The Electra of Euripides: Translated into English rhyming verse — John Shaqi
The Electra of Euripides: Translated into English rhyming verseEuripides
General
The Electra of Euripides: Translated into English rhyming verse
Euripides
Electra (Greek mythological figure) -- Drama
How?
And stole from death thy brother? Sayest thou?
ELECTRA.
This man was his deliverer, if it be
Deliverance.
ORESTES.
How his old eye pierceth me,
As one that testeth silver and alloy!
Sees he some likeness here?
ELECTRA.
Perchance 'tis joy,
To see Orestes' comrade, that he feels.
ORESTES.
None dearer.--But what ails the man? He reels
Dizzily back.
ELECTRA.
I marvel. I can say
No more.
OLD MAN (_in a broken voice_).
Electra, mistress, daughter, pray!
Pray unto God!
ELECTRA.
Of all the things I crave,
The thousand things, or all that others have,
What should I pray for?
OLD MAN.
Pray thine arms may hold
At last this treasure-dream of more than gold
God shows us!
ELECTRA.
God, I pray thee!... Wouldst thou more?
OLD MAN.
Gaze now upon this man, and bow before
Thy dearest upon earth!
ELECTRA.
I gaze on thee!
O, hath time made thee mad?
OLD MAN.
Mad, that I see
Thy brother?
ELECTRA.
My ... I know not what thou say'st:
I looked not for it...
OLD MAN.
I tell thee, here confessed
Standeth Orestes, Agamemnon's son!
ELECTRA.
A sign before I trust thee! O, but one!
How dost thou know...?
OLD MAN.
There, by his brow, I see
The scar he made, that day he ran with thee
Chasing thy fawn, and fell.
ELECTRA (_in a dull voice_).
A scar? 'Tis so.
I see a scar.
OLD MAN.
And fearest still to throw
Thine arms round him thou lovest?
ELECTRA.
O, no more!
Thy sign hath conquered me.... (_throwing herself into_ ORESTES' _arms_).
At last, at last!
Thy face like light! And do I hold thee fast,
Unhoped for?
ORESTES.
Yea, at last! And I hold thee.
ELECTRA.
I never knew...
ORESTES.
I dreamed not.
ELECTRA.
Is it he,
Orestes?
ORESTES.
Thy defender, yea, alone
To fight the world! Lo, this day have I thrown
A net, which once unbroken from the sea
Drawn home, shall ... O, and it must surely be!
Else men shall know there is no God, no light
In Heaven, if wrong to the end shall conquer right.
CHORUS.
Comest thou, comest thou now,
Chained by the years and slow,
O Day long sought?
A light on the mountains cold
Is lit, yea, a fire burneth,
'Tis the light of one that turneth
From roamings manifold,
Back out of exile old
To the house that knew 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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