Prometheus

No news to me, in truth, is the message this fellow has proclaimed so noisily.Yet for enemy to suffer ill from enemy is no disgrace. Therefore let the lightning’s forked curl be cast upon my head and let the sky

1040

be convulsed with thunder and the wrack of savage winds; let the hurricane shake the earth from its rooted base, and let the waves of the sea mingle with their savage surge the courses

1045

of the stars in heaven; and let him lift me on high and hurl me down to black Tartarus with the swirling floods of stern Necessity: do what he will, me he shall never bring to death.

1050

Hermes

Such indeed are the thoughts and the words

one hears from men deranged. Where does his prayer fall short of raving? Where does he abate his frenzy?—But, at all events, may you who sympathize with his anguish,

1055

withdraw in haste from this spot so that the relentless roar of the thunder does not stun your senses.

1060

Chorus

Use some other strain and urge me to some other course in which you are likely to convince me. This utterance

in your flood of speech is, I think, past all endurance. How do you charge me to practise baseness? With him I am content to suffer any fate; for I have learned to detest traitors, and there is no pest

1065

I abhor more than this.

1070

Hermes

Well then, bear my warning in memory and do not blame your fortune when you are caught in the toils of calamity; nor ever say that it was Zeus who cast you

into suffering unforeseen. Not so, but blame yourselves. For well forewarned, and not suddenly or secretly shall you be entangled in the inextricable net of calamity by reason of your folly. Exit

1075

MERCURY

Resolutions and expressions, in truth, such as these of thine, one may bear from maniacs. For in what point doth his fate fall short of insanity

? What doth it abate from ravings ? But do ye then at any rate, that sympathise with him in his sufferings, withdraw hence speedily some whither from this spot, lest the harsh bellowing of the thunder smite you with idiotcy.

CHORUS

Utter and advise me to something else, in which too thou mayest prevail upon me ; for in this, be sure, thou hast intruded a proposal not to be borne. How is it that thou urgest me to practise baseness ? Along with him here I am willing to endure what is destined, for I have learned to abhor traitors ; and there is no evil, which I hold in greater abomination.

MERCURY

Well then, bear in mind the things of which I forewarn you : and do not, when ye have been caught in the snares of Atè, throw the blame ou fortune, nor ever at any time say that Jove cast you into unforeseen calamity: no indeed, but, ye your ownselves: for well aware, and not on a sudden, nor in ignorance, will ye be entangled by your senselessness in an impervious net of Atè.

PROMETHEUS

PROMÉTHÉE

contrainte ! une chose est sûre : il ne peut, à moi, m'infliger la mort.

HERMÈS

Voilà bien les pensées, le langage qu'on peut ouïr des déments. Quel symptôme de délire manque donc à de pareils vœux ? Modère-t-il ses accès ? Mais, prenez garde,
vous qui compatissez à ses maux, éloignez-vous de ces lieux, en hâte, si vous ne voulez que la stupeur soudain ne vous prenne au mugissement d'un tonnerre implacable.

LE CORYPHÉE

Parle un autre langage, et donne des
avis qui sachent me convaincre. Dans le flot de ton discours vient de passer un mot qu'assurément je ne puis tolérer. Quoi ! tu m'engages donc à cultiver la vilenie ? Non, avec
lui, je veux souffrir. J'ai appris à haïr les traîtres : il n'est point de vice que j'exècre plus ³ .

HERMÈS

Mais, prenez garde, rappelez-vous mes prédictions, et n'allez pas, une fois la proie du Malheur, vous plaindre de votre sort, ni prétendre que Zeus vous a jetées
dans un désastre imprévu. Non, n'accusez que vous-mêmes Vous êtes averties : ce n'est point brusquement, à l'improviste, que vous vous trouverez prises au filet sans issue du Malheur, victimes de votre sottise.

PROMÉTHÉE

Mais voici des faits

MERCURY.

Such ravings, ſuch wild counſels might you hear,

From moonſtruck madneſs. What is this but madneſs?

