Could I take me to some cavern for mine hiding,
In the hill-tops where the Sun scarce hath trod;
Or a cloud make the home of mine abiding,
As a bird among the bird-droves of God!
Could I wing me to my rest amid the roar
Of the deep Adriatic on the shore,
Where the waters of Eridanus are clear,
And Phaëthon's sad sisters by his grave
Weep into the river, and each tear
Gleams, a drop of amber, in the wave.
To the strand of the Daughters of the Sunset,
The Apple-tree, the singing and the gold;
Where the mariner must stay him from his onset,
And the red wave is tranquil as of old;
Yea, beyond that Pillar of the End
That Atlas guardeth, would I wend;
Where a voice of living waters never ceaseth
In God's quiet garden by the sea,
And Earth, the ancient life-giver, increaseth
Joy among the meadows, like a tree.
* * * * *
O shallop of Crete, whose milk-white wing
Through the swell and the storm-beating,
Bore us thy Prince's daughter,
Was it well she came from a joyous home
To a far King's bridal across the foam?
What joy hath her bridal brought her?
Sure some spell upon either hand
Flew with thee from the Cretan strand,
Seeking Athena's tower divine;
And there, where Munychus fronts the brine,
Crept by the shore-flung cables' line,
The curse from the Cretan water!
And for that dark spell that about her clings,
Sick desires of forbidden things
The soul of her rend and sever;
The bitter tide of calamity
Hath risen above her lips; and she,
Where bends she her last endeavour?
She will hie her alone to her bridal room,
And a rope swing slow in the rafters' gloom;
And a fair white neck shall creep to the noose,
A-shudder with dread, yet firm to choose
The one strait way for fame, and lose
The Love and the pain for ever.
[_The Voice of the_ NURSE _is heard from within, crying,
at first inarticulately, then clearly_.]
VOICE
Help ho! The Queen! Help, whoso hearkeneth!
Help! Theseus' spouse caught in a noose of death!
A WOMAN
God, is it so soon finished? That bright head
Swinging beneath the rafters! Phaedra dead!
VOICE
O haste! This knot about her throat is made
So fast! Will no one bring me a swift blade?
A WOMAN
Say, friends, what think ye? Should we haste within,
And from her own hand's knotting loose the Queen?
ANOTHER
Nay, are there not men there? 'Tis an ill road
In life, to finger at another's load.
VOICE
Let it lie straight! Alas! the cold white thing
That guards his empty castle for the King!
A WOMAN
Ah! "Let it lie straight!" Heard ye what she said?
No need for helpers now; the Queen is dead!
[_The Women, intent upon the voices from the Castle, have not noticed
the approach of_ THESEUS. _He enters from the left; his dress and the
garland on his head show that he has returned from some oracle or
special abode of a God. He stands for a moment perplexed_.]
THESEUS
Ho, Women, and what means this loud acclaim
Within the house? The vassals' outcry came
To smite mine ears far off. It were more meet
To fling out wide the Castle gates, and greet
With a joy held from God's Presence!
[_The confusion and horror of the Women's faces gradually affects him.
A dirge-cry comes from the Castle_.]
How?
Not Pittheus? Hath Time struck that hoary brow?
Old is he, old, I know. But sore it were,
Returning thus, to find his empty chair!
[_The Women hesitate; then the Leader comes forward_.]
LEADER
O Theseus, not on any old man's head
This stroke falls. Young and tender is the dead.
THESEUS
Ye Gods! One of my children torn from me?
LEADER
Thy motherless children live, most grievously.
THESEUS
How sayst thou? What? My wife? ...
Say how she died.
LEADER
In a high death-knot that her own hands tied.
THESEUS
A fit of the old cold anguish? Tell me all--
That held her? Or did some fresh thing befall?
LEADER
We know no more. But now arrived we be,
Theseus, to mourn for thy calamity.
[THESEUS _stays for a moment silent, and puts his hand on his brow.
He notices the wreath_.]
THESEUS
What? And all garlanded I come to her
With flowers, most evil-starred God's-messenger!
