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Odysseus
(leaving the cave cautiously.) Silence, ye cattle! I adjure you;
close your lips; make not a sound! I’ll not let a man of you so much as breathe or wink or clear his throat, that yon pest awake not, until the sight in the Cyclops’ eye has passed through the fiery ordeal.
625
(leaving the cave cautiously.) Silence, ye cattle! I adjure you;
close your lips; make not a sound! I’ll not let a man of you so much as breathe or wink or clear his throat, that yon pest awake not, until the sight in the Cyclops’ eye has passed through the fiery ordeal.
625
Chorus
Silent we stand with ’bated breath.
Silent we stand with ’bated breath.
Odysseus
In then, and mind your fingers grip the brand, for it is splendidly red-hot.
630
In then, and mind your fingers grip the brand, for it is splendidly red-hot.
630
Chorus
Thyself ordain who first must seize the blazing bar and burn the Cyclops’ eye out, that we may share alike whate’er betides.
Thyself ordain who first must seize the blazing bar and burn the Cyclops’ eye out, that we may share alike whate’er betides.
First Half-Chorus
Standing where I am before the door, I am too far off to thrust the fire into his eye.
635
Standing where I am before the door, I am too far off to thrust the fire into his eye.
635
Second Half-Chorus
I have just gone lame.
I have just gone lame.
First Half-Chorus
Why, then, thou art in the same plight as I; for somehow or other I sprained my ankle, standing still.
Why, then, thou art in the same plight as I; for somehow or other I sprained my ankle, standing still.
Odysseus
Sprained thy ankle, standing still?
640
Sprained thy ankle, standing still?
640
Second Half-Chorus
Yes, and my eyes are full of dust or ashes from somewhere or other.
Yes, and my eyes are full of dust or ashes from somewhere or other.
Odysseus
These are sorry fellows, worthless as allies.
These are sorry fellows, worthless as allies.
Chorus
Because I feel for my back and spine, and express no wish to have my teeth
knocked out, I am a coward, am I? Well, but I know a spell of Orpheus, a most excellent one, to make the brand enter his skull of its own accord, and set alight the one-eyed son of Earth.
645
Because I feel for my back and spine, and express no wish to have my teeth
knocked out, I am a coward, am I? Well, but I know a spell of Orpheus, a most excellent one, to make the brand enter his skull of its own accord, and set alight the one-eyed son of Earth.
645
Odysseus
Long since I knew thou wert by nature such an one,
and now I know it better; I must employ my own friends; but, though thou bring no active aid, cheer us on at any rate, that I may find my friends emboldened by thy encouragement.
[Exit Odysseus.
650
Long since I knew thou wert by nature such an one,
and now I know it better; I must employ my own friends; but, though thou bring no active aid, cheer us on at any rate, that I may find my friends emboldened by thy encouragement.
[Exit Odysseus.
650
Chorus
That will I do; the Carian
1
shall run the risk for us;
and as far as encouragement goes, let the Cyclops smoulder.
655
That will I do; the Carian
1
shall run the risk for us;
and as far as encouragement goes, let the Cyclops smoulder.
655
Cyclops. Euripides. London. 1891.
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