HKB
[ANTISTROPHE.]
He slew the Snake; he cast, men say, Themis, the child of Earth, away From Pytho and her hallowed stream; Then Earth, in dark derision, Brought forth the Peoples of the Dream And all the tribes of Vision.
And men besought them; and from deep Confused underworlds of sleep They showed blind things that erst had been And are and yet shall follow So did avenge that old Earth Queen Her child's wrong on Apollo.
Then swiftly flew that conquering one To Zeus on high, and round the throne Twining a small indignant hand, Prayed him to send redeeming To Pytho from that troublous band Sprung from the darks of dreaming.
Zeus laughed to see the babe, I trow, So swift to claim his golden rite; He laughed and bowed his head, in vow To still those voices of the night. And so from out the eyes of men That dark dream-truth was lost again; And Phoebus, throneed where the throng Prays at the golden portal, Again doth shed in sunlit song Hope unto all things mortal.
[enter a MESSENGER, running.]
MESSENGER. Ho, watchers of the fane! Ho, altar-guard, Where is King Thoas gone? Undo the barred Portals, and call the King! The King I seek.
LEADER. What tidings--if unbidden I may speak?
MESSENGER. The strangers both are gone, and we beguiled, By some dark plot of Agamemnon's child: Fled from the land! And on a barque of Greece They bear the heaven-sent shape of Artemis.
LEADER. Thy tale is past belief.--Go, swiftly on, And find the King. He is but newly gone.
MESSENGER. Where went he? He must know of what has passed!
LEADER. I know not where he went. But follow fast And seek him. Thou wilt light on him ere long.
MESSENGER. See there! The treason of a woman's tongue! Ye all are in the plot, I warrant ye!
LEADER. Thy words are mad! What are the men to me? ... Go to the palace, go!
MESSENGER (seeing the great knocker on the temple door.) I will not stir Till word be come by this good messenger If Thoas be within these gates or no.--
[thundering at the door.]
Ho, loose the portals! Ye within! What ho! Open, and tell our master one doth stand Without here, with strange evil in his hand.
[enter THAOS from the temple.]
THOAS. Who dares before this portal consecrate Make uproar and lewd battering of the gate? Thy noise hath broke the Altar's ancient peace.
MESSENGER. Ye Gods! They swore to me--and bade me cease My search--the King was gone. And all the while ...!
THOAS. These women? How? What sought they by such guile?
MESSENGER. Of them hereafter!--Give me first thine ear For greater things. The virgin minister That served our altar, she hath fled from this And stolen the dread Shape of Artemis, With those two Greeks. The cleansing was a lie.
THOAS. She fled?--What wild hope whispered her to fly?
MESSENGER. The hope to save Orestes. Wonder on!
THOAS. Orestes--how? Not Clytemnestra's son?
MESSENGER. And our pledged altar-offering. 'Tis the same.
THOAS. O marvel beyond marvel! By what name More rich in wonder can I name thee right?
MESSENGER. Give not thy mind to that. Let ear and sight Be mine awhile; and when thou hast heard the whole Devise how best to trap them ere the goal.
THOAS. Aye, tell thy tale. Our Tauric seas stretch far, Where no man may escape my wand of war.