36
THE RlTES OF ELEUSIS
ΑυτοΝοΕ.
Sisters, Ο sisters!
AGAVE, Say, are our brothers of the rocks awake?
ΑυτοΝοΕ. The lion roars.
M/ENADS.
O listen to the snake!
AUTONOE. Evoe, Ho!
Give me to drink!
AGAVE.
Run wild!
Mountain and mountain let us leap upon
Like tigers on their prey!
MAENADS.
Crush, crush the world
I
AGAVE, Tread earth as ’twere a winepressl
AUTONOE.
Drink its blood,
The sweet red wine!
M/ENADS.
Ay, drink the old earth dry!
AGAVE. Squeeze the last drops out till the frame collapse
Like an old wineskin!
AUTONOE.
So the sooner sup
Among the stars
!
AGAVE.
The swift, swift stars!
MlENADS.
0 night!
Night, night, fall deep and sure!
AUTONOE.
Fall soft and sweet!
AGAVE. Moaning for love the woods lie.
AUTONOE.
Sad the land
Lies thirsty for our kisses.
MAENADS.
All wild things
Yearn towards the kiss that ends in blood.
AGAVE,
Blood! Blood |
Bring wine! Ha! Bromius, Bromius!
M/ENADS
Come, sweet God,
Come forth and lie with us!