Apu Ollantay Part 13

(Enter OLLANTAY and URCO HUARANCA, both fully armed.)

Urco Huaranca.

Ollantay, thou hast been proclaimed By all the Antis as their Lord.

The women weep, as you will see-- They lose their husbands and their sons, Ordered to the Chayanta war.

When will there be a final stop To distant wars? Year after year They send us all to far-off lands, Where blood is made to flow like rain.

The King himself is well supplied With coca and all kinds of food.

What cares he that his people starve?

Crossing the wilds our llamas die, Our feet are wounded by the thorns, And if we would not die of thirst We carry water on our backs.

Ollantay.

Gallant friends! Ye hear those words, Ye listen to the mountain chief.

Filled with compa.s.sion for my men, I thus, with sore and heavy heart, Have spoken to the cruel king: 'The Anti-suyu must have rest; All her best men shan't die for thee, By battle, fire, and disease-- They die in numbers terrible.

How many men have ne'er returned, How many chiefs have met their death For enterprises far away?'

For this I left the Inca's court,[37]

Saying that we must rest in peace; Lot none of us forsake our hearths, And if the Inca still persists, Proclaim with him a mortal feud.

(Enter HANCO HUAYLLU, several chiefs, and a great crowd of soldiers and people.)

People.

Long Eve our king, Ollantay Bring forth the standard and the fringe, Invest him with the crimson fringe In Tampu now the Inca reigns, He rises like the star of day.

(The chiefs, soldiers, and people range them selves round. Ollantay is seated on the tiana by Hanco Huayllu, an aged Auqui or Prince.)

Hanco Huayllu.

Receive from me the royal fringe, 'Tis given by the people's will.

Uilcanota[38] is a distant land, Yet, even now, her people come To range themselves beneath thy law.

(Ollantay is invested with the fringe. He rises.)

Ollantay.

Urco Huaranca, thee I name Of Anti-suyu Chief and Lord; Receive the arrows and the plume,

(Gives them.)

Henceforth thou art our general.

People. Long life to the Mountain Chief.

Ollantay.

Hanco Huayllu,[39] of all my lords Thou art most venerable and wise, Being kin to the august High Priest, It is my wish that thou shouldst give The ring unto the Mountain Chief.

(Urco Huaranca kneels, and Hanco Huayllu addresses him.)

Hanco Huayllu.

This ring around thy finger's placed That thou mayst feel, and ne'er forget, That when in fight thou art engaged, Clemency becomes a hero chief.

Urco Huaranca.

A thousand times, ill.u.s.trious king, I bless thee for thy trust in me.

Hanco Huayllu.

Behold the valiant Mountain Chief, Now fully armed from head to foot, And bristling like the quiscahuan,[40]

Accoutred as becomes a knight.

(Turning to Urco Huaranca.)

Ne'er let thine enemies take thee in rear Man of the Puna,[41] it ne'er can be said You fled or trembled as a reed.