Chapter 19Scene 2

The Temple of Poseidon. Polydaon, Therops, Dercetes, Cydone, Damoetes and a great number of Syrians, men and women. Iolaus stands bound, a little to the side: Cepheus and Cassiopea, surrounded by armed men. POLYDAON Cepheus and Cassiopea, man and woman, Not sovereigns now, you see what end they have Who war upon the gods. CASSIOPEA To see thy end My eyes wait only. POLYDAON Let them see something likelier. Is’t not thy son who wears those cords, and that An altar? What! the eyes are drowned in tears Where fire was once so ready? Where is thy pride, O Cassiopea? CASSIOPEA There are other gods Than thy Poseidon. They shall punish thee. POLYDAON If thou knewst who I am, which is most secret, Thou wouldst not utter vain and foolish wishes. When thou art slain, I will reveal myself.

Perseus the Deliverer CASSIOPEA Thou hast revealed thyself for what thou art Already, a madman and inhuman monster. CEPHEUS My queen, refrain from words. DAMOETES Perissus comes. CASSIOPEA Ah God! THEROPS Look, the Queen swoons! Oh, look to her! Perissus enters. POLYDAON Yes, raise her up, bring back her senses: now I would not have them clouded. News, Perissus! Thy face is troubled and thy eyes stare wildly. PERISSUS Stare, do they? They may stare, for they have cause. You too will stare soon, Viceroy Polydaon. THEROPS What rare thing happened? The heavens were troubled strangely, Although their rifts were blue. What hast thou seen? PERISSUS I have seen hell and heaven at grips together. POLYDAON What do I care for hell or heaven? Your news! Did the sea-monster come and eat and go?

Act V, Scene 2 PERISSUS He came but went not. POLYDAON Was not the maiden seized? PERISSUS Ay, was she, in a close and mighty grasp. POLYDAON By the sea-beast? PERISSUS ’Tis said we all are animals; Then so was he: but ’twas a glorious beast. POLYDAON And was she quite devoured? PERISSUS Why, in a manner, — If kisses eat. POLYDAON Ha! ha! such soft caresses May all my enemies have. She was not torn? What, was she taken whole and quite engulfed? PERISSUS Something like that. POLYDAON You speak with difficult slowness And strangely. Where’s your blithe robustness gone, Perissus?

Perseus the Deliverer PERISSUS Coming, with the beast. He lifted her Mightily from the cliff to heaven. POLYDAON So, Queen, Nothing is left thee of Andromeda. PERISSUS Why, something yet, a sweet and handsome piece. POLYDAON You should have brought it here, my merry butcher, That remnant of her daughter. PERISSUS It is coming. POLYDAON Ho, ho! then you shall see your daughter, Queen. DERCETES This is a horrid and inhuman laughter. Restrain thy humour, priest! My sword’s uneasy. THEROPS It is a scandal in Poseidon’s temple. POLYDAON Do you oppose me? (to Therops) Wilt thou resist Poseidon, Misguided mortal? DERCETES He glares and his mouth works. This is a maniac. Does a madman rule us?

Act V, Scene 2 THEROPS There has been much of violence and mad fierceness, Such as in tumults may be pardoned. Now It is the tranquil hour of victory When decency should reign and mercy too. What do we gain by torturing this poor Queen And most unhappy King? POLYDAON Hear him, O people! He favours great Poseidon’s enemies. Therops turns traitor. DAMOETES He rails at the good priest. CRIES Therops a traitor! MEGAS Therops, thou favour kings? Thou traitor to Poseidon and his people? GARDAS I say, hear Therops. He is always right, Our Therops; he has brains. CRIES Hear Therops, Therops! THEROPS Let them be punished, but with exile only. I am no traitor. I worked for you, O people, When this false priest was with the King of Tyre Plotting to lay on you a foreign chain.

