Exodos
LEADER.But stay, Agave cometh! And her eyesMake fire around her, reeling! Ho, the prizeCometh! All hail, O Rout of Dionyse!
(Enter from the Mountain AGAVE, mad, and to all seeming wondrously happy, bearing the head of PENTHEUS in her hand. The CHORUS MAIDENS stand horror-struck at the sight; the LEADER, also horror-struck, strives to accept it and rejoice in it as the God's deed.)
AGAVE.Ye from the lands of Morn!
LEADER.Call me not; I give praise!
AGAVE.Lo, from the trunk new-shornHither a Mountain ThornBear we! O Asia-bornBacchanals, bless this chase!
LEADER.I see. Yea; I see.Have I not welcomed thee?
AGAVE (very calmly and peacefully).He was young in the wildwood:Without nets I caught him!Nay; look without fear onThe Lion; I have ta'en him!
LEADER.Where in the wildwood?Whence have ye brought him?
AGAVE.Kithaeron. . . .
LEADER.Kithaeron?
AGAVE.The Mountain hath slain him!
LEADER.Who first came nigh him?
AGAVE.I, I, 'tis confessed!And they named me there by himAgave the Blessed!
LEADER.Who was next in the band on him?
AGAVE.The daughters. . .
LEADER.The daughters?
AGAVE.Of Cadmus laid hand on him.But the swift hand that slaughtersIs mine; mine is the praise!Bless ye this day of days!
(The LEADER tries to speak, but is not able; AGAVE begins gently stroking the head.)
AGAVE.Gather ye now to the feast!
LEADER.Feast!--O miserable!
AGAVE.See, it falls to his breast,Curling and gently tressed,The hair of the Wild Bull's crest--The young steer of the fell!
LEADER.Most like a beast of the wildThat head, those locks defiled.
AGAVE (lifting up the head, more excitedly).He wakened his Mad Ones,A Chase-God, a wise God!He sprang them to seize this!He preys where his band preys.
LEADER (brooding, with horror).In the trail of thy Mad OnesThou tearest thy prize, God!
AGAVE.Dost praise it?
LEADER.I praise this?
AGAVE.Ah, soon shall the land praise!
LEADER.And Pentheus, O Mother,Thy child?
AGAVE.He shall cry onMy name as none other,Bless the spoils of the Lion!
LEADER.Aye, strange is thy treasure!
AGAVE.And strange was the taking!
LEADER.Thou art glad?
AGAVE.Beyond measure;Yea, glad in the breakingOf dawn upon all this land,By the prize, the prize of my hand!
LEADER.Show then to all the land, unhappy one,The trophy of this deed that thou hast done!
AGAVE.Ho, all ye men that round the citadelAnd shining towers of ancient Thebe dwell,Come! Look upon this prize, this lion's spoil,That we have taken--yea, with our own toil,We, Cadmus' daughters! Not with leathern-setThessalian javelins, not with hunter's net,Only white arms and swift hands' bladed fall.Why make ye much ado, and boast withalYour armourers' engines? See, these palms were bareThat caught the angry beast, and held, and tareThe limbs of him! . . . Father! . . . Go, bring to meMy father! . . . Aye, and Pentheus, where is he,My son? He shall set up a ladder-stairAgainst this house, and in the triglyphs thereNail me this lion's head, that gloriouslyI bring ye, having slain him--I, even I!
(She goes through the crowd towards the Castle, showing the head and looking for a place to hang it. Enter from the Mountain CADMUS, with attendants, bearing the body of PENTHEUS on a bier.)
CADMUS.On, with your awful burden. Follow me,Thralls, to his house, whose body grievouslyWith many a weary search at last in dimKithaeron's glens I found, torn limb from limb,And through the interweaving forest weedScattered.--Men told me of my daughters' deed,When I was just returned within these walls,With grey Teiresias, from the Bacchanals.And back I hied me to the hills againTo seek my murdered son. There saw I plainActaeon's mother, ranging where he died,Autonoe; and Ino by her side,Wandering ghastly in the pine-copses.Agave was not there. The rumour isShe cometh fleet-foot hither.--Ah! 'Tis true;A sight I scarce can bend mine eyes unto.
AGAVE.(Turning from the Palace and seeing him)
My father, a great boast is thine this hour.Thou hast begotten daughters, high in powerAnd valiant above all mankind--yea, allValiant, though none like me! I have let fallThe shuttle by the loom, and raised my handFor higher things, to slay from out thy landWild beasts! See, in mine arms I bear the prize,That nailed above these portals it may riseTo show what things thy daughters did! Do thouTake it, and call a feast. Proud art thou nowAnd highly favoured in our valiancy!
CADMUS.O depth of grief, how can I fathom theeOr look upon thee!--Poor, poor, bloodstained hand!Poor sisters!--A fair sacrifice to standBefore God's altars, daughter; yea, and callMe and my citizens to feast withal!Nay, let me weep--for thine affliction most,Then for mine own. All, all of us are lost,Not wrongfully, yet is it hard, from oneWho might have loved--our Bromios, our own!
AGAVE.How crabbed and how scowling in the eyesIs man's old age!--Would that my son likewiseWere happy of his hunting, in my way,When with his warrior bands he will essayThe wild beast!--Nay, his valiance is to fightWith God's will! Father, thou shouldst set him right. . . .Will no one bring him hither, that mine eyesMay look on his, and show him this my prize!
CADMUS.Alas, if ever ye can know againThe truth of what ye did, what pain of painThat truth shall bring! Or were it best to waitDarkened for evermore, and deem your stateNot misery, though ye know no happiness?
AGAVE.What seest thou here to chide, or not to bless?
