Stern hast thou been and
stubborn
from the womb,
As the ground thou must henceforth till; but he
Thou slew'st was gentle as the flocks he tended.
As the ground thou must henceforth till; but he
Thou slew'st was gentle as the flocks he tended.
Byron
Come hither!
_Cain_. What
Wouldst thou with me?
_Angel_. To mark upon thy brow[cl]
Exemption from such deeds as thou hast done.
_Cain_. No, let me die!
_Angel_. It must not be.
[_The_ ANGEL _sets the mark on_ CAIN'S _brow_.
_Cain_. It burns 500
My brow, but nought to that which is within it!
Is there more? let me meet it as I may.
_Angel_.
Stern hast thou been and stubborn from the womb,
As the ground thou must henceforth till; but he
Thou slew'st was gentle as the flocks he tended.
_Cain_. After the fall too soon was I begotten;
Ere yet my mother's mind subsided from
The Serpent, and my sire still mourned for Eden.
That which I am, I am; I did not seek
For life, nor did I make myself; but could I 510
With my own death redeem him from the dust--
And why not so? let him return to day,
And I lie ghastly! so shall be restored
By God the life to him he loved; and taken
From me a being I ne'er loved to bear.
_Angel_. Who shall heal murder? what is done, is done;
Go forth! fulfil thy days! and be thy deeds
Unlike the last! [_The_ ANGEL _disappears_.
_Adah_. He's gone, let us go forth;
I hear our little Enoch cry within
Our bower.
_Cain_. Ah!
_Cain_. What
Wouldst thou with me?
_Angel_. To mark upon thy brow[cl]
Exemption from such deeds as thou hast done.
_Cain_. No, let me die!
_Angel_. It must not be.
[_The_ ANGEL _sets the mark on_ CAIN'S _brow_.
_Cain_. It burns 500
My brow, but nought to that which is within it!
Is there more? let me meet it as I may.
_Angel_.
Stern hast thou been and stubborn from the womb,
As the ground thou must henceforth till; but he
Thou slew'st was gentle as the flocks he tended.
_Cain_. After the fall too soon was I begotten;
Ere yet my mother's mind subsided from
The Serpent, and my sire still mourned for Eden.
That which I am, I am; I did not seek
For life, nor did I make myself; but could I 510
With my own death redeem him from the dust--
And why not so? let him return to day,
And I lie ghastly! so shall be restored
By God the life to him he loved; and taken
From me a being I ne'er loved to bear.
_Angel_. Who shall heal murder? what is done, is done;
Go forth! fulfil thy days! and be thy deeds
Unlike the last! [_The_ ANGEL _disappears_.
_Adah_. He's gone, let us go forth;
I hear our little Enoch cry within
Our bower.
_Cain_. Ah!
