Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/206

176 And those who strove beside him. Such the aid

I gave the lord of heaven—my meed for which

He paid me thus, a penal recompense!

For 'tis the inward vice of tyranny,

To deem of friends as being secret foes.

Now, to your question—hear me clearly show

On what imputed fault he tortures me.

Scarce was he seated on his father's throne,

When he began his doles of privilege

Among the lesser gods, allotting power

In trim division; while of mortal men

Nothing he recked, nor of their misery—

Nay, even willed to blast their race entire

To nothingness, and breed another brood;

And none but I was found to cross his will.

I dared it, I alone; I rescued men

From crushing ruin and th' abyss of hell—

Therefore am I constrained in chastisement

Grievous to bear and piteous to behold,—

Yea, firm to feel compassion for mankind,

Myself was held unworthy of the same—

Ay, beyond pity am I ranged and ruled

To sufferance—a sight that shames his sway!

A heart of steel, a mould of stone were he,

Who could complacently behold thy pains—

I came not here as craving for this sight,

And, seeing it, I stand heart-wrung with pain.

Yea truly, kindly eyes must pity me!