CADMUS (after hesitation, resolving himself).Raise me thine eyes to yon blue dome of air!
AGAVE.'Tis done. What dost thou bid me seek for there?
CADMUS.Is it the same, or changed in thy sight?
AGAVE.More shining than before, more heavenly bright!
CADMUS.And that wild tremor, is it with thee still?
AGAVE (troubled).I know not what thou sayest; but my willClears, and some change cometh, I know not how.
CADMUS.Canst hearken then, being changed, and answer, now?
AGAVE.I have forgotten something; else I could.
CADMUS.What husband led thee of old from mine abode?
AGAVE.Echion, whom men named the Child of Earth.
CADMUS.And what child in Echion's house had birth?
AGAVE.Pentheus, of my love and his father's bred.
CADMUS.Thou bearest in thine arms an head--what head?
AGAVE.(Beginning to tremble, and not looking at what she carries)
A lion's--so they all said in the chase.
CADMUS.Turn to it now--'tis no long toil--and gaze.
AGAVE.Ah! But what is it? What am I carrying here?
CADMUS.Look once upon it full, till all be clear!
AGAVE.I see . . . most deadly pain! Oh, woe is me!
CADMUS.Wears it the likeness of a lion to thee?
AGAVE.No; 'tis the head--O God!--of Pentheus, this!
CADMUS.Blood-drenched ere thou wouldst know him! Aye, 'tis his.
AGAVE.Who slew him?--How came I to hold this thing?
CADMUS.O cruel Truth, is this thine home-coming?
AGAVE.Answer! My heart is hanging on thy breath!
CADMUS.'Twas thou.--Thou and thy sisters wrought his death.
AGAVE.In what place was it? His own house, or where?
CADMUS.Where the dogs tore Actaeon, even there.
AGAVE.Why went he to Kithaeron? What sought he?
CADMUS.To mock the God and thine own ecstasy.
AGAVE.But how should we be on the hills this day?
CADMUS.Being mad! A spirit drove all the land that way.
AGAVE.'Tis Dionyse hath done it! Now I see.
CADMUS (earnestly).Ye wronged Him! Ye denied his deity!
AGAVE (turning from him).Show me the body of the son I love!
CADMUS (leading her to the bier).'Tis here, my child. Hard was the quest thereof.
AGAVE.Laid in due state?
(As there is no answer, she lifts the veil of the bier, and sees.)
Oh, if I wrought a sin,'Twas mine! What portion had my child therein?
CADMUS.He made him like to you, adoring notThe God; who therefore to one bane hath broughtYou and this body, wrecking all our line,And me. Aye, no man-child was ever mine;And now this first-fruit of the flesh of thee,Sad woman, foully here and frightfullyLies murdered! Whom the house looked up unto,(Kneeling by the body.)O Child, my daughter's child! who heldest trueMy castle walls; and to the folk a nameOf fear thou wast; and no man sought to shameMy grey beard, when they knew that thou wast there,Else had they swift reward!--And now I fareForth in dishonour, outcast, I, the greatCadmus, who sowed the seed-rows of this stateOf Thebes, and reaped the harvest wonderful.O my beloved, though thy heart is dullIn death, O still beloved, and alwayBeloved! Never more, then, shalt thou layThine hand to this white beard, and speak to meThy "Mother's Father"; ask "Who wrongeth thee?Who stints thine honour, or with malice stirsThine heart? Speak, and I smite thine injurers!"But now--woe, woe, to me and thee also,Woe to thy mother and her sisters, woeAlway! Oh, whoso walketh not in dreadOf Gods, let him but look on this man dead!
LEADER.Lo, I weep with thee. 'Twas but due rewardGod sent on Pentheus; but for thee . . . 'Tis hard.
AGAVE.My father, thou canst see the change in me,
(A page or more has here been torn out of the MS. from which all our copies of "The Bacchae" are derived. It evidently contained a speech of Agave (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance of DIONYSUS upon a cloud. He must have pronounced judgment upon the Thebans in general, and especially upon the daughters of CADMUS, have justified his own action, and declared his determination to establish his godhead. Where the MS. begins again, we find him addressing CADMUS.)
DIONYSUS.And tell of Time, what gifts for thee he bears,What griefs and wonders in the winding years.For thou must change and be a Serpent ThingStrange, and beside thee she whom thou didst bringOf old to be thy bride from Heaven afar,Harmonia, daughter of the Lord of War.Yea, and a chariot of kine--so spakeThe word of Zeus--thee and thy Queen shall takeThrough many lands, Lord of a wild arrayOf orient spears. And many towns shall theyDestroy beneath thee, that vast horde, untilThey touch Apollo's dwelling, and fulfilTheir doom, back driven on stormy ways and steep.Thee only and thy spouse shall Ares keep,And save alive to the Islands of the Blest.Thus speaketh Dionysus, Son confessedOf no man but of Zeus!--Ah, had ye seenTruth in the hour ye would not, all had beenWell with ye, and the Child of God your friend!
AGAVE.Dionysus, we beseech thee! We have sinned!
DIONYSUS.Too late! When there was time, ye knew me not!
AGAVE.We have confessed. Yet is thine hand too hot.
DIONYSUS.Ye mocked me, being God; this is your wage.
AGAVE.Should God be like a proud man in his rage?
DIONYSUS.'Tis as my sire, Zeus, willed it long ago.
AGAVE (turning from him almost with disdain).Old Man, the word is spoken; we must go.
DIONYSUS.And seeing ye must, what is it that ye wait?
