No More Learning

And the great powers we serve, themselves may be Slaves of a tyrannous necessity ?
" Or in mid-heaven, perhaps, your golden cars, Where earthly voice climbs never, wing their flight, And in wild hunt, through mazy tracts of stars, Sweep in the sounding stillness of the night ?
Or in deaf ease, on thrones of dazzling sheen, Drinking deep draughts of joy, ye dwell serene ?
MYCERINUS.
" Oh, wherefore cheat our youth, if thus it be, Of one short joy, one lust, one pleasant dream ? Stringing vain words of powers we cannot see, Blind divinations of a will supreme ;
Lost labor ! when the circumambient gloom
But hides, if gods, gods careless of our doom ?
" The rest I give to joy. Even while I speak,
My sand runs short; and as yon star-shot ray, Hemmed by two banks of cloud, peers pale and weak, Now, as the barrier closes, dies away, —
Even so do past and future intertwine,
Blotting this six years' space, which yet is mine.
" Six years, — six little years, — six drops of time ! Yet suns shall rise, and many moons shall wane, And old men die, and young men pass their prime, And languid pleasure fade and flower again,
And the dull gods behold, ere these are flown, Revels more deep, joy keener than their own.
"Into the silence of the groves and woods
I will go forth ; though something would I say, — Something, — yet what, I know not : for the gods The doom they pass revoke not nor delay ;
And prayers and gifts and tears are fruitless all, And the night waxes, and the shadows fall.
" Ye men of Egypt, ye have heard your king !
I go, and I return not. But the will
Of the great gods is plain ; and ye must bring
111 deeds, ill passions, zealous to fulfill — Their pleasure, to their feet ; and reap their praise, The praise of gods, rich boon ! and length of days. "
— So spake he, half in anger, half in scorn ;
And one loud cry of grief and of amaze
Broke from his sorrowing people ; so he spake, And turning, left them there : and with brief pause. Girt with a throng of revelers, bent his way
To the cool region of the groves he loved. . . .
So six long years he reveled, night and day.
And when the mirth waxed loudest, with dull sound Sometimes from the grove's center echoes came,
To tell his wondering people of their king ;
In the still night, across the steaming flats,
Mixed with the murmur of the moving Nile.
THE BURIAL OF MOSES.
THE BURIAL OF MOSES. By MRS. C. F. ALEXANDER.
By Nebo's lonely mountain, On this side Jordan's wave, In a vale in the land of Moab
There lies a lonely grave,
And no man knows that sepulcher,
And no man saw it e'er;
For the angels of God upturned the sod,
And laid the dead man there.
That was the grandest funeral That ever passed on earth ;
But no man heard the trampling, Or saw the train go forth —
Noiselessly as the daylight
Comes back when night is done,
And the crimson streak on ocean's cheek Grows into the great sun.
Noiselessly as the springtime Her crown of verdure weaves,
And all the trees on all the hills Open their thousand leaves ;
So without sound of music,
Or voice of them that wept,
Silently down from the mountain's crown, The great procession swept.
Perchance the bald old eagle, On gray Beth-Pear's height,
Out of his lonely eyrie,
Looked on the wondrous sight ;
Perchance the lion stalking
Still shuns that hallowed spot,
For beast and bird have seen and heard That which man knoweth not.
But when the warrior dieth, His comrades in the war,
With arms reversed and muffled drum, Follow his funeral car ;
They show the banners taken, They tell his battles won,
162
THE BURIAL OF MOSES.
And after him lead his masterless steed, While peals the minute gun.
Amid the noblest of the land We lay the sage to rest,
And give the bard an honored place, With costly marble drest,
In the great minster transept Where lights like glories fall,
And the organ rings, and the sweet choir sings Along the emblazoned wall.
This was the truest warrior That ever buckled sword,
This the most gifted poet That ever breathed a word ;
And never earth's philosopher Traced with his golden pen,
On the deathless page, truths half so sage As he wrote down for men.
