Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (Cookson).djvu/99

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I dare not meet thy gaze: I fear

To speak what must offend thine ear;

With veiled eyes, I bow me prone,

As at the footstool of thy throne!

Know that by strong persuasion of thy grief

I am ascended from the shades. Be brief;

Put awe and forms of courtly speech away,

And utter boldly all thou hast to say.

Thou askest speech of me, and I

Fear to do that courtesy;

At thy bidding to impart

Tidings which must grieve thy heart.

Since thine old awe is not to be enforced,

Good Queen, dear partner death alone divorced

From spousal joys, though thee the touch of age

Hath changed to outward view, this grief assuage,

These sobs and tears give o'er: take courage then

To speak but one clear word to me; for men

Cast in the mould of frail humanity

Are heirs to all its ills: by land and sea

Evils a-many are reserved for man,

If that Time lengthen out his little span.

O of mankind the happiest by far,

While thou didst yet behold the day's bright star,

How enviable in thy life wast thou!

How like a god thy days were passed. And now