They hide in the sun, they flare and dance in the night.
Gone up, gone out of sight—and ever again
Follow fresh tongues of fire, fresh pangs of pain.
Ah! could I control
These vague desires, these leaping flames of the soul:
Could I but quench the fire, ah! could I stay
My soul that flieth, alas, and dieth away! 1480
[Enter other part of Chorus.
Part of Chor. Here is wood to feed the fire— Never let its flames expire. Sing ye still while we advance Round the fire in measured dance, While the sun in heaven descending Sees our happy feast have ending. Weave ye still your joyous song, While we bear the wood along. Semichorus. But O return, Return, thou flower of the gods! 1490 Remember the limbs that toil and the hearts that yearn, Remember, and soon return! To prosper with peace and skill Our hands in the works of pleasure, beauty and use. Return, and be for us still Our shield from the anger of Zeus. And he, if he raise his arm in anger to smite thee, And think for the good thou hast done with pain to requite thee, Vengeance I heard thee tell, And the curse I take for my own, 1500 That his place is prepared in hell,{48} And a greater than he shall hurl him down from his throne Down, down from his throne! For the god who shall rule mankind from the deathless skies By mercy and truth shall be known, In love and peace shall arise. For him—if again I hear him thunder above, O then, if I crouch or start, I will press thy lovingkindness more to my heart, Remember the words of thy mouth rare and precious, 1510 Thy heart of hearts and gifts of divine love.
{49}
DEMETER
A Mask
"Dreams & the light imaginings of men"
Written for the ladies at
Somerville College
& acted by them
at the inauguration of their new building
in 1904
PREVIOUS EDITION Oxford: at the Clarendon Press, 1905
{50}
ARGUMENT OF THE PLAY
The scene is in the flowery valley below Enna. Hades prologizes, and tells how he has come with consent of Zeus to carry off Persephone to be his queen. The Chorus of Ocean nymphs entering praise Sicily and the spring. Persephone enters with Athena and Artemis to gather flowers for the festival of Zeus. Persephone being left alone is carried off by Hades.
In the second act, which is ten days later, the Chorus deplore the loss of Persephone. Demeter entering upbraids them in a choric scene and describes her search for Persephone until she learnt her fate from Helios. Afterwards she describes her plan for compelling Zeus to restore her. Hermes brings from Zens a command to Demeter that she shall return to Olympus. She sends defiance to Zeus, and the Chorus end the scene by vowing to win Poseidon to aid Demeter.
In the third act, which is a year later, the Chorus, who have been summoned by Demeter to witness the restoration of Persephone, lament Demeter's anger. Demeter narrates the Eleusinian episode of her wanderings, until Hermes enters leading Persephone. After their greeting Demeter hears from Hermes the terms of Persephone's restoration; she is reconciled thereto by Persephone, and invites her to Eleusis. The Chorus sing and crown Persephone with flowers.
| DRAMATIS PERSONÆ | |||
| HADES. DEMETER. | } | ARTEMIS. HERMES. | } |
| PERSEPHONE. ATHENA. | Chorus of OCEANIDES. | ||
{51}
DEMETER
HADES.
I am the King of Hell, nor prone to vex
Eternal destiny with weak complaint;
Nor when I took my kingdom did I mourn
My lot, from heav'n expell'd, deny'd to enjoy
Its radiant revelry and ambrosial feast,
Nor blamed our mighty Sisters, that not one
Would share my empire in the shades of night.
But when a younger race of gods arose,
And Zeus set many sons on heav'nly seats,
And many daughters dower'd with new domain, 10
And year by year were multiply'd on earth
Their temples and their statu'd sanctities,
Mirrors of man's ideas that grow apace,
Yea, since man's mind was one with my desire
That Hell should have a queen—for heav'n hath queens
Many, nor on all earth reigns any king
In unkind isolation like to me—
I claimed from Zeus that of the fair immortals
One should be given to me to grace my throne.
Willing he was, and quick to praise my rule, 20
And of mere justice there had granted me
Whome'er I chose: but 'Brother mine,' he said,
'Great as my power among the gods, this thing
I cannot compass, that a child of mine,
Who once hath tasted of celestial life,
Should all forgo, and destitute of bliss
Descend into the shades, albeit to sit
An equal on thy throne. Take whom thou wilt;{52}
But by triumphant force persuade, as erst
I conquer'd heav'n.' Said I 'My heart is set: 30
I take Demeter's child Persephone;
Dost thou consent?' Whereto he gave his nod.
And I am come to-day with hidden powers,
Ev'n unto Enna's fair Sicilian field,
To rob her from the earth. 'Tis here she wanders
With all her train: nor is this flow'ry vale
Fairer among the fairest vales of earth,
Nor any flower within this flow'ry vale
Fair above other flowers, as she is fairest
Among immortal goddesses, the daughter 40
Of gentle-eyed Demeter; and her passion
Is for the flowers, and every tenderness
That I have long'd for in my fierce abodes.
But she hath always in attendant guard
The dancing nymphs of Ocean, and to-day
The wise Athena and chaste Artemis