And had he not high honor, — The hillside for a pall,
To lie in state while angels wait With stars for tapers tall,
And the dark rock pines, like tossing plumes, Over his bier to wave,
And God's own hand in that lonely land, To lay him in the grave ?
In that strange grave without a name, Whence his uncoffined clay
Shall break again, O wondrous thought ! Before the Judgment day,
And stand with glory wrapt around On the hills he never trod,
And speak of the strife that won our life, With the Incarnate Son of God.
O lonely grave in Moab's land ! O dark Beth-Peor's hill !
Speak to these curious hearts of ours, And teach them to be still.
God hath His mysteries of grace, Ways that we cannot tell ;
He hides them deep, like the hidden sleep Of him He loved so well.
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 163
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. Translated from thb Eotptiak, by P. LE PAGE RENOUF (From "Records of the Past. ")
There were two brothers (children), of one mother and of one father. Anpu was the name of the elder, Bata that of the younger.
Anpu had a house and a wife, and his younger brother was like a son to him. He itwas who . . . clothes for him.
. . .
He followed after his cattle
. . . did all the labors of the fields.
Behold, his younger brother was so good a laborer that there was not his equal in the whole land. . . . But when the days had multiplied after this the younger brother was with his cattle according to his daily wont, he took them to his house every evening ; he was laden with all the herbs of the field. . . .
(The elder brother) sat with his wife and ate and drank
the younger was the stable with his cattle. But
. . .
he who did the plowing
(whilst in)
he rose before his elder brother, took bread to the field and called the (laborers) to eat in the
field.
He followed after his cattle and they told him where the
best grasses were. He understood all that they said and he took them to the place where the best herbage was which they wanted.
And the cattle which was before him became exceedingly beautiful, and they multiplied exceedingly. And when the time for plowing came, his elder brother said to him, "Let us take our teams for plowing, because the land has made its appearance. The time is excellent for plowing it. So do thou come with seed, for we shall accomplish the plow
when the day dawned
ing. " . . .
So said he.
And the younger brother proceeded to do whatever his
elder told him. . . . But when the day dawned they went to the field with their . . . and worked at their tillage and they enjoyed themselves exceedingly at their work.
But when the days had multiplied after this they were in
the field . . . (the elder brother) sent his junior, saying, " Go and fetch seed for us from the village. "
164 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
And the younger brother found the wife of the elder sit ting at her toilet. And he said to her, "Arise and give me seed that I may go back to the field, because my elder brother wishes me to return without delay. "
And she said to him, " Go, open the bin, and take thyself whatever thou wilt ; my hair would fall by the way. "
The youth entered his stable ; he took a large vessel, for he wished to take a great deal of seed, and he loaded himself with grain and went out with it.
And she said to him, "How much have you on . . . " And he said to her, "Two measures of barley and three of wheat ; in all five, which are on my arm. "
And she spoke to him, saying, " What strength there is in thee ! indeed, I observe thy vigor every day. " Her heart knew him. . . . She seized upon him and said to him : " Come, let us lie down for an instant. Better for thee . . . beautiful clothes. "
The youth became like a panther with fury on account of the shameful discourse which she had addressed to him. And she was alarmed exceedingly.
He spoke to her, saying : " Verily, I have looked upon thee in the light of a mother and thy husband in that of a father to me. (For he is older than I, as much as if he had begotten
What a great abomination is this which thou hast men tioned to me. Do not repeat it again to me, and I will not speak of it to any one. Verily, I will not let anything of it come forth from my mouth to any man. "
He took up his load and went forth to the field. He came to his elder brother, and they accomplished the task of their labor.
But when the time of evening had come, the elder brother returned to his house. His younger brother behind his cattle . . . loaded with all things of the field. He led his cattle before him to lie down in their stable. . . .