Ho, varlets, loose the portal bars; undo
The bolts; and let me see the bitter view
Of her whose death hath brought me to mine own.
[_The great central door of the Castle is thrown open wide, and the body
of_ PHAEDRA _is seen lying on a bier, surrounded by a group of
Handmaids, wailing_.]
THE HANDMAIDS
Ah me, what thou hast suffered and hast done:
A deed to wrap this roof in flame!
Why was thine hand so strong, thine heart so bold?
Wherefore. O dead in anger, dead in shame,
The long, long wrestling ere thy breath was cold?
O ill-starred Wife,
What brought this blackness over all thy life?
[_A throng of Men and Women has gradually collected_.]
THESEUS
Ah me, this is the last
--Hear, O my countrymen!--and bitterest
Of Theseus' labours! Fortune all unblest,
How hath thine heavy heel across me passed!
Is it the stain of sins done long ago,
Some fell God still remembereth,
That must so dim and fret my life with death?
I cannot win to shore; and the waves flow
Above mine eyes, to be surmounted not.
Ah wife, sweet wife, what name
Can fit thine heavy lot?
Gone like a wild bird, like a blowing flame,
In one swift gust, where all things are forgot!
Alas! this misery!
Sure 'tis some stroke of God's great anger rolled
From age to age on me,
For some dire sin wrought by dim kings of old.
LEADER
Sire, this great grief hath come to many an one,
A true wife lost. Thou art not all alone.
THESEUS
Deep, deep beneath the Earth,
Dark may my dwelling be,
And night my heart's one comrade, in the dearth,
O Love, of thy most sweet society.
This is my death, O Phaedra, more than thine.
[_He turns suddenly on the Attendants_.]
Speak who speak can! What was it? What malign
Swift stroke, O heart discounselled, leapt on thee?
[_He bends over_ PHAEDRA; _then, as no one speaks looks fiercely up_.]
What, will ye speak? Or are they dumb as death,
This herd of thralls, my high house harboureth?
[_There is no answer. He bends again over_ PHAEDRA.]
SOME WOMEN
Woe, woe! God brings to birth
A new grief here, close on the other's tread!
My life hath lost its worth.
May all go now with what is finishèd!
The castle of my King is overthrown,
A house no more, a house vanished and gone!
OTHER WOMEN
O God, if it may be in any way,
Let not this house be wrecked! Help us who pray!
I know not what is here: some unseen thing
That shows the Bird of Evil on the wing.
[THESEUS _has read the tablet and breaks out in uncontrollable emotion_.]
THESEUS
Oh, horror piled on horror!--Here is writ...
Nay, who could bear it, who could speak of it?
LEADER
What, O my King? If I may hear it, speak!
THESEUS
Doth not the tablet cry aloud, yea, shriek,
Things not to be forgotten?--Oh, to fly
And hide mine head! No more a man am I.
God what ghastly music echoes here!
LEADER
How wild thy voice! Some terrible thing is near.
THESEUS
No; my lips' gates will hold it back no more;
This deadly word,
That struggles on the brink and will not o'er,
Yet will not stay unheard.
[_He raises his hand, to make proclamation to all present_.]
Ho, hearken all this land!
[_The people gather expectantly about him_.]
Hippolytus by violence hath laid hand
On this my wife, forgetting God's great eye.
[_Murmurs of amazement and horror; THESEUS, apparently calm,
raises both arms to heaven._]
Therefore, O Thou my Father, hear my cry,
Poseidon! Thou didst grant me for mine own
Three prayers; for one of these, slay now my son,
Hippolytus; let him not outlive this day,
If true thy promise was! Lo, thus I pray.
LEADER
Oh, call that wild prayer back! O King, take heed!
I know that thou wilt live to rue this deed.
THESEUS
It may not be.--And more, I cast him out
From all my realms. He shall be held about
By two great dooms. Or by Poseidon's breath
He shall fall swiftly to the house of Death;
Or wandering, outcast, o'er strange land and sea,
Shall live and drain the cup of misery.
LEADER
Ah; see! here comes he at the point of need.
