_ Aye, let not grief for me into
hostility
cast thee.
Thoreau - Excursions and Poems
_ Know'st thou not this, Prometheus, that
Words are healers of distempered wrath?
_Pr. _ If any seasonably soothe the heart,
And swelling passion check not rudely.
_Oc. _ In the consulting and the daring
What harm seest thou existing? Teach me.
_Pr. _ Trouble superfluous, and light-minded folly.
_Oc. _ Be this my ail then, since it is
Most profitable, being wise, not to seem wise.
_Pr. _ This will seem to be my error.
_Oc. _ Plainly homeward thy words remand me.
_Pr.
_ Aye, let not grief for me into hostility cast thee.
_Oc. _ To the new occupant of the all-powerful seats?
_Pr. _ Beware lest ever his heart be angered.
_Oc. _ Thy fate, Prometheus, is my teacher.
_Pr. _ Go thou, depart; preserve the present mind.
_Oc. _ To me rushing this word you utter.
For the smooth path of the air sweeps with his wings
The four-legged bird; and gladly would
In the stalls at home bend a knee.
PROMETHEUS _and_ CHORUS.
_Ch. _ I mourn for thee thy ruinous
Fate, Prometheus,
And tear-distilling from my tender
Eyes a stream has wet
My cheeks with flowing springs;
For these, unenvied, Zeus
By his own laws enforcing,
Haughty above the gods
That were displays his sceptre.
And every region now
With groans resounds,
Mourning the illustrious
And ancient honor
Of thee and of thy kindred;
As many mortals as the habitable seat
Of sacred Asia pasture,
With thy lamentable
Woes have sympathy;
And of the Colchian land, virgin
Inhabitants, in fight undaunted,
And Scythia's multitude, who the last
Place of earth, about
Maeotis lake possess,
And Arabia's martial flower,
And who the high-hung citadels
Of Caucasus inhabit near,
A hostile army, raging
With sharp-prowed spears.
Words are healers of distempered wrath?
_Pr. _ If any seasonably soothe the heart,
And swelling passion check not rudely.
_Oc. _ In the consulting and the daring
What harm seest thou existing? Teach me.
_Pr. _ Trouble superfluous, and light-minded folly.
_Oc. _ Be this my ail then, since it is
Most profitable, being wise, not to seem wise.
_Pr. _ This will seem to be my error.
_Oc. _ Plainly homeward thy words remand me.
_Pr.
_ Aye, let not grief for me into hostility cast thee.
_Oc. _ To the new occupant of the all-powerful seats?
_Pr. _ Beware lest ever his heart be angered.
_Oc. _ Thy fate, Prometheus, is my teacher.
_Pr. _ Go thou, depart; preserve the present mind.
_Oc. _ To me rushing this word you utter.
For the smooth path of the air sweeps with his wings
The four-legged bird; and gladly would
In the stalls at home bend a knee.
PROMETHEUS _and_ CHORUS.
_Ch. _ I mourn for thee thy ruinous
Fate, Prometheus,
And tear-distilling from my tender
Eyes a stream has wet
My cheeks with flowing springs;
For these, unenvied, Zeus
By his own laws enforcing,
Haughty above the gods
That were displays his sceptre.
And every region now
With groans resounds,
Mourning the illustrious
And ancient honor
Of thee and of thy kindred;
As many mortals as the habitable seat
Of sacred Asia pasture,
With thy lamentable
Woes have sympathy;
And of the Colchian land, virgin
Inhabitants, in fight undaunted,
And Scythia's multitude, who the last
Place of earth, about
Maeotis lake possess,
And Arabia's martial flower,
And who the high-hung citadels
Of Caucasus inhabit near,
A hostile army, raging
With sharp-prowed spears.
