PROMETHEUSTHE FIREGIVER

PROMETHEUSTHE FIREGIVERPROMETHEUS.Fromhigh Olympus and the ætherial courts,Where mighty Zeus our angry king confirmsThe Fates’ decrees and bends the wills of the gods,I come: and on the earth step with glad foot.This variegated ocean-floor of the air,The changeful circle of fair land, that liesHeaven’s dial, sisterly mirror of night and day:The wide o’er-wandered plain, this nether worldMy truant haunt is, when from jealous eyesI steal, for hither ’tis I steal, and here10Unseen repair my joy: yet not unseenMethinks, nor seen unguessed of him I seek.Rather by swath or furrow, or where the pathIs walled with corn I am found, by trellised vineOr olive set in banks or orchard trim:I watch all toil and tilth, farm, field and fold,And taste the mortal joy; since not in heavenAmong our easeful gods hath facile timeA touch so keen, to wake such love of lifeAs stirs the frail and careful being, who here,20The king of sorrows, melancholy man,Bows at his labour, but in heart erectA god stands, nor for any gift of godWould barter his immortal-hearted prime.Could I but win this world from Zeus for mine,With not a god to vex my happy rule,I would inhabit here and leave high heaven:So much I love it and its race of men,Even as he hates them, hates both them, and meFor loving what he hates, and would destroy me,Outcast in the scorn of all his cringing crew,For daring but to save what he would slay:And me must first destroy. Thus he deniethMy heart’s wish, thus my counsel sets at naught,Which him saved once, when all at stake he stoodUprisen in rebellion to overthrowThe elderseated Titans, for I that dayGave him the counsels which his foes despised.Unhappy they, who had still their blissful seatsPreserved and their Olympian majesty,40Had they been one with me. Alas, my kin!But he, when he had taken the throne and chainedHis foes in wasteful Tartarus, said no moreWhere is Prometheus our wise counsellor?What saith Prometheus? tell us, O Prometheus,What Fate requires! but waxing confidentAnd wanton, as a youth first tasting power,He wrecked the timeless monuments of heaven,The witness of the wisdom of the gods,And making all about him new, beyond50Determined to destroy the race of men,And that create afresh or else have none.Then his vain mind imagined a device,And at his bidding all the opposèd windsBlew, and the scattered clouds and furlèd snows,From every part of heaven together flying,He with brute hands in huge disorder heaped:They with the winds’ weight and his angry breathWere thawed: in cataracts they fell, and earthIn darkness deep and whelmèd tempest lay,60Drowned’neath the waters. Yet on the mountain-topsSome few escaped, and some, thus warned by me,Made shift to live in vessels which outrodeThe season and the fury of the flood.And when his rain was spent and from clear skiesZeus looking down upon the watery world,Beheld these few, the remnant of mankind,Who yet stood up and breathed; he next withdrewThe seeds of fire, that else had still lain hidIn withered branch and the blue flakes of flint70For man to exact and use, but these withdrawn,Man with the brutes degraded would be manNo more; and so the tyrant was content.But I, despised again, again upheldThe weak, and pitying them sent sweet Hope,Bearer of dreams, enchantress fond and kind,From heaven descending on the unhindered raysOf every star, to cheer with visions fairTheir unamending pains. And now this dayBehold I come bearing the seal of all80Which Hope had promised: for within this reedA prisoner I bring them stolen from heaven,The flash of mastering fire, and it have borneSo swift to earth, that when yon noontide sunRose from the sea at morning I was by,And unperceived of Hêlios plunged the pointI’ the burning axle, and withdrew a tongueOf breathing flame, which lives to leap on earthFor man the father of all fire to come.And hither have I brought it even to Argos90Unto king Inachus, him having chosenAbove all mortals to receive my gift:For he is hopeful, careful, wise, and brave.He first, when first the floods left bare the land,Grew warm with enterprise, and gathered menTogether, and disposed their various tasksFor common weal combined; for soon were seenThe long straight channels dwindling on the plain,Which slow from stagnant pool and wide morassThe pestilent waters to the rivers bore:100Then in the ruined dwellings and old tombsHe dug, unbedding from the wormèd oozeVessels and tools of trade and husbandry;Wherewith, all seasonable works restored,Oil made he and wine anew, and taught mankindTo live not brutally though without fire,Tending their flocks and herds and weaving wool,Living on fruit and milk and shepherds’ fare,Till time should bring back flame to smithy and hearth,Or Zeus relent. Now at these gates I stand,110At this mid hour, when Inachus comes forthTo offer sacrifice unto his foe.For never hath his faithful zeal forborneTo pay the power, though hard, that rules the worldThe smokeless sacrifice; which first todayShall smoke, and rise at heaven in flame to braveThe baffled god. See here a servant bearsFor the cold altar ceremonial wood:My shepherd’s cloak will serve me for disguise.SERVANT.With much toil have I hewn these sapless logs.120Pr.But toil brings health, and health is happiness.Serv.Here’s one I know not—nay, how came he hereUnseen by me? I pray thee, stranger, tell meWhat would’st thou at the house of Inachus?Pr.Intruders, friend, and travellers have glib tongues,Silence will question such.Serv.If ’tis a message,To-day is not thy day—who sent thee hither?Pr.The business of my leisure was well guessed:But he that sent me hither is I that come.Serv.I smell the matter—thou would’st serve the house?130Pr.’Twas for that very cause I fled my own.Serv.From cruelty or fear of punishment?Pr.Cruel was my master, for he slew his father.His punishments thou speakest of are crimes.Serv.Thou dost well flying one that slew his father.Pr.Thy lord, they say, is kind.Serv.Well, thou wilt see.Thou may’st at once begin—come, give a hand.Pr.A day of freedom is a day of pleasure;And what thou doest have I never done,And understanding not might mar thy work.140Serv.Ay true—there is a right way and a wrongIn laying wood.Pr.Then let me see thee lay it:The sight of a skill’d hand will teach an art.Serv.Thou seest this faggot which I now unbind,How it is packed within.Pr.I see the conesAnd needles of the fir, which by the windIn melancholy places ceaselesslySighing are strewn upon the tufted floor.Serv.These took I from a sheltered bank, whereonThe sun looks down at noon; for there is needThe things be dry. These first I spread; and thenSmall sticks that snap i’ the hand.Pr.Such are enoughTo burden the slow flight of labouring rooks,When on the leafless tree-tops in young MarchTheir glossy herds assembling soothe the air155With cries of solemn joy and cawings loud.And such the long-necked herons will bear to mendTheir airy platform, when the loving springBids them take thought for their expected young.Serv.See even so I cross them and cross them so:Larger and by degrees a steady stack161Have built, whereon the heaviest logs may lie:And all of sun-dried wood: and now ’tis done.Pr.And now ’tis done, what means it now ’tis done?Serv.Well, thus ’tis rightly done: but why ’tis soI cannot tell, nor any man here knows;Save that our master when he sacrificeth,As thou wilt hear anon, speaketh of fire;And fire he saith is good for gods and men;And the gods have it and men have it not:170And then he prays the gods to send us fire;And we, against they send it, must have woodLaid ready thus as I have shewn thee here.Pr.To-day he sacrificeth?Serv.Ay, this noon.Hark! hear’st thou not? they come. The solemn flutesWarn us away; we must not here be seenIn these our soilèd habits, yet may standWhere we may hear and see and not be seen.[Exeunt R.EnterCHORUS,and from the palaceInachusbearing cakes: he comes to stand behind the altar.CHORUS.God of Heaven!We praise thee, Zeus most high,180To whom by eternal Fate was givenThe range and rule of the sky;When thy lot, first of threeLeapt out, as sages tell,And won Olympus for thee,Therein for ever to dwell:But the next with the barren seaTo grave Poseidôn fell,And left fierce Hades his doom, to beThe lord and terror of hell.190(2) Thou sittest for ayeEncircled in azure bright,Regarding the path of the sun by day,And the changeful moon by night:Attending with tireless earsTo the song of adoring love,With which the separate spheresAre voicèd that turn above:And all that is hidden underThe clouds thy footing has furl’d200Fears the hand that holdeth the thunder,The eye that looks on the world.Semichorus of youths.Of all the isles of the seaIs Crete most famed in story:Above all mountains famous to meIs Ida and crowned with glory.There guarded of Heaven and EarthCame Rhea at fall of nightTo hide a wondrous birthFrom the Sire’s unfathering sight.210The halls of Cronos rangWith omens of coming ill,And the mad Curêtes danced and sangAdown the slopes of the hill.Then all the peaks of Gnossus kindled redBeckoning afar unto the sinking sun,He thro’ the vaporous west plunged to his bed,Sunk, and the day was done.But they, though he was fled,Such light still held, as oft220Hanging in air aloft,At eve from shadowed shipThe Egyptian sailor sees:Or like the twofold tipThat o’er the topmost treesFlares on Parnassus, and the Theban damesQuake at the ghostly flames.Then friendly night aroseTo succour Earth, and spreadHer mantle o’er the snows230And quenched their rosy red;But in the east upspringsAnother light on them,Selêné with white wingsAnd hueless diadem.Little could she befriendHer father’s house and state,Nor her weak beams defendHypérion from his fate.Only where’er she shines,240In terror looking forth,She sees the wailing pinesStoop to the bitter North:Or searching twice or thriceAlong the rocky walls,She marks the columned iceOf frozen waterfalls:But still the darkened caveGrew darker as she shone,Wherein was Rhea gone250Her child to bear and save.[They dance.Then danced the Dactyls and Curêtes wild,And drowned with yells the cries of mother and child;Big-armed Damnámeneus gan prance and shout:And burly Acmon struck the echoes out:And Kermis leaped and howled: and Titias pranced:And broad Cyllenus tore the air and danced:While deep within the shadowed cave at restLay Rhea, with her babe upon her breast.INACHUS.If any here there be whose impure hands260Among pure hands, or guilty heart amongOur guiltless hearts be stained with blood or wrong,Let him depart!If there be any here in whom high ZeusSeeing impiety might turn away,Now from our sacrifice and from his sinLet him depart!Semichorus of maidens.I have chosen to praiseHêra the wife, and bringA hymn for the feast on marriage daysTo the wife of the gods’ king.271How on her festivalThe gods had loving strife,Which should give of them allThe fairest gift to the wife.But Earth said, Fair to seeIs mine and yields to none,I have grown for her joy a sacred tree,With apples of gold thereon.Then Hêra, when she heard what Earth had given,Smiled for her joy, and longed and came to see:On dovewings flying from the height of heaven,Down to the golden tree:As tired birds at evenCome flying straight to house285On their accustomed boughs.’Twas where, on tortured handsBearing the mighty pole,Devoted Atlas stands:And round his bowed head rollDay-light and night, and stars unmingled dance,Nor can he raise his glance.She saw the rocky coastWhereon the azured wavesAre laced in foam, or lostIn water-lighted caves;The olive island where,Amid the purple seasNight unto Darkness bareThe four Hesperides:300And came into the shadeOf Atlas, where she foundThe garden Earth had madeAnd fenced with groves around.And in the midst it grewAlone, the priceless stem,As careful, clear and trueAs graving on a gem.Nature had kissèd ArtAnd borne a child to stir310With jealousy the heartOf heaven’s Artificer.From crown to swelling rootIt mocked the goddess’ praise,The green enamelled spraysThe emblazoned golden fruit.[They dance.And ’neath the tree, with hair and zone unbound,The fair Hesperides aye danced around,And Ægle danced and sang ‘O welcome, Queen!’And Erytheia sang ‘The tree is green!’320And Hestia danced and sang ‘The fruit is gold!’And Arethusa sang ‘Fair Queen, behold!’And all joined hands and danced about the tree,And sang ‘O Queen, we dance and sing for thee!’In.If there be any here who has complaintAgainst our rule or claim or supplication,Now in the name of Zeus let it appear,Now let him speak!Prometheus reenters.Pr.All hail, most worthy king, such claim have I.In.May grace be with thee, stranger; speak thy mind.330Pr.To Argos, king of Argos, at thy houseI bring long journeying to an end this hour,Bearing no idle message for thine ears.For know that far thy fame has reached, and menThat ne’er have seen thee tell that thou art setUpon the throne of virtue, that good-willAnd love thy servants are, that in thy landJoy, honour, trust and modesty abideAnd drink the air of peace, that kings must seeThy city, would they know their peoples’ good340And stablish them therein by wholesome laws.But one thing mars the tale, for o’er thy landsTravelling I have not seen from morn till eve,Either from house or farm or labourer’s cot,In any village, nor this town of ArgosA blue-wreathed smoke arise: the hearths are cold,This altar cold: I see the wood and cakesUnbaken—O king, where is the fire?In.If hither, stranger, thou wert come to findThat which thou findest wanting, join with usNow in our sacrifice, take food within,351And having learnt our simple way of lifeReturn unto thy country whence thou camest.But hast thou skill or knowledge of this thing,How best it may be sought, or by what meansHope to be reached, O speak! I wait to hear.Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.In.On earth there is fire thou sayest!Pr.There is fire.In.On earth this day!Pr.There is fire on earth this day.In.This is a sacred place, a solemn hour,Thy speech is earnest: yet even if thou speak truth,O welcome messenger of happy tidings,And though I hear aright, yet to believeIs hard: thou canst not know what words thou speakestInto what ears: they never heard before365This sound but in old tales of happier times,In sighs of prayer and faint unhearted hope:Maybe they heard not rightly, speak again!Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.In.Yes, yes, again. Now let sweet Music blabHer secret and give o’er; here is a trumpet371That mocks her method. Yet ’tis but the word.Maybe thy fire is not the fire I seek;Maybe though thou didst see it, now ’tis quenched,Or guarded out of reach: speak yet againAnd swear by heaven’s truth is there fire or no;And if there be, what means may make it mine.Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day:But not as thou dost seek it to be found.In.How seeking wrongly shall I seek aright?Pr.Thou prayest here to Zeus, and him thou callest381Almighty, knowing he could grant thy prayer:That if ’twere but his will, the journeying sunMight drop a spark into thine outstretched hand:That at his breath the splashing mountain brooksThat fall from Orneæ, and cold Lernè’s poolWould change their element, and their chill streamsBend in their burning banks a molten flood:That at his word so many messengersWould bring thee fire from heaven, that not a hearthIn all thy land but straight would have a god391To kneel and fan the flame: and yet to him,It is to him thou prayest.In.Therefore to him.Pr.Is this thy wisdom, king, to sow thy seedYear after year in this unsprouting soil?Hast thou not proved and found the will of ZeusA barren rock for man with prayer to plough?In.His anger be averted! we judge not godEvil, because our wishes please him not.Oft our shortsighted prayers to heaven ascendingAsk there our ruin, and are then denied401In kindness above granting: were’t not so,Scarce could we pray for fear to pluck our doomOut of the merciful withholding hands.Pr.Why then provokest thou such great goodwillIn long denial and kind silence shown?In.Fie, fie! Thou lackest piety: the god’s denialBeing nought but kindness, there is hope that heWill make that good which is not:—or if indeedGood be withheld in punishment, ’tis wellStill to seek on and pray that god relent.411Pr.O Sire of Argos, Zeus will not relent.In.Yet fire thou sayst is on the earth this day.Pr.Not of his knowledge nor his gift, O king.In.By kindness of what god then has man fire?Pr.I say but on the earth unknown to Zeus.In.How boastest thou to know, not of his knowledge?Pr.I boast not: he that knoweth not may boast.In.Thy daring words bewilder sense with sound.Pr.I thought to find thee ripe for daring deeds.In.And what the deed for which I prove unripe?Pr. To take of heaven’s fire.In.And were I ripe,What should I dare, beseech you?Pr.The wrath of Zeus.In.Madman, pretending in one hand to holdThe wrath of god and in the other fire.425Pr.Thou meanest rather holding both in one.In.Both impious art thou and incredible.Pr.Yet impious only till thou dost believe.In.And what believe? Ah, if I could believe!It was but now thou saidst that there was fire,And I was near believing; I believed:Now to believe were to be mad as thou.Chorus.He may be mad and yet say true—maybeThe heat of prophecy like a strong wineShameth his reason with exultant speech.435Pr.Thou say’st I am mad, and of my sober wordsHast called those impious which thou fearest true,Those which thou knowest good, incredible.Consider ere thou judge: be first assuredAll is not good for man that seems god’s will.See, on thy farming skill, thy country toil441Which bends to aid the willing fruits of earth,And would promote the seasonable year,The face of nature is not always kind:And if thou search the sum of visible beingTo find thy blessing featured, ’tis not there:Her best gifts cannot brim the golden cupOf expectation which thine eager armsLift to her mouthèd horn—what then is thisWhose wide capacity outbids the scale450Of prodigal beauty, so that the seeing eyeAnd hearing ear, retiring unamazedWithin their quiet chambers, sit to feastWith dear imagination, nor look forthAs once they did upon the varying air?Whence is the fathering of this desireWhich mocks at fated circumstance? nay thoughObstruction lie as cumbrous as the mountains,Nor thy particular hap hath armed desireAgainst the brunt of evil,—yet not for this460Faints man’s desire: it is the unquenchableOriginal cause, the immortal breath of being:Nor is there any spirit on Earth astir,Nor ’neath the airy vault, nor yet beyondIn any dweller in far-reaching space,Nobler or dearer than the spirit of man:That spirit which lives in each and will not die,That wooeth beauty, and for all good thingsUrgeth a voice, or in still passion sigheth,And where he loveth draweth the heart with him.Hast thou not heard him speaking oft and oft,Prompting thy secret musing and now shootingHis feathered fancies, or in cloudy sleep473Piling his painted dreams? O hark to him!For else if folly shut his joyous strengthTo mope in her dark prison without praise,The hidden tears with which he wails his wrongWill sour the fount of life. O hark to him!Him mayst thou trust beyond the things thou seest.For many things there be upon this earthUnblest and fallen from beauty, to misleadMan’s mind, and in a shadow justifyThe evil thoughts and deeds that work his ill;Fear, hatred, lust and strife, which, if man questionThe heavenborn spirit within him, are not there.Yet are they bold of face, and Zeus himself,486Seeing that Mischief held her head on high,Lest she should go beyond his power to quellAnd draw the inevitable Fate that waitsOn utmost ill, himself preventing FateHasted to drown the world, and now would crushThy little remnant: but among the gods492Is one whose love and courage stir for thee;Who being of manlike spirit, by many shiftsHas stayed the hand of the enemy, who criethThy world is not destroyed, thy good shall live:Thou hast more power for good than Zeus for ill,More courage, justice, more abundant art,More love, more joy, more reason: though around theeRank-rooting evil bloom with poisonous crown,Though wan and dolorous and crooked things501Have made their home with thee, thy good shall live.Know thy desire: and know that if thou seek it,And seek, and seek, and fear not, thou shalt find.Sem.(youths). Is this a god that speaketh thus?Sem.(maidens). He speaketh as a manIn love or great affliction yields his soul.In.Thou, whencesoe’er thou comest, whoe’er thou art,Who breakest on our solemn sacrificeWith solemn words, I pray thee not departTill thou hast told me more. This fire I seek510Not for myself, whose thin and silvery hairTells that my toilsome age nears to its end,But for my children and the aftertime,For great the need thereof, wretched our state;Nay, set by what has been, our happinessIs very want, so that what now is notIs but the measure of what yet may be.And first are barest needs, which well I knowFire would supply, but I have hope beyond,That Nature in recovering her right520Would kinder prove to man who seeks to learnHer secrets and unfold the cause of life.So tell me, if thou knowest, what is fire?Doth earth contain it? or, since from the sunFire reaches us, since in the glimmering starsAnd pallid moon, in lightning, and the glanceOf tracking meteors that at nightfall showHow in the air a thousand sightless thingsTravel, and ever on their windswift courseFlame when they list and into darkness go,—530Since in all these a fiery nature dwells,Is fire an airy essence, a thing of heaven,That, could we poise it, were an alien powerTo make our wisdom less, our wonder more?Pr.Thy wish to know is good, and happy is heWho thus from chance and change has launched his mindTo dwell for ever with undisturbèd truth.This high ambition doth not prompt his handTo crime, his right and pleasure are not wrongedBy folly of his fellows, nor his eye540Dimmed by the griefs that move the tears of men.Son of the earth, and citizen may beOf Argos or of Athens and her laws,But still the eternal nature, where he looks,O’errules him with the laws which laws obey,And in her heavenly city enrols his heart.In.Thus ever have I held of happiness,The child of heavenly truth, and thus have found itIn prayer and meditation and still thought,And thus my peace of mind based on a floor550That doth not quaver like the joys of sense:Those I possess enough in seeing my slavesAnd citizens enjoy, having myselfTasted for once and put their sweets away.But of that heavenly city, of which thou sayestHer laws o’errule us, have I little learnt,For when my wandering spirit hath dared aloneThe unearthly terror of her voiceless halls,She hath fallen from delight, and without guideTurned back, and from her errand fled for fear.560Pr.Think not that thou canst all things know, nor deemSuch knowledge happiness: the all-knowing FatesNo pleasure have, who sit eternallySpinning the unnumbered threads that Time hath woven,And weaves, upgathering in his furthest houseTo store from sight; but what ’tis joy to learnOr use to know, that may’st thou ask of right.In.Then tell me, for thou knowest, what is fire?Pr.Know then, O king, that this fair earth of men,The Olympus of the gods, and all the heavensAre lesser kingdoms of the boundless space571Wherein Fate rules; they have their several times,Their seasons and the limit of their thrones,And from the nature of eternal thingsSpringing, themselves are changed; even as the treesOr birds or beasts of earth, which now ariseTo being, now in turn decay and die.The heaven and earth thou seest, for long were heldBy Fire, a raging power, to whom the FatesDecreed a slow diminishing old age,580But to his daughter, who is that gentle goddess,Queen of the clear and azure firmament,In heaven called Hygra, but by mortals Air,To her, the child of his slow doting years,Was given a beauteous youth, not long to outlastHis life, but be the pride of his decay,And win to gentler sway his lost domains.And when the day of time arrived, when AirTook o’er from her decrepit sire the thirdOf the Sun’s kingdoms, the one-moonèd earth,Straight came she down to her inheritance.591Gaze on the sun with thine unshaded eyeAnd shrink from what she saw. Forests of fireWhose waving trunks, sucking their fuel, rearedIn branched flame roaring, and their torrid shadesAye underlit with fire. The mountains liftedAnd fell and followed like a running sea,And from their swelling flanks spumed froth of fire;Or, like awakening monsters, mighty moundsRose on the plain awhile.Sem.(maidens). He discovers a foe.600Sem.(youths). An enemy he paints.Pr.These all she quenched,Or charmed their fury into the dens and bowelsOf earth to smoulder, there the vital heatTo hold for her creation, which then—to her aidSummoning high Reason from his home in heaven,—She wrought anew upon the temperate lands.Sem.(maidens). ’Twas well Air won this kingdom of her sire.Sem.(youths). Now say how made she green this home of fire.Pr.The waters first she brought, that in their streamsAnd pools and seas innumerable things610Brought forth, from whence she drew the fertile seedsOf trees and plants, and last of footed life,That wandered forth, and roaming to and fro,The rejoicing earth peopled with living sound.Reason advised, and Reason praised her toil;Which when she had done she gave him thanks, and said,‘Fair comrade, since thou praisest what is done,Grant me this favour ere thou part from me:Make thou one fair thing for me, which shall suitWith what is made, and be the best of all.’620’Twas evening, and that night Reason made man.Sem.(maidens). Children of Air are we, and live by fire.Sem.(youths). The sons of Reason dwelling on the earth.Sem.(maidens). Folk of a pleasant kingdom held betweenFire’s reign of terror and the latter dayWhen dying, soon in turn his child must die.Sem.(youths). Having a wise creator, above timeOr youth or change, from whom our kind inheritThe grace and pleasure of the eternal gods.In.But how came gods to rule this earth of Air?Pr.They also were her children who first ruled,Cronos, Iapetus, Hypérion,632Theia and Rhea, and other mighty namesThat are but names—whom Zeus drave out from heaven,And with his tribe sits on their injured thrones.In.There is no greater god in heaven than he.Pr.Nor none more cruel nor more tyrannous.In.But what can man against the power of god?Pr.Doth not man strive with him? thyself dost pray.In.That he may pardon our contrarious deeds.Pr.Alas! alas! what more contrarious deed,What greater miracle of wrong than this,642That man should know his good and take it not?To what god wilt thou pray to pardon this?In vain was reason given, if man therewithShame truth, and name it wisdom to cry downThe unschooled promptings of his best desire.The beasts that have no speech nor argumentConfute him, and the wild hog in the woodThat feels his longing, hurries straight thereto,650And will not turn his head.In.How mean’st thou this?Pr.Thou hast desired the good, and now canst feelHow hard it is to kill the heart’s desire.In.Shall Inachus rise against Zeus, as heRose against Cronos and made war in heaven?Pr.I say not so, yet, if thou didst rebel,The tongue that counselled Zeus should counsel thee.Sem.(maidens). This is strange counsel.Sem.(youths). He is notA counsellor for gods or men.In.O that I knew where I might counsel find,That one were sent, nay, were’t the least of allThe myriad messengers of heaven, to me!662One that should say ’This morn I stood with Zeus,He hath heard thy prayer and sent me: ask a boon,What thing thou wilt, it shall be given thee.’Pr.What wouldst thou say to such a messenger?In.No need to ask then what I now might ask,How ’tis the gods, if they have care for mortals,Slubber our worst necessities—and the boon,No need to tell him that.Pr.Now, king, thou seestZeus sends no messenger, but I am here.In.Thy speech is hard, and even thy kindest wordsUnkind. If fire thou hast, in thee ’tis kindTo proffer it: but thou art more unkindYoking heaven’s wrath therewith. Nay, and how knowest thou675Zeus will be angry if I take of it?Thou art a prophet: ay, but of the prophetsSome have been taken in error, and honest timeHas honoured many with forgetfulness.I’ll make this proof of thee; Show me thy fire—Nay, give’t me now—if thou be true at all,Be true so far: for the rest there’s none will lose,Nor blame thee being false—where is thy fire?Pr.O rather, had it thus been mine to give,I would have given it thus: not adding aughtOf danger or diminishment or loss;686So strong is my goodwill; nor less than thisMy knowledge, but in knowledge all my power.Yet since wise guidance with a little meansCan more than force unminded, I have skillTo conjure evil and outcompass strength.Now give I thee my best, a little giftTo work a world of wonder; ’tis thine ownOf long desire, and with it I will giveThe cunning of invention and all arts695In which thy hand instructed may command,Interpret, comfort, or ennoble nature;With all provision that in wisdom is,And what prevention in foreknowledge lies.In.Great is the gain.Pr.O king, the gain is thine,The penalty I more than share.