Behold, the wife of his elder brother was alarmed at the discourse which she had held. She . . . She made herself like one who has suffered violence from a man, for she wished to say to her husband, "It is thy younger brother who has done me violence. "
Her husband returned home at evening according to his daily wont. He came to his house, and he found his wife lying as if murdered by a ruffian.
me. )
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
165
She did not pour water upon his hand according to her wont, she did not light the lamp before him, his house was in darkness. She was lying uncovered.
Her husband said to her, " Who has been conversing with thee? "
She said, "No one has conversed with me except thy younger brother ; when he came to fetch seed for thee, he found me sitting alone, and he said to me, ' Come, and let us liedownforaninstant. . . '; thatiswhathesaidtome.
"But I did not listen to him. 'Behold, am I not thy' mother, and thy elder brother is he not like a father to thee ? that is what I said to him, and he got alarmed and did me violence that I might not make a report to thee; but if thou lettest him live, I shall kill myself. Behold he was come . . . " . . .
And the elder brother became like a panther he made his dagger sharp, and took it in his hand. And the elder brother put himself behind the door of his stable to kill his younger brother on his return at evening to bring his cattle to the stable.
But when the sun set, he loaded himself with all the herbs of the field, according to his daily wont. And he came, and the first cow entered into the stable, and it said to its keeper : "Verily, thy elder brother is standing before thee with his dagger to slay thee. Betake thyself from before him. "
He heard the speech of the first ox ; the next one entered and it spoke in the same way. He looked under the door of the stable, and he saw the two feet of his elder brother, who was standing behind the door with a dagger in his hand.
He laid down his load upon the ground and betook himself to flight, his elder brother following him with his dagger.
The younger brother invoked the Sun god Horus of the two horizons, saying, " My good Lord, it is thou who distin- guishest wrong from right ! "
The Sun god stopped to listen to all his wailings. And the Sun god made a large stream, which was full of croco diles, between him and his elder; one of them was on one bank and one upon the other.
And the elder brother struck his hand twice (with rage) at not killing him : he did.
And the younger brother called to him from the bank, saying : —
166 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
"Stop till daybreak, and when the sun's disk comes forth, I shall have an explanation with thee in its presence
. . .
of the truth, for I have never done wrong to thee, but I will never live in the places wherein thou art.
to give the
I am going to the mountain of the Cedar. "
But when the day dawned, the Sun god, Horus of both
horizons, came forth, and each of them saw the other. "
The young man spoke to his elder brother, saying : What is this, thy coming to kill me wrongfully ? Hearest thou not what my mouth speaketh ? Verily, I am thy younger brother, in very deed, and thou wert to me as a father, and thy wife as
a mother.
" Behold, is it not because thou didst send me to fetch
seed for us ' thy wife said to me, 'Come, let us lie down for an instant ; but see, she has turned it to thee the wrong way. " And he made him understand what had happened with reference to himself with his wife. He swore by the Sun
god, Horus of both horizons, saying, "Thy intent is to slay me wrongfully, thou art with thy dagger, . . . " and he took a sharp knife, cut off his phallus and threw it into the water, and the fish swallowed it.
But he became faint and swooned away. And his elder brother felt compassion exceedingly. And he stood weeping and crying, not being able to pass over to the place where his younger brother was, on account of the crocodiles.
But the younger brother called to him, saying : " Behold, thou didst imagine a crime : thou didst not imagine that it was a virtuous action or a thing which I had done for thee.
"Now return to thy house, and do thou look after thy cattle thyself; for I will no longer remain in a place where thou art. I go to the mountain of the Cedar.
" But as to what thou shalt do for me, and thy coming to look after me, thou shalt learn, namely, things will happen to me.
" I shall take my heart and place it in the top of the flower of the Cedar, and when the Cedar is cut down, it will fall to the ground.
"Thou shalt come to seek it. If thou art seven years in the search of let not thy heart be depressed and when thou hast found it, thou shalt place in cup of cold water oh, then shall live (once more) and fling back reply to an attack.