CADMUS.Child, we are come into a deadly strait,All; thou, poor sufferer, and thy sisters twain,And my sad self. Far off to barbarous men,A grey-haired wanderer, I must take my road.And then the oracle, the doom of God,That I must lead a raging horde far-flownTo prey on Hellas; lead my spouse, mine ownHarmonia, Ares' child, discorporateAnd haunting forms, dragon and dragon-mate.Against the tombs and altar-stones of Greece,Lance upon lance behind us; and not ceaseFrom toils, like other men, nor dream, nor pastThe foam of Acheron find my peace at last.
AGAVE.Father! And I must wander far from thee!
CADMUS.O Child, why wilt thou reach thine arms to me,As yearns the milk-white swan, when old swans die?
AGAVE.Where shall I turn me else? No home have I.
CADMUS.I know not; I can help thee not.
AGAVE.Farewell, O home, O ancient tower!Lo, I am outcast from my bower,And leave ye for a worser lot.
CADMUS.Go forth, go forth to misery,The way Actaeon's father went!
AGAVE.Father, for thee my tears are spent.
CADMUS.Nay, Child, 'tis I must weep for thee;
For thee and for thy sisters twain!
AGAVE.On all this house, in bitter wise,Our Lord and Master, Dionyse,Hath poured the utter dregs of pain!
DIONYSUS.In bitter wise, for bitter was the shameYe did me, when Thebes honoured not my name.
AGAVE.Then lead me where my sisters be;Together let our tears be shed,Our ways be wandered; where no redKithaeron waits to gaze on me;Nor I gaze back; no thyrsus stem,Nor song, nor memory in the air.Oh, other Bacchanals be there,Not I, not I, to dream of them!
(AGAVE with her group of attendants goes out on the side away from the Mountain. DIONYSUS rises upon the Cloud and disappears.)
CHORUS.There be many shapes of mystery.And many things God makes to be,Past hope or fear.And the end men looked for cometh not,And a path is there where no man thought.So hath it fallen here.(Exeunt.)
Words in this poem 49
- morn n.
- The first part of the day; the morning; -- used chiefly in poetry. [OE. morwen, morgen, AS. morgen; akin to D. morgen, OS. morgan, G. morgen, Icel. morginn, morgunn, Sw. morgon, Dan. morgen, Goth. maúrgins. Cf. Morrow, Morning.]
- wildwood n.
- A wild or unfrequented wood. Also used adjectively; as, wildwood flowers; wildwood echoes. Burns.
- stroking n.
- The act of rubbing gently with the hand, or of smoothing; a stroke.
- tressed a.
- Having tresses.
- shall v. i.
- To owe; to be under obligation for. [OE. shal, schal, imp. sholde, scholde, AS. scal, sceal, I am obliged, imp. scolde, sceolde, inf. sculan; akin to OS. skulan, pres. skal, imp. skolda, D. zullen,]
- trophy n.
- A sign or memorial of a victory raised on the field of battle, or, in case of a naval victory, on the nearest land. Sometimes trophies were erected in the chief city of the conquered people. [F. trophée (cf. It. & Sp. trofeo), L. tropaeum, trophaeum, Gr. Trope.]
- hast
- , 2d pers. sing. pres. of. Fave, contr. of havest.
- dwell v. i.
- To delay; to linger. [OE. dwellen, dwelien, to err, linger, AS. dwellan to deceive, hinder, delay, dwelian to err; akin to Icel. dvelja to delay, tarry, Sw. dväljas to dwell, Dan. dv]
- thessalian a.
- Of or pertaining to Thessaly in Greece. [Cf. L. Thessalius.]
- withal adv.
- With this; with that. [With + all.]
- angry a.
- Troublesome; vexatious; rigorous. [See Anger.]
- bier n.
- A handbarrow or portable frame on which a corpse is placed or borne to the grave. [OE. bæe, beere, AS. b, b; akin to D. baar, OHG. bara, G. bahre, Icel barar, Dbaare, L. feretrum, Gr. , from the same bear to produce. See 1st Bear, and cf. Barr]
- rumour n.
- A flying or popular report; the common talk; hence, public fame; notoriety. [F. rumeur, L. rumor; cf. rumificare, rumitare to rumor, Skr. ru to cry.]
- scarce a.
- Not plentiful or abundant; in small quantity in proportion to the demand; not easily to be procured; rare; uncommon. [OE. scars, OF. escars, eschars, LL. scarpsus, for L. excerptus, p. p. of excerpere to pick out, and hence to contract, to shorten; ex (see Ex-) + carpere. See C]
- valiant a.
- Vigorous in body; strong; powerful; as, a valiant fencer. [OE. valiant, F. vaillant, OF. vaillant, valant, originally p. pr. of OF. & F. valoir to be worth, L. valere to be strong. See Wield, and cf. Avail, Convalesce, ]
- favoured a.
- Countenanced; aided; regarded with kidness; as, a favored friend.
- valiancy n.
- The quality or state of being valiant; bravery; valor. [Cf. F. vaillance. See Valiant.]
- valiance n.
- The quality or state of being valiant; bravery; valor. [Cf. F. vaillance. See Valiant.]
- evermore adv.
- During eternity; always; forever; for an indefinite period; at all times; -- often used substantively with for.
- deem v. t.
- To decide; to judge; to sentence; to condemn. [OE. demen to judge, condemn, AS. d, fr. d doom; akin to OFries. d, OS. ad, D. doemen, OHG. tuommen, Icel. dæma, Sw. dömma, Dan. dömme, Goth. d. See Doom, n., an]
- abode n.
- Act of waiting; delay. [OE. abad, abood, fr. abiden to abide. See Abide. For the change of vowel, cf. abode, imp. of abide.]
