regret Or pang for thee. My justice covers all. PELIAS. That one word “ justice ” covers all indeed To thine own self. But think’st thou for a word To ruin many years of commonweal, And poison in an hour the politics Of states and thrones for—justice? Thou art just; But wisdom, but the life of innocents, The happiness of all, are better served By solemn thought and weighty counsel held, ° JASON, This is more simple. I abolish thee— One sword-sweep—and assume thy “politics.” PELIAS. Thou art. this ‘‘ simple” ! allies (Willing with age and wisdom to accord) Not tremble at thy firebrand breed, not think Who hath in blood, an old man’s blood, made fast A perilous footing, may betimes discover More ‘ justice ”—and invasion footing it Hard after? Wilt thou plunge all Thessaly, All Greece, in haste and sudden armament, Fury of thought and frenzy of deed, at once For justice? Wouldst thou be so violent For justice, save in thine own cause, O boy ? And wilt thou pity not the happy days And storm-unshatteréd abodes of Greece? Will my liege . JASON. Athena, who is Justice, also is Wisdom: 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 brand! The gods are weary of thy cozening. liar with thine own foul