The Electra of Euripides | Page 9

him not.
Some spirit hath turned our way,
Victory visible,
Walking at thy
right hand,
Belovèd; O lift this day
Thine arms, thy voice, as a spell;

And pray for thy brother, pray,
Threading the perilous land,
That

all be well!
ORESTES.
Enough; this dear delight is mine at last
Of thine embracing; and the
hour comes fast
When we shall stand again as now we stand,
And
stint not.--Stay, Old Man: thou, being at hand
At the edge of time,
advise me, by what way
Best to requite my father's murderers. Say,

Have I in Argos any still to trust;
Or is the love, once borne me, trod
in dust,
Even as my fortunes are? Whom shall I seek?
By day or
night? And whither turn, to wreak
My will on them that hate us? Say.
OLD MAN.
My son,
In thine adversity, there is not one
Will call thee friend.
Nay, that were treasure-trove,
A friend to share, not faltering from
love,
Fair days and foul the same. Thy name is gone
Forth to all
Argos, as a thing o'erthrown
And dead. Thou hast not left one spark
to glow
With hope in one friend's heart! Hear all, and know:
Thou
hast God's fortune and thine own right hand,
Naught else, to conquer
back thy fatherland.
ORESTES.
The deed, the deed! What must we do?
OLD MAN.
Strike down
Aegisthus ... and thy mother.
ORESTES.
'Tis the crown
My race is run for. But how find him?
OLD MAN.
Not
Within the city walls, however hot
Thy spirit.

ORESTES.
Ha! With watchers doth he go
Begirt, and mailèd pikemen?
OLD MAN.
Even so:
He lives in fear of thee, and night nor day
Hath slumber.
ORESTES.
That way blocked!--'Tis thine to say
What next remains.
OLD MAN.
I will; and thou give ear.
A thought has found me!
ORESTES.
All good thoughts be near,
For thee to speak and me to understand!
OLD MAN.
But now I saw Aegisthus, close at hand
As here I journeyed.
ORESTES.
That good word shall trace
My path for me! Thou saw'st him? In
what place?
OLD MAN.
Out on the pastures where his horses stray.
ORESTES.
What did he there so far?--A gleam of day
Crosseth our darkness.
OLD MAN.

'Twas a feast, methought,
Of worship to the wild-wood nymphs he
wrought.
ORESTES.
The watchers of men's birth? Is there a son
New born to him, or doth
he pray for one
That cometh? [_Movement of_ ELECTRA.
OLD MAN.
More I know not; he had there
A wreathed ox, as for some weighty
prayer.
ORESTES.
What force was with him? Not his serfs alone?
OLD MAN.
No Argive lord was there; none but his own
Household.
ORESTES.
Not any that aught know my face,
Or guess?
OLD MAN.
Thralls, thralls; who ne'er have seen thy face.
ORESTES.
Once I prevail, the thralls will welcome me!
OLD MAN.
The slaves' way, that; and no ill thing for thee!
ORESTES.

How can I once come near him?
OLD MAN.
Walk thy ways
Hard by, where he may see thee, ere he slays
His
sacrifice.
ORESTES.
How? Is the road so nigh?
OLD MAN.
He cannot choose but see thee, passing by,
And bid thee stay to share
the beast they kill.
ORESTES.
A bitter fellow-feaster, if God will!
OLD MAN.
And then ... then swift be heart and brain, to see
God's chances!
ORESTES.
Aye. Well hast thou counselled me.
But ... where is she?
OLD MAN.
In Argos now, I guess;
But goes to join her husband, ere the press

Of the feast.
ORESTES.
Why goeth not my mother straight
Forth at her husband's side?
OLD MAN.

She fain will wait
Until the gathered country-folk be gone.
ORESTES.
Enough! She knows what eyes are turned upon
Her passings in the
land!
OLD MAN.
Aye, all men hate
The unholy woman.
ORESTES.
How then can I set
My snare for wife and husband in one breath?
ELECTRA (_coming forward_).
Hold! It is I must work our mother's death.
ORESTES.
If that be done, I think the other deed
Fortune will guide.
ELECTRA.
This man must help our need,
One friend alone for both.
OLD MAN.
He will, he will!
Speak on. What cunning hast thou found to fill

Thy purpose?
ELECTRA.
Get thee forth, Old Man, and quick
Tell Clytemnestra ... tell her I lie
sick,
New-mothered of a man-child.
OLD MAN.

Thou hast borne
A son! But when?
ELECTRA.
Let this be the tenth morn.
Till then a mother stays in sanctity,

Unseen.
OLD MAN.
And if I tell her, where shall be
The death in this?
ELECTRA.
That word let her but hear,
Straight she will seek me out!
OLD MAN.
The queen! What care
Hath she for thee, or pain of thine?
ELECTRA.
She will;
And weep my babe's low station!
OLD MAN.
Thou hast skill
To know her, child; say on.
ELECTRA.
But bring her here,
Here to my hand; the rest will come.
OLD MAN.
I swear,
Here at the gate she shall stand palpable!
ELECTRA.
The gate: the gate that leads to me and Hell.

OLD MAN.
Let me but see it, and I die content.
ELECTRA.
First, then, my brother: see his steps be bent...
OLD