I
it,
a
;
it a
;
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 167
" And this thou shalt learn, namely, that the things have happened to me. When thou shalt take a jug of beer into thy hand and it turns into froth, then delay not ; for to thee of a certainty is the issue coming to pass.
"
Then he departed to the mountain of the Cedar, and the elder brother returned to his house. He put his hand upon his head and smeared it with dust ; and when he came to his house he slew his wife and flung her to the dogs. But he continued mourning for his younger brother.
But when the days had multiplied after this, the younger brother was at the mountain of the Cedar. There was no one with him, and his time was spent in hunting the animals of the country. He returned at evening to lie down under the Cedar, on the top of whose flowers his heart lay.
But when the days had multiplied after this, he built with his hands a dwelling on the mountain of the Cedar, which was filled with all the good things which the possessor of a house desires.
And having gone out of his dwelling, he met the company of the gods, who were going forth to do their will in their land of Egypt.
The divine company spoke by one of them, who said to him: —
" Ho ! Bata, Bull of the divine company ! dost thou remain alone, and abandonest thou thy country on account of the wife of Anpu, thy elder brother ? Behold, his wife is slain, because thou hast flung back replies to all the attacks made upon thee. "
Their hearts pitied him exceedingly. And the Sun god, Horus of both horizons, said to Chnum, "Oh, make a wife for Bata, that he may not remain alone. "
And Chnum made him a companion, who as she sat was more beautiful in her limbs than any woman in the whole earth ; the whole godhead was in her.
The seven Hathors came to see her, and they said with one mouth that she would die a violent death. And he loved her exceedingly, and she remained in his house whilst he spent his time in hunting the animals of the country and bringing the game to her.
And he said to her, "Do not go out, lest the Sea carry thee off, and I may not know how to rescue thee from him, because I am a woman even as thou art; for my heart is on
168 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
the top of the flower of the Cedar, and if any one finds it, I shall be overcome by him. " And he revealed to her his heart in all its height.
And when the days had multiplied after this, Bata went out to hunt the animals after his daily wont, and the young woman went out to take a turn under the Cedar, which was near her house.
And the Sea beheld her and dashed its waters in pursuit of her, and she betook herself to flight before it and entered into her house.
And the Sea" cried to the Cedar, saying, " O that I could seize upon her ! And the Cedar carried off one of her fra grant locks, and the Sea carried it to Egypt, and deposited it in the place where the washers of the King were.
And the odor of the lock grew into the clothes of the King. And a quarrel arose among the royal washers on account of the overpowering odor in the clothes of the King. The quarrel continued among them day after day, so that they no longer knew what they were doing.
And the Chief of the washers of the King went out to the waterside, and his heart was exceedingly oppressed on account of the quarrels in which he was every day involved.
And he stopped and stayed at the spot in the midst of which lay the fragrant lock in the water. And he stooped down and picked it up, and he found the odor of it delicious, exceedingly, and he took it to the King.
And it was carried to the doctors, the magicians of the King. They said to the King, "The lock belongs to a daughter of the Sun god, Horus of both horizons ; the essence of the whole godhead is in her.
" But the whole earth is in obeisance before thee ; send, therefore, envoys to every place to seek her ; but as for the envoy who is for the mountain of the Cedar, send out with him troops in great numbers to bring her. "
His Majesty replied, " Good exceedingly is that which ye have said to us ! " And the envoys were sent.
But when the days had multiplied after this, the troops that went to every place returned to give their reports to His Majesty, but those returned not who had gone to the moun tain of the Cedar; Bata had slain them.
One of them returned to tell the tale to His Majesty. And His Majesty once more sent out troops, many bowmen and also
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS. 169
cavalry to fetch her ; and there was a woman with them, into whose hand one had given all the most beautiful trinkets for a woman.
And the woman came with her into Egypt, and rejoicing was made for her throughout the whole land. And His Maj esty loved her exceedingly, and she was raised to the dignity of a Princess.
