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Page 1 of 21906 · PDF PAGE 123
ACTUS QUINTUS 117 ALCESTIS MEDEA: ° ° Nothing. Ai Ai! Ah, dear queen, lament, lament ! onngs VAI I am undone by my own ALCESTIS. MEDEA. Al Ai! What! the work? CHORUS. ALCESTIS. Ai Ai! Ai Ai! Alas! Alas! the work! JASON. MEDEA. Thy father? ALCESTIS. Slain ! CHORUS. Ai Ai! the old man slain ! MEDEA. Ai Ai! ALCESTIS, Ai Ai! MEDEA. The strong spell broken? ALCESTIS. Nay, but thoughts arose, So many thoughts—or ever I was ware— And he—the caldron seethes —— MEDEA. He rises not? . ALCESTIS. Nought but moist smoke springs up. MEDEA. Alas! for me! All …
1906 · PDF PAGE 120
114 THE ARGONAUTS 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 ! DANAIDES. But this is very difficult to do. MEDEA. For me such miracles are merely play, Serving to while away the idle hours While Jason hunts—— ALCESTIS. Hlow grand it were to see Our aged father rival the strong youths In feats of great agility ! MEDEA. Agreed ! But surely you shoul…
1906 · PDF PAGE 107
ACTUS TERTIUS © 101 MEDEA. CHORUS. I tell you—thus the night passed. What? Canst thou save us from this newer doom ? CHORUS. Verily, MEDEA. The woman raves. MEDEA. Such victory as this Outsails all shame. Before the dawn was up I bound such talismans about his breast That fire and steel grow dew and flowery wreaths For all their power to hurt him. Presently I made a posset, drugged with somnolence, Sleepy with poppy and white hellebore, Fit for the dragon. This was my design. CHORUS. Beware thy father’s anger when he finds His plans thus baffle…
1906 · PDF PAGE 110
… of the night I may escape Aeetes. JASON. If he chase, Our Argo is not battered by rough winds So far but what some fight were possible. MEDEA. [Leads 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…
1906 · PDF PAGE 124
118 THE ARGONAUTS _ ACASTUS. What folly masks what wickedness? Speak on! ALCESTIS. I cannot speak. JASON. Speak thou, Medea! MEDEA. The child Hath hewn her sire asunder, seething him In herbs of sacred power. ACASTUS. By thy decree? MEDEA. Nay ! MADNESS. | Safer is it to admit to these Fools—charge the child with lack of fortune ! MEDEA. Yea! I bade her take a waxen shape, carved well To look like the old man ALCESTIS. Nay! nay! the Sire Himself we stole on sleeping —— CHORUS. Hewn apart ! Ai Ai! MEDEA. I said not thus ! ALCESTIS. I am so wild,…
1906 · PDF PAGE 106
…ul Struck its own bosom with the sword of thought, So that I saw not pity, but desire! CHORUS. Surely a bane more potent than the first. MEDEA. Love is itself enchantment ! CHORUS. Some kind god Whispers from this a little light of hope. MEDEA. Only the hopeless are the happy ones. CHORUS. But didst thou turn him from his gleaming goal? Cover that shame with sweeter shame than this? MEDEA. Thou knowest that his vigil was to keep, Invoking all Olympus all the night, And then to yoke the oxen, and to plough The fearful furrow, sow the dreadful se…
1906 · PDF PAGE 121
ACTUS QUINTUS ITS MEDEA. One thing remember! While you say the spell— Here is the parchment !—let no thought arise In any of your minds !1 ALCESTIS. [Zo her Sisters.] Remember that ! MEDEA. Else—Ototototoi ! FIRST DANAID. What woe is this? MEDEA, The charm is broken. SECOND DANAID., And our father MEDEA, Lost ! DANAIDES. Ai Ai! Ai Ai! Ai Ai! MEDEA, Ai Ai! Aji Ai! ALCESTIS, Be brave, dear sisters, pluck your courage up ! Easy this one condition! All is safe. MEDEA. . Haste then! Good luck attend you!) When the hunt Returns, how joyful 1 Tt isa c…
1906 · PDF PAGE 125
ACTUS QUINTUS 119 JASON. To Corinth! MEDEA. Creon bears The name of favourable to suppliants. ACASTUS. liow virtue tames these tameless ones! To-day I am indeed a man. MEDEA. Thou brainless boy ! Thus, thus, and thus I smite thee on the cheek— Thus, thus I spit upon thy face. Out, dog! SEMICHORUS I. His patience shows as something marvellous. SEMICHORUS 2. Virtue takes insult from the fortuneless. MEDEA. The curse of Ares dog you into Hades! I have my reasons [dowdtfully), ay, my reasons ‘plain ! Going, not forced. CHORUS. Yet going—that is goo…
1906 · PDF PAGE 119
…g no evil, Wielding the human By might of a devil ! But I will mock her With cunning design, In my malice lock her. The doom is divine ! MEDEA. Ai! Ai! This rankles sorely in my mind That Pelias should wander, free to slide His sidelong looks among our courtiers Ripe ever for some mischief. Yet methinks There is a wandering other than this present— Say, by the Stygian waves, unburied corpse !— But, for the means? It ill befits our power And grace—my husband’s honour—to stretch forth The arm of murder o’er the head of age. But surely must be mea…
1906 · PDF PAGE 105
…ctress 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 calm omnipotence, O heroes, look for safety! Little men;._ Looking to God, are blinded ; mighty ones, Seeking His presence, reel before the glance ; ” And They, the greatest that may be of men, Become that Light, and care no whit for earth. But all your prayers are answered by your- selves, As I myself achieve this thought of niine. CHORUS. To me thou seemest to blaspheme the gods. MEDEA…
