The Electra of Euripides Part 11

ELECTRA.

With all that died at Ilion for thy sake ...

OLD MAN.

And hate earth's dark defilers; help us now!

ELECTRA.

Dost hear us yet, O thou in deadly wrong, Wronged by my mother?

OLD MAN.

Child, we stay too long.

He hears; be sure he hears!

ELECTRA.

And while he hears, I speak this word for omen in his ears: "Aegisthus dies, Aegisthus dies."... Ah me, My brother, should it strike not him, but thee, This wrestling with dark death, behold, I too Am dead that hour. Think of me as one true, Not one that lives. I have a sword made keen For this, and shall strike deep.

I will go in And make all ready. If there come from thee Good tidings, all my house for ecstasy Shall cry; and if we hear that thou art dead, Then comes the other end!--Lo, I have said.

ORESTES.

I know all, all.

ELECTRA.

Then be a man to-day!

[ORESTES _and the_ OLD MAN _depart_.

O Women, let your voices from this fray Flash me a fiery signal, where I sit, The sword across my knees, expecting it.

For never, though they kill me, shall they touch My living limbs!--I know my way thus much.

[_She goes into the house_.

CHORUS.

When white-haired folk are met [_Strophe_.

In Argos about the fold, A story lingereth yet, A voice of the mountains old, That tells of the Lamb of Gold: A lamb from a mother mild, But the gold of it curled and beat; And Pan, who holdeth the keys of the wild, Bore it to Atreus' feet: His wild reed pipes he blew, And the reeds were filled with peace, And a joy of singing before him flew, Over the fiery fleece: And up on the based rock, As a herald cries, cried he: "Gather ye, gather, O Argive folk, The King's Sign to see, The sign of the blest of G.o.d, For he that hath this, hath all!"

Therefore the dance of praise they trod In the Atred brethren's hall.

They opened before men's eyes [_Antistrophe_.

That which was hid before, The chambers of sacrifice, The dark of the golden door, And fires on the altar floor.

And bright was every street, And the voice of the Muses' tree.

The carven lotus, was lifted sweet; When afar and suddenly, Strange songs, and a voice that grew: "Come to your king, ye folk!

Mine, mine, is the Golden Ewe!"

'Twas dark Thyestes spoke.

For, lo, when the world was still, With his brother's bride he lay, And won her to work his will, And they stole the Lamb away!

Then forth to the folk strode he, And called them about his fold, And showed that Sign of the King to be, The fleece and the horns of gold.

Then, then, the world was changed; [_Strophe_ 2.

And the Father, where they ranged, Shook the golden stars and glowing, And the great Sun stood deranged In the glory of his going.

Lo, from that day forth, the East Bears the sunrise on his breast, And the flaming Day in heaven Down the dim ways of the west Driveth, to be lost at even.

The wet clouds to Northward beat; And Lord Ammon's desert seat Crieth from the South, unslaken, For the dews that once were sweet, For the rain that G.o.d hath taken.

'Tis a children's tale, that old [_Antistrophe_ 2.

Shepherds on far hills have told; And we reck not of their telling, Deem not that the Sun of gold Ever turned his fiery dwelling,

Or beat backward in the sky, For the wrongs of man, the cry Of his ailing tribes a.s.sembled, To do justly, ere they die!

Once, men told the tale, and trembled;

Fearing G.o.d, O Queen: whom thou Hast forgotten, till thy brow With old blood is dark and daunted.

And thy brethren, even now, Walk among the stars, enchanted.

LEADER.

Ha, friends, was that a voice? Or some dream sound Of voices shaketh me, as underground G.o.d's thunder shuddering? Hark, again, and clear!

It swells upon the wind.--Come forth and hear!

Mistress, Electra!

ELECTRA, _a bare sword in her hand, comes from the house._

ELECTRA.

Friends! Some news is brought?

How hath the battle ended?

LEADER.

I know naught.

There seemed a cry as of men ma.s.sacred!

ELECTRA.

I heard it too. Far off, but still I heard.

LEADER.

A distant floating voice ... Ah, plainer now!

ELECTRA.

Of Argive anguish!--Brother, is it thou?