Page:Electra of Euripides (Murray 1913).djvu/21

Rh Her father's blood, and unknown vengeances

Risen on Aegisthus yet.

Aye, mine she is:

But never yet these arms—the Cyprian knows

My truth!—have clasped her body, and she goes

A virgin still. Myself would hold it shame

To abase this daughter of a royal name.

I am too lowly to love violence. Yea,

Orestes too doth move me, far away,

Mine unknown brother! Will he ever now

Come back and see his sister bowed so low?

Doth any deem me fool, to hold a fair

Maid in my room and seek no joy, but spare

Her maidenhood? If any such there be,

Let him but look within. The fool is he

In gentle things, weighing the more and less

Of love by his own heart's untenderness.

[As he ceases ''comes out of the hut. She is in mourning garb, and carries a large pitcher on her head. She speaks without observing the presence''.

Dark shepherdess of many a golden star,

Dost see me, Mother Night? And how this jar

Hath worn my earth-bowed head, as forth and fro

For water to the hill ward springs I go?

Not for mere stress of need, but purpose set,

That never day nor night God may forget

Aegisthus' sin: aye, and perchance a cry

Cast forth to the waste shining of the sky