Euripides

“ Exit.
Dionysus.
Women, the man sets foot within the toils.
The Bacchants—and death's penalty—shall he find.
Dionysus, play thy part now; thou art near:
Let us take vengeance. Craze thou first his brain, 850
Indarting sudden madness. Whole of wit,
Ne'er will he yield to don the woman's robe:
Yet shall he don, driven wide of reason's course.
I long withal to make him Thebes' derision,
In woman-semblance led the city through, 855
After the erstwhile terrors of his threats.
I go, to lay on Pentheus the attire
Which he shall take with him to Hades, slain
By a mother's hands. ”

“ And javelined him with branches of the pine:
And others shot their thyrsi through the air
At Pentheus—woeful mark!—yet nought availed. 1100
For, at a height above their fury's pitch,
Trapped in despair's gin, horror-struck he sat.
Last, oak-limbs from their trunks they thundered down,
And heaved at the roots with levers—not of iron.
But when they won no end of toil and strain, 1105
Agavê cried, "Ho, stand we round the trunk,
Maenads, and grasp, that we may catch the beast
Crouched there, that he may not proclaim abroad
Our God's mysterious rites!" ”

“ Pentheus.
Bringing what weighty tidings comest thou?
Herdman.
I have seen wild Bacchanals, who from this land
Have darted forth with white feet, frenzy-stung. 665
I come, King, fain to tell to thee and Thebes
What strange, what passing wondrous deeds they do.
Yet would I hear if freely I may tell
Things there beheld, or reef my story's sail.
For, King, I fear thy spirit's hasty mood, 670
Thy passion and thine over-royal wrath.
Pentheus.
Say on: of me shalt thou go all unscathed.
For we may not be wroth with honest men. ”

“ And Peace doth he love, who is giver of treasure,
Who of Youth is the nursing-mother divine. 420
On the high, on the low, doth his bounty bestow
The joyance that maketh an end of woe,
The joyance of wine.
But he hateth the man that in scorn refuseth
A life that on pinions of happiness flies
Through its days and its nights, nor the good part chooseth.
Wisely shalt thou from the over-wise
Hold thee apart: but the faith of the heart 430
Of the people, that lives in the works of the mart,
For me shall suffice.
Re-enter Pentheus. Enter Servant, with attendants, bringing Dionysus bound. ”

“ From Bacchus' revel Agavê, Pentheus' mother, 720
And do our lord a kindness?" Well, thought we,
He spake, and we in ambush hid ourselves
Mid leaves of copses. At the appointed time
They waved the thyrsus for the revel-rites,
With one voice calling Iacchus, Clamour-king, 725
Zeus' seed. The hills, the wild things all, were thrilled
With ecstasy: nought but shook as on they rushed.
Now nigh to me Agavê chanced to leap,
And forth I sprang as who would seize on her,
Leaving the thicket of mine ambush void. 730
Then shouted she, "What ho, my fleetfoot hounds,
We are chased by these men! ”

“ Thou shalt be counted best-beloved, O child,
Thou who shalt fondle never more my head,
Nor clasp and call me "Mother's father," child, 1320
Crying, "Who wrongs thee, ancient?—flouts thee who?
Who vexeth thee to trouble thine heart's peace?
Speak, that I may chastise the wrong, my sire."
Now am I anguish-stricken, wretched thou,
Woeful thy mother, and her sisters wretched! 1325
If any man there be that scorns the Gods,
This man's death let him note, and so believe.
Chorus.
Kadmus, for thee I grieve. Thy daughter's son
Hath but just doom—yet bitter doom for thee. ”

“ Recking nought of Pentheus: so from forth his halls I come to you.
But, methinks,—for there within the house a footfall's sound there is,—
He shall straightway come without. Ha, what shall he say unto this?
Lightly shall I bear his bluster, whatsoe'er his fury's stress; 640
For it is the wise man's part to rein his wrath in soberness.
Enter Pentheus.
Pentheus.
Foul outrage this!—the stranger hath escaped,
Though bound but now in fetters fast as fate.
Ha!
There is the man! What means this? How hast thou 645
Won forth to stand before my very halls?
Dionysus. ”

“ Challengeth revellers straying, on-racing, on-dancing, and throwing 150
Loose to the breezes his curls, while clear through the chorus that roars
Cleaveth his shout,—"On, Bacchanal-rout,
On, Bacchanal maidens, ye glory of Tmolus the hill gold-welling,
Blend the acclaim of your chant with the timbrels thunder-knelling,
Glad-pealing the glad God's praises out
With Phrygian cries and the voice of singing,
When upsoareth the sound of the melody-fountain,
Of the hallowed ringing of flutes far-flinging 160
The notes that chime with the feet that climb
The pilgrim-path to the mountain!" ”

