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PROMETHEUS BOUND.

A TRAGEDY.

(Translated from the Greek of Eschylus.)

[IN putting forth a new translation of a master-piece of ancient literature, which has already given employment to the pens of scholars, the author may be, with apparent reason, suspected of presumption, and an exaggerated opinion of his own powers; with a view to the removal of such suspicions, it may be as well for him candidly to state the motives which induced him to take upon himself so arduous a task. It was not with the hope of surpassing former translations of the same work (for, in fact, he must plead guilty to a very limited acquaintance with them,) nor with his mind fixed on defects existing in them, but simply in the belief that the King's College Magazine might fall into the hands of some, who, unacquainted with the language of the original, and previous versions of it, would nevertheless be glad to become familiar with so noble a specimen of the Greek drama, that the following translation has been undertaken and continued.]

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SCENE.-The Caucasian range of mountains, surrounded by desert plains, and looking down on the Euxine and Caspian Seas. It remains unchanged throughout the Play.

Enter PROMETHEUS, guarded by KRATOS, BIA, and VULCAN.

KRATOS. Earth's farthest confines have our steps attained,
To Scythian wilds untenanted by man.
Vulcan, 'tis thine thy sire's command t’obey;
To these precipitous o'erhanging rocks,
Caucasian piles, in adamantine chains,
Indissoluble fetters, here to bind

This robber-god; who, beyond measure bold,
Thy sacred right, the splendour pure of fire,
Mother of every art, to mortal men

By impious theft has given; for which condemned,
He here shall wither; till, by suffering taught,

He shall unlearn his love for human race,

And own with awe the royal power of Jove.

VULCAN. Your task is done, and Jove's behest by you
Performed; but mine with terror thrills my soul,
To chain a captive to this wintry chasm,
A kindred god! but stern necessity
Compels to daring; for my father's will
To slight, more fearful recompense would draw.
Wise son of Themis, with reluctant hand
Thee Jove compels in stubborn chains to bind,
Unwilling captive, to this desert rock,

Where neither kindly voice, nor human form,
Again shall gladden thee, but ardent suns
Thy bloom shall wither; while with joy thou seest
Star-spangled night throw round the beams of day
Her silver mantle, till the rising sun

Scatter the morning frost; thy pining form,
Grief ever present, ever felt shall waste;—
For hope is none, where none can bring relief.
The cause of all these woes, thy love for man :—
A god, regardless of the wrath divine,

Honours unmeet to mortals thou didst give;
Wherefore this joyless rock thy ward shall be,
Nor dewy sleep shall on thy eyelids press,
Nor rest thy stiffened limb; but many a groan
And many a bitter wail thy lips shall pour
In vain; for Jove's inexorable will
Forbids to hope; and all, who, newly-great,
Unwonted sceptre wield, are stern of mood.

KRAT. Why tardy thus in pity waste thy breath?

Oh! rather hate the enemy of heaven,

By every god abhorred, who durst betray

Thy sacred honours to that earth-born race.

VULC. Friendship of old, by kindred blood cemented,

Strikes horror to my soul.

KRAT.

Be it so ;

and

yet

Thy father's high behest to disobey

A stouter heart demands. This rather fear.

VULC. Oh! thou art ever deaf to pity's voice.

KRAT. Will pity heal his wounds? Cease then to spend Thy words and tears in profitless regret.

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KRAT. Ay! nought will please, but 'mid the gods to reign Supreme-but Jove alone from toil is free.

VULC. 'Tis but too true.

KRAT.

Thy prisoner here, lest his all-seeing glance

Spy thy delay.

VULC.

Then to thy task, and bind

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The fetters lie prepared.

KRAT. Then take them; and with strength the hammer's Wielding, around his hands securely twine them,

And rivet to the rock.

VULC.

KRAT.

'Tis done.

Strike harder,

And strengthen every link; relax not one;
Draw tighter every band; for skilled is he,
E'en where escape is none, escape to find.

VULC. This arm at least is firmly fixed and safe.
KRAT. Secure this other too, that he may learn,
With all his craft, he is no match for Jove.