- tore n.
- The dead grass that remains on mowing land in winter and spring. Mortimer. [Probably from the root of tear; cf. W. tór a break, cut, tóri to break, cut.]
- went n.
- Course; way; path; journey; direction.
- drove n.
- A collection of cattle driven, or cattle collected for driving; a number of animals, as oxen, sheep, or swine, driven in a body. [AS. draf, fr. drifan to drive. See Drive.]
- bane v. t.
- To be the bane of; to ruin. Fuller.
- wrecking
- a. & n. from Wreck, v. Wrecking car (Railway), a car fitted up with apparatus and implements for removing the wreck occasioned by an accident, as by a collision.
- foully v.
- In a foul manner; filthily; nastily; shamefully; unfairly; dishonorably.
- frightfully adv.
- In a frightful manner; to a frightful dagree.
- folk n.
- In Anglo-Saxon times, the people of a group of townships or villages; a community; a tribe. [AS. folc; akin to D. volk, OS. & OHG. folk, G. volk, Icel. f, Sw. & Dan. folk, Lith. pulkas crowd, and perh. to E. follow.]
- wast
- The second person singular of the verb be, in the indicative mood, imperfect tense; -- now used only in solemn or poetical style.
- dishonour n.
- Lack of honor; disgrace; ignominy; shame; reproach. [OE. deshonour, dishonour, OF. deshonor, deshonur, F. déshonneur; pref. des- (L. dis-) + honor, honur, F. honneur, fr. L. honor. See Honor.]
- outcast a.
- Cast out; degraded. [Cf. Sw. utkasta to cast out.]
- shalt
- 2d per. sing. of Shall.
- honour n.
- Esteem due or paid to worth; high estimation; respect; consideration; reverence; veneration; manifestation of respect or reverence. [OE. honor, honour, onour, onur, OF. honor, onor, honur, onur, honour, onour, F. honneur, fr. L. honor, honos.]
- whoso pron.
- Whosoever. Piers Plowman.
- presumably adv.
- In a presumable manner; by, or according to, presumption.
- didst
- , the 2d pers. sing. imp. of Do.
- afar adv.
- At, to, or from a great distance; far away; -- often used with from preceding, or off following; as, he was seen from afar; I saw him afar off. [Pref. a-.(for on or of) + far.]
- horde n.
- A wandering troop or gang; especially, a clan or tribe of a nomadic people migrating from place to place for the sake of pasturage, plunder, etc.; a predatory multitude. Thomson. [F. horde (cf. G. horde), fr. Turk. ord, ordi, camp; of Tartar origin.]
- spouse v. t.
- To wed; to espouse. [See Espouse, and Spouse, n.]
- wage v. i.
- To bind one's self; to engage.
- sire n.
- A lord, master, or other person in authority. See Sir. [F. sire, originally, an older person. See Sir.]
- sufferer n.
- One who suffers; one who endures or undergoes suffering; one who sustains inconvenience or loss; as, sufferers by poverty or sickness; men are sufferers by fire or by losses at sea.
- twain a.
- Two;- nearly obsolete in common discourse, but used in poetry and burlesque. [OE. twein, tweien, tweyne, AS. twegen, masc. See Two.]
- oracle v. i.
- To utter oracles.
- flown a.
- Flushed, inflated.
- discorporate a.
- Deprived of the privileges or form of a body corporate.
- acheron n.
- A river in the Nether World or infernal regions; also, the infernal regions themselves. By some of the English poets it was supposed to be a flaming lake or gulf.
- exeunt
- They go out, or retire from the scene; as, exeunt all except Hamlet. See 1st Exit. [L., 3d pers. pl. pres. of exire to go out.]
Definitions and etymologies from Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913.
About this text
Exodos is in the public domain. This text is taken from The Bacchae of Euripides, translated into English verse by Gilbert Murray, Project Gutenberg ebook #35173, the Gilbert Murray translation; the transcription's header, footer and licence were removed and nothing else was changed. You may copy, print and reuse it freely.
Cite as: Euripides, Exodos, in The Bacchae (1904), text of Project Gutenberg ebook #35173, Laurel, https://laurelpoetry.com/poem/euripides-bacchae/exodos.html, id L28775.
Form and metre
Exodos is 378 lines in 110 stanzas. This poem did not settle on a metre of its own; the book it comes from is in iambic pentameter.
See other poems in iambic pentameter.
Measured by Laurel's pipeline, not copied from a handbook: how stress and metre are counted, how rhyme is lettered, how a drifted rhyme is found. Where the dictionary cannot confirm a rhyme the letter is withheld, not guessed.
Rhyme words, stanza by stanza
The word that ends each line, lettered by the rhyme it makes; a dash is a line whose rhyme the dictionary could not confirm.
