Athaliah Part 1

Athaliah.

by J. Donkersley.

PREFACE.

Racine, the author of Athalie (Athaliah), flourished in the latter half of the 17th century. At his appearance, Corneille, the great French Dramatist, was in the full splendour of his fame, whose rival he was afterwards recognised to be. Athalie is a Tragedy in rhyme, consisting of six Iambic feet, similar to the Alexandrine verse found occasionally in our English poets at the termination of a sentence or paragraph.

Dryden, and a few others of less note, in the reign of Charles IL, introduced the rhyming drama to the English public; but the clank of its fetters was unpleasant to the British ear, which had become attuned to the freedom and majesty of blank verse. Blank verse, therefore, being our recognised vehicle of dramatic productions, has been employed in this translation. I did, however, intend in the first place to render the chorus into rhyme; but after maturer consideration it appeared to me that irregular blank verse would be more capable of tragic expression; and that it would also be more in harmony with the Hebrew rhythm as represented by the scriptures, from which the plot was appropriated.

In carrying out my conception of what the translation ought to be, I have endeavoured to preserve the dignity of the subject, without sacrificing the freedom of dramatic force. It has, therefore, not been my aim to produce smooth monotonous numbers, but to harmonize the whole versification with the spirit and conditions of the theme.

I have retained several of the French names, on account of their measure and euphony. Joas and Joad I have, I believe, invariably versified as one syllable, and Baal also, with one exception, which occurs in the first page; these words, to my judgment, being scarcely of greater quant.i.ty than thought, wrought, brought, &c.

Should the reader realize the same amount of interest in the perusal of this translation that I have had in its production, I shall be amply rewarded for the genial labour bestowed upon it.

J. DONKERSLEY,

South Street Academy,

Huddersfield.

HISTORICAL OUTLINE.

"Athaliah was the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, who exercised a sanguinary dominion over Israel, and both, (more especially Jezebel,) rendered their reign infamous by their worship of idols, and their cruel persecution of prophets. She had been espoused by Jehoram, king of Judah, son of Jehosaphat, and the seventh king of the race of David. His son, Ahaziah, seduced into idolatry, as well as Jehoram, by the example of Athaliah, after a reign of one year was put to death, together with all the princes of the house of Ahab, by Jehu, whom G.o.d had anointed by his prophets to reign over Israel, and to be the minister of his vengeance. Athaliah, irritated by the ma.s.sacre of her family, undertook on her part to exterminate the royal race of David, and accordingly perpetrated the murder of all the children of Ahaziah, her own grandchildren, Joas, at that time an infant in the cradle, alone escaped the fury of her slaughtering sword: he was rescued by Jehosabeth, the half-sister of Ahaziah (being daughter of Jehoram by a different mother), and wife of the high-priest Joad. It is the establishment of this scion of David upon the throne of his ancestors that forms the subject of this drama."

A T H A L I A H.

_ACT FIRST.--Scene I._

{JOAD, ABNER.}

{ABNER.}

TO worship the Eternal, yea, I come Into his temple, come to celebrate, According to our ancient, solemn use, In company with you, the hallowed day On which upon Mount Sinai unto us The law was given. How changed are the times!

No sooner did the sacred trumpet sound That day's return, than holy people thronged In mult.i.tudes the temple's porticos; And all in order 'fore the altar placed, Bearing the fields' new produce in their hands, Those first-fruits offered up to the One G.o.d: The sacrifices overtaxed the priests!

Stopping that concourse, an audacious woman Has changed those glorious days to days of gloom.

Scarce a small number of true worshippers Dare give faint semblance of the ancient times; The rest have shewn a fatal thoughtlessness Towards their G.o.d, or worse, have even rushed To Baal's altars to initiate Themselves into his shameful mysteries; And curse the name their fathers have invoked.

To speak right openly, I am in dread That Athaliah from the altar will Tear you, yourself; and casting off, at length, The remnants of her forced respect, complete On you her deadly vengeance.

{JOAD.}

Whence comes to-day this dark presentiment?

{ABNER.}

Think you that with impunity you can Be just and pure? since, for so long a time The queen has hated that rare constancy Which adds, in Joad, new splendour to his office; Since, for so long, your ardour for your faith Has been construed sedition and revolt.

The jealous-minded queen hates, above all, The dazzling worth of Josabet, your wife.

