THE BACCHAE
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Euripides and Murray, Gilbert
[He beckons to the soldiers, who approach Dionysus.
Dionysus.
I have vowed it to my God; 'tis holy hair.
[The soldiers cut off the tress.
Pentheus.
Next, yield me up thy staff!
Dionysus.
Raise thine own hand To take it. This is Dionysus' wand.
[Pentheus takes the staff.
Pentheus.
Last, I will hold thee prisoned here.
Dionysus.
My Lord God will unloose me, when I speak the word.
Pentheus.
He may, if e'er again amid his bands Of saints he hears thy voice!
Dionysus.
Even now he stands Close here, and sees all that I suffer.
Pentheus.
What? Where is he? For mine eyes discern him not.
Dionysus.
Where I am! 'Tis thine own impurity That veils him from thee.
Pentheus.
The dog jeers at me! At me and Thebes! Bind him!
[The soldiers begin to bind him.
Dionysus.
I charge ye, bind Me not! I having vision and ye blind!
Pentheus.
And I, with better right, say bind the more!
[The soldiers obey.
Dionysus.
Thou knowest not what end thou seekest, nor What deed thou doest, nor what man thou art!
Pentheus (mocking).
Agâvê's son, and on the father's part Echîon's, hight Pentheus!
Dionysus.
So let it be, A name fore-written to calamity!
Pentheus.
Away, and tie him where the steeds are tied; Aye, let him lie in the manger!—There abide And stare into the darkness!—And this rout Of womankind that clusters thee about, Thy ministers of worship, are my slaves! It may be I will sell them o'er the waves, Hither and thither; else they shall be set To labour at my distaffs, and forget Their timbrel and their songs of dawning day!
Dionysus.
I go; for that which may not be, I may Not suffer! Yet for this thy sin, lo, He Whom thou deniest cometh after thee For recompense. Yea, in thy wrong to us, Thou hast cast Him into thy prison-house!
[Dionysus, without his wand, his hair shorn, and his arms tightly bound, is led off by the guards to his dungeon. Pentheus returns into the Palace.