- 1 -AA- leader · eyesA · prizeA · dionyse
- 5 -AAA- agave · shornA · thornA · bornA · chase
- 6 -AA leader · seeA · theeA
- 7 --A-A peacefully · wildwood · himA · on · himA
- 13 -A-A agave · confessedA · him · blessedA
- 17 --AAA agave · him · slaughtersA · praiseA · daysA
- 21 -A-A- agave · breastA · tressed · crestA · fell
- 22 -AA leader · wildA · defiledA
- 29 -A-A agave · onA · other · lionA
- 33 ---AA agave · measure · breaking · landA · handA
- 34 -AA leader · oneA · doneA
- 35 -AABBCCDDE-FFEE-F agave · citadelA · dwellA · spoilB · toilB · setC · netC · fallD · withalD · bareE · tare · meF · heF · stairE · thereE · gloriously · iF
- 37 ---AABBCCDDEEFF-- cadmus · me · grievously · dimA · limbA · weedB · deedB · wallsC · bacchanalsC · againD · plainD · diedE · sideE · copsesF · isF · true · unto
- 39 AABBCCDDEE- hourA · powerA · allB · fallB · handC · landC · prizeD · riseD · thouE · nowE · valiancy
- 40 --AABB---- cadmus · thee · handA · standA · callB · withalB · most · lost · one · own
- 41 -AABBCCAA agave · eyesA · likewiseA · wayB · essayB · fightC · rightC · eyesA · prizeA
- 42 -AABB- cadmus · againA · painA · waitB · stateB · happiness
- 82 AA sinA · thereinA
- 83 ---AAB----CCDDEEFF--BB----GG cadmus · not · brought · lineA · mineA · theeB · frightfully · unto · body · true · nameC · shameC · thereD · fareD · greatE · stateE · wonderfulF · dullF · alway · lay · meB · theeB · stirs · injurers · also · woe · dreadG · deadG
- 87 ---AA--BBCC--DDEE--- dionysus · bears · years · thingA · bringA · afar · war · spakeB · takeB · arrayC · theyC · until · fulfil · steepD · keepD · blestE · confessedE · seen · been · friend
- 96 -A----BBAACCDD cadmus · straitA · twain · men · road · god · flownB · ownB · discorporateA · mateA · greeceC · ceaseC · pastD · lastD
- 98 -AA cadmus · meA · dieA
- 101 -AA- agave · towerA · bowerA · lot
- 107 -AA dionysus · shameA · nameA
- 108 -ABBACDDC agave · beA · shedB · redB · meA · stemC · airD · thereD · themC
- 110 ---A--A- chorus · mystery · be · fearA · not · thought · hereA · exeunt
Scansion, line by line
Each line with its syllable count and the stresses the words themselves fix: / stressed, ˘ unstressed, · a syllable the word leaves free and the metre decides. Read against iambic pentameter. How this is done.
| Line | Syl. | Stress |
|---|---|---|
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| But stay, Agave cometh! And her eyes | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘··· |
| Make fire around her, reeling! Ho, the prize | 10 | ·/···/˘··· |
| Cometh! All hail, O Rout of Dionyse! | 9 | /˘······· |
| (Enter from the Mountain AGAVE, mad, and to all seeming wondrously happy, bearing the head of PENTHEUS in her hand. The CHORUS MAIDENS stand horror-struck at the sight; the LEADER, also horror-struck, strives to accept it and rejoice in it as the God's deed.) | 64 | /˘··/˘˘/˘····/˘···/˘/˘·········/˘/˘·/˘·····/˘/˘/˘···˘/··˘/······ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Ye from the lands of Morn! | 6 | ······ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Call me not; I give praise! | 6 | ······ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Lo, from the trunk new-shorn | 6 | ······ |
| Hither a Mountain Thorn | 6 | /˘·/˘· |
| Bear we! O Asia-born | 6 | ···/˘· |
| Bacchanals, bless this chase! | 6 | ˘/˘··· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| I see. Yea; I see. | 5 | ····· |
| Have I not welcomed thee? | 6 | ···/˘· |
| AGAVE (very calmly and peacefully). | 11 | ˘/˘/˘/˘·/˘˘ |
| He was young in the wildwood: | 7 | ·····/· |
| Without nets I caught him! | 6 | ······ |
| Nay; look without fear on | 6 | ······ |
| The Lion; I have ta'en him! | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Where in the wildwood? | 5 | ···/· |
| Whence have ye brought him? | 5 | ····· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Kithaeron. . . . | 3 | ··· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Kithaeron? | 3 | ··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| The Mountain hath slain him! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Who first came nigh him? | 5 | ····· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| I, I, 'tis confessed! | 5 | ···˘/ |
| And they named me there by him | 7 | ······· |
| Agave the Blessed! | 5 | ˘/˘·· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Who was next in the band on him? | 8 | ········ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| The daughters. . . | 3 | ·/˘ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| The daughters? | 3 | ·/˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Of Cadmus laid hand on him. | 7 | ·/˘···· |
| But the swift hand that slaughters | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| Is mine; mine is the praise! | 6 | ······ |
| Bless ye this day of days! | 6 | ······ |
| (The LEADER tries to speak, but is not able; AGAVE begins gently stroking the head.) | 22 | ·/˘······/˘˘/˘˘//˘/˘·· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Gather ye now to the feast! | 7 | /˘····· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Feast!--O miserable! | 6 | ··/˘˘˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| See, it falls to his breast, | 6 | ······ |
| Curling and gently tressed, | 6 | /˘·/˘· |
| The hair of the Wild Bull's crest-- | 7 | ······· |
| The young steer of the fell! | 6 | ······ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Most like a beast of the wild | 7 | ······· |
| That head, those locks defiled. | 6 | ······ |
| AGAVE (lifting up the head, more excitedly). | 12 | ˘/˘/˘····˘/˘ |
| He wakened his Mad Ones, | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| A Chase-God, a wise God! | 6 | ······ |
| He sprang them to seize this! | 6 | ······ |
| He preys where his band preys. | 6 | ······ |
| LEADER (brooding, with horror). | 7 | /˘/˘·/˘ |
| In the trail of thy Mad Ones | 7 | ······· |
| Thou tearest thy prize, God! | 6 | ·/˘··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Dost praise it? | 3 | ··· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| I praise this? | 3 | ··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Ah, soon shall the land praise! | 6 | ······ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| And Pentheus, O Mother, | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Thy child? | 2 | ·· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| He shall cry on | 4 | ···· |