PROMETHEUS.

Fromhigh Olympus and the ætherial courts,Where mighty Zeus our angry king confirmsThe Fates’ decrees and bends the wills of the gods,I come: and on the earth step with glad foot.This variegated ocean-floor of the air,The changeful circle of fair land, that liesHeaven’s dial, sisterly mirror of night and day:The wide o’er-wandered plain, this nether worldMy truant haunt is, when from jealous eyesI steal, for hither ’tis I steal, and here10Unseen repair my joy: yet not unseenMethinks, nor seen unguessed of him I seek.Rather by swath or furrow, or where the pathIs walled with corn I am found, by trellised vineOr olive set in banks or orchard trim:I watch all toil and tilth, farm, field and fold,And taste the mortal joy; since not in heavenAmong our easeful gods hath facile timeA touch so keen, to wake such love of lifeAs stirs the frail and careful being, who here,20The king of sorrows, melancholy man,Bows at his labour, but in heart erectA god stands, nor for any gift of godWould barter his immortal-hearted prime.Could I but win this world from Zeus for mine,With not a god to vex my happy rule,I would inhabit here and leave high heaven:So much I love it and its race of men,Even as he hates them, hates both them, and meFor loving what he hates, and would destroy me,Outcast in the scorn of all his cringing crew,For daring but to save what he would slay:And me must first destroy. Thus he deniethMy heart’s wish, thus my counsel sets at naught,Which him saved once, when all at stake he stoodUprisen in rebellion to overthrowThe elderseated Titans, for I that dayGave him the counsels which his foes despised.Unhappy they, who had still their blissful seatsPreserved and their Olympian majesty,40Had they been one with me. Alas, my kin!But he, when he had taken the throne and chainedHis foes in wasteful Tartarus, said no moreWhere is Prometheus our wise counsellor?What saith Prometheus? tell us, O Prometheus,What Fate requires! but waxing confidentAnd wanton, as a youth first tasting power,He wrecked the timeless monuments of heaven,The witness of the wisdom of the gods,And making all about him new, beyond50Determined to destroy the race of men,And that create afresh or else have none.Then his vain mind imagined a device,And at his bidding all the opposèd windsBlew, and the scattered clouds and furlèd snows,From every part of heaven together flying,He with brute hands in huge disorder heaped:They with the winds’ weight and his angry breathWere thawed: in cataracts they fell, and earthIn darkness deep and whelmèd tempest lay,60Drowned’neath the waters. Yet on the mountain-topsSome few escaped, and some, thus warned by me,Made shift to live in vessels which outrodeThe season and the fury of the flood.And when his rain was spent and from clear skiesZeus looking down upon the watery world,Beheld these few, the remnant of mankind,Who yet stood up and breathed; he next withdrewThe seeds of fire, that else had still lain hidIn withered branch and the blue flakes of flint70For man to exact and use, but these withdrawn,Man with the brutes degraded would be manNo more; and so the tyrant was content.But I, despised again, again upheldThe weak, and pitying them sent sweet Hope,Bearer of dreams, enchantress fond and kind,From heaven descending on the unhindered raysOf every star, to cheer with visions fairTheir unamending pains. And now this dayBehold I come bearing the seal of all80Which Hope had promised: for within this reedA prisoner I bring them stolen from heaven,The flash of mastering fire, and it have borneSo swift to earth, that when yon noontide sunRose from the sea at morning I was by,And unperceived of Hêlios plunged the pointI’ the burning axle, and withdrew a tongueOf breathing flame, which lives to leap on earthFor man the father of all fire to come.And hither have I brought it even to Argos90Unto king Inachus, him having chosenAbove all mortals to receive my gift:For he is hopeful, careful, wise, and brave.He first, when first the floods left bare the land,Grew warm with enterprise, and gathered menTogether, and disposed their various tasksFor common weal combined; for soon were seenThe long straight channels dwindling on the plain,Which slow from stagnant pool and wide morassThe pestilent waters to the rivers bore:100Then in the ruined dwellings and old tombsHe dug, unbedding from the wormèd oozeVessels and tools of trade and husbandry;Wherewith, all seasonable works restored,Oil made he and wine anew, and taught mankindTo live not brutally though without fire,Tending their flocks and herds and weaving wool,Living on fruit and milk and shepherds’ fare,Till time should bring back flame to smithy and hearth,Or Zeus relent. Now at these gates I stand,110At this mid hour, when Inachus comes forthTo offer sacrifice unto his foe.For never hath his faithful zeal forborneTo pay the power, though hard, that rules the worldThe smokeless sacrifice; which first todayShall smoke, and rise at heaven in flame to braveThe baffled god. See here a servant bearsFor the cold altar ceremonial wood:My shepherd’s cloak will serve me for disguise.

Fromhigh Olympus and the ætherial courts,

Where mighty Zeus our angry king confirms

The Fates’ decrees and bends the wills of the gods,

I come: and on the earth step with glad foot.

This variegated ocean-floor of the air,

The changeful circle of fair land, that lies

Heaven’s dial, sisterly mirror of night and day:

The wide o’er-wandered plain, this nether world

My truant haunt is, when from jealous eyes

I steal, for hither ’tis I steal, and here10

Unseen repair my joy: yet not unseen

Methinks, nor seen unguessed of him I seek.

Rather by swath or furrow, or where the path

Is walled with corn I am found, by trellised vine

Or olive set in banks or orchard trim:

I watch all toil and tilth, farm, field and fold,

And taste the mortal joy; since not in heaven

Among our easeful gods hath facile time

A touch so keen, to wake such love of life

As stirs the frail and careful being, who here,20

The king of sorrows, melancholy man,

Bows at his labour, but in heart erect

A god stands, nor for any gift of god

Would barter his immortal-hearted prime.

Could I but win this world from Zeus for mine,

With not a god to vex my happy rule,

I would inhabit here and leave high heaven:

So much I love it and its race of men,

Even as he hates them, hates both them, and me

For loving what he hates, and would destroy me,

Outcast in the scorn of all his cringing crew,

For daring but to save what he would slay:

And me must first destroy. Thus he denieth

My heart’s wish, thus my counsel sets at naught,

Which him saved once, when all at stake he stood

Uprisen in rebellion to overthrow

The elderseated Titans, for I that day

Gave him the counsels which his foes despised.

Unhappy they, who had still their blissful seats

Preserved and their Olympian majesty,40

Had they been one with me. Alas, my kin!

But he, when he had taken the throne and chained

His foes in wasteful Tartarus, said no more

Where is Prometheus our wise counsellor?

What saith Prometheus? tell us, O Prometheus,

What Fate requires! but waxing confident

And wanton, as a youth first tasting power,

He wrecked the timeless monuments of heaven,

The witness of the wisdom of the gods,

And making all about him new, beyond50

Determined to destroy the race of men,

And that create afresh or else have none.

Then his vain mind imagined a device,

And at his bidding all the opposèd winds

Blew, and the scattered clouds and furlèd snows,

From every part of heaven together flying,

He with brute hands in huge disorder heaped:

They with the winds’ weight and his angry breath

Were thawed: in cataracts they fell, and earth

In darkness deep and whelmèd tempest lay,60

Drowned’neath the waters. Yet on the mountain-tops

Some few escaped, and some, thus warned by me,

Made shift to live in vessels which outrode

The season and the fury of the flood.

And when his rain was spent and from clear skies

Zeus looking down upon the watery world,

Beheld these few, the remnant of mankind,

Who yet stood up and breathed; he next withdrew

The seeds of fire, that else had still lain hid

In withered branch and the blue flakes of flint70

For man to exact and use, but these withdrawn,

Man with the brutes degraded would be man

No more; and so the tyrant was content.

But I, despised again, again upheld

The weak, and pitying them sent sweet Hope,

Bearer of dreams, enchantress fond and kind,

From heaven descending on the unhindered rays

Of every star, to cheer with visions fair

Their unamending pains. And now this day

Behold I come bearing the seal of all80

Which Hope had promised: for within this reed

A prisoner I bring them stolen from heaven,

The flash of mastering fire, and it have borne

So swift to earth, that when yon noontide sun

Rose from the sea at morning I was by,

And unperceived of Hêlios plunged the point

I’ the burning axle, and withdrew a tongue

Of breathing flame, which lives to leap on earth

For man the father of all fire to come.

And hither have I brought it even to Argos90

Unto king Inachus, him having chosen

Above all mortals to receive my gift:

For he is hopeful, careful, wise, and brave.

He first, when first the floods left bare the land,

Grew warm with enterprise, and gathered men

Together, and disposed their various tasks

For common weal combined; for soon were seen

The long straight channels dwindling on the plain,

Which slow from stagnant pool and wide morass

The pestilent waters to the rivers bore:100

Then in the ruined dwellings and old tombs

He dug, unbedding from the wormèd ooze

Vessels and tools of trade and husbandry;

Wherewith, all seasonable works restored,

Oil made he and wine anew, and taught mankind

To live not brutally though without fire,

Tending their flocks and herds and weaving wool,

Living on fruit and milk and shepherds’ fare,

Till time should bring back flame to smithy and hearth,

Or Zeus relent. Now at these gates I stand,110

At this mid hour, when Inachus comes forth

To offer sacrifice unto his foe.

For never hath his faithful zeal forborne

To pay the power, though hard, that rules the world

The smokeless sacrifice; which first today

Shall smoke, and rise at heaven in flame to brave

The baffled god. See here a servant bears

For the cold altar ceremonial wood:

My shepherd’s cloak will serve me for disguise.

SERVANT.

