Monday, April 03, 2006

Agamemnon (Aeschylus)

CHORUS
“Zeus has led us on to know
The helmsman lays it down as law
That we must suffer, suffer into truth.
We cannot sleep, and drop by drop at the heart
The pain of pain remembered comes again
And we resist, but ripeness comes as well.
From the gods enthroned on the awesome rowing-bench
There comes a violent love.”
177-184
-----------------
Let there be less suffering…
Give us the sense to live on what we need.

Bastions of wealth
Are no defense for the man
Who treads the grand altar of justice
Down and out of sight.
381-386
-------------
The reach for power can recoil
The bolt of god can strike you at a glance.
461-462
------------
AGAMEMNON
The beast of Argos, foals of the wild mare,
thousands massed in armor rose on the night
the Pleiades went down, and crashing through
their walls our bloody lion lapped its fill,
gorging on the blood of kings.
810-813
-------------
CASSANDRA
Oh men your destiny.
When all is well a shadow can overturn it.
When trouble comes a stroke of the wet sponge,
and the pictures blotted out. And that,
I think that breaks the heart.
1350-1354
-----------
LEADER
You’re brave, believe me, full of gallant heart.

CASSANDRA
Only the wretched go with praise like that.
1324-1325

4 comments:

amber said...

Agamemnon Montañano. A force to be reckoned with.

B. Kriplur said...

Your child will gorge on the blood of kings. It has been foreseen.

SteveG said...

Yeah, but can you write that in first order predicate logic?

B. Kriplur said...

There was a time though when I could translate Beatle’s lyrics in to predicate logic with C+ accuracy. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. I had to make room in my brain for Future Estates and Interests.