CHORUS


Some Maidens           1200   
O hounds raging and blind,      
  Up by the mountain road,      
Sprites of the maddened mind,      
  To the wild Maids of God;           1204   
Fill with your rage their eyes,      
  Rage at the rage unblest,      
Watching in woman’s guise,      
  The spy upon God’s Possessed.           1208   
    
A Bacchanal


Who shall be first, to mark      
  Eyes in the rock that spy,      
Eyes in the pine-tree dark—      
  Is it his mother?—and cry:           1212   
“Lo, what is this that comes,      
  Haunting, troubling still,      
Even in our heights, our homes,      
  The wild Maids of the Hill?           1216   
What flesh hare this child?      
  Never on woman’s breast      
Changeling so evil smiled;      
  Man is he not, but Beast!           1220   
Loin-shape of the wild,      
  Gorgon-breed of the waste!”      
    
All the Chorus


        Hither, for doom and deed!      
          Hither with lifted sword,           1224   
          Justice, Wrath of the Lord,      
        Come in our visible need!      
        Smite till the throat shall bleed,      
        Smite till the heart shall bleed,           1228   
Him the tyrannous, lawless, Godless, Echîon’s earth-born seed!      
    
Other Maidens


Tyrannously hath he trod;      
  Marched him, in Law’s despite,      
Against thy Light, O God,           1232   
  Yea, and thy Mother’s Light;      
Girded him, falsely bold,      
  Blinded in craft, to quell      
And by man’s violence hold           1236   
  Things unconquerable      
    
A Bacchanal


A strait pitiless mind      
  Is death unto godliness;      
And to feel in human kind           1240   
  Life, and a pain the less.      
Knowledge, we are not foes!      
  I seek thee diligently;      
But the world with a great wind blows,           1244   
  Shining, and not from thee;      
Blowing to beautiful things,      
  On, amid dark and light,      
Till Life, through the trammellings           1248   
  Of Laws that are not the Right,      
Breaks, clean and pure, and sings      
  Glorying to God in the height!      
    
All the Chorus


        Hither for doom and deed!           1252   
          Hither with lifted sword,      
          Justice, Wrath of the Lord,      
        Come in our visible need!      
        Smite till the throat shall bleed,           1256   
        Smite till the heart shall bleed,      
Him the tyrannous, lawless, Godless, Echîon’s earth born seed!      
    
LEADER


Appear, appear, whatso thy shape or name      
  O Mountain Bull, Snake of the Hundred Heads,           1260   
      Lion of Burning Flame!      
O God, Beast, Mystery, come! Thy mystic maids      
Are hunted!—Blast their hunter with thy breath,      
      Cast o’er his head thy snare;           1264   
And laugh aloud and drag him to his death,      
  Who stalks thy herded madness in its lair!      
    
Enter hastily a MESSENGER from the Mountain, pale and distraught.


MESSENGER


Woe to the house once blest in Hellas! Woe      
To thee, old King Sidonian, who didst sow           1268   
The dragon-seed on Ares’ bloody lea!      
Alas, even thy slaves must weep for thee!      
    
LEADER


News from the mountain?—Speak! How hath it sped?      
    
MESSENGER


Pentheus, my king, Echîon’s son, is dead!           1272   
    
LEADER


          All hail, God of the Voice,      
          Manifest ever more!      
    
MESSENGER


What say’st thou?—And how strange thy tone, as though      
In joy at this my master’s overthrow!           1276   
    
LEADER


        With fierce Joy I rejoice,      
          Child of a savage shore;      
For the chains of my prison are broken, and the dread where I cowered of yore!      
    
MESSENGER


And deem’st thou Thebes so beggared, so forlorn           1280   
Of manhood, as to sit beneath thy scorn?      
    
LEADER


      Thebes bath o’er me no sway!      
      None save Him I obey,      
Dionysus, Child of the Highest, Him I obey and adore!           1284   
    
MESSENGER


One can forgive thee!—Yet ’tis no fair thing,      
Maids, to rejoice in a man’s suffering.      
    
LEADER


      Speak of the mountain side!      
      Tell us the doom he died,           1288   
The sinner smitten to death, even where his sin was sore!      
    