With much toil have I hewn these sapless logs.120Pr.But toil brings health, and health is happiness.Serv.Here’s one I know not—nay, how came he hereUnseen by me? I pray thee, stranger, tell meWhat would’st thou at the house of Inachus?Pr.Intruders, friend, and travellers have glib tongues,Silence will question such.Serv.If ’tis a message,To-day is not thy day—who sent thee hither?Pr.The business of my leisure was well guessed:But he that sent me hither is I that come.Serv.I smell the matter—thou would’st serve the house?130Pr.’Twas for that very cause I fled my own.Serv.From cruelty or fear of punishment?Pr.Cruel was my master, for he slew his father.His punishments thou speakest of are crimes.Serv.Thou dost well flying one that slew his father.Pr.Thy lord, they say, is kind.Serv.Well, thou wilt see.Thou may’st at once begin—come, give a hand.Pr.A day of freedom is a day of pleasure;And what thou doest have I never done,And understanding not might mar thy work.140Serv.Ay true—there is a right way and a wrongIn laying wood.Pr.Then let me see thee lay it:The sight of a skill’d hand will teach an art.Serv.Thou seest this faggot which I now unbind,How it is packed within.Pr.I see the conesAnd needles of the fir, which by the windIn melancholy places ceaselesslySighing are strewn upon the tufted floor.Serv.These took I from a sheltered bank, whereonThe sun looks down at noon; for there is needThe things be dry. These first I spread; and thenSmall sticks that snap i’ the hand.Pr.Such are enoughTo burden the slow flight of labouring rooks,When on the leafless tree-tops in young MarchTheir glossy herds assembling soothe the air155With cries of solemn joy and cawings loud.And such the long-necked herons will bear to mendTheir airy platform, when the loving springBids them take thought for their expected young.Serv.See even so I cross them and cross them so:Larger and by degrees a steady stack161Have built, whereon the heaviest logs may lie:And all of sun-dried wood: and now ’tis done.Pr.And now ’tis done, what means it now ’tis done?Serv.Well, thus ’tis rightly done: but why ’tis soI cannot tell, nor any man here knows;Save that our master when he sacrificeth,As thou wilt hear anon, speaketh of fire;And fire he saith is good for gods and men;And the gods have it and men have it not:170And then he prays the gods to send us fire;And we, against they send it, must have woodLaid ready thus as I have shewn thee here.Pr.To-day he sacrificeth?Serv.Ay, this noon.Hark! hear’st thou not? they come. The solemn flutesWarn us away; we must not here be seenIn these our soilèd habits, yet may standWhere we may hear and see and not be seen.

With much toil have I hewn these sapless logs.120

Pr.But toil brings health, and health is happiness.

Serv.Here’s one I know not—nay, how came he hereUnseen by me? I pray thee, stranger, tell meWhat would’st thou at the house of Inachus?

Serv.Here’s one I know not—nay, how came he here

Unseen by me? I pray thee, stranger, tell me

What would’st thou at the house of Inachus?

Pr.Intruders, friend, and travellers have glib tongues,Silence will question such.

Pr.Intruders, friend, and travellers have glib tongues,

Silence will question such.

Serv.If ’tis a message,To-day is not thy day—who sent thee hither?

Serv.If ’tis a message,

To-day is not thy day—who sent thee hither?

Pr.The business of my leisure was well guessed:But he that sent me hither is I that come.

Pr.The business of my leisure was well guessed:

But he that sent me hither is I that come.

Serv.I smell the matter—thou would’st serve the house?130

Pr.’Twas for that very cause I fled my own.

Serv.From cruelty or fear of punishment?

Pr.Cruel was my master, for he slew his father.His punishments thou speakest of are crimes.

Pr.Cruel was my master, for he slew his father.

His punishments thou speakest of are crimes.

Serv.Thou dost well flying one that slew his father.

Pr.Thy lord, they say, is kind.

Serv.Well, thou wilt see.Thou may’st at once begin—come, give a hand.

Serv.Well, thou wilt see.

Thou may’st at once begin—come, give a hand.

Pr.A day of freedom is a day of pleasure;And what thou doest have I never done,And understanding not might mar thy work.140

Pr.A day of freedom is a day of pleasure;

And what thou doest have I never done,

And understanding not might mar thy work.140

Serv.Ay true—there is a right way and a wrongIn laying wood.

Serv.Ay true—there is a right way and a wrong

In laying wood.

Pr.Then let me see thee lay it:The sight of a skill’d hand will teach an art.

Pr.Then let me see thee lay it:

The sight of a skill’d hand will teach an art.

Serv.Thou seest this faggot which I now unbind,How it is packed within.

Serv.Thou seest this faggot which I now unbind,

How it is packed within.

Pr.I see the conesAnd needles of the fir, which by the windIn melancholy places ceaselesslySighing are strewn upon the tufted floor.

Pr.I see the cones

And needles of the fir, which by the wind

In melancholy places ceaselessly

Sighing are strewn upon the tufted floor.

Serv.These took I from a sheltered bank, whereonThe sun looks down at noon; for there is needThe things be dry. These first I spread; and thenSmall sticks that snap i’ the hand.

Serv.These took I from a sheltered bank, whereon

The sun looks down at noon; for there is need

The things be dry. These first I spread; and then

Small sticks that snap i’ the hand.

Pr.Such are enoughTo burden the slow flight of labouring rooks,When on the leafless tree-tops in young MarchTheir glossy herds assembling soothe the air155With cries of solemn joy and cawings loud.And such the long-necked herons will bear to mendTheir airy platform, when the loving springBids them take thought for their expected young.

Pr.Such are enough

To burden the slow flight of labouring rooks,

When on the leafless tree-tops in young March

Their glossy herds assembling soothe the air155

With cries of solemn joy and cawings loud.

And such the long-necked herons will bear to mend

Their airy platform, when the loving spring

Bids them take thought for their expected young.

Serv.See even so I cross them and cross them so:Larger and by degrees a steady stack161Have built, whereon the heaviest logs may lie:And all of sun-dried wood: and now ’tis done.

Serv.See even so I cross them and cross them so:

Larger and by degrees a steady stack161

Have built, whereon the heaviest logs may lie:

And all of sun-dried wood: and now ’tis done.

Pr.And now ’tis done, what means it now ’tis done?

Serv.Well, thus ’tis rightly done: but why ’tis soI cannot tell, nor any man here knows;Save that our master when he sacrificeth,As thou wilt hear anon, speaketh of fire;And fire he saith is good for gods and men;And the gods have it and men have it not:170And then he prays the gods to send us fire;And we, against they send it, must have woodLaid ready thus as I have shewn thee here.

Serv.Well, thus ’tis rightly done: but why ’tis so

I cannot tell, nor any man here knows;

Save that our master when he sacrificeth,

As thou wilt hear anon, speaketh of fire;

And fire he saith is good for gods and men;

And the gods have it and men have it not:170

And then he prays the gods to send us fire;

And we, against they send it, must have wood

Laid ready thus as I have shewn thee here.

Pr.To-day he sacrificeth?

Serv.Ay, this noon.Hark! hear’st thou not? they come. The solemn flutesWarn us away; we must not here be seenIn these our soilèd habits, yet may standWhere we may hear and see and not be seen.

Serv.Ay, this noon.

Hark! hear’st thou not? they come. The solemn flutes

Warn us away; we must not here be seen

In these our soilèd habits, yet may stand

Where we may hear and see and not be seen.

[Exeunt R.

EnterCHORUS,and from the palaceInachusbearing cakes: he comes to stand behind the altar.

CHORUS.

God of Heaven!We praise thee, Zeus most high,180To whom by eternal Fate was givenThe range and rule of the sky;When thy lot, first of threeLeapt out, as sages tell,And won Olympus for thee,Therein for ever to dwell:But the next with the barren seaTo grave Poseidôn fell,And left fierce Hades his doom, to beThe lord and terror of hell.190(2) Thou sittest for ayeEncircled in azure bright,Regarding the path of the sun by day,And the changeful moon by night:Attending with tireless earsTo the song of adoring love,With which the separate spheresAre voicèd that turn above:And all that is hidden underThe clouds thy footing has furl’d200Fears the hand that holdeth the thunder,The eye that looks on the world.

God of Heaven!

We praise thee, Zeus most high,180

To whom by eternal Fate was given

The range and rule of the sky;

When thy lot, first of three

Leapt out, as sages tell,

And won Olympus for thee,

Therein for ever to dwell:

But the next with the barren sea

To grave Poseidôn fell,

And left fierce Hades his doom, to be

The lord and terror of hell.190

(2) Thou sittest for ayeEncircled in azure bright,Regarding the path of the sun by day,And the changeful moon by night:Attending with tireless earsTo the song of adoring love,With which the separate spheresAre voicèd that turn above:And all that is hidden underThe clouds thy footing has furl’d200Fears the hand that holdeth the thunder,The eye that looks on the world.

(2) Thou sittest for aye

Encircled in azure bright,

Regarding the path of the sun by day,

And the changeful moon by night:

Attending with tireless ears

To the song of adoring love,

With which the separate spheres

Are voicèd that turn above:

And all that is hidden under

The clouds thy footing has furl’d200

Fears the hand that holdeth the thunder,

The eye that looks on the world.

Semichorus of youths.

Of all the isles of the seaIs Crete most famed in story:Above all mountains famous to meIs Ida and crowned with glory.There guarded of Heaven and EarthCame Rhea at fall of nightTo hide a wondrous birthFrom the Sire’s unfathering sight.210The halls of Cronos rangWith omens of coming ill,And the mad Curêtes danced and sangAdown the slopes of the hill.Then all the peaks of Gnossus kindled redBeckoning afar unto the sinking sun,He thro’ the vaporous west plunged to his bed,Sunk, and the day was done.But they, though he was fled,Such light still held, as oft220Hanging in air aloft,At eve from shadowed shipThe Egyptian sailor sees:Or like the twofold tipThat o’er the topmost treesFlares on Parnassus, and the Theban damesQuake at the ghostly flames.Then friendly night aroseTo succour Earth, and spreadHer mantle o’er the snows230And quenched their rosy red;But in the east upspringsAnother light on them,Selêné with white wingsAnd hueless diadem.Little could she befriendHer father’s house and state,Nor her weak beams defendHypérion from his fate.Only where’er she shines,240In terror looking forth,She sees the wailing pinesStoop to the bitter North:Or searching twice or thriceAlong the rocky walls,She marks the columned iceOf frozen waterfalls:But still the darkened caveGrew darker as she shone,Wherein was Rhea gone250Her child to bear and save.

Of all the isles of the sea

Is Crete most famed in story:

Above all mountains famous to me

Is Ida and crowned with glory.

There guarded of Heaven and Earth

Came Rhea at fall of night

To hide a wondrous birth

From the Sire’s unfathering sight.210

The halls of Cronos rang

With omens of coming ill,

And the mad Curêtes danced and sang

Adown the slopes of the hill.

Then all the peaks of Gnossus kindled redBeckoning afar unto the sinking sun,He thro’ the vaporous west plunged to his bed,Sunk, and the day was done.But they, though he was fled,Such light still held, as oft220Hanging in air aloft,At eve from shadowed shipThe Egyptian sailor sees:Or like the twofold tipThat o’er the topmost treesFlares on Parnassus, and the Theban damesQuake at the ghostly flames.

Then all the peaks of Gnossus kindled red

Beckoning afar unto the sinking sun,

He thro’ the vaporous west plunged to his bed,

Sunk, and the day was done.

But they, though he was fled,

Such light still held, as oft220

Hanging in air aloft,

At eve from shadowed ship

The Egyptian sailor sees:

Or like the twofold tip

That o’er the topmost trees

Flares on Parnassus, and the Theban dames

Quake at the ghostly flames.

Then friendly night aroseTo succour Earth, and spreadHer mantle o’er the snows230And quenched their rosy red;But in the east upspringsAnother light on them,Selêné with white wingsAnd hueless diadem.Little could she befriendHer father’s house and state,Nor her weak beams defendHypérion from his fate.Only where’er she shines,240In terror looking forth,She sees the wailing pinesStoop to the bitter North:Or searching twice or thriceAlong the rocky walls,She marks the columned iceOf frozen waterfalls:But still the darkened caveGrew darker as she shone,Wherein was Rhea gone250Her child to bear and save.

Then friendly night arose

To succour Earth, and spread

Her mantle o’er the snows230

And quenched their rosy red;

But in the east upsprings

Another light on them,

Selêné with white wings

And hueless diadem.

Little could she befriend

Her father’s house and state,

Nor her weak beams defend

Hypérion from his fate.

Only where’er she shines,240

In terror looking forth,

She sees the wailing pines

Stoop to the bitter North:

Or searching twice or thrice

Along the rocky walls,

She marks the columned ice

Of frozen waterfalls:

But still the darkened cave

Grew darker as she shone,

Wherein was Rhea gone250

Her child to bear and save.

[They dance.

Then danced the Dactyls and Curêtes wild,And drowned with yells the cries of mother and child;Big-armed Damnámeneus gan prance and shout:And burly Acmon struck the echoes out:And Kermis leaped and howled: and Titias pranced:And broad Cyllenus tore the air and danced:While deep within the shadowed cave at restLay Rhea, with her babe upon her breast.

Then danced the Dactyls and Curêtes wild,

And drowned with yells the cries of mother and child;

Big-armed Damnámeneus gan prance and shout:

And burly Acmon struck the echoes out:

And Kermis leaped and howled: and Titias pranced:

And broad Cyllenus tore the air and danced:

While deep within the shadowed cave at rest

Lay Rhea, with her babe upon her breast.

