'Tis thy
message?
Euripides - Electra
.
ELECTRA.
Shame on thee! Seest thou not?
Is it not time?
ORESTES (_catching her excitement_).
How time? And if he sought
To slay, how should he come at his desire?
ELECTRA.
By daring, as they dared who slew his sire!
ORESTES.
Wouldst thou dare with him, if he came, thou too,
To slay her?
ELECTRA.
Yes; with the same axe that slew
My father!
ORESTES.
'Tis thy message? And thy mood
Unchanging?
ELECTRA.
Let me shed my mother's blood,
And I die happy.
ORESTES.
God! . . . I would that now
Orestes heard thee here.
ELECTRA.
Yet, wottest thou,
Though here I saw him, I should know him not.
ORESTES.
Surely. Ye both were children, when they wrought
Your parting.
ELECTRA.
ELECTRA.
Shame on thee! Seest thou not?
Is it not time?
ORESTES (_catching her excitement_).
How time? And if he sought
To slay, how should he come at his desire?
ELECTRA.
By daring, as they dared who slew his sire!
ORESTES.
Wouldst thou dare with him, if he came, thou too,
To slay her?
ELECTRA.
Yes; with the same axe that slew
My father!
ORESTES.
'Tis thy message? And thy mood
Unchanging?
ELECTRA.
Let me shed my mother's blood,
And I die happy.
ORESTES.
God! . . . I would that now
Orestes heard thee here.
ELECTRA.
Yet, wottest thou,
Though here I saw him, I should know him not.
ORESTES.
Surely. Ye both were children, when they wrought
Your parting.
ELECTRA.