MESSENGER


We climbed beyond the utmost habitings      
Of Theban shepherds, passed Asopus’ springs,      
And struck into the land of rock on dim           1292   
Kithaeron—Pentheus, and, attending him,      
I, and the Stranger who should guide our way,      
Then first in a green dell we stopped, and lay,      
Lips dumb and feet unmoving, warily           1296   
Watching, to be unseen and yet to see.      
  A narrow glen it was, by crags o’ertowered,      
Torn through by tossing waters, and there lowered      
A shadow of great pines over it. And there           1300   
The Maenad maidens sate; in toil they were,      
Busily glad. Some with an ivy chain      
Tricked a worn wand to toss its locks again;      
Some, wild in joyance, like young steeds set free,           1304   
Made answering songs of mystic melody.      
  But my poor master saw not the great band      
Before him. “Stranger,” he cried, “where we stand      
Mine eyes can reach not these false saints of thine.           1308   
Mount we the bank, or some high-shouldered pine,      
And I shall see their follies clear!” At that      
There came a marvel. For the Stranger straight      
Touched a great pine-tree’s high and heavenward crown,           1312   
And lower, lower, lower, urged it down      
To the herbless floor. Round like a bending bow,      
Or slow wheel’s rim a joiner forces to,      
So in those hands that tough and mountain stem           1316   
Bowed slow—oh, strength not mortal dwelt in them!—      
To the very earth. And there he set the King,      
And slowly, lest it cast him in its spring,      
Let back the young and straining tree, till high           1320   
It towered again amid the towering sky;      
And Pentheus in the branches! Well, I ween,      
He saw the Maenads then, and well was seen!      
For scarce was he aloft, when suddenly           1324   
There was no stranger any more with me,      
But out of Heaven a Voice—oh, what voice else?—      
’Twas He that called! “Behold, O damosels,      
I bring ye him who turneth to despite           1328   
Both me and ye, and darkeneth my great Light.      
’Tis yours to avenge!” So spake he, and there came      
’Twixt earth and sky a pillar of high flame.      
And silence took the air, and no leaf stirred           1332   
In all the forest dell. Thou hadst not heard      
In that vast silence any wild things’s cry.      
And up they sprang; but with bewildered eye,      
Agaze and listening, scarce yet hearing true.           1336   
Then came the Voice again. And when they knew      
Their God’s clear call, old Cadmus’ royal brood,      
Up, like wild pigeons startled in a wood,      
On flying feet they came, his mother blind,           1340   
Agâvê, and her sisters, and behind      
All the wild crowd, more deeply maddened then,      
Through the angry rocks and torrent-tossing glen,      
Until they spied him in the dark pine-tree:           1344   
Then climbed a crag hard by and furiously      
Some sought to stone him, some their wands would fling      
Lance-wise aloft, in cruel targeting.      
But none could strike. The height o’ertopped their rage,           1348   
And there he clung, unscathed, as in a cage      
Caught. And of all their strife no end was found.      
Then, “Hither,” cried Agâvê; “stand we round      
And grip the stem, my Wild Ones, till we take           1352   
This climbing cat-o’-the-mount! He shall not make      
A tale of God’s high dances!” Out then shone      
Arm upon arm, past count, and closed upon      
The pine, and gripped; and the ground gave, and down           1356   
It reeled. And that high sitter from the crown      
Of the green pine-top, with a shrieking cry      
Fell, as his mind grew clear, and there hard by      
Was horror visible. ’Twas his mother stood           1360   
O’er him, first priestess of those rites of blood.      
He tore the coif, and from his head away      
Flung it, that she might know him, and not slay      
To her own misery. He touched the wild           1364   
Cheek, crying: “Mother, it is I, thy child,      
Thy Pentheus, born thee in Echîon’s hall!      
Have mercy, Mother! Let it not befall      
Through sin of mine, that thou shouldst slay thy son!”           1368   
  But she, with lips a-foam and eyes that run      
Like leaping fire, with thoughts that ne’er should be      
On earth, possessed by Bacchios utterly,      
Stays not nor hears. Round his left arm she put           1372   
Both hands, set hard against his side her foot,      
Drew … and the shoulder severed!—not by might      
Of arm, but easily, as the God made light      
Her hand’s essay. And at the other side           1376   
Was Ino rending; and the torn flesh cried,      
And on Autonoë pressed, and all the crowd      
Of ravening arms. Yea, all the air was loud      
With groans that faded into sobbing breath,           1380   
Dim shrieks, and joy, and triumph-cries of death.      
And here was borne a severed arm, and there      
A hunter’s hooted foot; white bones lay bare      
With rending; and swift hands ensanguinèd           1384   
Tossed as in sport the flesh of Pentheus dead.      
His body lies afar. The precipice      
Hath part, and parts in many an interstice      
Lurk of the tangled woodland—no light quest           1388   
To find. And, ah, the head! Of all the rest,      
His mother hath it, pierced upon a wand,      
As one might pierce a lion’s, and through the land,      
Leaving her sisters in their dancing place,           1392   
Bears it on high! Yea, to these walls her face      
Was set, exulting in her deed of blood,      
Calling upon her Bromios, her God,      
Her Comrade, Fellow-Render of the Prey,           1396   
Her All-Victorious, to whom this day      
She bears in triumph … her own broken heart!      
  For me, after that sight, I will depart      
Before Agâvê comes.—Oh, to fulfil           1400   
God’s laws, and have no thought beyond His will,      
Is man’s hest treasure. Aye, and wisdom true,      
Methinks, for things of dust to cleave unto!  [The MESSENGER departs into the Castle.

   
CHORUS

Some Maidens


Weave ye the dance, and call           1404   
      Praise to God!      
Bless ye the Tyrant’s fall!      
      Down is trod      
Pentheus, the Dragon’s Seed!           1408   
Wore he the woman’s weed?      
Clasped he his death indeed,      
      Clasped the rod?      
    
A Bacchanal


Yea, the wild ivy lapt him, and the doomed           1412   
Wild Bull of Sacrifice before him loomed!      
    
Others


Ye who did Bromios scorn,      
      Praise Him the more,      
Bacchanals, Cadmus-born;           1416   
      Praise with sore      
Agony, yea, with tears!      
Great are the gifts he bears!      
Hands that a mother rears           1420   
      Red with gore!      
    
LEADER


But stay, Agâvê cometh! And her eyes      
Make fire around her, reeling! Ho, the prize      
Cometh! All hail, O Rout of Dionyse!  [Enter from the Mountain AGAVE, mad, and to all seeming wondrously happy, bearing the head of PENTHEUS in her hand. The CHORUS MAIDENS stand horror-struck at the sight; the LEADER, also horror-struck, strives to accept it and rejoice in it as the God’s deed.           1424   
    
AGAVE


Ye from the lands of Morn!      
    
LEADER


  Call me not; I give praise!      
    
AGAVE


Lo, from the trunk new-shorn      
Hither a Mountain Thorn           1428   
Bear we! O Asia-born      
  Baechanals, bless this chase!      
    
LEADER


I see. Yea; I see.      
Have I not welcomed thee?           1432   
    
AGAVE (very calmly and peacefully)


He was young in the wildwood:      
  Without nets I caught him!      
    Nay; look without fear on      
      The Lion; I have ta’en him!           1436   
    
LEADER


Where in the wildwood?      
  Whence have ye brought him?      
    
AGAVE


    Kithaeron…      
    
LEADER


                  Kithaeron?           1440   
    
AGAVE


The Mountain hath slain him!      
    
LEADER


Who first came nigh him?      
    