INACHUS.

If any here there be whose impure hands260Among pure hands, or guilty heart amongOur guiltless hearts be stained with blood or wrong,Let him depart!If there be any here in whom high ZeusSeeing impiety might turn away,Now from our sacrifice and from his sinLet him depart!

If any here there be whose impure hands260

Among pure hands, or guilty heart among

Our guiltless hearts be stained with blood or wrong,

Let him depart!

If there be any here in whom high Zeus

Seeing impiety might turn away,

Now from our sacrifice and from his sin

Let him depart!

Semichorus of maidens.

I have chosen to praiseHêra the wife, and bringA hymn for the feast on marriage daysTo the wife of the gods’ king.271How on her festivalThe gods had loving strife,Which should give of them allThe fairest gift to the wife.But Earth said, Fair to seeIs mine and yields to none,I have grown for her joy a sacred tree,With apples of gold thereon.Then Hêra, when she heard what Earth had given,Smiled for her joy, and longed and came to see:On dovewings flying from the height of heaven,Down to the golden tree:As tired birds at evenCome flying straight to house285On their accustomed boughs.’Twas where, on tortured handsBearing the mighty pole,Devoted Atlas stands:And round his bowed head rollDay-light and night, and stars unmingled dance,Nor can he raise his glance.She saw the rocky coastWhereon the azured wavesAre laced in foam, or lostIn water-lighted caves;The olive island where,Amid the purple seasNight unto Darkness bareThe four Hesperides:300And came into the shadeOf Atlas, where she foundThe garden Earth had madeAnd fenced with groves around.And in the midst it grewAlone, the priceless stem,As careful, clear and trueAs graving on a gem.Nature had kissèd ArtAnd borne a child to stir310With jealousy the heartOf heaven’s Artificer.From crown to swelling rootIt mocked the goddess’ praise,The green enamelled spraysThe emblazoned golden fruit.

I have chosen to praise

Hêra the wife, and bring

A hymn for the feast on marriage days

To the wife of the gods’ king.271

How on her festival

The gods had loving strife,

Which should give of them all

The fairest gift to the wife.

But Earth said, Fair to see

Is mine and yields to none,

I have grown for her joy a sacred tree,

With apples of gold thereon.

Then Hêra, when she heard what Earth had given,Smiled for her joy, and longed and came to see:On dovewings flying from the height of heaven,Down to the golden tree:As tired birds at evenCome flying straight to house285On their accustomed boughs.’Twas where, on tortured handsBearing the mighty pole,Devoted Atlas stands:And round his bowed head rollDay-light and night, and stars unmingled dance,Nor can he raise his glance.

Then Hêra, when she heard what Earth had given,

Smiled for her joy, and longed and came to see:

On dovewings flying from the height of heaven,

Down to the golden tree:

As tired birds at even

Come flying straight to house285

On their accustomed boughs.

’Twas where, on tortured hands

Bearing the mighty pole,

Devoted Atlas stands:

And round his bowed head roll

Day-light and night, and stars unmingled dance,

Nor can he raise his glance.

She saw the rocky coastWhereon the azured wavesAre laced in foam, or lostIn water-lighted caves;The olive island where,Amid the purple seasNight unto Darkness bareThe four Hesperides:300And came into the shadeOf Atlas, where she foundThe garden Earth had madeAnd fenced with groves around.And in the midst it grewAlone, the priceless stem,As careful, clear and trueAs graving on a gem.Nature had kissèd ArtAnd borne a child to stir310With jealousy the heartOf heaven’s Artificer.From crown to swelling rootIt mocked the goddess’ praise,The green enamelled spraysThe emblazoned golden fruit.

She saw the rocky coast

Whereon the azured waves

Are laced in foam, or lost

In water-lighted caves;

The olive island where,

Amid the purple seas

Night unto Darkness bare

The four Hesperides:300

And came into the shade

Of Atlas, where she found

The garden Earth had made

And fenced with groves around.

And in the midst it grew

Alone, the priceless stem,

As careful, clear and true

As graving on a gem.

Nature had kissèd Art

And borne a child to stir310

With jealousy the heart

Of heaven’s Artificer.

From crown to swelling root

It mocked the goddess’ praise,

The green enamelled sprays

The emblazoned golden fruit.

[They dance.

And ’neath the tree, with hair and zone unbound,The fair Hesperides aye danced around,And Ægle danced and sang ‘O welcome, Queen!’And Erytheia sang ‘The tree is green!’320And Hestia danced and sang ‘The fruit is gold!’And Arethusa sang ‘Fair Queen, behold!’And all joined hands and danced about the tree,And sang ‘O Queen, we dance and sing for thee!’In.If there be any here who has complaintAgainst our rule or claim or supplication,Now in the name of Zeus let it appear,Now let him speak!

And ’neath the tree, with hair and zone unbound,

The fair Hesperides aye danced around,

And Ægle danced and sang ‘O welcome, Queen!’

And Erytheia sang ‘The tree is green!’320

And Hestia danced and sang ‘The fruit is gold!’

And Arethusa sang ‘Fair Queen, behold!’

And all joined hands and danced about the tree,

And sang ‘O Queen, we dance and sing for thee!’

In.If there be any here who has complaintAgainst our rule or claim or supplication,Now in the name of Zeus let it appear,Now let him speak!

In.If there be any here who has complaint

Against our rule or claim or supplication,

Now in the name of Zeus let it appear,

Now let him speak!

Prometheus reenters.

