Part 17 (2/2)
Over-seas if thou had'st died, Heavily had stood thy tomb, Heaped on high; but, quenched in pride, Grief were light unto thy home.
CHORUS
Loved and honoured hadst thou lain By the dead that n.o.bly fell, In the under-world again, Where are throned the kings of h.e.l.l, Full of sway adorable Thou hadst stood at their right hand-- Thou that wert, in mortal land, By Fate's ordinance and law, King of kings who bear the crown And the staff, to which in awe Mortal men bow down.
ELECTRA
Nay O father, I were fain Other fate had fallen on thee.
Ill it were if thou hadst lain One among the common slain, Fallen by Scamander's side-- Those who slew thee there should be!
Then, untouched by slavery, We had heard as from afar Deaths of those who should have died 'Mid the chance of war.
CHORUS
O child, forbear! things all too high thou sayest.
Easy, but vain, thy cry!
A boon above all gold is that thou prayest, An unreached destiny, As of the blessed land that far aloof Beyond the north wind lies; Yet doth your double prayer ring loud reproof; A double scourge of sighs Awakes the dead; th' avengers rise, though late; Blood stains the guilty pride Of the accursed who rule on earth, and Fate Stands on the children's side.
ELECTRA
That hath sped thro' mine ear, like a shaft from a bow!
Zeus, Zeus! it is thou who dost send from below A doom on the desperate doer--ere long On a mother a father shall visit his wrong.
CHORUS
Be it mine to upraise thro' the reek of the pyre The chant of delight, while the funeral fire Devoureth the corpse of a man that is slain And a woman laid low!
For who bids me conceal it! out-rending control, Blows ever stern blast of hate thro' my soul, And before me a vision of wrath and of bane Flits and waves to and fro.
ORESTES
Zeus, thou alone to us art parent now.
Smite with a rending blow Upon their heads, and bid the land be well: Set right where wrong hath stood; and thou give ear, O Earth, unto my prayer-- Yea, hear O mother Earth, and monarchy of h.e.l.l!
CHORUS
Nay, the law is sternly set-- Blood-drops shed upon the ground Plead for other bloodshed yet; Loud the call of death doth sound, Calling guilt of olden time, A Fury, crowning crime with crime.
ELECTRA
Where, where are ye, avenging powers, Puissant Furies of the slain?
Behold the relics of the race Of Atreus, thrust from pride of place!
O Zeus, what home henceforth is ours, What refuge to attain?
CHORUS
Lo, at your wail my heart throbs, wildly stirred; Now am I lorn with sadness, Darkened in all my soul, to hear your sorrow's word Anon to hope, the seat of strength, I rise,-- She, thrusting grief away, lifts up mine eyes To the new dawn of gladness.
ORESTES
Skills it to tell of aught save wrong on wrong, Wrought by our mother's deed?
Though now she fawn for pardon, sternly strong Standeth our wrath, and will nor hear nor heed; Her children's soul is wolfish, born from hers, And softens not by prayers.
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