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After； thy wisdom shall impart to her
The conflict yet to come。
PROMETHEUS
So be it； then。
And； Io； thus much courtesy thou owest
These maidens being thine own father's kin。
For with a moving story of our woes
To win a tear from weeping auditors
In nought demeans the teller。
IO
I know not
How fitly to refuse； and at your wish
All ye desire to know I will in plain；
Round terms set forth。 And yet the telling of it
Harrows my soul； this winter's tale of wrong；
Of angry Gods and brute deformity；
And how and why on me these horrors swooped。
Always there were dreams visiting by night
The woman's chambers where I slept； and they
With flattering words admonished and cajoled me；
Saying； 〃O lucky one； so long a maid？
And what a match for thee if thou would'st wed
Why； pretty； here is Zeus as hot as hot…
Love…sick…to have thee！ Such a bolt as thou
Hast shot clean through his heart And he won't rest
Till Cypris help him win thee！ Lift not then；
My daughter； a proud foot to spurn the bed
Of Zeus： but get thee gone to meadow deep
By Lerna's marsh； where are thy father's flocks
And cattle…folds； that on the eye of Zeus
May fall the balm that shall assuage desire。〃
Such dreams oppressed me； troubling all my nights；
Woe's me！ till I plucked courage up to tell
My father of these fears that walked in darkness。
And many times to Pytho and Dodona
He sent his sacred missioners； to inquire
How； or by deed or word； he might conform
To the high will and pleasure of the Gods。
And they returned with slippery oracles；
Nought plain； but all to baffle and perplex…
And then at last to Inachus there raught
A saying that flashed clear； the drift； that
Must be put out from home and country； forced
To be a wanderer at the ends of the earth；
A thing devote and dedicate； and if
I would not； there should fall a thunderbolt
From Zeus； with blinding flash； and utterly
Destroy my race。 So spake the oracle
Of Loxias。 In sorrow he obeyed；
And from beneath his roof drove forth his child
Grieving as he grieved； and from house and home
Bolted and barred me out。 But the high hand
Of Zeus bear hardly on the rein of fate。
And； instantly…even in a moment…mind
And body suffered strange distortion。 Horned
Even as ye see me now； and with sharp bite
Of gadfly pricked； with high…flung skip； stark…mad；
I bounded； galloping headlong on； until
I came to the sweet and of the stream
Kerchneian； hard by Lerna's spring。 And thither
Argus； the giant herdsman； fierce and fell
As a strong wine unmixed； with hateful cast
Of all his cunning eyes upon the trail；
Gave chase and tracked me down。 And there he perished
By violent and sudden doom surprised。
But I with darting sting…the scorpion whip
Of angry Gods…am lashed from land to land。
Thou hast my story； and； if thou can'st tell
What I have still to suffer； speak； but do not；
Moved by compassion； with a lying tale
Warm my cold heart； no sickness of the soul
Is half so shameful as composed falsehoods。
CHORUS
Off！ lost one！ off！ Horror； I cry！
Horror and misery
Was this the traveller's tale I craved to hear？
Oh； that mine eyes should see
A sight so ill to look upon！ Ah me！
Sorrow； defilement； haunting fear；
Fan my blood cold；
Stabbed with a two…edged sting！
O Fate； Fate； Fate； tremblingly I behold
The plight of Io； thine apportioning！
PROMETHEUS
Thou dost lament too soon； and art as one
All fear。 Refrain thyself till thou hast heard
What's yet to be。
CHORUS
Speak and be our instructor：
There is a kind of balm to the sick soul
In certain knowledge of the grief to come。
PROMETHEUS
Your former wish I lightly granted ye：
And ye have heard； even as ye desired；
From this maid's lips the story of her sorrow。
Now hear the sequel； the ensuing woes
The damsel must endure from Hera's hate。
And thou； O seed of Inachaean loins；
Weigh well my words； that thou may'st understand
Thy journey's end。 First towards the rising sun
