Apu Ollantay Part 14

Urco Huaranca.

Hear me, warriors of the Andes!

Already we have a valiant king, It might be he will be attacked; 'Tis said th' old Inca sends a force, The men of Cuzco now advance.

We have not a single day to lose; Call from the heights our Puna men, Prepare their arms without delay, Make Tampu strong with rampart walls, No outlet leave without a guard; On hill slopes gather pois'nous herbs To shoot our arrows, carrying death.

Ollantay (to Urco Huaranca).

Select the chiefs!

Fix all the posts for different tribes; Our foes keep marching without sleep-- Contrive to check them by surprise.

The compi[42] ruse may cause their flight.

Urco Huaranca.

Thirty thousand brave Antis are here, Amongst them no weakling is found; Apu Maruti,[43] the mighty in war, From high Uilcapampa[44] will come, On steep Tinquiqueru[45] he'll stand To march when the signal appears; On the opposite side of the stream Prince Chara[46] has mustered his force; In the gorge Charamuni[47] I post Ten thousand armed Antis on watch; Another such force is in wait On the left, in the vale of Pachar.[48]

We are ready to meet our foes, We await them with resolute calm; They will march in their confident pride Until their retreat is out off, Then the trumpet of war shall resound, From the mountains the stones shall pour down, Great blocks will be hurled from above.

The Huancas[49] are crushed or dispersed, Then the knife shall do its fell work, All will perish by blows from our hands, Our arrows will follow their flight.

People and soldiers.

It is well! It is very well!

(Cheers and martial music.)

(Exeunt.)

SCENE 2

A wild place the mountains. Distant view of Ollantay-tampu.

(Enter Rumi-naui, torn and ragged, and covered with blood, with two attendants.)

Rumi-naui.

Ah! Rumi-naui--Rumi-naui,[50]

Thou art a fated rolling stone,[51]

Escaped indeed, but quite alone, And this is now thy yarahui.

Ollantay posted on the height, Thou couldst not either fight or see, Thy men did quickly fall or flee; No room was there to move or fight.

Thou knowest now thy heart did beat And flutter like a b.u.t.terfly; Thy skill thou couldst not then apply, No course was left thee but retreat.

They had recourse to a surprise, Our warriors immolated quite.

Ah! that alone could turn thee white-- From shame like that, canst e'er arise?

By thousands did thy warriors fall, I hardly could alone escape, With open mouth fell death did gape, A great disaster did befall.

Holding that traitor to be brave, I sought to meet him face to face-- Rushing to seek him with my mace, I nearly found a warrior's grave.

My army then was near the hill, When suddenly the ma.s.sive stones Came crashing down, with cries and moans, While clarions sounded loud and shrill.

A rain of stones both great and small Down on the crowd of warriors crashed, On every side destruction flashed, Thy heart the slaughter did appal.

Like a strong flood the blood did flow, Inundating the ravine; So sad a sight thou ne'er hast seen-- No man survived to strike a blow.

O thou who art by this disgraced, What figure canst thou ever show Before the king, who seeks to know The truth, which must be faced?

'Tis better far myself to kill, Or losing every sc.r.a.p of hope, To hang my body with this rope.

(Takes a sling off his cap--going.)

Yet may it not be useful still?

(Turns again.)

When bold Ollantay's end has come.[52]

(Exit.)

SCENE 3

A garden in the house of the Virgins of the Sun. Chilca shrubs and mulli trees (Schinus Molle) with panicles of red berries. The walls of the house at the back, with a door. A gate (L.) opening on the street.