Pr.All hail, most worthy king, such claim have I.In.May grace be with thee, stranger; speak thy mind.330Pr.To Argos, king of Argos, at thy houseI bring long journeying to an end this hour,Bearing no idle message for thine ears.For know that far thy fame has reached, and menThat ne’er have seen thee tell that thou art setUpon the throne of virtue, that good-willAnd love thy servants are, that in thy landJoy, honour, trust and modesty abideAnd drink the air of peace, that kings must seeThy city, would they know their peoples’ good340And stablish them therein by wholesome laws.But one thing mars the tale, for o’er thy landsTravelling I have not seen from morn till eve,Either from house or farm or labourer’s cot,In any village, nor this town of ArgosA blue-wreathed smoke arise: the hearths are cold,This altar cold: I see the wood and cakesUnbaken—O king, where is the fire?In.If hither, stranger, thou wert come to findThat which thou findest wanting, join with usNow in our sacrifice, take food within,351And having learnt our simple way of lifeReturn unto thy country whence thou camest.But hast thou skill or knowledge of this thing,How best it may be sought, or by what meansHope to be reached, O speak! I wait to hear.Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.In.On earth there is fire thou sayest!Pr.There is fire.In.On earth this day!Pr.There is fire on earth this day.In.This is a sacred place, a solemn hour,Thy speech is earnest: yet even if thou speak truth,O welcome messenger of happy tidings,And though I hear aright, yet to believeIs hard: thou canst not know what words thou speakestInto what ears: they never heard before365This sound but in old tales of happier times,In sighs of prayer and faint unhearted hope:Maybe they heard not rightly, speak again!Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.In.Yes, yes, again. Now let sweet Music blabHer secret and give o’er; here is a trumpet371That mocks her method. Yet ’tis but the word.Maybe thy fire is not the fire I seek;Maybe though thou didst see it, now ’tis quenched,Or guarded out of reach: speak yet againAnd swear by heaven’s truth is there fire or no;And if there be, what means may make it mine.Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day:But not as thou dost seek it to be found.In.How seeking wrongly shall I seek aright?Pr.Thou prayest here to Zeus, and him thou callest381Almighty, knowing he could grant thy prayer:That if ’twere but his will, the journeying sunMight drop a spark into thine outstretched hand:That at his breath the splashing mountain brooksThat fall from Orneæ, and cold Lernè’s poolWould change their element, and their chill streamsBend in their burning banks a molten flood:That at his word so many messengersWould bring thee fire from heaven, that not a hearthIn all thy land but straight would have a god391To kneel and fan the flame: and yet to him,It is to him thou prayest.In.Therefore to him.Pr.Is this thy wisdom, king, to sow thy seedYear after year in this unsprouting soil?Hast thou not proved and found the will of ZeusA barren rock for man with prayer to plough?In.His anger be averted! we judge not godEvil, because our wishes please him not.Oft our shortsighted prayers to heaven ascendingAsk there our ruin, and are then denied401In kindness above granting: were’t not so,Scarce could we pray for fear to pluck our doomOut of the merciful withholding hands.Pr.Why then provokest thou such great goodwillIn long denial and kind silence shown?In.Fie, fie! Thou lackest piety: the god’s denialBeing nought but kindness, there is hope that heWill make that good which is not:—or if indeedGood be withheld in punishment, ’tis wellStill to seek on and pray that god relent.411Pr.O Sire of Argos, Zeus will not relent.In.Yet fire thou sayst is on the earth this day.Pr.Not of his knowledge nor his gift, O king.In.By kindness of what god then has man fire?Pr.I say but on the earth unknown to Zeus.In.How boastest thou to know, not of his knowledge?Pr.I boast not: he that knoweth not may boast.In.Thy daring words bewilder sense with sound.Pr.I thought to find thee ripe for daring deeds.In.And what the deed for which I prove unripe?Pr. To take of heaven’s fire.In.And were I ripe,What should I dare, beseech you?Pr.The wrath of Zeus.In.Madman, pretending in one hand to holdThe wrath of god and in the other fire.425Pr.Thou meanest rather holding both in one.In.Both impious art thou and incredible.Pr.Yet impious only till thou dost believe.In.And what believe? Ah, if I could believe!It was but now thou saidst that there was fire,And I was near believing; I believed:Now to believe were to be mad as thou.Chorus.He may be mad and yet say true—maybeThe heat of prophecy like a strong wineShameth his reason with exultant speech.435Pr.Thou say’st I am mad, and of my sober wordsHast called those impious which thou fearest true,Those which thou knowest good, incredible.Consider ere thou judge: be first assuredAll is not good for man that seems god’s will.See, on thy farming skill, thy country toil441Which bends to aid the willing fruits of earth,And would promote the seasonable year,The face of nature is not always kind:And if thou search the sum of visible beingTo find thy blessing featured, ’tis not there:Her best gifts cannot brim the golden cupOf expectation which thine eager armsLift to her mouthèd horn—what then is thisWhose wide capacity outbids the scale450Of prodigal beauty, so that the seeing eyeAnd hearing ear, retiring unamazedWithin their quiet chambers, sit to feastWith dear imagination, nor look forthAs once they did upon the varying air?Whence is the fathering of this desireWhich mocks at fated circumstance? nay thoughObstruction lie as cumbrous as the mountains,Nor thy particular hap hath armed desireAgainst the brunt of evil,—yet not for this460Faints man’s desire: it is the unquenchableOriginal cause, the immortal breath of being:Nor is there any spirit on Earth astir,Nor ’neath the airy vault, nor yet beyondIn any dweller in far-reaching space,Nobler or dearer than the spirit of man:That spirit which lives in each and will not die,That wooeth beauty, and for all good thingsUrgeth a voice, or in still passion sigheth,And where he loveth draweth the heart with him.Hast thou not heard him speaking oft and oft,Prompting thy secret musing and now shootingHis feathered fancies, or in cloudy sleep473Piling his painted dreams? O hark to him!For else if folly shut his joyous strengthTo mope in her dark prison without praise,The hidden tears with which he wails his wrongWill sour the fount of life. O hark to him!Him mayst thou trust beyond the things thou seest.For many things there be upon this earthUnblest and fallen from beauty, to misleadMan’s mind, and in a shadow justifyThe evil thoughts and deeds that work his ill;Fear, hatred, lust and strife, which, if man questionThe heavenborn spirit within him, are not there.Yet are they bold of face, and Zeus himself,486Seeing that Mischief held her head on high,Lest she should go beyond his power to quellAnd draw the inevitable Fate that waitsOn utmost ill, himself preventing FateHasted to drown the world, and now would crushThy little remnant: but among the gods492Is one whose love and courage stir for thee;Who being of manlike spirit, by many shiftsHas stayed the hand of the enemy, who criethThy world is not destroyed, thy good shall live:Thou hast more power for good than Zeus for ill,More courage, justice, more abundant art,More love, more joy, more reason: though around theeRank-rooting evil bloom with poisonous crown,Though wan and dolorous and crooked things501Have made their home with thee, thy good shall live.Know thy desire: and know that if thou seek it,And seek, and seek, and fear not, thou shalt find.Sem.(youths). Is this a god that speaketh thus?Sem.(maidens). He speaketh as a manIn love or great affliction yields his soul.In.Thou, whencesoe’er thou comest, whoe’er thou art,Who breakest on our solemn sacrificeWith solemn words, I pray thee not departTill thou hast told me more. This fire I seek510Not for myself, whose thin and silvery hairTells that my toilsome age nears to its end,But for my children and the aftertime,For great the need thereof, wretched our state;Nay, set by what has been, our happinessIs very want, so that what now is notIs but the measure of what yet may be.And first are barest needs, which well I knowFire would supply, but I have hope beyond,That Nature in recovering her right520Would kinder prove to man who seeks to learnHer secrets and unfold the cause of life.So tell me, if thou knowest, what is fire?Doth earth contain it? or, since from the sunFire reaches us, since in the glimmering starsAnd pallid moon, in lightning, and the glanceOf tracking meteors that at nightfall showHow in the air a thousand sightless thingsTravel, and ever on their windswift courseFlame when they list and into darkness go,—530Since in all these a fiery nature dwells,Is fire an airy essence, a thing of heaven,That, could we poise it, were an alien powerTo make our wisdom less, our wonder more?Pr.Thy wish to know is good, and happy is heWho thus from chance and change has launched his mindTo dwell for ever with undisturbèd truth.This high ambition doth not prompt his handTo crime, his right and pleasure are not wrongedBy folly of his fellows, nor his eye540Dimmed by the griefs that move the tears of men.Son of the earth, and citizen may beOf Argos or of Athens and her laws,But still the eternal nature, where he looks,O’errules him with the laws which laws obey,And in her heavenly city enrols his heart.In.Thus ever have I held of happiness,The child of heavenly truth, and thus have found itIn prayer and meditation and still thought,And thus my peace of mind based on a floor550That doth not quaver like the joys of sense:Those I possess enough in seeing my slavesAnd citizens enjoy, having myselfTasted for once and put their sweets away.But of that heavenly city, of which thou sayestHer laws o’errule us, have I little learnt,For when my wandering spirit hath dared aloneThe unearthly terror of her voiceless halls,She hath fallen from delight, and without guideTurned back, and from her errand fled for fear.560Pr.Think not that thou canst all things know, nor deemSuch knowledge happiness: the all-knowing FatesNo pleasure have, who sit eternallySpinning the unnumbered threads that Time hath woven,And weaves, upgathering in his furthest houseTo store from sight; but what ’tis joy to learnOr use to know, that may’st thou ask of right.In.Then tell me, for thou knowest, what is fire?Pr.Know then, O king, that this fair earth of men,The Olympus of the gods, and all the heavensAre lesser kingdoms of the boundless space571Wherein Fate rules; they have their several times,Their seasons and the limit of their thrones,And from the nature of eternal thingsSpringing, themselves are changed; even as the treesOr birds or beasts of earth, which now ariseTo being, now in turn decay and die.The heaven and earth thou seest, for long were heldBy Fire, a raging power, to whom the FatesDecreed a slow diminishing old age,580But to his daughter, who is that gentle goddess,Queen of the clear and azure firmament,In heaven called Hygra, but by mortals Air,To her, the child of his slow doting years,Was given a beauteous youth, not long to outlastHis life, but be the pride of his decay,And win to gentler sway his lost domains.And when the day of time arrived, when AirTook o’er from her decrepit sire the thirdOf the Sun’s kingdoms, the one-moonèd earth,Straight came she down to her inheritance.591Gaze on the sun with thine unshaded eyeAnd shrink from what she saw. Forests of fireWhose waving trunks, sucking their fuel, rearedIn branched flame roaring, and their torrid shadesAye underlit with fire. The mountains liftedAnd fell and followed like a running sea,And from their swelling flanks spumed froth of fire;Or, like awakening monsters, mighty moundsRose on the plain awhile.Sem.(maidens). He discovers a foe.600Sem.(youths). An enemy he paints.Pr.These all she quenched,Or charmed their fury into the dens and bowelsOf earth to smoulder, there the vital heatTo hold for her creation, which then—to her aidSummoning high Reason from his home in heaven,—She wrought anew upon the temperate lands.Sem.(maidens). ’Twas well Air won this kingdom of her sire.Sem.(youths). Now say how made she green this home of fire.Pr.The waters first she brought, that in their streamsAnd pools and seas innumerable things610Brought forth, from whence she drew the fertile seedsOf trees and plants, and last of footed life,That wandered forth, and roaming to and fro,The rejoicing earth peopled with living sound.Reason advised, and Reason praised her toil;Which when she had done she gave him thanks, and said,‘Fair comrade, since thou praisest what is done,Grant me this favour ere thou part from me:Make thou one fair thing for me, which shall suitWith what is made, and be the best of all.’620’Twas evening, and that night Reason made man.Sem.(maidens). Children of Air are we, and live by fire.Sem.(youths). The sons of Reason dwelling on the earth.Sem.(maidens). Folk of a pleasant kingdom held betweenFire’s reign of terror and the latter dayWhen dying, soon in turn his child must die.Sem.(youths). Having a wise creator, above timeOr youth or change, from whom our kind inheritThe grace and pleasure of the eternal gods.In.But how came gods to rule this earth of Air?Pr.They also were her children who first ruled,Cronos, Iapetus, Hypérion,632Theia and Rhea, and other mighty namesThat are but names—whom Zeus drave out from heaven,And with his tribe sits on their injured thrones.In.There is no greater god in heaven than he.Pr.Nor none more cruel nor more tyrannous.In.But what can man against the power of god?Pr.Doth not man strive with him? thyself dost pray.In.That he may pardon our contrarious deeds.Pr.Alas! alas! what more contrarious deed,What greater miracle of wrong than this,642That man should know his good and take it not?To what god wilt thou pray to pardon this?In vain was reason given, if man therewithShame truth, and name it wisdom to cry downThe unschooled promptings of his best desire.The beasts that have no speech nor argumentConfute him, and the wild hog in the woodThat feels his longing, hurries straight thereto,650And will not turn his head.In.How mean’st thou this?Pr.Thou hast desired the good, and now canst feelHow hard it is to kill the heart’s desire.In.Shall Inachus rise against Zeus, as heRose against Cronos and made war in heaven?Pr.I say not so, yet, if thou didst rebel,The tongue that counselled Zeus should counsel thee.Sem.(maidens). This is strange counsel.Sem.(youths). He is notA counsellor for gods or men.In.O that I knew where I might counsel find,That one were sent, nay, were’t the least of allThe myriad messengers of heaven, to me!662One that should say ’This morn I stood with Zeus,He hath heard thy prayer and sent me: ask a boon,What thing thou wilt, it shall be given thee.’Pr.What wouldst thou say to such a messenger?In.No need to ask then what I now might ask,How ’tis the gods, if they have care for mortals,Slubber our worst necessities—and the boon,No need to tell him that.Pr.Now, king, thou seestZeus sends no messenger, but I am here.In.Thy speech is hard, and even thy kindest wordsUnkind. If fire thou hast, in thee ’tis kindTo proffer it: but thou art more unkindYoking heaven’s wrath therewith. Nay, and how knowest thou675Zeus will be angry if I take of it?Thou art a prophet: ay, but of the prophetsSome have been taken in error, and honest timeHas honoured many with forgetfulness.I’ll make this proof of thee; Show me thy fire—Nay, give’t me now—if thou be true at all,Be true so far: for the rest there’s none will lose,Nor blame thee being false—where is thy fire?Pr.O rather, had it thus been mine to give,I would have given it thus: not adding aughtOf danger or diminishment or loss;686So strong is my goodwill; nor less than thisMy knowledge, but in knowledge all my power.Yet since wise guidance with a little meansCan more than force unminded, I have skillTo conjure evil and outcompass strength.Now give I thee my best, a little giftTo work a world of wonder; ’tis thine ownOf long desire, and with it I will giveThe cunning of invention and all arts695In which thy hand instructed may command,Interpret, comfort, or ennoble nature;With all provision that in wisdom is,And what prevention in foreknowledge lies.In.Great is the gain.Pr.O king, the gain is thine,The penalty I more than share.

Pr.All hail, most worthy king, such claim have I.

In.May grace be with thee, stranger; speak thy mind.330

Pr.To Argos, king of Argos, at thy houseI bring long journeying to an end this hour,Bearing no idle message for thine ears.For know that far thy fame has reached, and menThat ne’er have seen thee tell that thou art setUpon the throne of virtue, that good-willAnd love thy servants are, that in thy landJoy, honour, trust and modesty abideAnd drink the air of peace, that kings must seeThy city, would they know their peoples’ good340And stablish them therein by wholesome laws.But one thing mars the tale, for o’er thy landsTravelling I have not seen from morn till eve,Either from house or farm or labourer’s cot,In any village, nor this town of ArgosA blue-wreathed smoke arise: the hearths are cold,This altar cold: I see the wood and cakesUnbaken—O king, where is the fire?

Pr.To Argos, king of Argos, at thy house

I bring long journeying to an end this hour,

Bearing no idle message for thine ears.

For know that far thy fame has reached, and men

That ne’er have seen thee tell that thou art set

Upon the throne of virtue, that good-will

And love thy servants are, that in thy land

Joy, honour, trust and modesty abide

And drink the air of peace, that kings must see

Thy city, would they know their peoples’ good340

And stablish them therein by wholesome laws.

But one thing mars the tale, for o’er thy lands

Travelling I have not seen from morn till eve,

Either from house or farm or labourer’s cot,

In any village, nor this town of Argos

A blue-wreathed smoke arise: the hearths are cold,

This altar cold: I see the wood and cakes

Unbaken—O king, where is the fire?

In.If hither, stranger, thou wert come to findThat which thou findest wanting, join with usNow in our sacrifice, take food within,351And having learnt our simple way of lifeReturn unto thy country whence thou camest.But hast thou skill or knowledge of this thing,How best it may be sought, or by what meansHope to be reached, O speak! I wait to hear.

In.If hither, stranger, thou wert come to find

That which thou findest wanting, join with us

Now in our sacrifice, take food within,351

And having learnt our simple way of life

Return unto thy country whence thou camest.

But hast thou skill or knowledge of this thing,

How best it may be sought, or by what means

Hope to be reached, O speak! I wait to hear.

Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.

In.On earth there is fire thou sayest!

Pr.There is fire.

In.On earth this day!

Pr.There is fire on earth this day.

In.This is a sacred place, a solemn hour,Thy speech is earnest: yet even if thou speak truth,O welcome messenger of happy tidings,And though I hear aright, yet to believeIs hard: thou canst not know what words thou speakestInto what ears: they never heard before365This sound but in old tales of happier times,In sighs of prayer and faint unhearted hope:Maybe they heard not rightly, speak again!

In.This is a sacred place, a solemn hour,

Thy speech is earnest: yet even if thou speak truth,

O welcome messenger of happy tidings,

And though I hear aright, yet to believe

Is hard: thou canst not know what words thou speakest

Into what ears: they never heard before365

This sound but in old tales of happier times,

In sighs of prayer and faint unhearted hope:

Maybe they heard not rightly, speak again!

Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day.

In.Yes, yes, again. Now let sweet Music blabHer secret and give o’er; here is a trumpet371That mocks her method. Yet ’tis but the word.Maybe thy fire is not the fire I seek;Maybe though thou didst see it, now ’tis quenched,Or guarded out of reach: speak yet againAnd swear by heaven’s truth is there fire or no;And if there be, what means may make it mine.

In.Yes, yes, again. Now let sweet Music blab

Her secret and give o’er; here is a trumpet371

That mocks her method. Yet ’tis but the word.

Maybe thy fire is not the fire I seek;

Maybe though thou didst see it, now ’tis quenched,

Or guarded out of reach: speak yet again

And swear by heaven’s truth is there fire or no;

And if there be, what means may make it mine.

Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day:But not as thou dost seek it to be found.

Pr.There is, O king, fire on the earth this day:

But not as thou dost seek it to be found.

In.How seeking wrongly shall I seek aright?

Pr.Thou prayest here to Zeus, and him thou callest381Almighty, knowing he could grant thy prayer:That if ’twere but his will, the journeying sunMight drop a spark into thine outstretched hand:That at his breath the splashing mountain brooksThat fall from Orneæ, and cold Lernè’s poolWould change their element, and their chill streamsBend in their burning banks a molten flood:That at his word so many messengersWould bring thee fire from heaven, that not a hearthIn all thy land but straight would have a god391To kneel and fan the flame: and yet to him,It is to him thou prayest.