1906 · PDF PAGE 109
…!) moving hitherward. But I took horse and hasted, since reward May greet such tidings, and for joy to see Your joy exceed my joy. Then, MEDEA. Reward indeed Awaits thee from such folk as us, who stand In fear of life, when great Aeetes hears This news, and how. all came. MESSENGER. My lady’s smile Is the reward I sought, not place nor gold. MEDEA. Thou hast it, child. SECOND MESSENGER, The hero is at hand. CHORUS. O happy of mortals! O fronter of fear, The impassable portals ! Ye heavens, give ear ! Our song shall be rolled in the praise of th…
1906 · PDF PAGE 116
…sliding amber. Dim winds shall whisper echoes of Our slow ecstatic breath, Telling all worlds how sweet is love, How beautiful is death, MEDEA. Sing, Orpheus, this doth madden them the most. Should one man leap—This tune is terrible ! ORPHEUS. T am not moved, although Tam aman. So strong a safeguard is cool chastity. MEDEA. But love thou me !_ My husband is distraught. ORPHEUS. . Madness is on him for thy punishment. MEDEA. Sing, therefore ! ORPHEUS. This last song of theirs was sweet, MEDEA. Thine therefore should be sweeter. ORPHEUS., The God…
1906 · PDF PAGE 112
…y Apollo— The Sea herself my tune and my desire ! The Sun himself my lover and my lyre! CHORUS. This song is sweeter than the honeycomb. MEDEA. Nearly as sweet as good friends quarrelling. JASON. Look, friends, methinks I see a silvern shape Like faint mist floating on the farthest sea. MEDEA. I see a barren rock above the tides. JASON. I hear a sound like water whispering. MEDEA. I hear a harsh noise like some ancient crone Muttering curses. JASON. Now [I hear a song. "Tis like some shape of sleep that moans for joy, Some bridal sob of love ! …
1906 · PDF PAGE 117
… THESEUS. There was a sweetness: whether sight or song I know not, JASON. But my veins grew strony and swollen And madness came upon me. MEDEA. You are here, Let that suffice. Jemember not ! The pleasant portals. CHORUS. Here is home at last. ORPHEUS. The sunset comes: the mist is lifted now To let the last kiss of the daylight fall Once ere night whisper. ‘‘ Sleep !” JASON. And see ! the ship Glides between walls of purple. MEDEA. The green land Cools the tired eyes. CHORUS. The rocks stand sentinel. MEDEA. Let still the song that saved us gla…
1906 · PDF PAGE 111
ACTUS QUARTUS 105 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 a…
1906 · PDF PAGE 113
…I sce entrancing woiman-forms That beckon—fairy-like and not of earth. So, fitter than the bed of this my queen To rest heroic limbs ! ) MEDEA. The wretched one ! Thou knowest that their kiss is death ! JASON. Perhaps. It were their kiss. MEDEA. Are not my kisses sweet? JASON. Listen, they sing. This time the words ring true, Sailing across that blue abyss between. Like young birds winging their bright flight the notes Glimmer across the sea. MEDEA. They sing, they sing ! PARTHENOPE. O mortal, tossed on life’s unceasing ocean, Whose waves of jo…
1906 · PDF PAGE 114
…h one shadow of my pinion. Thou only tread the path none else hath trode ! Come, lover, in my breast all blooms above, Here is thy love! MEDEA. My poet, now! The one song in the world! ORPHEUS. Above us on the mast is spread The splendour of the fleece ! Before us, Argive maidens tread The glowing isles of Greece ! Behind us, fear and toil are dead: Below, the breakers cease ! The Holy Light is on my head— My very name is Peace ! The water’s music moves; and swings The sea’s eternal breast. The wind above us whistles, rings, And wafts‘us to the…
1906 · PDF PAGE 104
… come again. With watching and with prayer we wait The imperious Destinies of Fate ! ExpLicir ACTUS SECUNDUS, ARGONAUTAE. ACTUS TERTIUS. MEDEA. AEETES, JASON, MEDEA, Messengers, Chorus of Heroes. SCENE: 7he Palace of AEETES. AEETES. Were this man son of Zeus, beloved of Heaven, And skilled with very craft of Maia’s son, Stronger than Phoebus, subtler than the Sphinx, This plague should catch him, nor my wisdom spare. CHORUS OF HEROES. Thus hast thou sent him unto Hades, king. AKEETES. Not otherwise were such gain possible. Ye are the witnesses …
1906 · PDF PAGE 115
…e coasts: we will not stay ! Dreams lure not those who ply the sail Before, the home! behind, the gale! JASON. Ah ! Iam torn, I am torn! MEDEA, God’s poet, hail ! Help us, Apollo! Light of Sun, awake ! This is the desperate hour. JASON. I have no strength. MEDEA. Beware the third, the awful ecstasy ! ORPHEUS. A higher spell controls a lower song. Listen, they sing! JASON. Joy! Joy! they sing, they sing! LEUCOSIA. O lover, I am lonely here! O lover, I am weeping ! Each pearl of ocean is a tear Let fall while love was sleeping. A tear is made of …
1906 · PDF PAGE 122
…TIS. Who shall arouse him? CHORUS. Peace, our lady sleeps. ALCESTIS. Ah ine! but she must wake ! deed Hangs on the house. A black, black MEDEA. What meets my waking ear ?. Alcestis !