O sacred towers, sacred in your height, And now a thousand objects more ride fast On morning beams, and meet my eyes in throngs; Phil. O joyful sound! Thy. But with them Atreus too— Phil. What ails my father, that he stops, and shakes, And now retires? Thy. Return with me, my son, And old friend Peneus, to the honest beasts, Pen. Talk you of villainy, of foes, and fraud? Pen. What are these to him? Thy. Nearer than I am, for they are himself. Pen. Gods drive these impious thoughts out of your mind. Thy. The Gods for all our safety put them there.Return, return with me. Pen. Against our oaths? I cannot stem the vengeance of the Gods. Thy. Here are no Gods: they've left this dire abode. Pen. True race of Tantalus! who parent-like When he would catch at joys, they fly from him; The day of the pretended Nuptials. — Atreus feigns a returning love for his Queen. Erope. O this is too much joy for me to bear : You build new palaces on broken walls. Atreus. Come, let our new-born pleasures breathe sweet air; This room's too vile a cabinet for gold. Then leave for ever, Love, this doleful place, And leave behind thee all thy sorrows here; Peneus to Atreus, dissuading him from his horrid purpose. Pen. Fear you not men or Gods? Atr. The fear of Gods ne'er came in Pelops' House. Pen. Think you there are no Gods? Atr. I find all things So false, I am sure of nothing but of wrongs. A hint of the dreadful banquet which he meditates, at which the Sun is said to have turned away his horses. ATREUS. THYESTES. A Table and a Banquet. Atr. Come, brother, sit. Thy. May not Philisthenes Sit with us, Sir? Atr. He waits upon the Bride. A deeper bowl. This to the Bridegroom's health. Atr. This day shall be To Argos an eternal festival. Thy. Fortune and I to day both try our strengths. I have quite tired her left-hand Misery; She now relieves it with her right-hand Joy, Which she lays on me with her utmost force; The monster to the top of arrogance ; And now he's ready for his deadly fall. Thy. O these extremes of misery and joy The mangled limbs of his son Philisthenes, which Atreus has set before him. I fain would tear my breast to set it free:— Atr. Brother, regard it not; 'tis fancy all. Who many a giant in his time has fallen, Atr. And he will vanquish all the monsters there. Thy. What ails me, I cannot heave it to my lips? Atr. What, is the bowl too heavy? Thy. No; my heart. Atr. The wine will lighten it. Thy. The wine will not Come near my lips. Atr. Why should they be so strange? They are near a-kin. Thy. A-kin? Atr. As possible; father and son not nearer. Thy. What do you mean? Atr. Does not good wine beget good blood? Atr. Your lips then and the wine may be a-kin. Help him to heave it to his head; that's well. (Thyestes drinks. A clap of thunder. The lights go out.) Thy. What pond'rous crimes pull heav'n upon our heads? Nature is choak'd with some vast villainy, And all her face is black. Atr. Some lights, some lights. Thy. The sky is stunn'd, and reels 'twixt night and day; Old Chaos is return'd. Atr. It is to see A young One born, more dreadful than herself; That promises great comfort to her And to restore her empire. Thy. What do you mean? age, Atr. Confusion I have in thy bowels made. Thy. Dire thoughts, like Furies, break into my mind With flaming brands, and shew me what he means. Where is Philisthenes? Atr. Ask thy own bowels: Thou heardst them groan; perhaps they now will speak. Thy. Thou hast not, Tyrant-what I dare not ask? Atr. I kill'd thy Son, and thou hast drunk his blood. |