Page:The Tragedies of Aeschylus - tr. Potter - 1812.pdf/86

42 Each several circumstance; propound not to me

Ambiguous terms, Prometheus; for thou seest

Jove brooks not such, unfit to win his favour.

Thou doest thy message proudly, in high terms,

Becoming well the servant of such lords.

Your youthful pow'r is new; yet vainly deem ye

Your high-rais'd tow'rs impregnable to pain :

Have I not seen two sovereigns of the sky

Sink from their glorious state And I shall see

A third, this present lord, with sudden ruin

Dishonourably fall. What, seem I now

To dread, to tremble at these new-rais'd gods?

That never shall their force extort from me.

Hence then, the way thou camest return with speed:

Thy vain inquiries get no other answer.

Such insolence before, so fiery fierce,

Drew on thy head this dreadful punishment.

My miseries, be assur'd, I would not change

For thy gay servitude, but rather choose

To live a vassal to this dreary rock,

Than lackey the proud heels of Jove. These words,

If insolent, your insolence extorts.

I think thou art delighted with thy woes.

Delighted! Might I see mine enemies

Delighted thus! And thee I hold among them.

And why blame me for thy calamities?

To tell thee in a word, I hate them all,

These gods; of them I deserv'd well, and they

Ungrateful and unjust work me these ills.

Thy malady, I find, is no small madness.

If to detest my enemies be madness,

It is a malady I wish to have.

Were it well with thee, who cou'd brook thy pride ?