Perseus the Deliverer CRIES Is it so? Is it the truth? Speak, Polydaon. POLYDAON Must I defend myself? Was it not I Who led you on to victory and turned The wrath of dire Poseidon? If you doubt me, Be then the sacrifice forbidden; let Cepheus And Cassiopea reign; but when the dogs Of grim Poseidon howl again behind you, Call not to me for help. I will not always pardon. CRIES Polydaon, Polydaon, Poseidon’s mighty Viceroy! Kill Therops! Iolaus upon the altar! POLYDAON Now you are wise again. Leave this Therops. Bring Iolaus to the altar here. Lay bare his bosom for the knife. THEROPS Dercetes, Shall this be allowed? DERCETES We must not dare offend Poseidon. But when it’s over, I’ll break in With all my faithful spears and save the King And Cassiopea. Therops, ’twould be a nightmare, The rule of that fierce priest and fiercer rabble. THEROPS With all the better sort I will support thee. PERISSUS Therops, my crowd-compeller, my eloquent Zeus of the market- place, I know thy heart is big with the sweet passion of

Act V, Scene 2 repentance, but let it not burst into action yet. Keep thy fleet sharp spears at rest, Dercetes. There are times, my little captain, and there is a season. Watch and wait. The gods are at work and Iolaus shall not die. POLYDAON We only wait until our mighty wrath Is shown you in the mangled worst offender Against our godhead. Then, O Cassiopea, I’ll watch thy eyes. PERISSUS Behold her, Polydaon. Perseus and Andromeda enter the temple. CRIES Andromeda! Andromeda! who has unchained her? It is An- dromeda! CEPHEUS It is the spirit of Andromeda. THEROPS Shadows were ne’er so bright, had never smile So sunny! she is given back to earth: It is the radiant wing`ed Hermes brings her. DERCETES ’Tis he who baffled us upon the beach. I see the gods are busy in our Syria. Andromeda runs to Cassiopea and clasps and kisses her knees, the soldiers making way for her. CASSIOPEA (taking Andromeda’s face between her hands) O my sweet child, thou livest!

Perseus the Deliverer ANDROMEDA Mother, mother! I live and see the light and grief is ended. CASSIOPEA (lifting Andromeda into her arms) I hold thee living on my bosom. What grief Can happen now? CEPHEUS Andromeda, my daughter! POLYDAON (awaking from his amazement) Confusion! Butcher, thou hast betrayed me. Seize them! They shall all die upon my mighty altar. Seize them! PERSEUS (confronting him) Priest of Poseidon and of death, Three days thou gav’st me: it is but the second. I am here. Dost thou require the sacrifice? POLYDAON Art thou a god? I am a greater, dreadfuller. Tremble and go from me: I need thee not. PERSEUS Expect thy punishment. Syrians, behold me, The victim snatched from grim Poseidon’s altar. My sword has rescued sweet Andromeda And slain the monster of the deep. You asked For victims? I am here. Whose knife is ready? Let him approach. THEROPS Who art thou, mighty hero? Declare unto this people thy renown And thy unequalled actions. What high godhead

Act V, Scene 2 Befriends thee in battle? PERSEUS Syrians, I am Perseus, The mighty son of Zeus and Dana¨e. The blood of gods is in my veins, the strength Of gods is in my arm: Athene helps me. Behold her aegis, which if I uncover Will blind you with its lightnings; and this sword Is Herpe, which can pierce the earth and Hades. What I have done, is by Athene’s strength. Borne from Seriphos through pellucid air Upon these wing`ed shoes, in the far west I have traversed unknown lands and nameless continents And seas where never came the plash of human oars. On torrid coasts burned by the desert wind I have seen great Atlas buttressing the sky, His giant head companion of the stars, And changed him into a hill; the northern snows Illimitable I have trod, where Nature Is awed to silence, chilled to rigid whiteness; I have entered caverns dim where death was born: And I have taken from the dim-dwelling Graiae Their wondrous eye that sees the past and future: And I have slain the Gorgon, dire Medusa, Her head that turns the living man to stone Locking into my wallet: last, today, In Syria by the loud Aegean surges I have done this deed that men shall ever speak of. Ascending with winged feet the clamorous air I have cloven Poseidon’s monster whose rock-teeth And fiery mouth swallowed your sons and daughters. Where now has gone the sea-god’s giant stride That filled with heads of foam your fruitful fields? I have dashed back the leaping angry waters; His Ocean-force has yielded to a mortal. Even while I speak, the world has changed around you.

