The Seven Plays in English Verse Part 62

NEO. Curse me no more, But take this hallowed weapon from my hand.

PHI. What words are these? Am I again deceived?

NEO. No, by the holiest name of Zeus on high!

PHI. O voice of gladness, if thy speech be true!

NEO. The deed shall prove it. Only reach thy hand, And be again sole master of thy bow. [ODYSSEUS _appears_

OD. But I make protest, in the sight of Heaven, For Atreus' sons, and all the Achaean host.

PHI. Dear son, whose voice disturbs us? Do I hear Odysseus?

OD. Ay, and thou behold'st him nigh, And he shall force thee to the Trojan plain, Howe'er Achilles' offspring make or mar.

PHI. This shaft shall bear thee sorrow for that boast.

NEO. Let it not fly, by Heaven!

PHI. Dear child, let go Mine arm!

NEO. I will not. [_Exit_ ODYSSEUS

PHI. Ah! Why hast thou robbed My bow of bringing down mine enemy?

NEO. This were ign.o.ble both for thee and me.

PHI. One thing is manifest, the first o' the host Lying forerunners of the Achaean band, Are brave with words, but cowards with the steel.

NEO. Well, now the bow is thine. Thou hast no cause For blame or anger any more 'gainst me.

PHI. None. Thou hast proved thy birthright, dearest boy.

Not from the loins of Sisyphus thou earnest, But from Achilles, who in life was held n.o.blest of men alive, and now o' the dead.

NEO. It gladdens me that thou shouldst speak in praise Both of my sire and me. But hear me tell The boon for which I sue thee.--Mortal men Must bear such evils as high Heaven ordains; But those afflicted by self-chosen ills, Like thine to-day, receive not from just men Or kind indulgence or compa.s.sionate thought.

And thou art restive grown, and wilt not hearken, But though one counsel thee with kind'st intent, Wilt take him for a dark malignant foe.

Yet, calling Zeus to witness for my soul, Once more I will speak. Know this, and mark it well: Thou bear'st this sickness by a heavenly doom, Through coming near to Chrysa's sentinel, The lurking snake, that guards the sky-roofed fold[7].

And from this plague thou ne'er shall find reprieve While the same Sun G.o.d rears him from the east And droops to west again, till thou be come Of thine own willing mind to Troia's plain, Where our physicians, sons of Phoebus' child[8], Shall soothe thee from thy sore, and thou with me And with this bow shalt take Troy's citadel.

How do I know this? I will tell thee straight We have a Trojan captive, Helenus, Both prince and prophet, who hath clearly told This must be so, yea, and ere harvest time This year, great Troy must fall, else if his words Be falsified, who will may slay the seer.

Now, since thou know'st of this, yield thy consent; For glorious is the gain, being singled forth From all the Greeks as n.o.blest, first to come To healing hands, and then to win renown Unrivalled, vanquis.h.i.+ng all tearful Troy.

PHI. Oh how I hate my life! Why must it keep This breathing form from sinking to the shades?

How can I prove a rebel to his mind Who thus exhorts me with affectionate heart?

And yet, oh misery! must I give way?

Then how could I endure the light of heaven?

With whom could I exchange a word? Ay me!

Eyes that have seen each act of my sad life, How could ye bear it, to behold the sons Of Atreus, my destroyers, comrades now And friends! Laertes' wicked son, my friend!

And less I feel the grief of former wrong Than shudder with expectance of fresh harm They yet may work on me. For when the mind Hath once been mother of an evil brood, It nurses nought but evils. Yea, at thee I marvel. Thou should'st ne'er return to Troy, Nor suffer me to go, when thou remember'st What insult they have done thee, ravis.h.i.+ng Thy father's rights from thee. And wilt thou then Sail to befriend them, pressing me in aid?

Nay, do not, son; but, even as thou hast sworn, Convey me home, and thou, in Scyros dwelling, Leave to their evil doom those evil men.

So thou shalt win a twofold grat.i.tude From me and from my father, and not seem, Helping vile men, to be as vile as they.

NEO. 'Tis fairly spoken. Yet I would that thou Relying on my word and on Heaven's aid, Would'st voyage forth from Lemnos with thy friend.

PHI. Mean'st thou to Troy, and to the hateful sons Of Atreus, me, with this distressful limb?

NEO. Nay, but to those that will relieve the pain Of thy torn foot and heal thee of thy plague.

PHI. Thy words are horrible. What mean'st thou, boy?

NEO. The act I deem the n.o.blest for us both.

PHI. Wilt thou speak so? Where is thy fear of Heaven?

NEO. Why should I fear, when I see certain gain?

PHI. Gain for the sons of Atreus, or for me?

NEO. Methinks a friend should give thee friendly counsel.

PHI. Friendly, to hand me over to my foes?

NEO. Ah, be not hardened in thy misery!

PHI. I know thou wilt ruin me by what thou speakest.

NEO. Not I. The case is dark to thee, I see.

PHI. I know the Atreidae cast me on this rock.

NEO. But how, if they should save thee afterward?

PHI. They ne'er shall make me see Troy with my will.

NEO. Hard is my fortune, then, if by no sleight Of reasoning I can draw thee to my mind.

For me, 'twere easiest to end speech, that thou Might'st live on as thou livest in hopeless pain.

PHI. Then leave me to my fate!--But thou hast touched My right hand with thine own, and given consent To bear me to my home. Do this, dear son!

And do not linger to take thought of Troy.

Enough that name hath echoed in my groans.

NEO. If thou wilt, let us be going.

PHI. n.o.bly hast thou said the word.

NEO. Lean thy steps on mine.

PHI. As firmly as my foot will strength afford.

NEO. Ah! but how shall I escape Achaean anger?