第6章

Ha! ha! what a trouble it was getting out! This is pleasure unalloyed; earth and sky seem whirling round together; I see the throne of Zeus and all the godhead's majesty. Kiss thee! no! There are the Graces trying to tempt me. I shall rest well enough with my Ganymede here; yea, by the Graces, right fairly; for I like lads better than the wenches.

SILENUS

What! Cyclops, am I Ganymede, Zeus's minion?

CYCLOPS (attempting to carry him into the cave)To be sure, Ganymede whom I am carrying off from the halls of Dardanus.

SILENUS

I am undone, my children; outrageous treatment waits me.

LEADER OF THE CHORUS

Dost find fault with thy lover? dost scorn him in his cups?

SILENUS

Woe is me! most bitter shall I find the wine ere long.

(SILENUS is dragged into the cave by the CYCLOPS.)ODYSSEUS

Up now, children of Dionysus, sons of a noble sire, soon will yon creature in the cave, relaxed in slumber as ye see him, spew from his shameless maw the meat. Already the brand inside his lair is vomiting cloud of smoke; and the only reason we prepared it was to burn the Cyclops' eye; so mind thou quit thee like a man.

LEADER

I will have a spirit as of rock or adamant; but go inside, before my father suffers any shameful treatment; for here thou hast things ready.

ODYSSEUS

O Hephaestus, lord of Aetna, rid thyself for once and all of a troublesome neighbour by burning his bright eye out. Come, Sleep, as well, offspring of sable Night, come with all thy power on the monster god-detested; and never after Troy's most glorious toils destroy Odysseus and his crew by the hands of one who recketh naught of God or man; else roust we reckon Chance a goddess, and Heaven's will inferior to hers.

(ODYSSEUS re-enters the cave.)

CHORUS (singing)

Tightly the pincers shall grip the neck of him who feasts upon his guests; for soon will he lose the light of his eye by fire; already the brand, a tree's huge limb, lurks amid the embers charred. Oh! come ye then and work his doom, pluck out the maddened Cyclops' eye, that he may rue his drinking. And I too fain would leave the Cyclops'

lonely land and see king Bromius, ivy-crowned, the god I sorely miss. Ah! shall I ever come to that?

ODYSSEUS (leaving the cave cautiously)

Silence, ye cattle! I adjure you; close your lips; make not a sound I'll not let a man of you so much as breathe or wink or clear his throat, that yon pest awake not, until the sight in the Cyclops'

eye has passed through the fiery ordeal.

LEADER OF THE CHORUS

Silent we stand with bated breath.

ODYSSEUS

In then, and mind your fingers grip the brand, for it is splendidly red-hot.

LEADER

Thyself ordain who first must seize the blazing bar and burn the Cyclops' eye out, that we may share alike whate'er betides.

FIRST SEMI-CHORUS

Standing where I am before the door, I am too far off to thrust the fire into his eye.

SECOND SEMI-CHORUS

I have just gone lame.

FIRST SEMI-CHORUS

Why, then, thou art in the same plight as I; for somehow or other I sprained my ankle, standing still.

ODYSSEUS

Sprained thy ankle, standing still?

SECOND SEMI-CHORUS

Yes, and my eyes are full of dust or ashes from somewhere or other.

ODYSSEUS

These are sorry fellows, worthless as allies.

LEADER

Because I feel for my back and spine, and express no wish to have my teeth knocked out, I am a coward, am I? Well, but I know a spell of Orpheus, a most excellent one, to make the brand enter his skull of its own accord, and set alight the one-eyed son of Earth.

ODYSSEUS