| My name as none other, | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Bless the spoils of the Lion! | 7 | ·····/˘ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Aye, strange is thy treasure! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| And strange was the taking! | 6 | ····/˘ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Thou art glad? | 3 | ··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Beyond measure; | 4 | ··/˘ |
| Yea, glad in the breaking | 6 | ····/˘ |
| Of dawn upon all this land, | 7 | ······· |
| By the prize, the prize of my hand! | 8 | ········ |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Show then to all the land, unhappy one, | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| The trophy of this deed that thou hast done! | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Ho, all ye men that round the citadel | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| And shining towers of ancient Thebe dwell, | 10 | ·/˘/˘·/˘·· |
| Come! Look upon this prize, this lion's spoil, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| That we have taken--yea, with our own toil, | 10 | ···/˘··/·· |
| We, Cadmus' daughters! Not with leathern-set | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘· |
| Thessalian javelins, not with hunter's net, | 11 | ˘/˘˘/˘··/˘· |
| Only white arms and swift hands' bladed fall. | 10 | /˘·····/˘· |
| Why make ye much ado, and boast withal | 10 | ····˘/··˘/ |
| Your armourers' engines? See, these palms were bare | 11 | ····/˘····· |
| That caught the angry beast, and held, and tare | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| The limbs of him! . . . Father! . . . Go, bring to me | 10 | ····/˘···· |
| My father! . . . Aye, and Pentheus, where is he, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| My son? He shall set up a ladder-stair | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Against this house, and in the triglyphs there | 10 | ·········· |
| Nail me this lion's head, that gloriously | 11 | ···/˘··/˘˘˘ |
| I bring ye, having slain him--I, even I! | 10 | ···/˘···/· |
| (She goes through the crowd towards the Castle, showing the head and looking for a place to hang it. Enter from the Mountain CADMUS, with attendants, bearing the body of PENTHEUS on a bier.) | 45 | ·······/˘/˘···/˘······/˘··/˘/˘·˘/˘/˘·/˘······ |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| On, with your awful burden. Follow me, | 10 | ···/˘/˘/˘· |
| Thralls, to his house, whose body grievously | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| With many a weary search at last in dim | 10 | ·/·/˘····· |
| Kithaeron's glens I found, torn limb from limb, | 10 | ·········· |
| And through the interweaving forest weed | 10 | ····˘/˘/˘· |
| Scattered.--Men told me of my daughters' deed, | 10 | /˘·····/˘· |
| When I was just returned within these walls, | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| With grey Teiresias, from the Bacchanals. | 10 | ·······˘/˘ |
| And back I hied me to the hills again | 10 | ········˘/ |
| To seek my murdered son. There saw I plain | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Actaeon's mother, ranging where he died, | 9 | ··/˘/˘··· |
| Autonoe; and Ino by her side, | 9 | ········· |
| Wandering ghastly in the pine-copses. | 10 | /˘˘/˘···/˘ |
| Agave was not there. The rumour is | 10 | ˘/˘·····˘· |
| She cometh fleet-foot hither.--Ah! 'Tis true; | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| A sight I scarce can bend mine eyes unto. | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| (Turning from the Palace and seeing him) | 10 | /˘··/˘·/˘· |
| My father, a great boast is thine this hour. | 11 | ·/˘······/˘ |
| Thou hast begotten daughters, high in power | 11 | ··˘/˘/˘··/˘ |
| And valiant above all mankind--yea, all | 10 | ·/˘···//·· |
| Valiant, though none like me! I have let fall | 10 | /˘········ |
| The shuttle by the loom, and raised my hand | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| For higher things, to slay from out thy land | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Wild beasts! See, in mine arms I bear the prize, | 10 | ·········· |
| That nailed above these portals it may rise | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| To show what things thy daughters did! Do thou | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Take it, and call a feast. Proud art thou now | 10 | ·········· |
| And highly favoured in our valiancy! | 10 | ·/˘/˘·/··· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| O depth of grief, how can I fathom thee | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Or look upon thee!--Poor, poor, bloodstained hand! | 10 | ·······/·· |
| Poor sisters!--A fair sacrifice to stand | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Before God's altars, daughter; yea, and call | 10 | ···/˘/˘··· |
| Me and my citizens to feast withal! | 10 | ···/˘˘··˘/ |
| Nay, let me weep--for thine affliction most, | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| Then for mine own. All, all of us are lost, | 10 | ·········· |
| Not wrongfully, yet is it hard, from one | 10 | ·/˘˘······ |
| Who might have loved--our Bromios, our own! | 10 | ····/··/˘· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| How crabbed and how scowling in the eyes | 10 | ··˘··/˘··· |
| Is man's old age!--Would that my son likewise | 10 | ········/· |
| Were happy of his hunting, in my way, | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| When with his warrior bands he will essay | 10 | ···/˘···˘/ |
| The wild beast!--Nay, his valiance is to fight | 10 | ·········· |
| With God's will! Father, thou shouldst set him right. . . . | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| Will no one bring him hither, that mine eyes | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| May look on his, and show him this my prize! | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Alas, if ever ye can know again | 10 | ˘/·/˘···˘/ |
| The truth of what ye did, what pain of pain | 10 | ·········· |
| That truth shall bring! Or were it best to wait | 10 | ·········· |
| Darkened for evermore, and deem your state | 10 | /˘·/˘····· |
| Not misery, though ye know no happiness? | 11 | ·/˘˘····/˘˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| What seest thou here to chide, or not to bless? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS (after hesitation, resolving himself). | 13 | /˘···˘/˘˘/˘˘/ |