Pr.Thou prayest here to Zeus, and him thou callest381

Almighty, knowing he could grant thy prayer:

That if ’twere but his will, the journeying sun

Might drop a spark into thine outstretched hand:

That at his breath the splashing mountain brooks

That fall from Orneæ, and cold Lernè’s pool

Would change their element, and their chill streams

Bend in their burning banks a molten flood:

That at his word so many messengers

Would bring thee fire from heaven, that not a hearth

In all thy land but straight would have a god391

To kneel and fan the flame: and yet to him,

It is to him thou prayest.

In.Therefore to him.

Pr.Is this thy wisdom, king, to sow thy seedYear after year in this unsprouting soil?Hast thou not proved and found the will of ZeusA barren rock for man with prayer to plough?

Pr.Is this thy wisdom, king, to sow thy seed

Year after year in this unsprouting soil?

Hast thou not proved and found the will of Zeus

A barren rock for man with prayer to plough?

In.His anger be averted! we judge not godEvil, because our wishes please him not.Oft our shortsighted prayers to heaven ascendingAsk there our ruin, and are then denied401In kindness above granting: were’t not so,Scarce could we pray for fear to pluck our doomOut of the merciful withholding hands.

In.His anger be averted! we judge not god

Evil, because our wishes please him not.

Oft our shortsighted prayers to heaven ascending

Ask there our ruin, and are then denied401

In kindness above granting: were’t not so,

Scarce could we pray for fear to pluck our doom

Out of the merciful withholding hands.

Pr.Why then provokest thou such great goodwillIn long denial and kind silence shown?

Pr.Why then provokest thou such great goodwill

In long denial and kind silence shown?

In.Fie, fie! Thou lackest piety: the god’s denialBeing nought but kindness, there is hope that heWill make that good which is not:—or if indeedGood be withheld in punishment, ’tis wellStill to seek on and pray that god relent.411

In.Fie, fie! Thou lackest piety: the god’s denial

Being nought but kindness, there is hope that he

Will make that good which is not:—or if indeed

Good be withheld in punishment, ’tis well

Still to seek on and pray that god relent.411

Pr.O Sire of Argos, Zeus will not relent.

In.Yet fire thou sayst is on the earth this day.

Pr.Not of his knowledge nor his gift, O king.

In.By kindness of what god then has man fire?Pr.I say but on the earth unknown to Zeus.

In.By kindness of what god then has man fire?

Pr.I say but on the earth unknown to Zeus.

In.How boastest thou to know, not of his knowledge?

Pr.I boast not: he that knoweth not may boast.

In.Thy daring words bewilder sense with sound.

Pr.I thought to find thee ripe for daring deeds.

In.And what the deed for which I prove unripe?

Pr. To take of heaven’s fire.

In.And were I ripe,What should I dare, beseech you?

In.And were I ripe,

What should I dare, beseech you?

Pr.The wrath of Zeus.

In.Madman, pretending in one hand to holdThe wrath of god and in the other fire.425

In.Madman, pretending in one hand to hold

The wrath of god and in the other fire.425

Pr.Thou meanest rather holding both in one.

In.Both impious art thou and incredible.

Pr.Yet impious only till thou dost believe.

In.And what believe? Ah, if I could believe!It was but now thou saidst that there was fire,And I was near believing; I believed:Now to believe were to be mad as thou.

In.And what believe? Ah, if I could believe!

It was but now thou saidst that there was fire,

And I was near believing; I believed:

Now to believe were to be mad as thou.

Chorus.He may be mad and yet say true—maybeThe heat of prophecy like a strong wineShameth his reason with exultant speech.435

Chorus.He may be mad and yet say true—maybe

The heat of prophecy like a strong wine

Shameth his reason with exultant speech.435

Pr.Thou say’st I am mad, and of my sober wordsHast called those impious which thou fearest true,Those which thou knowest good, incredible.Consider ere thou judge: be first assuredAll is not good for man that seems god’s will.See, on thy farming skill, thy country toil441Which bends to aid the willing fruits of earth,And would promote the seasonable year,The face of nature is not always kind:And if thou search the sum of visible beingTo find thy blessing featured, ’tis not there:Her best gifts cannot brim the golden cupOf expectation which thine eager armsLift to her mouthèd horn—what then is thisWhose wide capacity outbids the scale450Of prodigal beauty, so that the seeing eyeAnd hearing ear, retiring unamazedWithin their quiet chambers, sit to feastWith dear imagination, nor look forthAs once they did upon the varying air?Whence is the fathering of this desireWhich mocks at fated circumstance? nay thoughObstruction lie as cumbrous as the mountains,Nor thy particular hap hath armed desireAgainst the brunt of evil,—yet not for this460Faints man’s desire: it is the unquenchableOriginal cause, the immortal breath of being:Nor is there any spirit on Earth astir,Nor ’neath the airy vault, nor yet beyondIn any dweller in far-reaching space,Nobler or dearer than the spirit of man:That spirit which lives in each and will not die,That wooeth beauty, and for all good thingsUrgeth a voice, or in still passion sigheth,And where he loveth draweth the heart with him.Hast thou not heard him speaking oft and oft,Prompting thy secret musing and now shootingHis feathered fancies, or in cloudy sleep473Piling his painted dreams? O hark to him!For else if folly shut his joyous strengthTo mope in her dark prison without praise,The hidden tears with which he wails his wrongWill sour the fount of life. O hark to him!Him mayst thou trust beyond the things thou seest.For many things there be upon this earthUnblest and fallen from beauty, to misleadMan’s mind, and in a shadow justifyThe evil thoughts and deeds that work his ill;Fear, hatred, lust and strife, which, if man questionThe heavenborn spirit within him, are not there.Yet are they bold of face, and Zeus himself,486Seeing that Mischief held her head on high,Lest she should go beyond his power to quellAnd draw the inevitable Fate that waitsOn utmost ill, himself preventing FateHasted to drown the world, and now would crushThy little remnant: but among the gods492Is one whose love and courage stir for thee;Who being of manlike spirit, by many shiftsHas stayed the hand of the enemy, who criethThy world is not destroyed, thy good shall live:Thou hast more power for good than Zeus for ill,More courage, justice, more abundant art,More love, more joy, more reason: though around theeRank-rooting evil bloom with poisonous crown,Though wan and dolorous and crooked things501Have made their home with thee, thy good shall live.Know thy desire: and know that if thou seek it,And seek, and seek, and fear not, thou shalt find.

Pr.Thou say’st I am mad, and of my sober words

Hast called those impious which thou fearest true,

Those which thou knowest good, incredible.

Consider ere thou judge: be first assured

All is not good for man that seems god’s will.

See, on thy farming skill, thy country toil441

Which bends to aid the willing fruits of earth,

And would promote the seasonable year,

The face of nature is not always kind:

And if thou search the sum of visible being

To find thy blessing featured, ’tis not there:

Her best gifts cannot brim the golden cup

Of expectation which thine eager arms

Lift to her mouthèd horn—what then is this

Whose wide capacity outbids the scale450

Of prodigal beauty, so that the seeing eye

And hearing ear, retiring unamazed

Within their quiet chambers, sit to feast

With dear imagination, nor look forth

As once they did upon the varying air?

Whence is the fathering of this desire

Which mocks at fated circumstance? nay though

Obstruction lie as cumbrous as the mountains,

Nor thy particular hap hath armed desire

Against the brunt of evil,—yet not for this460

Faints man’s desire: it is the unquenchable

Original cause, the immortal breath of being:

Nor is there any spirit on Earth astir,

Nor ’neath the airy vault, nor yet beyond

In any dweller in far-reaching space,

Nobler or dearer than the spirit of man:

That spirit which lives in each and will not die,

That wooeth beauty, and for all good things

Urgeth a voice, or in still passion sigheth,

And where he loveth draweth the heart with him.

Hast thou not heard him speaking oft and oft,

Prompting thy secret musing and now shooting

His feathered fancies, or in cloudy sleep473

Piling his painted dreams? O hark to him!

For else if folly shut his joyous strength

To mope in her dark prison without praise,

The hidden tears with which he wails his wrong

Will sour the fount of life. O hark to him!

Him mayst thou trust beyond the things thou seest.

For many things there be upon this earth

Unblest and fallen from beauty, to mislead

Man’s mind, and in a shadow justify

The evil thoughts and deeds that work his ill;

Fear, hatred, lust and strife, which, if man question

The heavenborn spirit within him, are not there.

Yet are they bold of face, and Zeus himself,486

Seeing that Mischief held her head on high,

Lest she should go beyond his power to quell

And draw the inevitable Fate that waits

On utmost ill, himself preventing Fate

Hasted to drown the world, and now would crush

Thy little remnant: but among the gods492

Is one whose love and courage stir for thee;

Who being of manlike spirit, by many shifts

Has stayed the hand of the enemy, who crieth

Thy world is not destroyed, thy good shall live:

Thou hast more power for good than Zeus for ill,

More courage, justice, more abundant art,

More love, more joy, more reason: though around thee

Rank-rooting evil bloom with poisonous crown,

Though wan and dolorous and crooked things501

Have made their home with thee, thy good shall live.

Know thy desire: and know that if thou seek it,

And seek, and seek, and fear not, thou shalt find.

Sem.(youths). Is this a god that speaketh thus?

Sem.(maidens). He speaketh as a manIn love or great affliction yields his soul.

Sem.(maidens). He speaketh as a man

In love or great affliction yields his soul.

In.Thou, whencesoe’er thou comest, whoe’er thou art,Who breakest on our solemn sacrificeWith solemn words, I pray thee not departTill thou hast told me more. This fire I seek510Not for myself, whose thin and silvery hairTells that my toilsome age nears to its end,But for my children and the aftertime,For great the need thereof, wretched our state;Nay, set by what has been, our happinessIs very want, so that what now is notIs but the measure of what yet may be.And first are barest needs, which well I knowFire would supply, but I have hope beyond,That Nature in recovering her right520Would kinder prove to man who seeks to learnHer secrets and unfold the cause of life.So tell me, if thou knowest, what is fire?Doth earth contain it? or, since from the sunFire reaches us, since in the glimmering starsAnd pallid moon, in lightning, and the glanceOf tracking meteors that at nightfall showHow in the air a thousand sightless thingsTravel, and ever on their windswift courseFlame when they list and into darkness go,—530Since in all these a fiery nature dwells,Is fire an airy essence, a thing of heaven,That, could we poise it, were an alien powerTo make our wisdom less, our wonder more?

In.Thou, whencesoe’er thou comest, whoe’er thou art,

Who breakest on our solemn sacrifice

With solemn words, I pray thee not depart

Till thou hast told me more. This fire I seek510

Not for myself, whose thin and silvery hair

Tells that my toilsome age nears to its end,

But for my children and the aftertime,

For great the need thereof, wretched our state;

Nay, set by what has been, our happiness

Is very want, so that what now is not

Is but the measure of what yet may be.

And first are barest needs, which well I know

Fire would supply, but I have hope beyond,

That Nature in recovering her right520

Would kinder prove to man who seeks to learn

Her secrets and unfold the cause of life.

So tell me, if thou knowest, what is fire?

Doth earth contain it? or, since from the sun

Fire reaches us, since in the glimmering stars

And pallid moon, in lightning, and the glance

Of tracking meteors that at nightfall show

How in the air a thousand sightless things

Travel, and ever on their windswift course

Flame when they list and into darkness go,—530

Since in all these a fiery nature dwells,

Is fire an airy essence, a thing of heaven,

That, could we poise it, were an alien power

To make our wisdom less, our wonder more?

Pr.Thy wish to know is good, and happy is heWho thus from chance and change has launched his mindTo dwell for ever with undisturbèd truth.This high ambition doth not prompt his handTo crime, his right and pleasure are not wrongedBy folly of his fellows, nor his eye540Dimmed by the griefs that move the tears of men.Son of the earth, and citizen may beOf Argos or of Athens and her laws,But still the eternal nature, where he looks,O’errules him with the laws which laws obey,And in her heavenly city enrols his heart.

Pr.Thy wish to know is good, and happy is he

Who thus from chance and change has launched his mind

To dwell for ever with undisturbèd truth.

This high ambition doth not prompt his hand

To crime, his right and pleasure are not wronged

By folly of his fellows, nor his eye540

Dimmed by the griefs that move the tears of men.

Son of the earth, and citizen may be

Of Argos or of Athens and her laws,

But still the eternal nature, where he looks,

O’errules him with the laws which laws obey,

And in her heavenly city enrols his heart.

