 | Tiresias |  |
“‘Woe to these sheepclad, hard, unsatisfied;
Who stintless slay all born of earth and tide;
Pursuing savagely through day and night,
For food and raiment less than for delight.
Who stintless slay all born of earth and tide;
Pursuing savagely through day and night,
For food and raiment less than for delight.
“‘They grow not feathers, hair, nor hardened scales,
And naked are unsightly, lacking tails.
The veils they wear are torn from slaughtered beasts,
Whose mangled carcases they burn for feasts.
And naked are unsightly, lacking tails.
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Whose mangled carcases they burn for feasts.
“‘They crouch bewildered when the tempest flies;
They hear in thunder threats and mockeries!
But stalk and stare on every tranquil day,
As they would dare the sun to disobey!
They hear in thunder threats and mockeries!
But stalk and stare on every tranquil day,
As they would dare the sun to disobey!
“‘When hunger shrinks their empty maws in pain,
Like wolves, or rats, or monsters of the main,
Should any chance or purpose make him bleed,
Straightway they seize and on their brother feed.
Like wolves, or rats, or monsters of the main,
Should any chance or purpose make him bleed,
Straightway they seize and on their brother feed.
“‘But late, within a boat, of oars unfinned,
Three were borne far from shore by stress of wind,
Adrift without a sail. Two wore their prime;
The other lacked some years of mating time.
Three were borne far from shore by stress of wind,
Adrift without a sail. Two wore their prime;
The other lacked some years of mating time.
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“‘With foodless days and weakness grew desire
To quell the hunger gnawing them like fire;
And where the famished boy exhausted lay,
I saw their glances ravenously play,
To quell the hunger gnawing them like fire;
And where the famished boy exhausted lay,
I saw their glances ravenously play,
“‘Then meet each other's; when the boldest spake,
“We must not let him die ere he awake,
For his good blood we lose if he go dead:”
“Then wake and eat him now,” the other said.
“We must not let him die ere he awake,
For his good blood we lose if he go dead:”
“Then wake and eat him now,” the other said.
“‘Refreshed, consoled, they with a cheery laugh
The boy divided, taking each a half;
Then gorged him day by day till all was gone,
And only bones left bleaching in the sun.
The boy divided, taking each a half;
Then gorged him day by day till all was gone,
And only bones left bleaching in the sun.
“‘Then covertly, as hunger gnawed again,
And nought but dry white bones between the twain,
They watched each others' eyes with steadfast gaze,
But neither spake. And thus for many days
And nought but dry white bones between the twain,
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But neither spake. And thus for many days
“‘Neither dared sleep, the other open-eyed!
Ofttimes would they so gradually slide
Near to each other, each would start and grip
His weapon's haft, and slowly backward slip.
Ofttimes would they so gradually slide
Near to each other, each would start and grip
His weapon's haft, and slowly backward slip.
“‘Hunger and watch were weighted agony;
They both were cursed; and neither dared to die
And end his torture, for the sickening dread
His foe would gladden on his flesh when dead.
They both were cursed; and neither dared to die
And end his torture, for the sickening dread
His foe would gladden on his flesh when dead.
“‘Made blind by watching, deafened by fell hate,
They cared for nothing but each other's fate;
Nor saw a high-decked vessel by them pause,
Nor heard the sailors shout, and ask the cause
They cared for nothing but each other's fate;
Nor saw a high-decked vessel by them pause,
Nor heard the sailors shout, and ask the cause
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“‘Those bones were lying there. Vaguely they clutched,
And fell down both aswoon when they were touched.
At length in harbour, carried by the gale,
They told the citizens their ghastly tale.
And fell down both aswoon when they were touched.
At length in harbour, carried by the gale,
They told the citizens their ghastly tale.
“‘Tears ran amain in pity for their crime,
And dreadful issue during famine time.
No pity for the murdered boy was raised,
But all his murderers' endurance praised.
And dreadful issue during famine time.
No pity for the murdered boy was raised,
But all his murderers' endurance praised.
“‘Laws rule the sheepclad; law must be obeyed!
Forth sounds their hollow judgment, long delayed,
“Both must a little while in durance be,
Then, as the winds of heaven, may both go free!”
Forth sounds their hollow judgment, long delayed,
“Both must a little while in durance be,
Then, as the winds of heaven, may both go free!”
| Tiresias | |