Page:Writings of Henry David Thoreau (1906) v5.djvu/383

Rh Time I shall endure; such the new

Ruler of the blessed has contrived for me,

Unseemly bonds.

Alas! alas! the present and the coming

Woe I groan; where ever of these sufferings

Must an end appear.

But what say I? I know beforehand all,

Exactly what will be, nor to me strange

Will any evil come. The destined fate

As easily as possible it behooves to bear, knowing

Necessity's is a resistless strength.

But neither to be silent nor unsilent about this

Lot is possible for me; for a gift to mortals

Giving, I wretched have been yoked to these necessities;

Within a hollow reed by stealth I carry off fire's

Stolen source, which seemed the teacher

Of all art to mortals, and a great resource.

For such crimes penalty I pay,

Under the sky, riveted in chains.

Ah! ah! alas! alas!

What echo, what odor has flown to me obscure,

Of god, or mortal, or else mingled,—

Came it to this terminal hill

A witness of my sufferings, or wishing what?

Behold bound me an unhappy god,

The enemy of Zeus, fallen under

The ill will of all the gods, as many as

Enter into the hall of Zeus,

Through too great love of mortals.

Alas! alas! what fluttering do I hear