In.Thus ever have I held of happiness,The child of heavenly truth, and thus have found itIn prayer and meditation and still thought,And thus my peace of mind based on a floor550That doth not quaver like the joys of sense:Those I possess enough in seeing my slavesAnd citizens enjoy, having myselfTasted for once and put their sweets away.But of that heavenly city, of which thou sayestHer laws o’errule us, have I little learnt,For when my wandering spirit hath dared aloneThe unearthly terror of her voiceless halls,She hath fallen from delight, and without guideTurned back, and from her errand fled for fear.560

In.Thus ever have I held of happiness,

The child of heavenly truth, and thus have found it

In prayer and meditation and still thought,

And thus my peace of mind based on a floor550

That doth not quaver like the joys of sense:

Those I possess enough in seeing my slaves

And citizens enjoy, having myself

Tasted for once and put their sweets away.

But of that heavenly city, of which thou sayest

Her laws o’errule us, have I little learnt,

For when my wandering spirit hath dared alone

The unearthly terror of her voiceless halls,

She hath fallen from delight, and without guide

Turned back, and from her errand fled for fear.560

Pr.Think not that thou canst all things know, nor deemSuch knowledge happiness: the all-knowing FatesNo pleasure have, who sit eternallySpinning the unnumbered threads that Time hath woven,And weaves, upgathering in his furthest houseTo store from sight; but what ’tis joy to learnOr use to know, that may’st thou ask of right.

Pr.Think not that thou canst all things know, nor deem

Such knowledge happiness: the all-knowing Fates

No pleasure have, who sit eternally

Spinning the unnumbered threads that Time hath woven,

And weaves, upgathering in his furthest house

To store from sight; but what ’tis joy to learn

Or use to know, that may’st thou ask of right.

In.Then tell me, for thou knowest, what is fire?

Pr.Know then, O king, that this fair earth of men,The Olympus of the gods, and all the heavensAre lesser kingdoms of the boundless space571Wherein Fate rules; they have their several times,Their seasons and the limit of their thrones,And from the nature of eternal thingsSpringing, themselves are changed; even as the treesOr birds or beasts of earth, which now ariseTo being, now in turn decay and die.The heaven and earth thou seest, for long were heldBy Fire, a raging power, to whom the FatesDecreed a slow diminishing old age,580But to his daughter, who is that gentle goddess,Queen of the clear and azure firmament,In heaven called Hygra, but by mortals Air,To her, the child of his slow doting years,Was given a beauteous youth, not long to outlastHis life, but be the pride of his decay,And win to gentler sway his lost domains.And when the day of time arrived, when AirTook o’er from her decrepit sire the thirdOf the Sun’s kingdoms, the one-moonèd earth,Straight came she down to her inheritance.591Gaze on the sun with thine unshaded eyeAnd shrink from what she saw. Forests of fireWhose waving trunks, sucking their fuel, rearedIn branched flame roaring, and their torrid shadesAye underlit with fire. The mountains liftedAnd fell and followed like a running sea,And from their swelling flanks spumed froth of fire;Or, like awakening monsters, mighty moundsRose on the plain awhile.

Pr.Know then, O king, that this fair earth of men,

The Olympus of the gods, and all the heavens

Are lesser kingdoms of the boundless space571

Wherein Fate rules; they have their several times,

Their seasons and the limit of their thrones,

And from the nature of eternal things

Springing, themselves are changed; even as the trees

Or birds or beasts of earth, which now arise

To being, now in turn decay and die.

The heaven and earth thou seest, for long were held

By Fire, a raging power, to whom the Fates

Decreed a slow diminishing old age,580

But to his daughter, who is that gentle goddess,

Queen of the clear and azure firmament,

In heaven called Hygra, but by mortals Air,

To her, the child of his slow doting years,

Was given a beauteous youth, not long to outlast

His life, but be the pride of his decay,

And win to gentler sway his lost domains.

And when the day of time arrived, when Air

Took o’er from her decrepit sire the third

Of the Sun’s kingdoms, the one-moonèd earth,

Straight came she down to her inheritance.591

Gaze on the sun with thine unshaded eye

And shrink from what she saw. Forests of fire

Whose waving trunks, sucking their fuel, reared

In branched flame roaring, and their torrid shades

Aye underlit with fire. The mountains lifted

And fell and followed like a running sea,

And from their swelling flanks spumed froth of fire;

Or, like awakening monsters, mighty mounds

Rose on the plain awhile.

Sem.(maidens). He discovers a foe.600

Sem.(youths). An enemy he paints.

Pr.These all she quenched,Or charmed their fury into the dens and bowelsOf earth to smoulder, there the vital heatTo hold for her creation, which then—to her aidSummoning high Reason from his home in heaven,—She wrought anew upon the temperate lands.

Pr.These all she quenched,

Or charmed their fury into the dens and bowels

Of earth to smoulder, there the vital heat

To hold for her creation, which then—to her aid

Summoning high Reason from his home in heaven,—

She wrought anew upon the temperate lands.

Sem.(maidens). ’Twas well Air won this kingdom of her sire.

Sem.(youths). Now say how made she green this home of fire.

Pr.The waters first she brought, that in their streamsAnd pools and seas innumerable things610Brought forth, from whence she drew the fertile seedsOf trees and plants, and last of footed life,That wandered forth, and roaming to and fro,The rejoicing earth peopled with living sound.Reason advised, and Reason praised her toil;Which when she had done she gave him thanks, and said,‘Fair comrade, since thou praisest what is done,Grant me this favour ere thou part from me:Make thou one fair thing for me, which shall suitWith what is made, and be the best of all.’620’Twas evening, and that night Reason made man.

Pr.The waters first she brought, that in their streams

And pools and seas innumerable things610

Brought forth, from whence she drew the fertile seeds

Of trees and plants, and last of footed life,

That wandered forth, and roaming to and fro,

The rejoicing earth peopled with living sound.

Reason advised, and Reason praised her toil;

Which when she had done she gave him thanks, and said,

‘Fair comrade, since thou praisest what is done,

Grant me this favour ere thou part from me:

Make thou one fair thing for me, which shall suit

With what is made, and be the best of all.’620

’Twas evening, and that night Reason made man.

Sem.(maidens). Children of Air are we, and live by fire.

Sem.(youths). The sons of Reason dwelling on the earth.

Sem.(maidens). Folk of a pleasant kingdom held betweenFire’s reign of terror and the latter dayWhen dying, soon in turn his child must die.

Sem.(maidens). Folk of a pleasant kingdom held between

Fire’s reign of terror and the latter day

When dying, soon in turn his child must die.

Sem.(youths). Having a wise creator, above timeOr youth or change, from whom our kind inheritThe grace and pleasure of the eternal gods.

Sem.(youths). Having a wise creator, above time

Or youth or change, from whom our kind inherit

The grace and pleasure of the eternal gods.

In.But how came gods to rule this earth of Air?

Pr.They also were her children who first ruled,Cronos, Iapetus, Hypérion,632Theia and Rhea, and other mighty namesThat are but names—whom Zeus drave out from heaven,And with his tribe sits on their injured thrones.

Pr.They also were her children who first ruled,

Cronos, Iapetus, Hypérion,632

Theia and Rhea, and other mighty names

That are but names—whom Zeus drave out from heaven,

And with his tribe sits on their injured thrones.

In.There is no greater god in heaven than he.

Pr.Nor none more cruel nor more tyrannous.

In.But what can man against the power of god?

Pr.Doth not man strive with him? thyself dost pray.

In.That he may pardon our contrarious deeds.

Pr.Alas! alas! what more contrarious deed,What greater miracle of wrong than this,642That man should know his good and take it not?To what god wilt thou pray to pardon this?In vain was reason given, if man therewithShame truth, and name it wisdom to cry downThe unschooled promptings of his best desire.The beasts that have no speech nor argumentConfute him, and the wild hog in the woodThat feels his longing, hurries straight thereto,650And will not turn his head.

Pr.Alas! alas! what more contrarious deed,

What greater miracle of wrong than this,642

That man should know his good and take it not?

To what god wilt thou pray to pardon this?

In vain was reason given, if man therewith

Shame truth, and name it wisdom to cry down

The unschooled promptings of his best desire.

The beasts that have no speech nor argument

Confute him, and the wild hog in the wood

That feels his longing, hurries straight thereto,650

And will not turn his head.

In.How mean’st thou this?

Pr.Thou hast desired the good, and now canst feelHow hard it is to kill the heart’s desire.

Pr.Thou hast desired the good, and now canst feel

How hard it is to kill the heart’s desire.

In.Shall Inachus rise against Zeus, as heRose against Cronos and made war in heaven?

In.Shall Inachus rise against Zeus, as he

Rose against Cronos and made war in heaven?

Pr.I say not so, yet, if thou didst rebel,The tongue that counselled Zeus should counsel thee.

Pr.I say not so, yet, if thou didst rebel,

The tongue that counselled Zeus should counsel thee.

Sem.(maidens). This is strange counsel.

Sem.(youths). He is notA counsellor for gods or men.

Sem.(youths). He is not

A counsellor for gods or men.

In.O that I knew where I might counsel find,That one were sent, nay, were’t the least of allThe myriad messengers of heaven, to me!662One that should say ’This morn I stood with Zeus,He hath heard thy prayer and sent me: ask a boon,What thing thou wilt, it shall be given thee.’

In.O that I knew where I might counsel find,

That one were sent, nay, were’t the least of all

The myriad messengers of heaven, to me!662

One that should say ’This morn I stood with Zeus,

He hath heard thy prayer and sent me: ask a boon,

What thing thou wilt, it shall be given thee.’

Pr.What wouldst thou say to such a messenger?

In.No need to ask then what I now might ask,How ’tis the gods, if they have care for mortals,Slubber our worst necessities—and the boon,No need to tell him that.

In.No need to ask then what I now might ask,

How ’tis the gods, if they have care for mortals,

Slubber our worst necessities—and the boon,

No need to tell him that.

Pr.Now, king, thou seestZeus sends no messenger, but I am here.

Pr.Now, king, thou seest

Zeus sends no messenger, but I am here.

In.Thy speech is hard, and even thy kindest wordsUnkind. If fire thou hast, in thee ’tis kindTo proffer it: but thou art more unkindYoking heaven’s wrath therewith. Nay, and how knowest thou675Zeus will be angry if I take of it?Thou art a prophet: ay, but of the prophetsSome have been taken in error, and honest timeHas honoured many with forgetfulness.I’ll make this proof of thee; Show me thy fire—Nay, give’t me now—if thou be true at all,Be true so far: for the rest there’s none will lose,Nor blame thee being false—where is thy fire?

In.Thy speech is hard, and even thy kindest words

Unkind. If fire thou hast, in thee ’tis kind

To proffer it: but thou art more unkind

Yoking heaven’s wrath therewith. Nay, and how knowest thou675

Zeus will be angry if I take of it?

Thou art a prophet: ay, but of the prophets

Some have been taken in error, and honest time

Has honoured many with forgetfulness.

I’ll make this proof of thee; Show me thy fire—

Nay, give’t me now—if thou be true at all,

Be true so far: for the rest there’s none will lose,

Nor blame thee being false—where is thy fire?

Pr.O rather, had it thus been mine to give,I would have given it thus: not adding aughtOf danger or diminishment or loss;686So strong is my goodwill; nor less than thisMy knowledge, but in knowledge all my power.Yet since wise guidance with a little meansCan more than force unminded, I have skillTo conjure evil and outcompass strength.Now give I thee my best, a little giftTo work a world of wonder; ’tis thine ownOf long desire, and with it I will giveThe cunning of invention and all arts695In which thy hand instructed may command,Interpret, comfort, or ennoble nature;With all provision that in wisdom is,And what prevention in foreknowledge lies.

Pr.O rather, had it thus been mine to give,

I would have given it thus: not adding aught

Of danger or diminishment or loss;686

So strong is my goodwill; nor less than this

My knowledge, but in knowledge all my power.

Yet since wise guidance with a little means

Can more than force unminded, I have skill

To conjure evil and outcompass strength.

Now give I thee my best, a little gift

To work a world of wonder; ’tis thine own

Of long desire, and with it I will give

The cunning of invention and all arts695

In which thy hand instructed may command,

Interpret, comfort, or ennoble nature;

With all provision that in wisdom is,

And what prevention in foreknowledge lies.

In.Great is the gain.

Pr.O king, the gain is thine,The penalty I more than share.

Pr.O king, the gain is thine,

The penalty I more than share.

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