Alcestis Part 10

SERVANT.

Alcestis, the King's wife.

HERACLES (_overcome_).

What hast thou said?

Alcestis?... And ye feasted me withal!

SERVANT.

He held it shame to turn thee from his hall.

HERACLES.

Shame! And when such a wondrous wife was gone!

SERVANT (_breaking into tears_).

Oh, all is gone, all lost, not she alone!

HERACLES.

I knew, I felt it, when I saw his tears, And face, and shorn hair. But he won mine ears With talk of the strange woman and her rite Of burial. So in mine own heart's despite I crossed his threshold and sat drinking--he And I old friends!--in his calamity.

Drank, and sang songs, and revelled, my head hot With wine and flowers!... And thou to tell me not, When all the house lay filled with sorrow, thou!

(_A pause; then suddenly_) Where lies the tomb?--Where shall I find her now?

SERVANT (_frightened_).

Close by the straight Larissa road. The tall White marble showeth from the castle wall.

HERACLES.

O heart, O hand, great doings have ye done Of old: up now, and show them what a son Took life that hour, when she of Tiryns' sod, Electryon's daughter, mingled with her G.o.d!

I needs must save this woman from the sh.o.r.e Of death and set her in her house once more, Repaying Admetus' love.... This Death, this black And winged Lord of corpses, I will track Home. I shall surely find him by the grave A-hungered, lapping the hot blood they gave In sacrifice. An ambush: then, one spring, One grip! These arms shall be a brazen ring, With no escape, no rest, howe'er he whine And curse his mauled ribs, till the Queen is mine!

Or if he escape me, if he come not there To seek the blood of offering, I will fare Down to the Houses without Light, and bring To Her we name not and her nameless King Strong prayers, until they yield to me and send Alcestis home, to life and to my friend: Who gave me shelter, drove me not away In his great grief, but hid his evil day Like a brave man, because he loved me well.

Is one in all this land more hospitable, One in all Greece? I swear no man shall say He hath cast his love upon a churl away!

[_He goes forth, just as he is, in the direction of the grave.

The_ SERVANT _watches a moment and goes back into the hall._]

[_The stage is empty; then_ ADMETUS _and the_ CHORUS _return._]

ADMETUS.

Alas!

Bitter the homeward way, Bitter to seek A widowed house; ah me, Where should I fly or stay, Be dumb or speak?

Would I could cease to be!

Despair, despair!

My mother bore me under an evil star.

I envy them that are perished; my heart is there.

It dwells in the Sunless Houses, afar, afar.

I take no joy in looking upon the light; No joy in the feel of the earth beneath my tread.

The Slayer hath taken his hostage; the Lord of the Dead Holdeth me sworn to taste no more delight.

[_He throws himself on the ground in despair._]

CHORUS.

[_Each member of the_ CHORUS _speaks his line severally, as he pa.s.ses_ ADMETUS, _who is heard sobbing at the end of each line._]

--Advance, advance; Till the house shall give thee cover.

--Thou hast borne heavy things And meet for lamentation.

--Thou hast pa.s.sed, hast pa.s.sed, Thro' the deepest of the River.

--Yet no help comes To the sad and silent nation.

--And the face of thy beloved, it shall meet thee never, never!

ADMETUS.

Ye wrench my wounds asunder. Where Is grief like mine, whose wife is dead?

My wife, whom would I ne'er had wed, Nor loved, nor held my house with her....

Blessed are they who dare to dwell Unloved of woman! 'Tis but one Heart that they bleed with, and alone Can bear their one life's burden well.

No young shall wither at their side, No bridal room be swept by death....

Aye, better man should draw his breath For ever without child or bride.

CHORUS (_as before_).

--'Tis Fate, 'tis Fate: She is strong and none shall break her.

--No end, no end, Wilt thou lay to lamentations?

--Endure and be still: Thy lamenting will not wake her.

--There be many before thee, Who have suffered and had patience.

--Though the face of Sorrow changeth, yet her hand is on all nations.

ADMETUS.

The garb of tears, the mourner's cry: Then the long ache when tears are past!...

Oh, why didst hinder me to cast This body to the dust and die With her, the faithful and the brave?

Then not one lonely soul had fled, But two great lovers, proudly dead, Through the deep waters of the grave.

LEADER.

A friend I knew, In whose house died a son, Worthy of bitter rue, His only one.

His head sank, yet he bare Stilly his weight of care, Though grey was in his hair And life nigh done.

ADMETUS.

Ye shapes that front me, wall and gate, How shall I enter in and dwell Among ye, with all Fortune's spell Dischanted? Aye, the change is great.

That day I strode with bridal song Through lifted brands of Pelian pine; A hand beloved lay in mine; And loud behind a revelling throng

Exalted me and her, the dead.

They called us young, high-hearted; told How princes were our sires of old, And how we loved and we must wed....

For those high songs, lo, men that moan, And raiment black where once was white; Who guide me homeward in the night, On that waste bed to lie alone.

SECOND ELDER.

It breaks, like strife, Thy long peace, where no pain Had entered; yet is life, Sweet life, not slain.

A wife dead; a dear chair Empty: is that so rare?

Men live without despair Whose loves are ta'en.