Turn hence； and traverse fields that ne'er felt plough
Until thou reach the country of the Scyths；
A race of wanderers handling the long…bow
That shoots afar； and having their habitations
Under the open sky in wattled cotes
That move on wheels。 Go not thou nigh to them；
But ever within sound of the breaking waver；
Pass through their land。 And on the left of the
The Chalybes； workers in iron； dwell。
Beware of them； for they are savages；
Who suffer not a stranger to come near。
And thou shalt reach the river Hybristes；
Well named。 Cross not； for it is ill to cross；
Until thou come even unto Caucasus；
Highest of mountains； where the foaming river
Blows all its volume from the summit ridge
That o'ertops all。 And that star…neighboured ridge
Thy feet must climb； and； following the road
That runneth south； thou presently shall reach
The Amazonian hosts that loathe the male；
And shall one day remove from thence and found
Themiscyra hard by Thermodon's stream；
Where on the craggy Salmadessian coast
Waves gnash their teeth； the maw of mariners
And step…mother of ships。 And they shall lead the
Upon thy way； and with a right good will。
Then shalt thou come to the Cimmerian Isthmus；
Even at the pass and portals of the sea；
And leaving it behind thee； stout of heart；
Cross o'er the channel of Maeotis' lake。
For ever famous among men shall be
The story of thy crossing； and the strait
Be called by a new name； the Bosporus；
In memory of thee。 Then having left
Europa's soil behind thee thou shalt come
To the main land of Asia。 What think ye？
Is not the only ruler of the Gods
A complete tyrant； violent to all；
Respecting none？ First； being himself a God；
He burneth to enjoy a mortal maid；
And then torments her with these wanderings。
A sorry suitor for thy love； poor girl；
A bitter wooing。 Yet having heard so much
Thou art not even in the overture
And prelude of the song。
IO
Alas！ Oh！ Oh！
PROMETHEUS
Thou dost cryout； fetching again deep groans：
What wilt thou do when thou hast heard in full
The evils yet to come？
CHORUS
And wilt thou tell
The maiden something further： some fresh sorrow？
PROMETHEUS
A stormy sea of wrong and ruining。
IO
What does it profit me to live！ Oh； why
Do I not throw myself from this rough crag
And in one leap rid me of all my pain？
Better to die at once than live； and all
My days be evil。
PROMETHEUS
Thou would'st find it hard
To bear what I must bear： for unto me
It is not given to die；…a dear release
From pain； but now of suffering there is
No end in sight till Zeus shall fall。
IO
And shall
Zeus fall？ His power be taken from him？
No matter when if true…
PROMETHEUS
'Twould make thee happy
Methinks； if thou could'st see calamity
Whelm him。
IO
How should it not when all my woes
Are of his sending？ learn how
These things shall be。
The tyrant's rod？
And fond imaginings。
IO
But how？ Oh； speak；
If the declaring draw no evil down I
PROMETHEUS
A marriage he shall make shall vex him sore。
IO
A marriage？ Whether of gods or mortals？
Speak！
If this be utterable！
PROMETHEUS
Why dost thou ask
What I may not declare？
IO
And shall he quit
The throne of all the worlds； by a new spouse
Supplanted？
PROMETHEUS
She will bear to him a child；
And he shall be in might more excellent
Than his progenitor。
IO
And he will find
No way to parry this strong stroke of fate？
PROMETHEUS
None save my own self…when these bonds are loosed。
IO
And who shall loose them if Zeus wills not？
Of thine own seed。
How say'st thou？ Shall a child
Of mine release thee？
PROMETHEUS
Son of thine； but son
The thirteenth generation shall beget。
IO
A prophecy oracularly dark。
PROMETHEUS
Then seek not thou to know thine own fate。
IO
Nay；
Tender me not a boon to snatch it from me。
PROMETHEUS
Of two gifts thou hast asked one shall be thine。
IO
What gifts？ Pronounce and leave to me the choice。
PROMETHEUS
Nay； thou are free to choose。 Say； therefore； whether
I shall declare to thee thy future woes