Perseus the Deliverer Syrians, the earth is calm, the heavens smile; A mighty silence listens on the sea. All this I have done, and yet not I, but one greater. Such is Athene’s might and theirs who serve her. You know me now, O Syrians, and my strength I have concealed not. Let no man hereafter Complain that I deceived him to his doom. Speak now. Which of you all demands a victim? He pauses: there is silence. What, you have howled and maddened, bound sweet women For slaughter, roared to have the hearts of princes, And are you silent now? Who is for victims? Who sacrifices Perseus? THEROPS Speak! is there A fool so death-devoted? PERSEUS Claims any man victims? CRIES There’s none, great Perseus. PERSEUS Then, I here release Andromeda and Iolaus, Syrians, From the death-doom: to Cepheus give his crown Once more. Does any man gainsay my action? Would any rule in Syria? CRIES None, mighty Perseus. PERSEUS Iolaus, sweet friend, my work is finished. He severs his bonds.

Act V, Scene 2 IOLAUS O mighty father, suffer me for thee To take thy crown from the unworthy soil Where rude hands tumbled it. ’Twill now sit steady. Dercetes, art thou loyal once again? DERCETES For ever. IOLAUS Therops? THEROPS I have abjured rebellion. IOLAUS Lead then my royal parents to their home With martial pomp and music. And let the people Cover their foul revolt with meek obedience. One guiltiest head shall pay your forfeit: the rest, Since terror and religious frenzy moved To mutiny, not their sober wills, shall all Be pardoned. CRIES Iolaus! Iolaus! Long live the Syrian, noble Iolaus! IOLAUS Andromeda, and thou, my sweet Cydone, Go with them. CEPHEUS I approve thy sentence, son. Dercetes and his soldiers, Therops and the Syrians leave the temple conducting Cepheus and Cassiopea, Andromeda and Cydone.

Perseus the Deliverer IOLAUS Now, Polydaon, — POLYDAON I have seen all and laughed. Iolaus, and thou, O Argive Perseus, You know not who I am. I have endured Your foolish transient triumph that you might feel My punishments more bitter-terrible. ’Tis time, ’tis time. I will reveal myself. Your horror-starting eyes shall know me, princes, When I hurl death and Ocean on your heads. PERSEUS The man is frantic. IOLAUS Defeat has turned him mad. PERISSUS I have seen this coming on him for a season and a half. He was a fox at first, but this tumult gave him claws and muscles and he turned tiger. This is the end. What, Polydaon! Good cheer, priest! Roll not thy eyes: I am thy friend Perissus, I am thy old loving schoolmate; are we not now fellow-craftsmen, priest and butcher? POLYDAON Do you not see? I wave my sapphire locks And earth is quaking. Quake, earth! rise, my great Ocean! Earth, shake my foemen from thy back! clasp, sea, And kiss them dead, thou huge voluptuary. Come barking from your stables, my sweet monsters: With blood-stained fangs and fiery mouths avenge me Mocking their victory. Thou, brother Zeus, Rain curses from thy skies. What, is all silent? I’ll tear thee, Ocean, into watery bits