AGAVE


  I, I, ’tis confessèd!      
And they named me there by him           1444   
  Agâvê the Blessèd!      
    
LEADER


Who was next in the hand on him?      
    
AGAVE


The daughters….      
    
LEADER


                  The daughters?           1448   
    
AGAVE


Of Cadmus laid hand on him.      
  But the swift hand that slaughters      
Is mine; mine is the praise!      
Bless ye this day of days!  [The LEADER tries to speak, but is not able; AGAVE begins gently stroking the head.           1452   
    
AGAVE


Gather ye now to the feast!      
    
LEADER


Feast!—O miserable!      
    
AGAVE


See, it falls to his breast,      
Curling and gently tressed,           1456   
The hair of the Wild Bull’s crest—      
  The young steer of the fell!      
    
LEADER


Most like a beast of the wild      
That head, those lacks defiled.           1460   
    
AGAVE (lifting up the head, more excitedly)


He wakened his Mad Ones,      
  A Chase-God, a wise God!      
    He sprang them to seize this!      
      He preys where his band preys.           1464   
    
LEADER (brooding, with horror)


In the trail of thy Mad Ones      
  Thou tearest thy prize, God!      
    
AGAVE


  Dost praise it?      
    
LEADER


                  I praise this?           1468   
    
AGAVE


      Ah, soon shall the land praise!      
    
LEADER


And Pentheus, O Mother,      
  Thy child?      
    
AGAVE


              He shall cry on           1472   
My name as none other,      
  Bless the spoils of the Lion!      
    
LEADER


Aye, strange is thy treasure!      
    
AGAVE


And strange was the taking!           1476   
    
LEADER


  Thou art glad?      
    
AGAVE


                  Beyond measure;      
    Yea, glad in the breaking      
Of dawn upon all this land,           1480   
By the prize, the prize of my hand!      
    
LEADER


Show them to all the land, unhappy one,      
The trophy of this deed that thou hast done!      
    
AGAVE


Ho, all ye men that round the citadel           1484   
And shining towers of ancient Thêbê dwell,      
Come! Look upon this prize, this lion’s spoil,      
That we have taken—yea, with our own toil,      
We, Cadmus’ daughters! Not with leathern-set           1488   
Thessalian javelins, not with hunter’s net,      
Only white arms and swift hands’ bladed fall.      
Why make ye much ado, and boast withal      
Your armourers’ engines? See, these palms were bare           1492   
That caught the angry beast, and held, and tare      
The limbs of him!… Father!… Go, bring to me      
My father!… Aye, and Pentheus, where is he,      
My son? He shall set up a ladder-stair           1496   
Against this house, and in the triglyphs there      
Nail me this lion’s head, that gloriously      
I bring ye, having slain him—I, even I!  [She goes through the crowd towards the Castle, showing the head and looking for a place to hang it. Enter from the Mountain CADMUS, with attendants, bearing the body of PENTHEUS on a bier.      
    
CADMUS


On, with your awful burden. Follow me,           1500   
Thralls, to his house, whose body grievously      
With many a weary search at last in dim      
Kithaeron’s glens I found, torn limb from limb,      
And through the intervening forest weed           1504   
Scattered.—Men told me of my daughters’ deed,      
When I was just returned within these walls,      
With grey Teiresias, from the Bacchanals.      
And back I hied me to the hills again           1508   
To seek my murdered son. There saw I plain      
Actaeon’s mother, ranging where he died,      
Autonoë; and Ino by her side,      
Wandering ghastly in the pine-copses.           1512   
  Agâvê was not there. The rumour is      
She cometh fleet-foot hither.—Ah! ’Tis true;      
A sight I scarce can bend mine eyes unto.      
    
AGAVE


(turning from the Palace and seeing him)           1516   
My father, a great boast is thine this hour.      
Thou hast begotten daughters, high in power      
And valiant above all mankind—yea, all      
Valiant, though none like me! I have let fall           1520   
The shuttle by the loom, and raised my hand      
For higher things, to slay from out thy land      
Wild beasts! See, in mine arms I hear the prize,      
That nailed above these portals it may rise           1524   
To show what things thy daughters did! Do thou      
Take it, and call a feast. Proud art thou now      
And highly favoured in our valiancy!

   
CADMUS


O depth of grief, how can I fathom thee           1528   
Or look upon thee!—Poor, poor bloodstained hand!      
Poor sisters!—A fair sacrifice to stand      
Before God’s altars, daughter; yea, and call      
Me and my citizens to feast withal!           1532   
  Nay, let me weep—for thine affliction most,      
Then for mine own. All, all of us are lost,      
Not wrongfully, yet is it hard, from one      
Who might have loved—our Bromios, our own!           1536   
    
AGAVE


How crabbèd and how scowling in the eyes      
Is man’s old age!—Would that my son likewise      
Were happy of his hunting, in my way      
When with his warrior hands he will essay           1540   
The wild beast!—Nay, his valiance is to fight      
With God’s will! Father, thou shouldst set him right…..      
Will no one bring him thither, that mine eyes      
May look on his, and show him this my prize!           1544   
    
CADMUS


Alas, if ever ye can know again      
The truth of what ye did, what pain of pain      
That truth shall bring! Or were it best to wait      
Darkened for evermore, and deem your state           1548   
Not misery, though ye know no happiness?      
    
AGAVE


What seest thou here to chide, or not to bless?      
    
CADMUS (after hesitation, resolving himself)


Raise me thine eyes to yon blue dome of air!      
    
AGAVE


’Tis done. What dost thou bid me seek for there?           1552   
    
CADMUS


Is it the same, or changèd in thy sight?      
    
AGAVE


More shining than before, more heavenly bright!      
    
CADMUS


And that wild tremour, is it with thee still?      
    
AGAVE (troubled)


I know not what thou sayest; but my will           1556   
Clears, and some change cometh, I know not how.      
    
