the complete poetical works-第114节
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Captain of thieves！ Hast thou again been stealing
The heifers of Admetus in the sweet
Meadows of asphodel？ or Hera's girdle？
Or the earth…shaking trident of Poseidon？
HERMES。
And thou； Prometheus； say； hast thou again
Been stealing fire from Helios' chariot…wheels
To light thy furnaces？
PROMETHEUS。
Why comest thou hither
So early in the dawn？
HERMES。
The Immortal Gods
Know naught of late or early。 Zeus himself
The omnipotent hath sent me。
PROMETHEUS。
For what purpose？
HERMES。
To bring this maiden to thee。
PROMETHEUS。
I mistrust
The Gods and all their gifts。 If they have sent her
It is for no good purpose。
HERMES。
What disaster
Could she bring on thy house； who is a woman？
PROMETHEUS。
The Gods are not my friends； nor am I theirs。
Whatever comes from them； though in a shape
As beautiful as this； is evil only。
Who art thou？
PANDORA。
One who； though to thee unknown；
Yet knoweth thee。
PROMETHEUS。
How shouldst thou know me； woman？
PANDORA。
Who knoweth not Prometheus the humane？
PROMETHEUS。
Prometheus the unfortunate； to whom
Both Gods and men have shown themselves ungrateful。
When every spark was quenched on every hearth
Throughout the earth； I brought to man the fire
And all its ministrations。 My reward
Hath been the rock and vulture。
HERMES。
But the Gods
At last relent and pardon。
PROMETHEUS。
They relent not；
They pardon not； they are implacable；
Revengeful； unforgiving！
HERMES。
As a pledge
Of reconciliation they have sent to thee
This divine being； to be thy companion；
And bring into thy melancholy house
The sunshine and the fragrance of her youth。
PROMETHEUS。
I need them not。 I have within myself
All that my heart desires； the ideal beauty
Which the creative faculty of mind
Fashions and follows in a thousand shapes
More lovely than the real。 My own thoughts
Are my companions； my designs and labors
And aspirations are my only friends。
HERMES。
Decide not rashly。 The decision made
Can never be recalled。 The Gods implore not；
Plead not； solicit not； they only offer
Choice and occasion； which once being passed
Return no more。 Dost thou accept the gift？
PROMETHEUS。
No gift of theirs； in whatsoever shape
It comes to me； with whatsoever charm
To fascinate my sense； will I receive。
Leave me。
PANDORA。
Let us go hence。 I will not stay。
HERMES。
We leave thee to thy vacant dreams； and all
The silence and the solitude of thought；
The endless bitterness of unbelief；
The loneliness of existence without love。
CHORUS OF THE FATES
CLOTHO。
How the Titan； the defiant；
The self…centred； self…reliant；
Wrapped in visions and illusions；
Robs himself of life's best gifts！
Till by all the storm…winds shaken；
By the blast of fate o'ertaken；
Hopeless； helpless； and forsaken；
In the mists of his confusions
To the reefs of doom he drifts！
LACHESIS。
Sorely tried and sorely tempted；
From no agonies exempted；
In the penance of his trial；
And the discipline of pain；
Often by illusions cheated；
Often baffled and defeated
In the tasks to be completed；
He； by toil and self…denial；
To the highest shall attain。
ATROPOS。
Tempt no more the noble schemer；
Bear unto some idle dreamer
This new toy and fascination；
This new dalliance and delight！
To the garden where reposes
Epimetheus crowned with roses；
To the door that never closes
Upon pleasure and temptation；
Bring this vision of the night！
IV
THE AIR
HERMES （returning to Olympus。）
As lonely as the tower that he inhabits；
As firm and cold as are the crags about him；
Prometheus stands。 The thunderbolts of Zeus
Alone can move him； but the tender heart
Of Epimetheus； burning at white heat；
Hammers and flames like all his brother's forges！
Now as an arrow from Hyperion's bow；
My errand done； I fly； I float； I soar
Into the air； returning to Olympus。
O joy of motion！ O delight to cleave
The infinite realms of space； the liquid ether；
Through the warm sunshine and the cooling cloud；
Myself as light as sunbeam or as cloud！
With one touch of my swift and winged feet；
I spurn the solid earth； and leave it rocking
As rocks the bough from which a bird takes wing。
V
