University of Virginia Library

SCENE THE THIRD.

Saul, Michal.
Sa.
Incensed, tremendous shade, ah quit my sight! ...
Leave me, oh leave me! ... At thy feet I kneel! ...
Where do I fly? ... Where can I hide myself? ...
Oh fierce, vindictive spectre be appeased ...
But to my supplications art thou deaf,
And dost thou spurn me? ... Burst asunder, earth,
Swallow me up alive ... Ah! that at least
The fierce and threatening looks of that dire shade
May not quite pierce me through ...

Mi.
From whom fliest thou?
No one pursues thee. Dost thou not see me?
Father, dost thou not know me?

Sa.
Oh most high,
Most holy priest, wilt thou that here I pause?
Oh Samuel, thou my real father once,
Dost thou command it? Prostrate, see, I fall
At thy supreme command. Thou, with thy hand,
Placed'st the royal crown upon this head;
Thou didst adorn it; strip it, strip it now
Of all its honours; tread them under foot.—
But oh ... the flaming sword of God's revenge
Which glares eternally before my eyes ...
Thou, who canst do it, snatch it not from me,
Oh no, but from my children. Of my crime,
My children they are innocent ...

Mi.
Oh state
Of agony unparallel'd!—Thy sight
Bodies forth things that are not: father, turn
Thyself to me ...

Sa.
Oh joy! ... Is peace inscribed
Upon thy face? Severe old man, hast thou
In part my prayers accepted? From thy feet
I will not rise, till thou hast first deliver'd
My unoffending children from thy vengeance.—
What voice exclaim'd, “And David was thy son;
“And thou pursued'st him, yes ... e'en to death.”
Of what dost thou accuse me? ... Pause, oh pause ...
David, where is he? ... Find him: let him come;
And let him slay me at his will and reign ...
Provided only that he spare my children,
Be the throne his ... But art thou pitiless? ...
Thine eyes are orbs of blood; thy hand is fire,
And fire thy sword; thy ample nostrils breathe
Sulphureous flames, that glare and dart at me ...
They've caught me now: they burn my heart to dust:
Where shall I fly? ... or whither find deliverance?

Mi.
Cannot my hands restrain thee, nor my voice
Convince thee of the truth? Hear me: thou art ...

Sa.
But no; on this side a prodigious stream
Of blood restrains my steps ... Atrocious sight!
On both its shores in mountains are up-piled
Great heaps of recent corpses: all is death
On this side: thitherward I then will fly ...
But what do I behold? Who then are ye?—
“We are the children of Ahimelech.
“I am Ahimelech. Die, monarch, die.”—
What cry is that? I recognize him well:
With recent blood he reeks; let him drink mine.
And who is this that drags me from behind?
Thou, Samuel, thou?—What did he say? That soon
We all should be with him? I only, I
Shall be with thee; but spare my children ... spare.—
Where am I? ... In an instant from my sight
Have all the spectres vanish'd. Where am I?
What have I said? What am I doing? Who
Art thou? What dissonance is this I hear?
It seems to me most like the din of battle:
But the day dawns not yet: ah yes, it is
War's horrid uproar. Quickly, quickly bring
My shield, my spear, my helmet: now with speed
The weapons, the king's weapons. I will die,
But in the camp.

Mi.
Father, what art thou doing?
Be tranquil ... to thy daughter ...

Sa.
I will have
My arms; what daughter? Now thou dost obey me.
My helm, my spear, my shield: these are my children.

Mi.
I will not leave thee, no ...

Sa.
The trumpets sound
Louder and louder. Thither let me go:
For me my sword alone will be sufficient.—
Thou, quit my side, depart; obey me: there
The death which I am now pursuing dwells.