CADMUS


Caust hearken then, being changed, and answer Dow!      
    
AGAVE


I have forgotten something; else I could.      
    
CADMUS


What husband led thee of old from mine abode?           1560   
    
AGAVE


Echîon, whom men named the Child of Earth.      
    
CADMUS


And what child in Echîon’s house had birth?      
    
AGAVE


Pentheus, of my love and his father’s bred.      
    
CADMUS


Thou bearest in thine arms an head-what head?           1564   
    
AGAVE (beginning to tremble, and not looking at what she carries)


A lion’s—so they all said in the chase.      
    
CADMUS


Turn to it now—’tis no long toil—and gaze.      
    
AGAVE


Ah! But what is it? What am I carrying here?      
    
CADMUS


Look once upon it full, till all be clear!           1568   
    
AGAVE


I see … most deadly pain! Oh, woe is me!      
    
CADMUS


Wears it the likeness of a lion to thee?      
    
AGAVE


No; ’tis the head—O God!—of Pentheus, this!      
    
CADMUS


Blood-drenched ere thou wouldst know him! Aye ’tis his.           1572   
    
AGAVE


Who slew him?—How came I to hold this thing?      
    
CADMUS


O cruel Truth, is this thine home-coming?      
    
AGAVE


Answer! My heart is hanging on thy breath!      
    
CADMUS


’Twas thou.—Thou and thy sisters wrought his death.           1576   
    
AGAVE


In what place was it? His own house, or where?      
    
CADMUS


Where the dogs tore Actaeon, even there.      
    
AGAVE


Why went he to Kithaeron? What sought he?      
    
CADMUS


To mock the God and thine own ecstasy.           1580   
    
AGAVE


But how should we he on the hills this day?      
    
CADMUS


Being mad! A spirit drove all the land that way.      
    
CADMUS


’Tis Dionyse hath done it! Now I see.      
    
CADMUS (earnestly)


Ye wronged Him! Ye denied his deity!           1584   
    
AGAVE (turning from him)


Show me the body of the son I love!      
    
CADMUS (leading her to the bier)


’Tis here, my child. Hard was the quest thereof.      
    
AGAVE


Laid in due state?  [As there is no answer, she lifts the veil of the bier, and sees.      
                    Oh, if I wrought a sin,           1588   
’Twas mine! What portion had my child therein!      
    
CADMUS


He made him like to you, adoring not      
The God; who therefore to one bane hath brought      
You and this body, wrecking all our line,           1592   
And me. Aye, no man-child was ever mine;      
And now this first-fruit of the flesh of thee,      
Sad woman, foully here and frightfully      
Lies murdered! Whom the house looked up unto,  [Kneeling by the body.           1596   
O Child, my daughter’s child! who heldest true      
My castle walls; and to the folk a name      
Of fear thou wast; and no man sought to shame      
My grey beard, when they knew that thou wast there,           1600   
Else had they swift reward!—And now I fare      
Forth in dishonour, outcast, I, the great      
Cadmus, who sowed the seed-rows of this state      
Of Thebes, and reaped the harvest wonderful.           1604   
O my belovèd, though thy heart is dull      
In death, O still belovèd, and alway      
Beloved! Never more, then, shalt thou lay      
Thine hand to this white heard, and speak to me           1608   
Thy “Mother’s Father”; ask “Who wrongeth thee?      
Who stints thine honour, or with malice stirs      
Thine heart? Speak, and I smite thine injurers!”      
But now—woe, woe, to me and thee also,           1612   
Woe to thy mother and her sisters, woe      
Alway! Oh, whoso walketh not in dread      
Of Gods, let him but look on this man dead!

LEADER


Lo, I weep with thee. ’Twas but due reward           1616   
God 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 Bacchæ” are derived. It evidently contained a speech of Agâvê (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance of DIONYSUS upon a cloud. He must have pronounced 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 godhead. Where the MS. begins again, we find him addressing CADMUS.]
      ·        ·        ·        ·        ·      
    
DIONYSUS


      ·        ·        ·        ·        ·
      ·        ·        ·        ·        ·
And tell of Time, what gifts for thee he bears,           1620   
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,           1624   
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           1628   
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.           1632   
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           1636   
Truth in the hour ye would not, all had been      
Well with ye, and the Child of God your friend!      
    
AGAVE


Dionysus, we beseech thee! We have sinned!      
    
DIONYSUS


Too late! When there was time, ye knew me not!           1640   
    
AGAVE


We have confessed. Yet is thine hand too hot.      
    
DIONYSUS


Ye mocked me, being God; this your wage.      
    
AGAVE


Should God be like a proud man in his rage?      
    
DIONYSUS


’Tis as my sire, Zeus, willed it long ago.           1644   
    
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?      
    
CADMUS


Child, we are come into a deadly strait,      
All; thou, poor sufferer, and thy sisters twain,           1648   
And my sad self. Far off to barbarous men,      
A grey-haired wanderer, I must take my road.      
And then the oracle, the doom of God,      
That I must lead a raging horde far-flown           1652   
To prey on Hellas; lead my spouse, mine own      
Harmonia, Ares’ child, discorporate      
And haunting forms, dragon and dragon-mate,      
Against the tombs and altar-stones of Greece,           1656   
Lance upon lance behind us; and not cease      
From toils, like other men, nor dream, nor past      
The foam of Acheron find my peace at last.      
    
AGAVE


Father! And I must wander far from thee!           1660   
    
CADMUS


O Child, why wilt thou reach thine arms to me,      
As yearns the milk-white swan, when old swans die?      
    
AGAVE


Where shall I turn me else? No home have I      
    
CADMUS


I know not; I can help thee not.           1664   
    
AGAVE


    Farewell, O home, O ancient tower!      
    Lo, I am outcast from my bower,      
And leave ye for a worser lot.      
    
CADMUS


Go forth, go forth to misery,           1668   
    The way Actaeon’s father went!      
    
