The Eumenides Lines 804-856
ATHENA:
Yield to me.
No more heavy spirits. You were not defeated -the vote was tied, a verdict fairly reached with
no disgrace to you, no, Zeus brought luminous proof before us. He who spoke god's oracle, he
bore witness that Orestes
did the work but should not suffer harm.
And now you'd vent your anger, hurt the land?
Consider a moment. Calm yourself. Never
render us barren, raining your potent showers
down like spears, consuming every seed.
By all my rights I promise you your seat
in the depths of earth, yours by all rights -
stationed at hearths equipped with glistening thrones,
covered with praise! My people will revere you.
furies: You, you younger gods! - you have ridden down
the ancient laws, wrenched them from my grasp -and I, robbed of my birthright, suffering,
great with wrath,
I loose my poison over the soil, aieee! -poison to match my grief comes pouring out my heart,
cursing the land to burn it sterile and now
rising up from its roots a cancer blasting leaf and child,
now for Justice, Justice! - cross the face of the earth the bloody tide comes hurling, all
mankind destroyed. ... Moaning, only moaning? What will I do?
The mockery of it, Oh unbearable,
mortified by Athens, we the daughters of Night, our power stripped, cast down.
Athena:
You have your power, you are goddesses - but not to turn
on the world of men and ravage it past cure.
I put my trust in Zeus and... must I add this? I am the only god who knows the keys to the
armoury where his lightning-bolt is sealed. No need of that, not here.
Let me persuade you. The lethal spell of your voice, never cast it
down on the land and blight its harvest home. Lull asleep that salt black wave of anger -
awesome, proud with reverence, live with me. The land is rich, and more, when its first fruits,
offered for heirs and the marriage rites, are yours
to hold forever, you will praise my words.
furies:
But for me to suffer such disgrace... I, the proud heart of the past, driven under the earth,
condemned, like so much filth,
and the fury in me breathing hatred -
O good Earth,
what is this stealing under the breast, what agony racks the spirit?... Night, dear Mother
Night! All's lost, our ancient powers torn away by their cunning, ruthless hands, the gods so
hard to wrestle down
obliterate us all.