| Raise me thine eyes to yon blue dome of air! | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| 'Tis done. What dost thou bid me seek for there? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Is it the same, or changed in thy sight? | 10 | ······˘··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| More shining than before, more heavenly bright! | 10 | ·/˘····/˘· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| And that wild tremor, is it with thee still? | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| AGAVE (troubled). | 5 | ˘/˘/˘ |
| I know not what thou sayest; but my will | 9 | ········· |
| Clears, and some change cometh, I know not how. | 10 | ····/˘···· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Canst hearken then, being changed, and answer, now? | 10 | ·/˘·/··/˘· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| I have forgotten something; else I could. | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘··· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| What husband led thee of old from mine abode? | 11 | ·/˘······˘/ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Echion, whom men named the Child of Earth. | 10 | ·····˘···· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| And what child in Echion's house had birth? | 9 | ········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Pentheus, of my love and his father's bred. | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Thou bearest in thine arms an head--what head? | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| (Beginning to tremble, and not looking at what she carries) | 15 | ˘/˘·/˘··/˘···/˘ |
| A lion's--so they all said in the chase. | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Turn to it now--'tis no long toil--and gaze. | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Ah! But what is it? What am I carrying here? | 11 | ········/˘· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Look once upon it full, till all be clear! | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| I see . . . most deadly pain! Oh, woe is me! | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Wears it the likeness of a lion to thee? | 10 | ···/˘··/·· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| No; 'tis the head--O God!--of Pentheus, this! | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Blood-drenched ere thou wouldst know him! Aye, 'tis his. | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Who slew him?--How came I to hold this thing? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| O cruel Truth, is this thine home-coming? | 10 | ·/˘·····/˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Answer! My heart is hanging on thy breath! | 10 | /˘···/˘··· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| 'Twas thou.--Thou and thy sisters wrought his death. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| In what place was it? His own house, or where? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Where the dogs tore Actaeon, even there. | 9 | ······/˘· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Why went he to Kithaeron? What sought he? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| To mock the God and thine own ecstasy. | 10 | ·······/˘˘ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| But how should we be on the hills this day? | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Being mad! A spirit drove all the land that way. | 10 | /··/······ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| 'Tis Dionyse hath done it! Now I see. | 9 | ········· |
| CADMUS (earnestly). | 5 | /˘/˘˘ |
| Ye wronged Him! Ye denied his deity! | 10 | ····˘/·/˘˘ |
| AGAVE (turning from him). | 7 | ˘/˘/˘·· |
| Show me the body of the son I love! | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| CADMUS (leading her to the bier). | 8 | /˘/˘···· |
| 'Tis here, my child. Hard was the quest thereof. | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Laid in due state? | 4 | ···· |
| (As there is no answer, she lifts the veil of the bier, and sees.) | 15 | ····/˘········· |
| Oh, if I wrought a sin, | 6 | ······ |
| 'Twas mine! What portion had my child therein? | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| He made him like to you, adoring not | 10 | ······˘/˘· |
| The God; who therefore to one bane hath brought | 10 | ·········· |
| You and this body, wrecking all our line, | 10 | ···/˘/˘·/· |
| And me. Aye, no man-child was ever mine; | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| And now this first-fruit of the flesh of thee, | 10 | ·········· |
| Sad woman, foully here and frightfully | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘˘ |
| Lies murdered! Whom the house looked up unto, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| (Kneeling by the body.) | 6 | /˘··/˘ |
| O Child, my daughter's child! who heldest true | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| My castle walls; and to the folk a name | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| Of fear thou wast; and no man sought to shame | 10 | ·········· |
| My grey beard, when they knew that thou wast there, | 10 | ·········· |
| Else had they swift reward!--And now I fare | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| Forth in dishonour, outcast, I, the great | 10 | ··˘/˘/···· |
| Cadmus, who sowed the seed-rows of this state | 10 | /˘········ |
| Of Thebes, and reaped the harvest wonderful. | 10 | ·····/˘/˘˘ |
| O my beloved, though thy heart is dull | 10 | ··˘/˘····· |
| In death, O still beloved, and alway | 10 | ····˘/˘·/˘ |
| Beloved! Never more, then, shalt thou lay | 10 | ˘/˘/˘····· |
| Thine hand to this white beard, and speak to me | 10 | ·········· |
| Thy "Mother's Father"; ask "Who wrongeth thee? | 10 | ·/˘/˘··/˘· |
| Who stints thine honour, or with malice stirs | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| Thine heart? Speak, and I smite thine injurers!" | 10 | ·········· |
| But now--woe, woe, to me and thee also, | 10 | ········/˘ |
| Woe to thy mother and her sisters, woe | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| Alway! Oh, whoso walketh not in dread | 10 | /˘·/˘/˘··· |
| Of Gods, let him but look on this man dead! | 10 | ·········· |
| LEADER. | 2 | /˘ |
| Lo, I weep with thee. 'Twas but due reward | 10 | ········˘/ |
| God sent on Pentheus; but for thee . . . 'Tis hard. | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| My father, thou canst see the change in me, | 10 | ·/˘······· |