AGAVE


    Father, for thee my tears are spent.      
    
CADMUS


Nay, Child, ’tis I must weep for thee;      
For thee and for thy sisters twain!           1672   
    
AGAVE


    On all this house, in bitter wise,      
    Our Lord and Master, Dionyse,      
Hath poured the utter dregs of pain!      
    
DIONYSUS


In bitter wise, for bitter was the shame           1676   
Ye did me, when Thebes honoured not my name.      
    
AGAVE


Then lead me where my sisters be;      
    Together let our tears be shed,      
    Our ways be wandered; where no red           1680   
Kithaeron waits to gaze on me;      
Nor I gaze back; no thyrsus stem,      
    Nor song, nor memory in the air.      
    Oh, other Bacchanals be there,           1684   
Not I, not I, to dream of them!  [AGAVE with her group of attendants goes out on the side away from the Mountain. DIONYSUS rises upon the Cloud and disappears.      
    
CHORUS


There may he many shapes of mystery,      
And many things God makes to be,      
    Past hope or fear.           1688   
And the end men looked for cometh not,      
And a path is there where no man thought.      
    So hath it fallen here.  [Exeunt.

Lica:

 
Ifigenija, sveštenica Artemidina
Orest, njen brat
Pilad, srodnik i prijatelj Orestov
Hor zarobljenih helenki
Govedar
Toant, kralj tauridski
Glasnik
Atena, boginja
Toantonova pratilja
Posluga

Prolog
 
Prvi čin


Artemidin hram na Tauridi

 
Prva pojava
 
Ifigenija
 
IFIGENIJA (pred hramom)
 
Tantalov Pelop hitrim stiže kolima 
u Pisu i kćer dobi Enomajevu. 
Od nje je Atrej, a od ovog Menelaj 
i Agamemnon, a od ovog postah ja, 
kći ćerke Tindarove, Ifigenija. 
A pored vira, što ih Eurip nemiran 
zbog čestog vrti vetra i crn vitla val, 
rad Helene me zakla otac — misli svet — 
Artemidi u slavnoj luci aulidskoj. 
Mornaricu od tisuć' lađa helenskih 
na poziv skupi onda Agamemnon car 
i htede da Ahajci venac steku lep 
kad uzmu Ilij grad i speru sramotu 
sa Helenine otmice, Menelaju 
na ugod. A kad vetra ne bi niotkud, 
on reši da se žrtve lati, Kalhant vrač 
tad reče: »Vođo vojske ove helenske, 
Agamemnone, s kopna nećeš brodom krenuti, 
dok kćerku Ifigeniju ne zakolješ 
Artemidi, jer najlepši u letu plod, 
kćer što je Klitemestra rodi u kući, 
svetlonosnoj si obećao boginji, — 
dar za me najlepši — te sada žrtvuj nju!« 
Odisej od majke me varkom odmami 
sa Ahilejem tobož da me venčaju.
 
A nesrećnica kada stigoh Aulidi, 
na oltar kad me digli i već trgli nož,
Artemida me ote, za me košutu
ko žrtvu dade pa me u grad Taura
kroz blistav eter posla, ovde nastani.
Tu barbarima Toant vlada barbarin
što trči nogom kao ptica krilima,
te zbog brzine nogu dobi ime to.
Za sveštenicu on me ovde postavi;
po običaju koji voli boginja
tu slave slavu, lepu tek po imenu,
al' drugo ću prećutat, strah me boginje.
Po običaju starom gradskom žrtvujem
Helena svakog štono amo zaluta.
Osveštam žrtvu ja, a drugi žrtvu tu
u boginjinu hramu ovde zakolju.
A sanak što ga prošla noć mi donese
sad etru, ako mi je lek to, otkriću.
A usnih da sam ovaj ostavila kraj,
u Agru živim, među devojkama spim,
a kora zemlji trešnjom sva se potrese.
I bežah, kad iziđoh, venac ugledah
na zidu gde se ljulja; sav se sruši krov
i ozgo s greda on se na tle strovali.
Još jedan samo — usni mi se — osta stub
od kuće oca mog, a plave kose bič
sa vrha pade, i stub ljudski dobi glas.
A ja ga, misleć na svoj zanat krvnički,
poškropih svetom vodom, plakah jednako,
jer smrt ga čeka. San ovako tolkujem:
Orest je umro, njega baš poškropih ja.
Ti stubovi su muška deca, sinovi,
i svako umre koga moja škropi kap.
Na srodnike ne mogu san protegnuti,
jer Strofije, kad ginuh, sina nemaše.
 
A sad ću svome bratu žrtvu izliti, 
daleka dalekom — jer mogu samo to — 
sa Helenkama onim što ih dade kralj 
da dvorbu meni dvore. Ali zašto još 
ne dolaze mi amo? U hram boginje 
ja odlazim, u svoj se ovde vraćam stan.
 
(Ode. Od mora dolaze Orest i Pilad.)

Druga pojava
 
Orest, Pilad

 
OREST (Piladu)
 
Osmotri, pazi, nije li na putu ko?
 
PILAD
 
Osmatram, gledam, svud se okom osvrćem.
 
OREST
 
Šta misliš, Pilade, je l' hram to boginjin 
iz Arga, kuda pođosmo na galiji?
 
PILAD
 
Ja mislim, Oreste, a i ti misli to!
 
OREST
 
I oltar s kojeg teče krvca helenska?
 
PILAD
 
Od krvi sva crveni mu se ivica.
 
OREST
 
Vidiš li gde pod samom strehom visi plen?
 
PILAD
 
To prvine su s pogubljenih stranaca.
 