Act V, Scene 2 And strip thy oozy basal rocks quite naked If thou obey me not. IOLAUS (advancing) He must be seized And bound. PERSEUS Pause. See, he foams and clutches! Polydaon falls to the ground. He Is sentenced. PERISSUS Polydaon, old crony, grows thy soul too great within thee? dost thou kick the unworthy earth and hit out with thy noble fists at Heaven? IOLAUS It was a fit; it is over. He lies back white And shaking. POLYDAON (As he speaks, his utterance is hacked by pauses of silence. He seems unconscious of those around him, his being is withdrawing from the body and he lives only in an inner consciousness and its vision.) I was Poseidon but this moment. Now he departs from me and leaves me feeble: I have become a dull and puny mortal. (half rising) It was not I but thou who fearedst, god. I would have spoken, but thou wert chilled and stone. What fearedst thou or whom? Wast thou alarmed By the godhead lurking in man’s secret soul Or deity greater than thy own appalled thee?... Forgive, forgive! pass not away from me. Thy power is now my breath and I shall perish

Perseus the Deliverer If thou withdraw.... He stands beside me still Shaking his gloomy locks and glares at me Saying it was my sin and false ambition Undid him. Was I not fearless as thou bad’st me? Ah, he has gone into invisible Vast silences!... Whose, whose is this bright glory? One stands now in his place and looks at me. Imperious is his calm Olympian brow, The sea’s blue unfathomed depths gaze from his eyes, Wide sea-blue locks crown his majestic shape: A mystic trident arms his tranquil might. As one new-born to himself and to the world He turns from me with the surges in his stride To seek his Ocean empire. Earth bows down Trembling with awe of his unbearable steps, Heaven is the mirror of his purple greatness.... But whose was that dimmer and tremendous image?... A horror of darkness is around me still, But the joy and might have gone out of my breast And left me mortal, a poor human thing With whom death and the fates can do their will.... But his presence yet is with me, near to me.... Was I not something more than earthly man?... (with a cry) It was myself, the shadow, the hostile god! I am abandoned to my evil self. That was the darkness!... But there was something more Insistent, dreadful, other than myself! Whoever thou art, spare me!... I am gone, I am taken. In his tremendous clutch he bears me off Into thick cloud; I see black Hell, the knives Fire-pointed touch my breast. Spare me, Poseidon.... Save me, O brilliant God, forgive and save. He falls back dead. PERSEUS Who then can save a man from his own self?

Act V, Scene 2 IOLAUS He is ended, his own evil has destroyed him. PERSEUS This man for a few hours became the vessel Of an occult and formidable Force And through his form it did fierce terrible things Unhuman: but his small and gloomy mind And impure dark heart could not contain the Force. It turned in him to madness and demoniac Huge longings. Then the Power withdrew from him Leaving the broken incapable instrument, And all its might was spilt from his body. Better To be a common man mid common men And live an unaspiring mortal life Than call into oneself a Titan strength Too dire and mighty for its human frame, That only afflicts the oppressed astonished world, Then breaks its user. IOLAUS But best to be Heaven’s child. Only the sons of gods can harbour gods. PERISSUS Art thou then gone, Polydaon? My monarch of breast-hackers, this was an evil ending. My heart is full of woe for thee, my fellow-butcher. IOLAUS The gods have punished him for his offences, Ambition and a hideous cruelty Ingenious in mere horror. PERSEUS Burn him with rites, If that may help his soul by dark Cocytus.

Perseus the Deliverer But let us go and end these strange upheavals: Call Cireas from his hiding for reward, Tyrnaus too, and Smerdas from his prison, Fair Diomede from Cydone’s house. Humble or high, let all have their deserts Who partners were or causes of our troubles. IOLAUS There’s Phineus will ask reasons. PERSEUS He shall be satisfied. PERISSUS He cannot be satisfied, his nose is too long; it will not listen to reason, for it thinks all the reason and policy in the world are shut up in the small brain to which it is a long hooked outlet. PERSEUS Perissus, come with me: for thou wert kind To my fair sweetness; it shall be remembered. PERISSUS There was nothing astonishing in that: I am as chock-full with natural kindness as a rabbit is with guts; I have bowels, great Perseus. For am I not Perissus? am I not the butcher? They go out: the curtain falls.