The House of Atreus Part 23

CLYTEMNESTRA

Not cast thee out, but to a friendly home.

ORESTES

Born free, I was by twofold bargain sold.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Where then the price that I received for thee?

ORESTES

The price of shame; I taunt thee not more plainly.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Nay, but recount thy father's lewdness too.

ORESTES

Home-keeping, chide not him who toils without.

CLYTEMNESTRA

'Tis hard for wives to live as widows, child.

ORESTES

The absent husband toils for them at home.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Thou growest fain to slay thy mother, child

ORESTES

Nay, 'tis thyself wilt slay thyself, not I.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Beware thy mother's vengeful hounds from h.e.l.l.

ORESTES

How shall I 'scape my father's, sparing thee?

CLYTEMNESTRA

Living, I cry as to a tomb, unheard.

ORESTES

My father's fate ordains this doom for thee.

CLYTEMNESTRA

Ah, me! this snake it was I bore and nursed.

ORESTES

Ay, right prophetic was thy visioned fear.

Shameful thy deed was--die the death of shame!

[_Exit, driving Clytemnestra before him._

CHORUS

Lo, even for these I mourn, a double death: Yet since Orestes, driven on by doom, Thus crowns the height of murders manifold, I say, 'tis well--that not in night and death Should sink the eye and light of this our home.

There came on Priam's race and name A vengeance; though it tarried long, With heavy doom it came.

Came, too, on Agamemnon's hall A lion-pair, twin swordsmen strong.

And last, the heritage doth fall To him, to whom from Pythian cave The G.o.d his deepest counsel gave.

Cry out, rejoice! our kingly hall Hath 'scaped from ruin--ne'er again Its ancient wealth be wasted all By two usurpers, sin-defiled-- An evil path of woe and bane!

On him who dealt the dastard blow Comes Craft, Revenge's scheming child.

And hand in hand with him doth go, Eager for fight, The child of Zeus, whom men below Call Justice, naming her aright.

And on her foes her breath Is as the blast of death; For her the G.o.d who dwells in deep recess Beneath Parna.s.sus' brow, Summons with loud acclaim To rise, though late and lame, And come with craft that worketh righteousness.

For even o'er Powers divine this law is strong-- _Thou shalt not serve the wrong_.

To that which ruleth heaven beseems it that we bow.

Lo, freedom's light hath come!

Lo, now is rent away The grim and curbing bit that held us dumb.

Up to the light, ye halls! this many a day Too low on earth ye lay.

And Time, the great Accomplisher, Shall cross the threshold, whensoe'er He choose with purging hand to cleanse The palace, driving all pollution thence.

And fair the cast of Fortune's die Before our state's new lords shall lie, Not as of old, but bringing fairer doom Lo, freedom's light hath come!

[_The scene opens, disclosing Orestes standing over the corpses of Aegisthus and Clytemnestra; in one hand he holds his sword, in the other the robe in which Agamemnon was entangled and slain_.

ORESTES

There lies our country's twofold tyranny, My father's slayers, spoilers of my home.

Erst were they royal, sitting on the throne, And loving are they yet,--their common fate Tells the tale truly, shows their trothplight firm.

They swore to work mine ill-starred father's death, They swore to die together; 'tis fulfilled.

O ye who stand, this great doom's witnesses, Behold this too, the dark device which bound My sire unhappy to his death,--behold The mesh which trapped his hands, enwound his feet!

Stand round, unfold it--'tis the trammel-net That wrapped a chieftain; holds it that he see, The father--not my sire, but he whose eye Is judge of all things, the all-seeing Sun!

Let him behold my mother's d.a.m.ned deed, Then let him stand, when need shall be to me, Witness that justly I have sought and slain My mother; blameless was Aegisthus' doom-- He died the death law bids adulterers die.

But she who plotted this accursed thing To slay her lord, by whom she bare beneath Her girdle once the burden of her babes, Beloved erewhile, now turned to hateful foes-- What deem ye of her? or what venomed thing, Sea-snake or adder, had more power than she To poison with a touch the flesh unscarred?

So great her daring, such her impious will.

How name her, if I may not speak a curse?