And it was said to her that she should reveal the ways of her husband ; and she said to His Majesty, " Cause the Cedar to be cut down, and he will be destroyed. "
And troops were sent out with their swords to cut down the Cedar. They came to the Cedar, and cut down the flower upon which lay the heart of Bata. He fell dead in an instant.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, the Cedar was cut down ; and Anpu, the elder brother of Bata, entered his house. He sat down and washed his hand ; and there was given to him a jug of beer, but this turned into froth. Another jug was then given him of wine, but this at once became troubled.
Thereupon he took his staff and his sandals, likewise his clothes and his instruments of labor; and he betook himself to a journey toward the mountain of the Cedar.
He came to the dwelling of his younger brother and found him lying dead upon the floor. He wept when he saw his younger brother lying in the state of death ; and he went out to seek for his brother's heart under the Cedar where he used to lie in the evening.
Three years he sought without finding. But when the fourth year was come, his heart longed to return to Egypt, and he said, "I will go to-morrow. " Such was his intention.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, he con tinued to walk under the Cedar, occupied with his search, and he returned in the evening.
He looked after his search once more, and found a pod. He examined under it ; and behold, there was the heart of his younger brother. He brought a vessel of cold water, dropped the heart into it, and sat down according to his daily wont.
But when the night was come, the heart absorbed the water. Bata trembled in all his limbs and continued looking at his elder brother, but his heart was faint.
Then Anpu took the vessel of cold water which his brother's heart was in. And when the latter had drunk it
170 STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
up, his heart rose in its place, and he became as he had been before. Each embraced the other, and each one of them held conversation with his companion.
And Bata said to his elder brother, " Behold, I am about to become a great Bull with all the sacred marks, but with an unknown history.
"Do thou sit upon my back, and when the Sun god rises we shall be in the place where my wife is. (Answer whether thou wilt take me there ? ) For there will be given to thee all good things, yea, thou shalt be loaded with silver and gold for bringing me to the King, for I shall become a great marvel, and there will be rejoicing for me in the whole land. Then do thou return to thy village. "
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, Bata had assumed the form which he had mentioned to his elder brother. And Anpu, his elder brother, sat upon his back at dawn of day.
And he arrived at the place which had been spoken of, and information was given to His Majesty, who inspected him, and rejoiced exceedingly, and celebrated a festival above all description, a mighty marvel, and rejoicings for it were made throughout the whole land.
And there was brought silver and gold for the elder brother, who stayed in his village. But to (the Bull) there were given many attendants and many offerings ; and the King loved him exceedingly above all men in the whole land.
But when the days had multiplied after this, he entered the sanctuary, and stood in the very place where the Princess was. And he spoke to her, saying, "Look upon me; I am alive indeed. " "
"
And who then art thou ?
I am Bata. Thou gavest information for the cutting down of the Cedar to the King as to where I was, that I might no longer live. But look upon me, for I am
And she said to him, said to her : "
And he
really alive. I am a Bull. "
And the Princess was frightened exceedingly at the speech
which her husband addressed to her. And he went out of the sanctuary.
But when the King sat down to make a holiday with her, and as she was at the table of His Majesty and he was exceed ingly gracious to her, she said to him, " Come, swear to me by God that you will grant whatever I ask. "
STORY OF THE TWO BROTHERS.
171
And he granted all that she asked, saying, "Let me eat the liver of the Bull, for you have no need of him. "
So spake she to him, and it grieved him exceedingly that she spake and the heart of His Majesty was exceedingly troubled.
But when the dawn of the next day appeared, there was celebrated great festival with offerings to the Bull.
But one of the Chief Royal Officers of His Majesty was made to go and slay the Bull. And as they were killing him and he was in the hands of the attendants, he shook his neck, and two drops of blood fell upon the two doorposts of His Majesty one was on the one side of the great staircase of His Majesty, the other upon the other side and they grew up into two mighty Persea trees, each of which stood alone.