VULC. So far I'm blameless.
KRAT.

Now then, firmly wedge

Th' unyielding iron's tooth between his breasts.
VULC. Alas! Prometheus, for thy lot I weep.
KRAT. Again you tarry, and Jove's foes lament?
Beware, lest soon thyself shall need thy pity.

VULC. Thou seest a sight, that well may shock the
KRAT. I see this fellow meeting his deserts :-
But girth his sides around.

VULC.

It must be done : But moderate that stern commanding tone.

KRAT. Command I will, and spur you to the task: Quick now-descend, and bind his legs beneath.

eye.

VULC. Slight is the task, nor lengthened labour asks. KRAT. Now round his ancles fix the hollow rings; Securely fix-you have a strict taskmaster.

VULC. Well suit thy rugged form and words severe.
KRAT. Shame on thy weakness! Darest thou charge
against me

My fiery mood and stubborn soul as crimes?

VULC. Let us depart; for fast his limbs around

The chain is twined, and all my toil complete.

KRAT. There now be proud; snatch from the gods their dues, And give them to those creatures of a day.

Can any mortal save you now, my friend?

'Tis by mistake the gods have named you Wisdom, For now, it seems, you wisdom need yourself,

To aid you in escaping from these chains.

[Exeunt all but PROMETHEUS.

PROMETHEUS. Oh! air divine, and ye swift-winged winds,

Ye founts of waters, all ye countless smiles,

That dance on ocean's wave, thou teeming earth,

And thou, th' all-seeing orb of day, behold

What ills I bear-a god by gods oppressed.
Thus tortured, torn by lasting grief,
No passing day shall bring relief;
Insulted, prisoned here to pine
Through ages yet unborn is mine:
For Jove condemns to endless chains,
Who now a new-made monarch reigns.
Ah me! my past, my present wrong,
My future woes, a countless throng,
Appal my soul; nor hope, nor bound,
Nor cure for all my ills is found.

And yet what words are these? 'Tis mine to read
The book of fate, nor unexpected ill

Can e'er befal; and, when the fates command,

'Tis folly to lament; since nought avails
To ward Necessity's resistless stroke.
Alas! whence all my woe I cannot tell,
Yet cannot leave untold :-to mortals honour
I gave, and therefore bear misfortune's yoke.
Down from the sky the stolen fount of flame,
Hidden in a reed, I bore, which every art
Hath taught mankind their chiefest source of wealth :
Such was the crime, and such the penalty,

Here aye to hang, an airy prisoner.

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Alas! alas! what sound,

What scent approacheth, scarce discernible
Divine or mortal or of mingled essence?
It cometh to this distant mount,
Spectator of my sorrows-for what else,
Unless for this, I know not.

Here ye see

A prisoner god, and full of woe
Him sworn of Jove eternal foe :
Detested enemy of all

Who throng the high Olympian hall,
Since first, despite the will of Heaven
My love to mortal men was given.
Alas! what shrill-toned sound is there
Of light wings waving in the air?
Now every sound which cometh near,
Alas! to me brings cause of fear.

Enter CHORUS OF OCEAN NYMPHS.
CHORUS. Nothing fear; a friendly band,
Speeding through the fields of air,
Far Caucasian hills among,

Us our waving pinions bear.
Father Ocean's doubting soul
Scarcely all entreaties bent;
Swiftly-gliding breezes kind

Aidance to our path have lent.
When the hammered iron's clang,
Echoing through our caverns rang,
Thought was none of blushing shame,
Swift, on winged car, I came.
PROMETH. Offspring of fruitful Tethys line,
Daughters of Ocean's race divine,-
Of him, whose sleepless billows roll,
Earth-circling aye from pole to pole,—
Oh! see, behold with pitying eye,
A fettered captive, bound on high!
'Mid giant rocks, and ravines deep,
Unenviable watch I keep.

CHORUS. All I see. A fearful cloud,
Dim with tear-drops, veils my sight,

While thy stately form I view

Shackled to the mountain's height;

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