“ Neither with nets, but with the fingers white
Of our own hands. What boots the idle vaunt
Of men who get them tools by armourers wrought,
When we, with bare hands only, took the prey,
And rent asunder all the monster's limbs? 1210
Where is mine ancient sire? Let him draw near.
And my son Pentheus where? Let him upraise
A ladder's stair against the palace wall,
That to the triglyphs he may nail this head,
This lion's head that I from hunting bring. 1215
Enter Kadmus, with attendants carrying a bier. ”

“ Dwells temperance touching all things evermore.
This must thou heed; for in his Bacchic rites
The virtuous-hearted shall not be undone.
Lo, thou art glad when thousands throng thy gates,
And all Thebes magnifieth Pentheus' name: 320
He too, I wot, in homage taketh joy.
I then, and Kadmus, whom thou laugh'st to scorn,
Will wreathe our heads with ivy, and will dance—
A greybeard pair, yet cannot we but dance.
Not at thy suasion will I war with Gods; 325
For grievous is thy madness, and no spell
May medicine thee, though spells have made thee mad. [10]
Chorus. ”

“ Ah wretch, thou knowest not what thou hast said!
Thou'rt stark-mad now, who erst wast sense-bereft.
Let us go, Kadmus, and make intercession 360
Both for this man, brute savage though he be,
And Thebes, that no strange vengeance of the God
Smite them. Come with me, ivy-wand in hand,
Essay to upbear my frame, as I do thine.
Shame if two greybeards fell!—nay, what of that? 365
For Bacchus, Son of Zeus, we needs must serve.
Kadmus, beware lest Pentheus bring his echo, [12]
Repentance, to thine house:—not prophecy here
Speaks, but his own deeds. Fools alone speak folly. ”

“ Forth will we march; for this should pass all bounds, 785
To endure of women that we now endure.
Dionysus.
No whit thou yieldest, though thou hear'st my words,
Pentheus. Yet, though thou dost despite to me,
I warn thee—bear not arms against a God;
But bide still. Bromius will not brook that thou 790
Shouldst drive his Bacchanals from their revel-hills.
Pentheus.
School thou not me; but, having 'scaped thy bonds,
Content thee: else again I punish thee.
Dionysus.
Better slay victims unto him than rage,
Spurning the goads, a mortal 'gainst a God. 795
Pentheus. ”

“ Pentheus.
This thyrsus—shall I hold it in this hand,
Or this, the more to seem true Bacchanal.
Dionysus.
In the right hand, and with the right foot timed
Bear it:—all praise to thy converted heart!
Pentheus.
Could I upon my shoulders raise the glens [22] 945
Of Mount Kithairon, yea, and the Bacchanals?
Dionysus.
Thou mightest, an thou wouldst: erewhile thy soul
Was warped; but now 'tis even as befits.
Pentheus.
With levers?—or shall mine hands tear it up
With arm or shoulder thrust beneath its crests? 950
Dionysus. ”

“ And so the child Dionysus sprang from the thigh of Zeus, and was hidden from the jealous malice of Hera till he was grown. Then did he set forth in victorious march through all the earth, bestowing upon men the gift of the vine, and planting his worship everywhere. But the sisters of Semelê scoffed at the story of the heavenly bridegroom, and mocked at the worship of Dionysus. And when Kadmus was now old, Pentheus his grandson reigned in his stead, and he too defied the Wine-giver, saying that he was no god, and that none in Thebes should ever worship him. ”

“ He thrills with panic ere a spear be touched.
This too is a frenzy Dionysus sends. 305
Yet shalt thou see him even on Delphi's crags [9]
With pine-brands leaping o'er the cloven crest,
Tossing on high and waving Bacchus' bough,—
Yea, great through Hellas. Pentheus, heed thou me:
Boast not that naked force hath power o'er men; 310
Nor, if it seem so to thy jaundiced eye,
Deem thyself wise. The God into thy land
Welcome: spill wine, be bacchant, wreathe thine head. ”