And they went and told His Majesty, saying: "Two mighty Persea trees have sprung up as great omen of good fortune to His Majesty during the night, near the great stair case of His Majesty and there rejoicing for them through the whole land, and offerings are made to them. "
And when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty was wearing the collar of lapis lazuli with wreath of all kinds of flowers upon his neck. He was in his brazen chariot, and he went forth from the royal palace to see the Persea trees.
And the Princess went out on two-horsed car behind the King. And His Majesty sat under one of the Perseas, and (the Tree) said to his wife " Ho thou false one am Bata am living still have transformed myself. Thou gavest information to the King of where was that might be slain. then became a Bull, and thou didst cause me to be slain. "
And when the days had multiplied after this, the Princess was in the good graces of His"Majesty, and he showed her favor. And she said to him, Come, swear to me by God, saying, 'Whatever the Princess shall ask me, will consent to it. '"
" And he consented to all that she said. And she said, Cause the two Persea trees to be cut down, and let them be made into beautiful planks. " And he consented to all
that she said.
And when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty
made cunning workmen come to cut down the two Persea trees of the King and there stood by looking on the royal spouse,
;I
; I ait,
I I
a
a
;
I
! I
; I
:
a !
is
;
:
172 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
the Princess. And there flew a splinter, and it entered into the mouth of the Princess ; and she perceived that she had
conceived
. . .
all that she desired.
And when the days had multiplied after this, she brought
forth a male child, and they went to the King and said to him, " There is born to thee a male child. "
And the child was brought, and there were given to it a nurse and waiting woman ; and rejoicings were made through the whole land. They sat down to make a holiday (and they gave him his name), and His Majesty at once loved him exceed ingly and raised him to the dignity of Prince of ^Ethiopia.
But when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty made him hereditary Prince of the whole land.
And when the days had multiplied after this, and he had completed many years as hereditary Prince . " . . His Majesty flew up to heaven ; and (the Prince) said, Let the Princes and Nobles of His Majesty be summoned, and I shall inform them of all the events which have happened to me. . . . " His wife was brought to him, and he had a reckoning with her in presence of them, and they spoke their speech.
And his elder brother was brought to him, and he made him hereditary Prince of the whole land. And he reigned for thirty years as King of Egypt.
And when he had completed (those) thirty years of life, his elder brother arose in his place, on the day of his death.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE. By CHARLES WELLS.
Joseph — Enter Joseph.
Madam, so please —
Phraxanor — I'll hear thee by and by.
Myrah, depart ; yet stay, and first arrange My sandal, that unseemly doth escape. Higher still there, where the transparent silk Tapers towards the ankle. Have a care ;
Let me not have to chide this fault again.
Joseph —
Madam, I have a message from my lord.
[Exit Attendant.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE. 173
Phraxanor —
Put that to rest. Give me that golden box,
'Tis filled with precious spikenard, queen of scents.
Joseph —
Madam, what must I say ? My state is low, Yet you do treat me as you might my lord When he besought your hand.
Phraxanor — Must I get up, And cast myself in thy sustaining arms,
To sink thee to a seat ? — Come, sit thou here. Now I will neighbor thee and tell thee why
I cast that ointment on thee. Joseph —
Desire it. Phraxanor —
I did not You did ask me for it.
Joseph — Phraxanor —
Madam !
Why, what amaze is now upon thy face
[She spills it on his head.
You breathed upon me as you did advance, And sweets do love sweets for an offering. My breath is sweet and subtle, yet I dared Not put my lips half close enough to thine To render back the favor ; so
I say
The obligation did demand as much — —
Will nothing please ?
Joseph — — Madam, your arm — pray move. Phraxanor
You peevish bird — like a sick eagle I
Could fain devour, but may not.
