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Say； would thy star like Merope's grow dim
If thou shouldst wed beneath thee？
PANDORA。
Ask me not；
I cannot answer thee。 I only know
The Gods have sent me hither。
EPIMETHEUS。
I believe；
And thus believing am most fortunate。
It was not Hermes led thee here； but Eros；
And swifter than his arrows were thine eves
In wounding me。 There was no moment's space
Between my seeing thee and loving thee。
O； what a telltale face thou hast！ Again
I see the wonder in thy tender eyes。
PANDORA。
They do but answer to the love in thine；
Yet secretly I wonder thou shouldst love me。
Thou knowest me not。
EPIMETHEUS。
Perhaps I know thee better
Than had I known thee longer。 Yet it seems
That I have always known thee； and but now
Have found thee。 Ah； I have been waiting long。
PANDORA。
How beautiful is this house！ The atmosphere
Breathes rest and comfort； and the many chambers
Seem full of welcomes。
EPIMETHEUS。
They not only seem；
But truly are。 This dwelling and its master
Belong to thee。
PANDORA。
Here let me stay forever！
There is a spell upon me。
EPIMETHEUS。
Thou thyself
Art the enchantress； and I feel thy power
Envelop me； and wrap my soul and sense
In an Elysian dream。
PANDORA；
O； let me stay。
How beautiful are all things round about me；
Multiplied by the mirrors on the walls！
What treasures hast thou here！ Yon oaken chest；
Carven with figures and embossed with gold；
Is wonderful to look upon！ What choice
And precious things dost thou keep hidden in it？
EPIMETHEUS。
I know not。 'T is a mystery。
PANDORA。
Hast thou never
Lifted the lid？
EPIMETHEUS。
The oracle forbids。
Safely concealed there from all mortal eyes
Forever sleeps the secret of the Gods。
Seek not to know what they have hidden from thee；
Till they themselves reveal it。
PANDORA。
As thou wilt。
EPIMETHEUS。
Let us go forth from this mysterious place。
The garden walks are pleasant at this hour；
The nightingales among the sheltering boughs
Of populous and many…nested trees
Shall teach me how to woo thee； and shall tell me
By what resistless charms or incantations
They won their mates。
PANDORA。
Thou dost not need a teacher。
（They go out。）
CHORUS OF THE EUMENIDES。
What the Immortals
Confide to thy keeping；
Tell unto no man；
Waking or sleeping；
Closed be thy portals
To friend as to foeman。
Silence conceals it；
The word that is spoken
Betrays and reveals it；
By breath or by token
The charm may be broken。
With shafts of their splendors
The Gods unforgiving
Pursue the offenders；
The dead and the living！
Fortune forsakes them；
Nor earth shall abide them；
Nor Tartarus hide them；
Swift wrath overtakes them！
With useless endeavor；
Forever； forever；
Is Sisyphus rolling
His stone up the mountain！
Immersed in the fountain；
Tantalus tastes not
The water that wastes not！
Through ages increasing
The pangs that afflict him；
With motion unceasing
The wheel of Ixion
Shall torture its victim！
VI
IN THE GARDEN
EPIMETHEUS。
Yon snow…white cloud that sails sublime in ether
Is but the sovereign Zeus； who like a swan
Flies to fair…ankled Leda！
PANDORA。
Or perchance
Ixion's cloud； the shadowy shape of Hera；
That bore the Centaurs。
EPIMETHEUS。
The divine and human。
CHORUS OF BIRDS。
Gently swaying to and fro；
Rocked by all the winds that blow；
Bright with sunshine from above
Dark with shadow from below；
Beak to beak and breast to breast
In the cradle of their nest；
Lie the fledglings of our love。
ECHO。
Love！ love！
EPIMETHEUS。
Hark！ listen！ Hear how sweetly overhead
The feathered flute…players pipe their songs of love；
And echo answers； love and only love。
CHORUS OF BIRDS。
Every flutter of the wing；
Every note of song we sing；
Every murmur； every tone；
Is of love and love alone。
ECHO。
Love alone！
EPIMETHEUS。
Who would not love； if loving she might be
Changed like Callisto to a star in heaven？
PANDORA。
Ah； who would love； if loving she might be
Like Semele consumed and burnt to ashes？
EPIMETHEUS。
Whence knowest thou these stories？
PANDORA。
Hermes taught me；
He told me all the history of the Gods。
CHORUS OF REEDS。
Evermore a sound shall be
In the reeds of Arcady；
Evermore a low lament
Of unrest and discontent；
As the story is retold
Of the nymph so coy and cold；
Who with frightened feet outran
The pursuing steps of Pan。
EPIMETHEUS。
The pipe of Pan out of these reeds is made；
And when he plays upon it to the shepherds
They pity him； so mournful is the sound。
Be thou not coy and cold as Syrinx was。
PANDORA。
Nor thou as Pan be rude and mannerless。
PROMETHEUS （without）。
Ho！ Epimetheus！
EPIMETHEUS。
'T is my brother's voice；
A sound unwelcome and inopportune
As was the braying of Silenus' ass；
Once heard in Cybele's garden。
PANDORA。
Let me go。
I would not be found here。 I would not see him。
（She escapes among the trees。）
CHORUS OF DRYADES。
Haste and hide thee；
Ere too late；
In these thickets intricate；
Lest Prometheus
See and chide thee；
Lest some hurt
Or harm betide thee；
Haste and hide thee！
PROMETHEUS （entering。）
Who was it fled from here？ I saw a shape
Flitting among the trees。
EPIMETHEUS。
It was Pandora。
PROMETHEUS。
O Epimetheus！ Is it then in vain
That I have warned thee？ Let me now implore。
Thou harborest in thy house a dangerous guest。
EPIMETHEUS。
Whom the Gods love they honor with such guests。
PROMETHEUS。
Whom the Gods would destroy they first make mad。
EPIMETHEUS。
Shall I refuse the gifts they send to me？
PROMETHEUS。
Reject all gifts that come from higher powers。
EPIMETHEUS。
Such gifts as this are not to be rejected。
PROMETHEUS。
Make not thyself the slave of any woman。
EPIMETHEUS。
Make not thyself the judge of any man。
PROMETHEUS。
I judge thee not； for thou art more than man；
Thou art descended from Titanic race；
And hast a Titan's strength； and faculties
That make thee godlike； and thou sittest here
Like Heracles spinning Omphale's flax；
And beaten with her sandals。
EPIMETHEUS。
O my brother！
Thou drivest me to madness with thy taunts。
PROMETHEUS。
And me thou drivest to madness with thy follies。
Come with me to my tower on Caucasus：
See there my forges in the roaring caverns；
Beneficent to man； and taste the joy
That springs from labor。 Read with me the stars；
And learn the virtues that lie hidden in plants；
And all things that are useful。
EPIMETHEU5。
O my brother！
I am not as thou art。 Thou dost inherit
Our father's strength； and I our mother's weakness：
The softness of the Oceanides；
The yielding natur