Shake off that evil mood, O King; have heed
For all thine house and folk--Great Theseus, hear!
[THESEUS _stands silent in fierce gloom._
HIPPOLYTUS _comes in from the right._]
HIPPOLYTUS
Father, I heard thy cry, and sped in fear
To help thee, but I see not yet the cause
That racked thee so. Say, Father, what it was.
[_The murmurs in the crowd, the silent gloom of his Father,
and the horror of the Chorus-women gradually work on_ HIPPOLYTUS
_and bewilder him. He catches sight of the bier._]
Ah, what is that! Nay, Father, not the Queen
Dead!
[_Murmurs in the crowd._]
'Tis most strange. 'Tis passing strange, I ween.
'Twas here I left her. Scarce an hour hath run
Since here she stood and looked on this same sun.
What is it with her? Wherefore did she die?
[THESEUS _remains silent. The murmurs increase._]
Father, to thee I speak. Oh, tell me, why,
Why art thou silent? What doth silence know
Of skill to stem the bitter flood of woe?
And human hearts in sorrow crave the more,
For knowledge, though the knowledge grieve them sore.
It is not love, to veil thy sorrows in
From one most near to thee, and more than kin.
THESEUS (_to himself_)
Fond race of men, so striving and so blind,
Ten thousand arts and wisdoms can ye find,
Desiring all and all imagining:
But ne'er have reached nor understood one thing,
To make a true heart there where no heart is!
HIPPOLYTUS
That were indeed beyond man's mysteries,
To make a false heart true against his will.
But why this subtle talk? It likes me ill,
Father; thy speech runs wild beneath this blow.
THESEUS (_as before_)
O would that God had given us here below
Some test of love, some sifting of the soul,
To tell the false and true! Or through the whole
Of men two voices ran, one true and right,
The other as chance willed it; that we might
Convict the liar by the true man's tone,
And not live duped forever, every one!
HIPPOLYTUS (_misunderstanding him; then guessing at something
of the truth_)
What? Hath some friend proved false?
Or in thine ear
Whispered some slander? Stand I tainted here,
Though utterly innocent? [_Murmurs from the crowd_.]
Yea, dazed am I;
'Tis thy words daze me, falling all awry,
Away from reason, by fell fancies vexed!
THESEUS
O heart of man, what height wilt venture next?
What end comes to thy daring and thy crime?
For if with each man's life 'twill higher climb,
And every age break out in blood and lies
Beyond its fathers, must not God devise
Some new world far from ours, to hold therein
Such brood of all unfaithfulness and sin?
Look, all, upon this man, my son, his life
Sprung forth from mine! He hath defiled my wife;
And standeth here convicted by the dead,
A most black villain!
[HIPPOLYTUS _falls back with a cry and covers his face with his robe_.]
Nay, hide not thine head!
Pollution, is it? Thee it will not stain.
Look up, and face thy Father's eyes again!
Thou friend of Gods, of all mankind elect;
Thou the pure heart, by thoughts of ill unflecked!
I care not for thy boasts. I am not mad,
To deem that Gods love best the base and bad.
Now is thy day! Now vaunt thee; thou so pure,
No flesh of life may pass thy lips! Now lure
Fools after thee; call Orpheus King and Lord;
Make ecstasies and wonders! Thumb thine hoard
Of ancient scrolls and ghostly mysteries--
Now thou art caught and known!
Shun men like these,
I charge ye all! With solemn words they chase
their prey, and in their hearts plot foul disgrace.
My wife is dead.--"Ha, so that saves thee now,"
That is what grips thee worst, thou caitiff, thou!
What oaths, what subtle words, shall stronger be
Than this dead hand, to clear the guilt from thee?
"She hated thee," thou sayest; "the bastard born
Is ever sore and bitter as a thorn
To the true brood."--A sorry bargainer
In the ills and goods of life thou makest her,
If all her best-beloved she cast away
To wreck blind hate on thee!--What, wilt thou say
"Through every woman's nature one blind strand
Of passion winds, that men scarce understand?"--
Are we so different? Know I not the fire
And perilous flood of a young man's desire,
Desperate as any woman, and as blind,
When Cypris stings? Save that the man behind
Has all men's strength to aid him. Nay, 'twas thou...