OREST
 
Al' okom kružeć dobro treba paziti. 
O, Febe, kud me opet smami u mrežu 
reč tvoja otkud oca svoga osvetih krv 
i ubih majku? Srde me, kad pobegoh 
iz otadžbine, gonjahu neprestano. 
Svud svetom lutah dokle tebi ne stigoh 
da pitam kad će jednom nestat besnilo 
što vitla mnome i sve moje stradanje 
što prepatih tumarajuć po Heladi.
Ti reče da u zemlju idem Tauridu, 
gde stoji oltar sestre ti Artemide, 
njen kip da otmem, koji, kako kaže svet, 
s nebesa ovde spusti se, u ovaj hram. 
A kad ga otmem, varkom ili slučajem, 
i preturim opasnost, da ga izručim 
Atinjanima. Više ništa ne otkri. 
Kad svršim, muke moje, reče, prestaće. 
Reč tvoja nagna me i dođoh ovamo 
u nepoznatu, divlju zemlju. Pilade, 
sad pitam tebe — ti si moj u muci drug — 
na kakav poso sad? Visoki zidovi 
svud naokolo. Hoćemo l' se lestvama 
popeti? Bi li ostao neprimećen? 
A teško je otvorit bravu tučanu, 
ne poznaješ je. Ako li nas uhvate 
gde vrata otvaramo, ući kušamo, 
zaglavićemo. Ali pre no umremo, 
hajdemo brodu što nas amo doveze.
 
PILAD
 
Bežanja nema, nismo na to navikli, 
a treba božje poštovati proroštvo. 
Od hrama sklonimo se kud i sakrijmo 
u spiljama što val ih crni oplače, 
daleko od lađe, da čun ko ne spazi 
i kralju javi te nas odmah uhvate. 
Tek mračna noć kad lice svoje pokaže, 
tad pregnimo i varki latimo se svih, 
iz hrama da mi tesan kip iznesemo. 
Osmotri može li se izmed triglifa 
provući gde, jer pregalac se napora 
ne boji, strašljivac je svugde ništavan.
 
OREST
 
Zar veslom tolik put prevalismo 
u zavičaj sa mete da se vratimo? 
Ti dobro reče, treba slušat. Pođimo 
da sklonimo se negde, da nas ne spaze!
Ta krivac za to nikad neće biti bog, 
ne ispuni l' se proročanstvo. Pregnimo! 
Mladiću napor ne sme biti izgovor.
 
(Odu prema igalu. Dolazi hor.)

Treća pojava

Ulazna pesma

 
HOR
 
Mukom sada umuknite, 
vi stanari Crnog mora, 
dveju stena što se biju! 
Ćerko Lete, 
gorska lovko!
Tvome dvoru, stubu, hramu 
i tvom zlatnom kročim vencu 
svetom nogom devojačkom 
svetu služeć ključaricu. 
Ja Heladu lepih konja, 
kule, zide i Evropu 
sa baštama punim voća 
i očinsku pustih kuću.
 
(Izlazi Ifigenija iz hrama.)
 
Tu sam. Šta je? Šta te muči?
Šta me pred hram pozva, pozva,
ćerko cara, štono Troji
pod bedeme slavno stiže, —
tisuć lađa, silna vojska
s Atridima dođe slavnim.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Avaj, moje službenice, 
kakav plač me muči suzan, 
vapaj pesme žalostivne 
i bez mere tužbalica! 
Ah, žalosti moje ljute, 
što me snađe zbog nevolje 
gde svog brata mrtva žalim, —
u snu takvu videh sliku, 
štono s noćnim minu mrakom. 
Ja propadoh, ja propadoh! 
Očinskoga nema doma! 
Avaj, rod mi ode ceo! 
O, argivski jadi teški! 
Lele, lele, sudbo gorka, 
jedinog mi ote brata, 
i posla ga u dvor Hadov! 
Za dušu mu licu žrtvu, 
zemlji koru poškropiću, 
licu mleko gorskih krava 
i Bakhova pića kapi 
i još muku riđih pčela, — 
ta se žrtva mrtvim lije.
 
(Jednoj službenici)
 
Daj mi kondir, čisto zlato! 
Za Had žrtvu sad mi pruži!
 
(Lijući žrtvu)
 
Agamemnonov cvete pod zemljom,
ko mrtvu ti šaljem ovo,
primi! Grob ti neću kitit
plavom kosom, kropit suzom;
daleko se ja preselih
od tvog i svog zavičaja, —
onde misle: zaklana sam.
 
HOR
 
Otpevajuć tebi, gospo, 
pesmu glasom barbarskijem 
u nevolji azijsku ću 
zapevati jadikovku 
što mrtvima bez peana 
Had je svojim peva glasom. 
Ah, u domu Atrejevu 
sjajnost žezla ugasi se! 
Avaj kuće roda tvoga! 
U bogatom oni Argu 
nisu više vladaoci;
jad za jadom navaljuje, 
otkad Sunce, štono nebom 
sa krilatim kruži konj'ma, 
odmah natrag kola vrnu, 
okom svetim okrenu se! 
Još i druga grunu žalost, 
zlatno jagnje izazva je, 
krv za krvlju, jad za jadom. 
Otad kazna hodi kućom 
starih palih Tantalida, 
neželjkovan demon brzo 
navaljuje na te.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Od početka zle sam sreće
još od svadbe materine
i od one kobne noći
kad su Mere kod rođenja
neplodnu mu sprele mladost.
Mene, prvi cvet u braku,
nesrećnica kći Ledina, —
svi Heleni prosili je —
za sramotnu smrt od oca
ko žalosnu žrtvu rodi,
za nož strašan othrani me.
Kao sveti zavet mene
na kolima povezoše
na žal peščan Aulidi
ko nevestu, avaj, bednu
Nerejkinu sinu, avaj.
Gošća mora nemiloga
u divljačnom živim kraju
a bez muža, dece, kuće, svojte.
Heru pesmom ja ne slavim,
ni uz tkanje ni uz pesmu
čunkom ne tkam više sliku
ni Palade ni Titana,
no krvav jad ja strancima
i krv spremam na oltaru;
ljuto plaču i uzdišu,
grozne suze prosipaju,
al' ih sada zaboravih, — 
plačem brata što u Argu 
preminu mi. Kad se rastah, 
još nežan cvet i napršče 
na rukama i grudima 
beše Orest, kralj u Argu.
 