Were he at eaſe, wou'd he abate his frenzy?

But you, whoſe gentle hearts with ſocial ſorrow

Melt at his ſuff'rings, from this place remove,

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Remove with ſpeed, leſt the tempeſtuous roar

Of his fierce thunder ſtrike your ſouls with horror.

CHORUS.

To other themes, to other counſels turn

Thy voice, where pleaded reaſon may prevail:

This is ill urg'd, and may not be admitted.

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Wou'dſt thou ſolicit me to deeds of baſeneſs? p

Whate'er betides, with him will I endure it.

The vile betrayer I have learn'd to hate;

There is no fouler ſtain, my ſoul abhors it.

MERCURY.

Remember you are warn'd; if ill o'ertake you

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Accuſe not Fortune, lay not the blame on Jove,

As by his hand ſunk in calamities

Unthought of, unforeseen:

no, let the blame

Light on yourſelves; your folly not unwarn'd,

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Not unawares, but 'gainſt your better knowledge,

Involv'd you in th' inextricable toils.

PROMETHEUS.

ERMETE

I tuoi detti son quali dal labbro

dei dementi si possono udire.

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In che mai da follia differiscono

i tuoi voti? In che mai si rallenta

tua demenza?

ERMETE

--

Or voi, dunque, fanciulle,

1235

che al suo duol v'attristate, su', presto,

questi luoghi fuggite, ché il mugghio

spaventoso del tuono, non debba

per l'orrore distruggervi il cuore!

CORO

Altro parla, dammi altro consiglio,

1240

e potrai suadermi; ma quello

ch'or mi dài, non è già tollerabile.

Come vuoi che da trista io m'adoperi ?

Quanto forza è patire, con lui

patirò: chi tradisce l'amico

1245

odïar m'è costume: né morbo

c'è per me piú di questo aborrito.

ERMETE

E sia pure. Ma ciò ch'io predíco

a memoria tenete, né poi,

da sciagure irretite, vogliate

1250

dar biasmo alla sorte,

né lagnarvi che spinte v'ha Giove

ad un cruccio imprevisto. No certo:

voi da voi vi ci siete gittate.

Coscïenti, e non già di sorpesa,

1255

per subdola insidia,

strettamente nei lacci insolubili

di sventura sarete impigliate.

PROMETEO

Mer.

Talia sanè furiosorum

Consilia & verba licet audire.

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Quid iam deest non insanire?

Cho.

Si hæc bene acciderint, remittet furores,

Mer.

Sed enim vos nocumentis huius

Laborantes, ab hoc loco

Secedite statim,

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Ne mentes vestras stolidas faciat

Tonitru sonitus terribilis.

Chor.

Aliud dic, & narra,

Vt me persuideas. non enim hoc

Tolerando sermone abstraxisti me.

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Quomodo iubes me malitiam exercere?

Cum hoc quoniam quæ oportet pati volo,

Proditorés enim odio prosequi didici:

Neq; est morbus ullus, quem magis oderim.

Mer.

Sed memores sitis eorum quæ prædico,

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Ne à malo captæ

Accusetis fortunam: neq; unquam dicatis, quòd Iupiter

Vos in improvisum malum coniecerit.

Sed ipse vos ipsos accusate.

Absit ut ipse vos ipsos scientes,

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Neq; repentè, neq; ocultè,

In infinitum rete doloris

Implicetis ab ignoratione.

Pro.

PROMETHEUS

To me who knew them, hath he told

His messages, with utterance shrill.

But nowise I unseemly hold

That foe from foe should suffer ill.

So 'gainst me now be hurled amain

Curled lightning's two-edged glare!

By thunder and spasmodic whirl

Of savage gales be upper air

Madly convulsed! Let hurricane

Earth from its deep foundation rend,

E'en from its roots. Let ocean's wave,

Surging aloft, tumultuous rave,

And, foaming, with the courses blend

Of heavenly stars! Ay, let him hurl

This body to the murky gloom

Of Tartaros, in stubborn whirl

Of fortune caught! Do what he will

My death he may not doom.