But what avail to wrangle with thee now,
When the dead speaks for all to understand,
A perfect witness!
Hie thee from this land
To exile with all speed. Come never more
To god-built Athens, not to the utmost shore
Of any realm where Theseus' arm is strong!
What? Shall I bow my head beneath this wrong,
And cower to thee? Not Isthmian Sinis so
Will bear men witness that I laid him low,
Nor Skiron's rocks, that share the salt sea's prey,
Grant that my hand hath weight vile things to slay!
LEADER
Alas! whom shall I call of mortal men
Happy? The highest are cast down again.
HIPPOLYTUS
Father, the hot strained fury of thy heart
Is terrible. Yet, albeit so swift thou art
Of speech, if all this matter were laid bare,
Speech were not then so swift; nay, nor so fair...
[_Murmurs again in the crowd_.]
I have no skill before a crowd to tell
My thoughts. 'Twere best with few, that know me well.--
Nay that is natural; tongues that sound but rude
In wise men's ears, speak to the multitude
With music.
None the less, since there is come
This stroke upon me, I must not be dumb,
But speak perforce... And there will I begin
Where thou beganst, as though to strip my sin
Naked, and I not speak a word!
Dost see
This sunlight and this earth? I swear to thee
There dwelleth not in these one man--deny
All that thou wilt!--more pure of sin than I.
Two things I know on earth: God's worship first;
Next to win friends about me, few, that thirst
To hold them clean of all unrighteousness.
Our rule doth curse the tempters, and no less
Who yieldeth to the tempters.--How, thou say'st,
"Dupes that I jest at?" Nay; I make a jest
Of no man. I am honest to the end,
Near or far off, with him I call my friend.
And most in that one thing, where now thy mesh
Would grip me, stainless quite! No woman's flesh
Hath e'er this body touched. Of all such deed
Naught wot I, save what things a man may read
In pictures or hear spoke; nor am I fain,
Being virgin-souled, to read or hear again.
My life of innocence moves thee not; so be it.
Show then what hath seduced me; let me see it.
Was that poor flesh so passing fair, beyond
All woman's loveliness?
Was I some fond
False plotter, that I schemed to win through her
Thy castle's heirdom? Fond indeed I were!
Nay, a stark madman! "But a crown," thou sayest,
"Usurped, is sweet." Nay, rather most unblest
To all wise-hearted; sweet to fools and them
Whose eyes are blinded by the diadem.
In contests of all valour fain would I
Lead Hellas; but in rank and majesty
Not lead, but be at ease, with good men near
To love me, free to work and not to fear.
That brings more joy than any crown or throne.
[_He sees from the demeanor of_ THESEUS _and of the crowd that his words
are not winning them, but rather making them bitterer than before.
It comes to his lips to speak the whole truth_.]
I have said my say; save one thing...one alone
O had I here some witness in my need,
As I was witness! Could she hear me plead,
Face me and face the sunlight; well I know,
Our deeds would search us out for thee, and show
Who lies!
But now, I swear--so hear me both,
The Earth beneath and Zeus who Guards the Oath--
I never touched this woman that was thine!
No words could win me to it, nor incline
My heart to dream it. May God strike me down,
Nameless and fameless, without home or town,
An outcast and a wanderer of the world;
May my dead bones rest never, but be hurled
From sea to land, from land to angry sea,
If evil is my heart and false to thee!
[_He waits a moment; but sees that his Father is unmoved.
The truth again comes to his lips_.]
If 'twas some fear that made her cast away
Her life ... I know not. More I must not say.
Right hath she done when in her was no right;
And Right I follow to mine own despite!
LEADER
It is enough! God's name is witness large,
And thy great oath, to assoil thee of this charge,
THESEUS
Is not the man a juggler and a mage,
Cool wits and one right oath--what more?--to assuage
Sin and the wrath of injured fatherhood!