(Dolazi pastir putem kojim su došli Orest i Pilad.)

Prva episodija
 
Drugu čin
 
Prva pojava
 
Ifigenija, Govedar, Hor

 
HOROVOĐA
 
Govedar eno s morske hita obale, 
on želi da ti novost neku saopšti.
 
GOVEDAR
 
Agamemnona ćerko i Klitemestre, 
čuj vesti nove što ih sada donosim!
 
IFIGENIJA
 
A šta je što me sad u poslu prekida?
 
GOVEDAR
 
U zemlji dva mladića baš doploviše,
izmakoše se mrkim Siplegadama:
za klanje mila žrtva biće boginji
Artemidi. Donesi ječam za žrtvu
i svetu vodu odmah za njih pripremaj!
 
IFIGENIJA
 
A otkle su? I kakavo ruho imaju?
 
GOVEDAR
 
Heleni su, a više ne znam nego to.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Zar nisi strancima za ime doznao?
 
GOVEDAR
 
Pilade! Zvao jedan onog drugoga.
 
IFIGEN1JA
 
A kako drugi zvaše prvog, druga svog?
 
GOVEDAR
 
To niko ne zna. Ime njemu ne čusmo.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Gde videste ih, sretoste, uloviste?
 
GOVEDAR
 
To onde bi gde more o breg udara.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Šta govedari traže tu na obali?
 
GOVEDAR
 
Mi moru pođosmo da stoku peremo.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Povrati mi se, — gde ih ono skleptaste, 
na koji način? To sam rada saznati. 
Ta odavno je već što našoj boginji 
oltara ne poškropi krvca helenska.
 
GOVEDAR
 
Kad moru što kroz Simplegade prodire 
sa šumskih paša stoku svoju gonismo, 
tu beše prolom, val ga stvori udarom, 
hrid šuplja, kud se sklanja lovac purpura. 
Od nas pastira jedan onde primeti 
mladića dva i odmah natrag pohita 
obazrivo na prstima koračajuć 
i rekne: »Ne vidite l'? Neki bogovi 
tu sede.« Jedan od nas, čovek pobožan, 
kad čuje, diže ruke, stade moliti:
»O, sine Leukotejin, lađa zaštito, 
gospode Palemone, budi milostiv, 
il' vi to, Dioskuri, seli na žal tu, 
il' deca Nereja, što plemeniti hor, 
pedeset nimfa nereida, izrodi!« 
A drugi, drzak ludak, stane molitvi 
podsmevati se: »Stradaoci sedoše 
u prolom, strahuju od našeg zakona, 
jer doznaše tuđince da mi koljemo«. 
Mnogima od nas reč se svide njegova 
da uhvatimo žrtvu milu boginji.
 
Al' jedan od njih iziđe iz pećine 
i stade, počne glavom tresti mahnito, 
pa zastenja i ruke diže dršćući, 
u besnilu ko lovac stane vikati: 
»Da l' primeti je, Pilade? Zar ne vidiš? 
aždaju hadsku što me želi ubiti 
i reži na me s gujama strahovitim? 
Ognjem joj kosa bukti, krvca kaplje s nje, 
i krilom vesla, majku moju donosi 
u naručju, — da glavu razbije mi njom. 
Ah, ubiće me! Kuda ću?« Al' aveti 
ni traga nigde ne bi, — meku teladi 
i lavež pasa smatraše za glasove 
i riku kojom srde traže odmazdu.
 
A mi se, ko u strahu smrtnom, zbijemo 
i ćuteć sedili smo, a on trgne mač 
i među teoce zatrči se ko lav 
pa gvožđem stane bosti rebra, slabine; 
on misli: brani se od srda boginja, 
i more penom oboji se krvavom. 
Tad svako, kako vide stada stradanje 
i propadanje, oružja se prihvati, 
u školjku dune, da pozove susede; 
ta mnjasmo mi pastiri da smo slabački 
za boj sa strancima, sa jakim momcima. 
Za kratko vreme cela četa osvanu.
 
A padne stranac kad ga minu ludilo, 
niz bradu pena kapaše. Čim videsmo 
u dobar čas da pada, svako navali, 
pa gađaj, udaraj! A stranac, njegov drug,
zaštićuje ga, penu s usta uklanja
i plaštem, lepo tkanim, telo pokriva,
te pomnom pažnjom svaki udar odbija;
svom dragom drugu svakom dvorbom pomaže.
I stranac dođe sebi, skoči, ustane;
dušmanski talas vide gde se valja na nj
i pogibiju gde se njima primiče,
pa jaukne, a mi ti bacaj kamenje
i gađaj, — sa svih strana juriš činjasmo.
Tad čusmo strašan poklik njegov: »Pilade,
sad moramo da ginemo, al' junački
da izginemo! Za mnom svoj potegni mač!«
Kad videsmo gde njihni blešte mačevi,
mi bežat stanemo u šumske uvale.
Kad neko pobegne, već drugi navale,
a kad i ove potisnu, tad onaj svak
što povlači se opet baca kamenje.
Čudnovato: od onih ruku premnogih
nijedna ne pogodi žrtvu boginje.
Najzad ih savladamo, al' ne junaštvom,
no oba opkolimo pa im kamenjem
iz ruku izbijemo mač, te koleno
od napora mi na tle klone. Kralju tad
odvedemo ih. On ih tebi otpravi
za žrtvu da ih pokropiš i posvetiš.
 
Poželi, momo takve strance za žrtvu, 
i takve strance budeš li ubijala, 
Helada platiće što tvoju htede krv, 
ispaštaće za ono klanje aulidsko.
 