THE HOUSE OF EPIMETHEUS
EPIMETHEUS。
Beautiful apparition！ go not hence！
Surely thou art a Goddess； for thy voice
Is a celestial melody； and thy form
Self…poised as if it floated on the air！
PANDORA。
No Goddess am I； nor of heavenly birth；
But a mere woman fashioned out of clay
And mortal as the rest。
EPIMETHEUS。
Thy face is fair；
There is a wonder in thine azure eyes
That fascinates me。 Thy whole presence seems
A soft desire； a breathing thought of love。
Say； would thy star like Merope's grow dim
If thou shouldst wed beneath thee？
PANDORA。
Ask me not；
I cannot answer thee。 I only know
The Gods have sent me hither。
EPIMETHEUS。
I believe；
And thus believing am most fortunate。
It was not Hermes led thee here； but Eros；
And swifter than his arrows were thine eves
In wounding me。 There was no moment's space
Between my seeing thee and loving thee。
O； what a telltale face thou hast！ Again
I see the wonder in thy tender eyes。
PANDORA。
They do but answer to the love in thine；
Yet secretly I wonder thou shouldst love me。
Thou knowest me not。
EPIMETHEUS。
Perhaps I know thee better
Than had I known thee longer。 Yet it seems
That I have always known thee； and but now
Have found thee。 Ah； I have been waiting long。
PANDORA。
How beautiful is this house！ The atmosphere
Breathes rest and comfort； and the many chambers
Seem full of welcomes。
EPIMETHEUS。
They not only seem；
But truly are。 This dwelling and its master
Belong to thee。
PANDORA。
Here let me stay forever！
There is a spell upon me。
EPIMETHEUS。
Thou thyself
Art the enchantress； and I feel thy power
Envelop me； and wrap my soul and sense
In an Elysian dream。
PANDORA；
O； let me stay。
How beautiful are all things round about me；
Multiplied by the mirrors on the walls！
What treasures hast thou here！ Yon oaken chest；
Carven with figures and embossed with gold；
Is wonderful to look upon！ What choice
And precious things dost thou keep hidden in it？
EPIMETHEUS。
I know not。 'T is a mystery。
PANDORA。
Hast thou never
Lifted the lid？
EPIMETHEUS。
The oracle forbids。
Safely concealed there from all mortal eyes
Forever sleeps the secret of the Gods。
Seek not to know what they have hidden from thee；
Till they themselves reveal it。
PANDORA。
As thou wilt。
EPIMETHEUS。
Let us go forth from this mysterious place。
The garden walks are pleasant at this hour；
The nightingales among the sheltering boughs
Of populous and many…nested trees
Shall teach me how to woo thee； and shall tell me
By what resistless charms or incantations
They won their mates。
PANDORA。
Thou dost not need a teacher。
（They go out。）
CHORUS OF THE EUMENIDES。
What the Immortals
Confide to thy keeping；
Tell unto no man；
Waking or sleeping；
Closed be thy portals
To friend as to foeman。
Silence conceals it；
The word that is spoken
Betrays and reveals it；
By breath or by token
The charm may be broken。
With shafts of their splendors
The Gods unforgiving
Pursue the offenders；
The dead and the living！
Fortune forsakes them；
Nor earth shall abide them；
Nor Tartarus hide them；
Swift wrath overtakes them！
With useless endeavor；
Forever； forever；
Is Sisyphus rolling
His stone up the mountain！
Immersed in the fountain；
Tantalus tastes not
The water that wastes not！
Through ages increasing
The pangs that afflict him；
With motion unceasing
The wheel of Ixion
Shall torture its victim！
VI
IN THE GARDEN
EPIMETHEUS。
Yon snow…white cloud that sails sublime in ether
Is but the sovereign Zeus； who like a swan
Flies to fair…ankled Leda！
PANDORA。
Or perchance
Ixion's cloud； the shadowy shape of Hera；
That bore the Centaurs。
EPIMETHEUS。
The divine and human。
CHORUS OF BIRDS。
Gently swaying to and fro；
Rocked by all the winds that blow；
Bright with sunshine from above
Dark with shadow from below；
Beak to beak and breast to breast
In the cradle of their nest；
Lie the fledglings of our love。
ECHO。
Love！ love！
EPIMETHEUS。
Hark！ listen！ Hear how sweetly overhead
The feathered flute…players pipe their songs of love；
And echo answers； love and only love。
CHORUS OF BIRDS。
Every flutter of the wing；
Every note of song we sing；
Every murmur； every tone；
Is of love and love alone。
ECHO。
Love alone！