Though Joad is the successor of the priest-- The high priest, Aaron--Josabet is still The last king's sister. Mathan, besides, Mathan-- Apostate priest--more vile than Athaliah, Is importuning her at every hour; Mathan, the base deserter from our altars, And persecutor of all righteous zeal.

'Tis not enough his brow's encircled with A foreign mitre; e'en his ministry This Levite lends to Baal: this temple frets him, And his impiety doth wish to crush The G.o.d he has abjured. To ruin you No snare he can devise will be unwrought.

Sometimes he pities you, and frequently He even praises, and affects for you A treacherous gentleness; and by this means He deepens his malignity's dark dye.

Now, to that queen he paints you terrible; Now, seeing her insatiate l.u.s.t for gold, He feigns that in a place, to you but known, You hide the treasures David had ama.s.sed.

At last, the sombre Athaliah's seemed For two days buried in a dark chagrin.

I saw her yesterday, and watched her eye Flash on this holy place a furious glance, As if the depths of this vast edifice Concealed G.o.d's 'venger, armed to punish her.

Believe me, more I think of it and less I doubt that 'tis on you her wrath's to burst; And that the cruel Athaliah will a.s.sail our G.o.d, e'en in His sanctuary.

{JOAD.}

He who can rein the fury of the waves Knows also how to check the base one's plots: Submit with reverence to His holy will.

Dear Abner, I fear G.o.d, and no one else I have to fear. I thank you, ne'ertheless, For the observant zeal with which your eyes Are open to my peril. Secretly, I see injustice galls you,--that you have Within you still the heart of Israel: Thank G.o.d for that! But are you satisfied With this unpractised virtue--secret wrath?

Ah! Can that faith which acts not be sincere?

Usurping all the rights of David's sway, An impious stranger, now for eight years past, Hath weltered in the blood of Judah's kings Unpunished,--odious murderer of her sons; And now e'en raiseth her perfidious arm 'Gainst G.o.d: and you, though nourished in the camp Of Josaphat, the saintly king, are one Of the upholders of this tottering state; Who led our armies under Joram's son, And who alone revived our towns alarmed When the abrupt decease of Ochoziah Dispersed all his camp at Jehu's sight; G.o.d fear, I say you, and His word affects me!

Hear, how that G.o.d rebukes you by my mouth:-- "What use to vaunt your ardour for My law?

By empty vows think you to honour Me?

What value all your offerings to Me?

Need I the blood of he-goats and of heifers?

The blood of kings exclaims and is not heard: Break, break all compact with the impious!

Drive out the offences from your people's midst; And then return to offer Me your victims."

{ABNER.}

Ah! what can I amongst this down-trod race?

Powerless is Benjamin, and Judah droops: The day which saw their race of kings no more Extinguished all their spirits' ancient fire; E'en G.o.d, say they, withholds Himself from us: So jealous, formerly, of Hebrews' fame, He sees, unmoved, our grandeur crushed to earth, And, in the end, His mercy's wearied out: No more, for us, His terrible arm is seen To awe mankind with marvels numberless: The ark is mute, its oracles unspoken.

{JOAD.}

Yet, when was time so full of miracles?

When did G.o.d show His power with more effect?

Will you have always eyes that do not see A people thankless?--still your ear be struck With greatest wonders, and your heart unmoved?

Must I, then, Abner, call to mind the course Of prodigies accomplished in our days?

Of Israel's tyrants, the notorious shame, And G.o.d found true in all His menaces; The impious Ahab ruined, and his blood That drenched the field by homicide usurped; Jezebel slaughtered near that fatal field; That queen beneath the feet of horses crushed; The dogs in her inhuman blood quenched full, And the torn members of her hideous corpse; Of lying prophets, the confounded crew, And flames upon the altar fall'n from heaven; Elijah speaking like a potentate Unto the elements, the firmament As heated bra.s.s becoming, closed by him; The earth three years without both rain and dew; The dead reviving at Elisha's voice?

O, Abner, own in these transcendant deeds, A G.o.d such as He was throughout all time.

Who knoweth, when He wills, to show His glory, His people always present in His thoughts.

{ABNER.}

But where the dignities to David promised, And e'en foretold by Solomon, his son?

Alas! we hoped that from that happy race Was to descend a numerous train of kings; That over every nation, every tribe, His domination one of them should fix; Make war and tumult cease in every land, And at their feet behold all earthly kings.

{JOAD.}

Wherefore renounce the promises of heaven?