HOROVOĐA
 
Ti čudo izreče nam, bio to ma ko 
iz Helade što stiže morem nemilim.
 
IFIGENIJA
 
Pa dobro! Ti dovedi strance ovamo! 
A što je poso naš, učinićemo mi.
 
(Govedar ode.)

Druga pojava
 
Ifigenija, Hor

 
IFIGENIJA
 
O, jadno srce, blago beše inače 
i milostivo svagda prema strancima, 
za svoje pleme ti si suzu ronilo, 
kad koji Helen u ruke ti dopadne. 
A sada, noćašnjim uznemirena snom, 
jer Orest, mislim, sunce veće ne gleda, 
ma ko mi došo, svakom biću svirepa.
 
(Horu)
 
Doživeh drage, ova reč je istina; 
»Ta onom što je srećan nikad nesrećnik, 
jer sam je hude sreće, neće biti sklon«.
 
Al' još od Diva vetar dosad ne stiže, 
ni lađa, što bi zlu kob moju — Helenu 
kroz Simplegadske hridi amo donela, 
i Menelaja s njome, da im ja se osvetim 
i ovu da im dam za onu Aulidu, 
ko tele kad me silom klahu Danajci, 
a beše sveštenik moj otac rođeni. 
Ah! Nikad neću taj zaboraviti jad, 
koliko puta bradu ocu pogladili 
i kolena koliko put mu zagrlih 
ovako zboreć: »Oče, danak svadbeni 
baš ti mi ružan spremi, meni majka sad, 
dok ti me kolješ, s Argivkama izvodi 
svatovac, sav nam dvor se razleže 
od svirala, a ti me, evo, ubijaš!« 
Ahilej Had mi beše, ne sin Pelejev, 
obrečen za mladoženju, a kolima 
na krvavu me svadbu varkom doveze!«
 
Na licu tanku imala sam koprenu, 
i brata svog ne podigoh iz kolevke 
što sad mi pogibe, nit' sestri, od stida 
celivah usta, — mišljah u dvor Pelejev 
da odlazim; odgodih mnoge poljupce 
za drugi put kad budem Arg pohodila. 
Oreste jadni! Kakav li ti očev sjaj 
i kakvu ti lepotu gorka ote smrt!
 
Al' boginjinu meru ja odbacujem 
kad od svog žrtvenika goni čoveka 
što nekog ubi ili dirnu rodilju 
il' pokojnika, jer je nečist, kaže za nj, 
a sama ljudskim raduje se žrtvama!
 
Ta ne bi Leta, Divu ljubav, rodila 
neznanje takvo! Ja ne mogu misliti 
da Tantal bogovima gozbu priredi, 
i oni sina njegova da jedoše. 
A narod ovde, jer sam ljude žrtvuje, 
tu zloću kanda prenosi na boginju; 
ta mislim, bog nijedan nije zlikovac.
 
(Povuče se u pozadinu, očekujući dolazak zarobljenika.)
 
TREĆA POJAVA
 
Hor
 
PRVA STAJAĆA PESMA

 
HOR
 
Prva strofa
 
Modra, modra uska vrata morska
kud iz Arga besom gnana Ija
stiže ovom valu nemilome,
u azijske ove strane
iz Evrope dotumara!
Ko su? Vodu lepu, šaša punu,
zar Eurotu ostaviše?
Il' Dirkinu svetu vodu,
pa su stigli, divljem kraju stigli,
gde Divovoj ćerci žrtvenike
i stubove oko hrama
krvca ljudska kropi.
 
Prva antistrofa
 
Čamovim li veslom preko mora 
doploviše, pljuskom na dve strane, 
lađom što je vetar jedrom goni?
Zar za blago nadmeću se
i dom žude da napune?
Mila nada, ljudskom rodu zator,
ne može se zasititi;
da dovezu teška blaga,
svud se morem oni ludo skiću
i po stranim gradovima!
Na bogatstvo ko ne misli,
ono će mu samo doći.
 
Druga strofa
 
Kako samo izmed hridi, 
kako samo Finejevim 
besanim su prošli žalom 
duž obale brzo ploveć 
burnim morem Amfitrite, 
gde pedeset devojaka, 
ljupki buljuk nereida, 
igra kolo pevajući? 
A u jedra vetar duva, 
na galiji korman radi, 
sve ga glasna stoji škripa; 
il' je Južnjak dahom goni 
ili Zefir, vetar blagi, 
u krejeve pune ptica, 
belom žalu gde Ahilej 
u trčanju proslavi se, 
na nemilom onom moru.
 
Druga antistrofa
 
Da Helena, kći Ledina, 
po željama gospe moje, 
kojom srećom amo dođe 
iz Ilija, da joj kosu 
rose kaplje krvi njene, 
sama gospa vrat joj kolje, 
i da tako ona gine, 
za greh onaj kaznu trpi! 
Najslađa bi vest nam bila 
iz helenske da sad zemlje
kakav brodar stigne amo,
pa od jadnog da me ropstva
i nevolje ove spase!
U snu domu da se vinem
mome domu roditeljskom,
slatke pesme nauživam,
te radosti srećnih ljudi.
 
(Pausa. Horovođa primećuje povorku ljudi.)
 
HOROVOĐA
 
Al' dvojice eno vezanih ruku 
gde zajedno idu, — to je sad nova 
za boginju žrtva. Ćutite, drage! 
Heleni već dva do prvine hode 
i zajedno ovom dolaze hramu! 
A nije nam, dakle, izveštaj lažan 
govedar doneo onaj.
 
(Naoružani Tauri dovede vezane Oresta i Pilada.)
 
O, boginjo, s tvojom ako je voljom 
što daje ti narod, prihvati žrtve, 
jer običaj takav ovde ti vlada, 
a helenski svet se ne slaže s njime!
 
(Ifigenija staje pred povorku.)