HKB
beyond, or aught pass’d o’er, Which thou canst utter, of her woe-worn maze, Speak on! if all is said, then grant to us That which we asked, as thou rememberest.
PROMETHEUS. She now hath learned, unto its utmost end, Her pilgrimage; but yet, that she may know That ’tis no futile fable she hath heard, I will recount her history of toil Ere she came hither; let it stand for proof Of what I told, my forecast of the end. So, then—to sum in brief the weary tale— I turn me to thine earlier exile’s close. When to Molossia’s lowland thou hadst come, Nigh to Dodona’s cliff and ridge sublime, (Where is the shrine oracular and seat Of Zeus, Thesprotian styled, and that strange thing And marvel past belief, the prophet-oaks That syllable his speech), thou by their tongues, With clear acclaim and unequivocal, Wert thus saluted—Hail, O bride of Zeus That art to be—hast memory thereof? Thence, stung anew with frenzy, thou didst hie Along the shoreward track, to Rhea’s lap, The mighty main; then, stormily distraught, Backward again and eastward. To all time, Be well assured, that inlet of the sea All mortal men shall call Ionian, In memory that Io fared thereby. Take this for proof and witness that my mind Hath more in ken than ever sense hath shown. (To the CHORUS) That which remains, to you and her alike I will relate, and, to my former words Reverting, add this final prophecy. (To Io) There lieth, at the verge of land and sea, Where Nilus issues thro’ the silted sand, A town, Canopus called: and there at length Shall Zeus renew the reason in thy brain With the mere touch and contact of his hand Fraught now with fear no more: and thou shalt bear A child, dark Epaphus—his very name Memorial of Zeus’ touch that gave him life. And his shall be the foison and the fruit Of all the land enriched by spreading Nile. Thence the fifth generation of his seed Back unto Argos, yet unwillingly, Shall flee for refuge—fifty maidens they, Loathing a wedlock with their next in blood, More kin than kind, from their sire’s brother sprung. And on their track, astir with wild desire, Like falcons fierce closing on doves that flee, Shall speed the suitors, craving to achieve A prey forbidden, a reluctant bride. Yet power divine shall foil them, and forbid Possession of the maids, whom Argive land Shall hold protected, when unsleeping hate, Horror, and watchful ambush of the night, Have laid the suitors dead, by female hands. For every maid shall smite a man to death, Dyeing a dagger’s edges in his throat— Such bed of love befall mine enemies! Yet in one bride shall yearning conquer hate, Bidding her spare the bridegroom at her side, Blunting the keen edge of her set resolve. Thus of two scorns the former shall she choose, The name of coward, not of murderess. In Argos shall she bear, in after time, A royal offspring. Long it were to tell In clear succession all that thence shall be. Take this for sooth—in lineage from her A hero shall arise, an archer great, And he shall be my saviour from these woes. Such knowledge of the future Themis gave, The ancient Titaness, to me her son. But how, and by what skill, ’twere long to say, And no whit will the knowledge profit thee.
IO. O woe, O rending and convulsive pain, Frenzy and agony, again, again Searing my heart and brain! O dagger of the sting, unforged with fire Yet burning, burning ever! O my heart, Pulsing with horror, beating at my breast! O rolling maddened eyes! away, apart, Raving with anguish dire, I spring, by frenzy-fiends possest. O wild and whirling words, that sweep in gloom Down to dark waves of doom!
[Exit IO.]
CHORUS. O well and sagely was it said— Yea, wise of heart was he who first Gave forth in speech the thought he nursed— In thine own order see thou wed!