HERMES

From fools brain-stricken may one hear

Such counsels and such words. But say,—

What sign of madness lacketh here?

What respite knows his frenzied ire?

Nathless do ye, who thus condole

With his sore pangs, far hence retire;

Go quickly, lest harsh thunder's bray

With terror smite your soul.

Chorus

In other style exhort and preach

If to persuade me thou art fain;

For all unbearable this speech

Which from thy lips has burst amain.

How canst thou bid me consummate

A dastard's part? With him the worst

I'll brave, for I have learn'd to hate

Traitors, than whom no pest is more accursed.

HERMES

Then my forewarnings mark, nor dare

When tangled in fell ruin's snare

Fortune to blame, nor ever say

That Zeus hath plunged you unaware

In doleful plight ;—nay, truly nay,

But ye yourselves; for not untaught,

Not stealthily, by sudden blow,

Ye through sheer folly will be caught

In net of boundless woe.

Hermes

Such are the counsels, such the strain,

Heard from wild lips and frenzied brain!

In word or thought, how fails his fate

Of madness wild and desperate?

( To the Chorus)

But ye, who stand compassionate

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Here at his side, depart in haste!

Lest of his penalty ye taste,

And shattered brain and reason feel

The roaring, ruthless thunder-peal!

Chorus

Out on thee! if thy heart be fain

1200

I should obey thee, change thy strain!

Vile is thine hinted cowardice,

And loathed of me thy base advice,

Weakly to shrink from pain!

Nay, at his side, whate'er befall,

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I will abide, endure it all!

Among all things abhorr'd, accurst,

I hold betrayers for the worst!

Hermes

Nay, ye are warned! remember well—

Nor cry, when meshed in nets of hell,

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Ah cruel fate, ah Zeus unkind—

Thus, by a sentence undivined,

To dash us to the realms below!

It is no sudden, secret blow—

Nay, ye achieve your proper woe—

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Warn'd and foreknowing shall ye go,

Through your own folly trapped and ta'en,

Into the net the Fates ordain—

The vast, illimitable pain!

[ Thunder and lightning.

Prometheus

Hermes.

Wohl kündet sich hier in Entschlüssen und Wort,

So spricht sich schwindelnder Wahnsinn aus.

Was mangelt ihm noch zu dem äußersten Wahn,

1050

Wenn er also sich bläht? Was fehlte zur Wuth?

(zu dem Chor)

Ihr Jungfrau'n, die voll Mitleid ihr

Euch härmt um des Mann's qualvolles Geschick,

Flugs hebt euch weg aus diesem Gebiet,

Daß euch nicht schwinden die Sinne, betäubt

1055

Von dem schrecklichen Brüllen des Donners!

Der Chor.

Gib anderen Rath, sprich anders zu mir,

Und ich folge gewiß; wohl sträubt sich das Herz,

Zu gehorsamen dem, was du eben gebotst.

Was rufst du mich auf zu so niedriger That?

1060

Gern duld' ich mit ihm das verhängte Geschick.

Denn ich habe Verrath tief hassen gelernt,

Und weiß kein Gift,

Das mehr mich erfüllte mit Abscheu.

Hermes.

Wohl denn, so gedenkt, was ich warnend gesagt:

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Und wenn euch erjagt des Verhängnisses Fluch,

Klagt nicht das Geschick an, sagt niemals,

Daß Kronos' Sohn euch, eh' ihr's gedacht,

In's Verderben gestürzt. Nein wahrlich, ihr selbst,

Ihr verderbt euch selbst: bald flechtet ihr euch,

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Nicht plöglich verlockt, nicht heimlich umgarnt,

Mit sehendem Aug' in's unendliche Nez

Des Geschicks durch eigenen Wahnsinn.

(Hermed entfernt sich; gewaltiges Tosen in der Luft, verbunden mit Erdbeben.)

Prometheus.