Prince Deukalion Author:Bayard Taylor Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: SCENE III. [A valley, at the base of the mountains. On the left the entrance to a cavern.] PRINCE DEUKALION. Where art thou, Pyrrha? PYRRHA (coming forw... more »ard). Dost thou call, at last ? Awaiting the awakening of thy thought, Mine own went wandering. PRINCE DEUKALION. Whither? PYRRHA. Nay, why ask ? What other moods have heretofore been ours Than hope by doubt o'ershadowed, or else doubt Made bearable by transient gleams of hope? But now — PRINCE DEUKALION. Now, courage ! — such as that we felt, When they who made us and forefixed our fate, The Titans, fell! We saw the thunder-blows Given and taken, saw the ruined world Lie panting after fiercest throes endured, Till milder Gods brought knowledge, peace, and power. If, grown familiar, these have forfeited Their ancient honor, or their term is past, We need not question; they consent to see Themselves in sacred marble rebaptized, New meanings, borrowed from an alien race, Bestowed on their Olympian emblems, — yea, The incense burned to beauty, grace and joy Made dark and heavy by atoning pain And crowned repentance! Yet, His law is good Who now shall rule ; for they we lose withheld The strength of human hands from human throats, Forced them to join, and overcome, and build, — Create, where they destroyed; but He compels That strength to help, and makes it slave of Love. Thus, from the apathy of faith outworn Rises a haughty life, that soon shall spurn The mould it grew from. I foresee new strife, Mistaken hopes, unnecessary pangs, And yet — I wait. PYRRHA. And I must wait with thee. Dost thou recall — how long ago it seems ! — Mine ancient glory? Nearest, then, I stood: Our hands — ah, why not also lips ? — had met, And o'er thy head I saw the hovering crown Take substance from the air, a...« less