HIPPOLYTUS
Am I so cool? Nay, Father, 'tis thy mood
That makes me marvel! By my faith, wert thou
The son, and I the sire; and deemed I now
In very truth thou hadst my wife assailed,
I had not exiled thee, nor stood and railed,
But lifted once mine arm, and struck thee dead!
THESEUS
Thou gentle judge! Thou shalt not so be sped
To simple death, nor by thine own decree.
Swift death is bliss to men in misery.
Far off, friendless forever, thou shalt drain
Amid strange cities the last dregs of pain!
HIPPOLYTUS
Wilt verily cast me now beyond thy pale,
Not wait for Time, the lifter of the veil?
THESEUS
Aye, if I could, past Pontus, and the red
Atlantic marge! So do I hate thine head.
HIPPOLYTUS
Wilt weigh nor oath nor faith nor prophet's word
To prove me? Drive me from thy sight unheard?
THESEUS
This tablet here, that needs no prophet's lot
To speak from, tells me all. I ponder not
Thy fowls that fly above us! Let them fly.
HIPPOLYTUS
O ye great Gods, wherefore unlock not I
My lips, ere yet ye have slain me utterly,
Ye whom I love most? No. It may not be!
The one heart that I need I ne'er should gain
To trust me. I should break mine oath in vain.
THESEUS
Death! but he chokes me with his saintly tone!--
Up, get thee from this land! Begone! Begone!
HIPPOLYTUS
Where shall I turn me? Think. To what friend's door
Betake me, banished on a charge so sore?
THESEUS
Whoso delights to welcome to his hall
Vile ravishers ... to guard his hearth withal!
HIPPOLYTUS
Thou seekst my heart, my tears? Aye, let it be
Thus! I am vile to all men, and to thee!
THESEUS
There was a time for tears and thought; the time
Ere thou didst up and gird thee to thy crime.
HIPPOLYTUS
Ye stones, will ye not speak? Ye castle walls!
Bear witness if I be so vile, so false!
THESEUS
Aye, fly to voiceless witnesses! Yet here
A dumb deed speaks against thee, and speaks clear!
HIPPOLYTUS
Alas!
Would I could stand and watch this thing, and see
My face, and weep for very pity of me!
THESEUS
Full of thyself, as ever! Not a thought
For them that gave thee birth; nay, they are naught!
HIPPOLYTUS
O my wronged Mother! O my birth of shame!
May none I love e'er bear a bastard's name!
THESEUS (_in a sudden blaze of rage_)
Up, thralls, and drag him from my presence! What,
'Tis but a foreign felon! Heard ye not?
[_The thralls still hesitate in spite of his fury._]
HIPPOLYTUS
They touch me at their peril! Thine own hand
Lift, if thou canst, to drive me from the land.
THESEUS
That will I straight, unless my will be done!
[HIPPOLYTUS _comes close to him and kneels._]
Nay! Not for thee my pity! Get thee gone!
[HIPPOLYTUS _rises, makes a sign of submission, and slowly moves away._
THESEUS, _as soon as he sees him going, turns rapidly and enters the
Castle. The door is closed again._ HIPPOLYTUS _has stopped for a
moment before the Statue of _ARTEMIS, _and, as _THESEUS_ departs,
breaks out in prayer._]
HIPPOLYTUS
So; it is done! O dark and miserable!
I see it all, but see not how to tell
The tale.--O thou belovèd, Leto's Maid,
Chase-comrade, fellow-rester in the glade,
Lo, I am driven with a caitiff's brand
Forth from great Athens! Fare ye well, O land
And city of old Erechtheus! Thou, Trozên,
What riches of glad youth mine eyes have seen
In thy broad plain! Farewell! This is the end;
The last word, the last look!
Come, every friend
And fellow of my youth that still may stay,
Give me god-speed and cheer me on my way.
Ne'er shall ye see a man more pure of spot
Than me, though mine own Father loves me not!
[HIPPOLYTUS _goes away to the right, followed by many Huntsmen and other
young men. The rest of the crowd has by this time dispersed, except the
Women of the Chorus and some Men of the Chorus of Huntsmen_.]