| (A page or more has here been torn out of the MS. from which all our copies of "The Bacchae" are derived. It evidently contained a speech of Agave (followed presumably by some words of the Chorus), and an appearance of DIONYSUS upon a cloud. He must have pronounced judgment upon the Thebans in general, and especially upon the daughters of CADMUS, have justified his own action, and declared his determination to establish his godhead. Where the MS. begins again, we find him addressing CADMUS.) | 126 | ···············//˘····˘/·/˘˘/···˘/˘/˘˘/˘·····/˘··˘/˘···········˘//˘······/˘·˘/˘···/˘·/˘·/˘···/˘·˘/·˘·˘/˘·˘/˘·/····˘/˘/···˘/˘/˘ |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| And tell of Time, what gifts for thee he bears, | 10 | ·········· |
| What griefs and wonders in the winding years. | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| For thou must change and be a Serpent Thing | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| Strange, and beside thee she whom thou didst bring | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| Of old to be thy bride from Heaven afar, | 10 | ·······/˘/ |
| Harmonia, daughter of the Lord of War. | 10 | ˘/˘/˘····· |
| Yea, and a chariot of kine--so spake | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| The word of Zeus--thee and thy Queen shall take | 10 | ·········· |
| Through many lands, Lord of a wild array | 10 | ·/˘·····˘/ |
| Of orient spears. And many towns shall they | 10 | ·/˘···/··· |
| Destroy beneath thee, that vast horde, until | 10 | ˘/········ |
| They touch Apollo's dwelling, and fulfil | 10 | ··˘/˘/˘··· |
| Their doom, back driven on stormy ways and steep. | 10 | ···/·/˘··· |
| Thee only and thy spouse shall Ares keep, | 9 | ·/˘······ |
| And save alive to the Islands of the Blest. | 11 | ··˘/··/˘··· |
| Thus speaketh Dionysus, Son confessed | 10 | ·/˘····˘/˘ |
| Of no man but of Zeus!--Ah, had ye seen | 10 | ·········· |
| Truth in the hour ye would not, all had been | 10 | ···/······ |
| Well with ye, and the Child of God your friend! | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Dionysus, we beseech thee! We have sinned! | 10 | ····˘/···· |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| Too late! When there was time, ye knew me not! | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| We have confessed. Yet is thine hand too hot. | 10 | ··˘/······ |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| Ye mocked me, being God; this is your wage. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Should God be like a proud man in his rage? | 10 | ·········· |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| 'Tis as my sire, Zeus, willed it long ago. | 10 | ···/····˘/ |
| AGAVE (turning from him almost with disdain). | 12 | ˘/˘/˘··/··˘/ |
| Old Man, the word is spoken; we must go. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| And seeing ye must, what is it that ye wait? | 10 | ·/········ |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Child, we are come into a deadly strait, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| All; thou, poor sufferer, and thy sisters twain, | 10 | ···/˘··/˘· |
| And my sad self. Far off to barbarous men, | 10 | ·······/˘· |
| A grey-haired wanderer, I must take my road. | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| And then the oracle, the doom of God, | 10 | ···/˘˘···· |
| That I must lead a raging horde far-flown | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| To prey on Hellas; lead my spouse, mine own | 10 | ·········· |
| Harmonia, Ares' child, discorporate | 10 | ˘/˘˘··˘/˘˘ |
| And haunting forms, dragon and dragon-mate. | 10 | ·/˘·/˘·/˘· |
| Against the tombs and altar-stones of Greece, | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| Lance upon lance behind us; and not cease | 10 | ·········· |
| From toils, like other men, nor dream, nor past | 10 | ···/˘····· |
| The foam of Acheron find my peace at last. | 11 | ···/˘˘····· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Father! And I must wander far from thee! | 10 | /˘···/˘··· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| O Child, why wilt thou reach thine arms to me, | 10 | ·········· |
| As yearns the milk-white swan, when old swans die? | 10 | ·········· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Where shall I turn me else? No home have I. | 10 | ·········· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| I know not; I can help thee not. | 8 | ········ |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Farewell, O home, O ancient tower! | 9 | ·/···/˘/˘ |
| Lo, I am outcast from my bower, | 9 | ···/···/˘ |
| And leave ye for a worser lot. | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Go forth, go forth to misery, | 8 | ·····/˘˘ |
| The way Actaeon's father went! | 7 | ····/˘· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Father, for thee my tears are spent. | 8 | /˘······ |
| CADMUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| Nay, Child, 'tis I must weep for thee; | 8 | ········ |
| For thee and for thy sisters twain! | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| On all this house, in bitter wise, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Our Lord and Master, Dionyse, | 8 | /˘··/˘·· |
| Hath poured the utter dregs of pain! | 9 | ··˘·/˘··· |
| DIONYSUS. | 3 | ··· |
| In bitter wise, for bitter was the shame | 10 | ·/˘··/˘··· |
| Ye did me, when Thebes honoured not my name. | 10 | ·····/˘··· |
| AGAVE. | 3 | ˘/˘ |
| Then lead me where my sisters be; | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Together let our tears be shed, | 9 | ˘/˘·/˘··· |
| Our ways be wandered; where no red | 10 | /˘··/˘˘··· |
| Kithaeron waits to gaze on me; | 8 | ········ |
| Nor I gaze back; no thyrsus stem, | 8 | ·····/˘· |
| Nor song, nor memory in the air. | 9 | ···/˘˘··· |
| Oh, other Bacchanals be there, | 8 | ·/˘˘/˘·· |
| Not I, not I, to dream of them! | 8 | ········ |
| (AGAVE with her group of attendants goes out on the side away from the Mountain. DIONYSUS rises upon the Cloud and disappears.) | 34 | ˘/˘····˘/˘·····˘/··/˘···/˘······˘/ |
| CHORUS. | 2 | /˘ |
| There be many shapes of mystery. | 9 | ··/˘··/˘˘ |
| And many things God makes to be, | 8 | ·/˘····· |
| Past hope or fear. | 4 | ···· |
| And the end men looked for cometh not, | 10 | ·····˘·/˘· |
| And a path is there where no man thought. | 9 | ········· |
| So hath it fallen here. | 6 | ···/˘· |
| (Exeunt.) | 3 | /˘˘ |
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