{"id":194,"date":"2013-07-13T01:26:30","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=194"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:26:30","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:26:30","slug":"64-fragment-of-a-drama-vol-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07\/64-fragment-of-a-drama-vol-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","title":{"rendered":"-64_Fragment of A Drama.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n
\n

\n
\nFragment of A Drama<\/b><\/font>
\n<\/b><\/font><\/span><\/p>\n

\n <\/p>\n

\n\tACHAB <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nStamp out, stamp out the sun from the high blue
\nAnd all overarching firmament of heaven;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nForget the mighty ocean when it spumes
\nUnder the thunder-deafened cliffs and soars
\nTo crown their tops with spray, but never hope
\nThat Baal will excuse, Baal forgive.
\nThat’s an ambition more impossible,
\nA thought more rebel from the truth.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nBaal!
\nIt seems to me that thou believ’st in Baal!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd what dost thou believe in? The gross crowd
\nBelieve the sun is God or else a stone.
\nThis though I credit not, yet Baal lives.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd if he lives, then you and I are Baal,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nDeserve as much the prayer and sacrifice<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAs he does. Nay, then, sit and tell him, "Lord,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIf thou art Baal, let the fire be lit<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nUpon thy altar without agency,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nLet men believe." Can God do this, and if<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHe cannot, if he needs a flint and fuel<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd human hands to light his sacred fire,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIs he not less than man ? The flint and fuel<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAre for our work sufficient. What is he<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIf not a helpless name that cannot live<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nUnless men’s lips repeat him ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd the flint,
\nThe fuel ? Who made these or formed the hands
\nThat lit the fire? the lips that prove him nothing?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage .\u2013 1085<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nOr who gave thee thy clear and sceptic brain,
\nThy statecraft and thy bold and scornful will
\nDespising what thou usest ? Was it thou
\nThat mad’st them?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nNo, my parents did. Say then
\nThe seed is God that touched my mother’s womb
\nAnd by familiar process built this house
\nInhabited by Esarhaddon. \u2014<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWho
\nFashioned the seed?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nIt grew from other seed,
\nThat out of earth and water, light and heat,
\nAnd ether, eldest creature of the world.
\nAll is a force that irresistibly
\nWorks by its nature which it cannot help,
\nAnd that is I and that the wood and flint,
\nThat Achab, that Assyria, that the world.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHow came the force in being ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nFrom of old
\nIt is.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThen why not call it Baal?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nFor me
\nI care not what ’tis called, Mithra or God,
\nYou call it Baal, Perizade says<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage .\u2013 1086<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n‘Tis Ormuzd, Mithra and the glorious sun.
\nI say ’tis force.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThen wherefore strive to change
\nAssyria’s law, o’erthrow the cult of Baal ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI do not, for it crumbles of itself.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhy keep the rubbish? Priest, I need a cult<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nMore gentle and less bloody to the State,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nNot crying at each turn for human blood<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhich means the loss of so much labour, gold,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nSoldiers and strength. This Mithra’s worship is.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nCome, priest, you are incredulous yourself,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBut guard your trade; so do I mine, so all.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWill it be loss to you, if it be said<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBaal and Mithra, these are one, but Baal<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nChanges and grows more mild and merciful,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nA friend to men ? Or if instead of blood’s<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nUnprofitable revenue we give<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOfferings of price, and heaps of captive gold<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIn place of conquered victims ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nSo you urge,
\nThe people’s minds are not so mobile yet.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nIf you and I agree, who will refuse ?
\nI care not, man, how it is done. Invent
\nScriptures, forge ancient writings, let the wild
\nMystics who slashed their limbs on Baal’s hill,
\nCry out the will of Baal while they slashed.
\nYou are subtle, if you choose. The head of all
\nAssyria’s state ecclesiastical,
\nAssured a twentieth of my revenues,<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage .\u2013 1087<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nAnd right of all the offerings votaries heap
\nOn Mithra, that’s promotion more than any
\nOnan can give, the sullen silent slave,
\nOr Ikbal Sufas with his politic brain.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWhy that?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYou think I do not know! I see
\nEach motion of your close conspiring brain,
\nAchab.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAnd if you do, why hold your hand ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThat’s boldly questioned, almost honestly.
\nBecause a State is ill preserved by blood,
\nThe policy that sees a fissure here,
\nA wall in ill repair, and builds it up,
\nIs better than to raze the mansion down
\nAnd make it new. I know the people’s mind
\nSick of a malady no leech can name;<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nI see a dangerous motion in the soil,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd make my old foundations sure. Achab,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nYou know I have a sword, and yet it sleeps;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI offer you the gem upon the hilt
\nAnd friendship. Will you take it? See, I need
\nA brain as clear as yours, a heart as bold,
\nWhat should I do by killing you, but lose
\nA statesman born?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>CHAB <\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nYou have conquered, king, I yield,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tE<\/font>SAR<\/font><\/p>\n

\n‘Tis well. Here is my hand on our accord.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage .\u2013 1088<\/font><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fragment of A Drama   ACHAB Stamp out, stamp out the sun from the high blue And all overarching firmament of heaven; Forget the mighty…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-194","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-07-collected-plays-part-ii-volume-07","wpcat-6-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}