Joseph — I beseech you,
If you respect your place, or my fair name,
Undo your prisoning arms and let me go. Phraxanor —
Tremble to fear the woman you might love. Joseph —
Indeed, I would far sooner honor her. Phraxanor —
I eye you like to one
Cold, cold, still cold ;
That dieth in my arms : beware you chill
Me too : you do a wrong, and herein court
Much danger. I would risk the world for you ; But blow me cold with your sharp frosty breath, And these same arms that gird you round about May turn to bitter chains. We are most dear
In our affections ; in vengeance most resolved.
174 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Joseph —
Madam, I have a spirit beyond fear.
God knows the duty that I owe your lord Would break my heart did I commit this sin. But, madam, hear the reason that I have, Why my lord's honor dearer is than life.
I do remember me, when first I came
Into this land of Egypt, fugitive,
Forlorn, and wretched, bruised at the heart, An iron collar round about my neck, Degrading mark of bitter servitude,
Stalled in the press of slaves upon the mart, Brimful of misery unto the crown,
Forlorn, cast out, abandoned, and bereaved,
A certain man did look into my face,
As though to penetrate my very soul.
By slow degrees conviction worked on him, And through my sufferings he read my heart, And all his features melted at the sight.
A sacred pity stole into his eyes,
That dwelt on me in gentle tenderness.
Oh ! balm of sweetness, what a holy joy Poured like a flood into my thousand wounds Of soul and body's sore affliction.
Whereof I languished in my pilgrimage ! With his own hands he drew my collar off, Nor bartered with the merchant for my price. He took me to his house, put me in trust, Justly and wisely kept his eyes on me, Weighing with care my actions and desert, And by degrees received me to his breast, O'erloaded me with benefits, and changed
A chain of iron for a chain of gold,
A wolfskin kirtle for a purple cloak,
A life of wretchedness for one of peace,
A broken heart to love and tenderness.
This man, so full of human charities,
Had many precious treasures, which he gave To me in trust, but far above the rest
Was one in which all others were absorbed, As in a holy consecrated shrine,
Source of his life, his honor's nourishment, The loss of which would be a fell decree
Of shame, despair, and infamy, and death. Madam, this honored, honorable man
Was noble Potiphar, your lord and mine.
JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Need I add more ? —
I pray you let us talk on common things. Phraxanor —
Neither am I not beautiful, perhaps, —
Set up to be the universal fool. — Why, here's a waste of party-colored words High-sounding phrases, empty eloquence.
" My lord ! my lord ! " It scenteth of reproach. Sir, have a care — blood waits on insult, ha! One way or other I will have your heart.
Joseph [aside] —
This wondrous creature is of faultless mold,
And grace plays o'er the movement of her limbs, Her marvelous beauty irresistible,
A double charm, abandons languishment,
In soft repose hints at oblivion.
In motion her imperious dignity,
At secret hours, might dictate to the king.
A most unscrupulous voluptuousness
Mars Nature in her marvelous qualities ;
A fascinating monster, fatal equally
In action or reaction of her love ;
Fair flower of poisonous perfume born to kill. Never the demon had an agency •
Where he had nought to do in work that's done.
[Aloud. ] — Take pity on yourself, on me, on him,
On me, for you would hate me mortally
When once you were awakened from this dream, To see the hideous monster you had made.
So utterly impossible this seems,
That I am prone to think it is a feint
To try my truth and prove my honesty.
Phraxanor —
Ah ! 'tis a feint that burns my body up,
And stirs my spirit like a raging sea.
Think you to pay in words ? — deeds — deeds ! For I can tell you that you have in hand
One who will have no debts.
Joseph — It is enough. 'Tis time this hopeless contest had an end. I have borne this besieging patiently,
Still hoping to arouse your modesty.
Oh ! do not force the loathing which lies hid Within my gall to rush into my face.
176 JOSEPH AND POTIPHAR'S WIFE.
Pkraxanor —
This is the greatest blessing that you shun.
Joseph —
Or the worst sin.
Phraxanor — Oh !