“ Pentheus is dead: Echion's son is dead.
Chorus.
Bromius my King! thou hast made thy godhead plain!
Messenger.
How, what is this thou say'st? Dost thou exult,
Woman, upon my lord's calamities?
Chorus.
An alien I, I chant glad outland strain, 1035
Who cower no more in terror of the chain.
Messenger.
Deemest thou Thebes so void of men— [24]
Chorus.
Dionysus it is, 'tis the King of the Vine
That hath lordship o'er me, no Thebes of thine!
Messenger.
This might be pardoned, save that base it is,
Women, to joy o'er evils past recall. 1040
Chorus. ”

“ Dionysus.
No high vaunt this—'tis easy to declare:
Of flowery Tmolus haply thou hast heard.
Pentheus.
I know: it compasseth the Sardians' town.
Dionysus.
Thence am I: Lydia is my fatherland.
Pentheus.
Wherefore to Hellas bringest thou these rites? 465
Dionysus.
Dionysus, Zeus' son, made me initiate.
Pentheus.
Lives a Zeus there, who doth beget new gods?
Dionysus.
Nay, the same Zeus who wedded Semelê here.
Pentheus.
Dreaming or waking wast thou made his thrall?
Dionysus.
Nay, eye to eye his mysteries he bestowed. 470
Pentheus. ”

“ Now nay—the shrines of Nymphs destroy not thou,
And haunts of Pan that with his piping ring.
Pentheus.
True—true: we must not overcome by force
The women. I will hide me midst the pines.
Dionysus.
Such hiding shall be thine as fate ordains, [23] 955
Who com'st with guile, a spy on Bacchanals.
Pentheus.
Methinks I see them mid the copses caught,
Like birds, in toils of their sweet dalliance.
Dionysus.
To this end then art thou appointed watchman:
Perchance shalt catch them—if they catch not thee. 960
Pentheus. ”

“ Men say a stranger to the land hath come,
A juggling sorcerer from Lydia-land,
With essenced hair in golden tresses tossed, 235
Wine-flushed, Love's witching graces in his eyes,
Who with the damsels day and night consorts,
Making pretence of [2] Evian mysteries.
If I within these walls but prison him,
Farewell to thyrsus-taboring, [3] and to locks 240
Free-tossed; for neck from shoulders will I hew.
He saith that Dionysus is a God!
Saith, he was once sewn up in Zeus's thigh—
Who, with his mother, was by lightning-flames
Blasted, because she lied of Zeus's love. ”

“ Whene'er a wise man finds a noble theme
For speech, 'tis easy to be eloquent.
Thou—roundly runs thy tongue, as thou wert wise;
But in these words of thine sense is there none.
The rash man, armed with power [6] and ready of speech, 270
Is a bad citizen, as void of sense.
But this new God, whom thou dost laugh to scorn,
I cannot speak the greatness whereunto
In Hellas he shall rise. Two chiefest Powers,
Prince, among men there are: divine Demeter— 275
Earth is she, name her by which name thou wilt;—
She upon dry food nurtureth mortal men:
Then followeth Semelê's Son ”

“ O happy ransomed one, safe hid from foes
Where no man tracks the forest-solitudes!
What wisdom's crown, what guerdon, shines more glorious
That Gods can give the sons of men, than this—
O'er crests of foes to stretch the hand victorious? 880
Honour is precious evermore, I wis.
(Ant.)
Slowly on-sweepeth, but unerringly,
The might of Heaven, with sternest lessoning
For men who in their own mad fantasy
Exalt their unbelief, and crown it king—
Mortals who dare belittle things divine! ”

“ Pentheus.
How hast thou 'scaped thy bonds and comest forth?
Dionysus.
Said I not—or didst hear not?—"One will free me?" 650
Pentheus.
Who?—Strange and ever strange thine answers are.
Dionysus.
He who makes grow for men the clustered vine.
Pentheus.
[Ay—who drives women frenzied from the home!] [18]
Dionysus.
'Tis Dionysus' glory, this thy scoff.
Pentheus (to attendants) .
I bid ye bar all towers round about.
Dionysus.
Why? Cannot Gods pass even over walls?
Pentheus.
Wise art thou, wise—save where thou shouldst be wise. 655
Dionysus. ”

“ Ah, not with knowledge is Wisdom bought;
And the spirit that soareth too high for mortals
Shall see few days: whosoever hath caught
At the things too great for a man's attaining,
Even blessings assured shall he lose in the gaining. ”

“ One is the end of them, even disaster;
But the calm life, still as a summer day,
But the foot whose faring discretion guideth, 390
Their steadfast state unshaken abideth,
And the home still findeth in such its stay.
Ah, the Heavenly Ones dwell far away,
Yet look they on men from their cloudy portals. ”