03.04.2013 Views

THE BOOK WAS DRENCHED - OUDL Home

THE BOOK WAS DRENCHED - OUDL Home

THE BOOK WAS DRENCHED - OUDL Home

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

286 Aeschylus [424-442]<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

Say, do ye bay this man to such a flight?<br />

LEADER<br />

Yea, for of choice he did his mother slay.<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

Urged by no fear of other wrath and doom?<br />

LEADER<br />

What spur can rightly goad to matricide?<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

Two stand to plead—one only have I heard.<br />

LEADER<br />

He will not swear nor challenge us to oath.<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

The form of justice, not its deed, thou wiliest.<br />

LEADER<br />

Prove thou that word; thou art not scant of skill.<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

I say that oaths shall not enforce the wrong.<br />

LEADER<br />

Then test the cause, judge and award the right.<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA<br />

Will ye to me then this decision trust?<br />

LEADER<br />

Yea, reverencing true child of worthy sire.<br />

A<strong>THE</strong>NA (to ORESTES)<br />

O man unknown, make thou thy plea in turn.<br />

Speak forth thy land, thy lineage, and thy woes;<br />

Then, if thou canst, avert this bitter blame—<br />

If, as I deem, in confidence of right<br />

Thou sittest hard beside my holy place,<br />

Clasping this statue, as Ixion sat,<br />

A sacred suppliant for Zeus to cleanse,—<br />

To all this answer me in words made plain.

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!