Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/215

Rh Atlas, the Titan, the god, in a ruthless, invincible chain!

He beareth for ever and ever the burden and poise of the sky,

The vault of the rolling heaven, and earth re-echoes his cry.

The depths of the sea are troubled; they mourn from their caverns profound,

And the darkest and innermost hell moans deep with a sorrowful sound;

And the rivers of waters, that flow from the fountains that spring without stain,

Are as one in the great lamentation, and moan for thy piteous pain.

Deem not that I in pride or wilful scorn

Restrain my speech; 'tis wistful memory

That rends my heart, when I behold myself

Abased to wretchedness. To these new gods

I and none other gave their lots of power

In full attainment; no more words hereof

I speak—the tale ye know. But listen now

Unto the rede of mortals and their woes,

And how their childish and unreasoning state

Was changed by me to consciousness and thought.

Yet not in blame of mortals will I speak,

But as in proof of service wrought to them.

For, in the outset, eyes they had and saw not;

And ears they had but heard not; age on age,

Like unsubstantial shapes in vision seen,

They groped at random in the world of sense,

Nor knew to link their building, brick with brick,

Nor how to turn its aspect to the sun,

Nor how to join the beams by carpentry.