Part 16 (1/2)

Lo, I weep with thee. 'Twas but due reward G.o.d sent on Pentheus; but for thee . . . 'Tis hard.

AGAVE.

My father, thou canst see the change in me,

[_A page or more has here been torn out of the MS. from which all our copies of ”The Bacchae” are derived. It evidently contained a speech of Agave (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance of_ DIONYSUS _upon a cloud. He must have p.r.o.nounced judgment upon the Thebans in general, and especially upon the daughters of_ CADMUS, _have justified his own action, and declared his determination to establish his G.o.dhead. Where the MS. begins again, we find him addressing_ CADMUS.]

DIONYSUS.

And tell of Time, what gifts for thee he bears, What griefs and wonders in the winding years.

For thou must change and be a Serpent Thing Strange, and beside thee she whom thou didst bring Of old to be thy bride from Heaven afar, Harmonia, daughter of the Lord of War.

Yea, and a chariot of kine--so spake The word of Zeus--thee and thy Queen shall take Through many lands, Lord of a wild array Of orient spears. And many towns shall they Destroy beneath thee, that vast horde, until They touch Apollo's dwelling, and fulfil Their doom, back driven on stormy ways and steep.

Thee only and thy spouse shall Ares keep, And save alive to the Islands of the Blest.

Thus speaketh Dionysus, Son confessed Of no man but of Zeus!--Ah, had ye seen Truth in the hour ye would not, all had been Well with ye, and the Child of G.o.d your friend!

AGAVE.

Dionysus, we beseech thee! We have sinned!

DIONYSUS.

Too late! When there was time, ye knew me not!

AGAVE.

We have confessed. Yet is thine hand too hot.

DIONYSUS.

Ye mocked me, being G.o.d; this is your wage.

AGAVE.

Should G.o.d be like a proud man in his rage?

DIONYSUS.

'Tis as my sire, Zeus, willed it long ago.

AGAVE (_turning from him almost with disdain_).

Old Man, the word is spoken; we must go.

DIONYSUS.

And seeing ye must, what is it that ye wait?