{"id":716,"date":"2013-07-13T01:29:55","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:55","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=716"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:29:55","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:55","slug":"65-eric-act-one-scene-4-vol-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/01-works-of-sri-aurobindo\/01-sabcl\/06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06\/65-eric-act-one-scene-4-vol-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","title":{"rendered":"-65_Eric-Act One-Scene-4.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

\n
\nSCENE IV <\/font><\/b><\/span>\n<\/div>\n

\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n <\/div>\n

\nEric, Aslaug.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThey say the anarchy of love disturbs ‘
\nGods even, shaken are the marble natures,
\nThe deathless<\/font>\u00b9<\/font> hearts are melted to the pang
\nAnd rapture. Still, O Odin, I would be
\nMonarch of a calm royalty within,
\nMy blood my subject. But I hear her come.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n(to Aslaug who enters)
\n<\/i>Art thou resolved and hast thou made thy choice ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nI choose, if there is anything to choose,
\nThe truth.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nWho art thou?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nAslaug, who am now<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nA dancing-woman.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nAnd afterwards ? Hast thou
\nUnderstood nothing?<\/font>\u00b2<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nWhat should I understand ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font>iron <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\u00b2<\/font> Another version, starting with this line, omits the next speech of Aslaug and continues
\nEric’s words: <\/font><\/p>\n

\nYet nothing understood? <\/b> Or art thou, Aslaug,
\nSurrendered to thy fate? This earthly heaven <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 499<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

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

\nWhat I shall do with thee. This earthly heaven
\nIn which thou liv’st shall not be thine at all;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIt was not shaped to bear<\/font>\u00b9<\/font> thy joy but mine
\nAnd only made for my immense desire.
\nThis hast thou understood ?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>SLAUG
\n\t<\/font>(pale and troubled)<\/i><\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThou triest me still.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nI saw thee shake.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nIt is not easily
\nA woman’s heart sinks<\/font>\u00b2<\/font> prostrate in such absolute
\nSurrender.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThy heart! Is it thy heart that yields?<\/font><\/p>\n

\n(taking her hands in his own)<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nO thou unparalleled enchanting frame<\/font><\/p>\n

\nFor housing of a strong immortal guest!
\nIf man could seize the heart as palpably,
\nThe forms, the limbs, the substance of this soul!
\nThat, that we ask for; all else can be seized
\nSo vainly! Walled from ours are other hearts:<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHe touches her eyes and body as he speaks.
\n<\/i>For if life’s barriers twixt our souls were broken
\nMen would be free and our earth paradise
\nAnd the gods live neglected.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nA<\/font>SLAUG <\/font><\/p>\n

(quickly)<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThis heart of mine ?
\nPurchase it richly, for it is for sale.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\u00b9It was not fashioned for     
\n<\/font>\u00b2falls <\/font><\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 500<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

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

\nYes, speak!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nWith love. I meant no more.<\/font> 
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nWith love?
\nThou namest lightly a tremendous word.
\nIf thou hadst known this mightiest thing on earth
\nAnd named it, should it not have upon thy lips
\nSo moving an impulsion for a man
\nThat he would barter worlds to hear it once ?
\nWords are but ghosts unless they speak the heart.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nI have yielded.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThen tonight. Thou shak’st?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThere is
\nA trouble in my blood. I do not shake.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou heard’st me ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nNot tonight. Thou art too swift,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nToo sudden.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou hast had leisure to consult
\nThy comrade smaller, subtler than thyself?
\nBetter hadst thou chosen candour and thy frank soul
\nConsulted, not a guile by others breathed.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 501<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n\tASLAUG <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nWhat guile, who gave<\/font>\u00b9<\/font> all for an equal price ?
\nThou giv’st thy blood of rubies, I my life.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou hast not chosen then to understand.
\nThy soul is truthfuller, Aslaug, than thy words:<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThy lips consent, thy eyes defy me still.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nBecause I sell myself, yet keep my pride ?<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou shalt keep nothing that I choose to take.
\nI see a tyranny I will delight in
\nAnd force a oneness; I will violently
\nCompel the goddess that thou art. But I know
\nWhat soul is lodged within thee, thou as yet
\nIgnorest mine. I still hold in my strength,
\nThough it hungers like a lion for the leap,
\nAnd give thee time once more; misuse it not.
\nBeware, provoke not the fierce god too much;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHave dread of his flame round thee.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nHe goes out.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>SLAUG
\n\t<\/font>(breaking into a laugh)<\/i><\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nOdin and Freya, you have snares! But see,
\nI have not thrown the dagger from my heart,
\nBut clutch it still. How strange that look and tone
\nThat things of a corporeal potency
\nNot only travel coursing through the nerves
\nBut seem to touch the seated soul within!
\nIt was a moment’s wave; for it has passed
\nAnd the high purpose in my soul lives on
\nUnconquerably intending to fulfil.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n\u00b9<\/font>give <\/font> <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\nCurtain<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 502<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCENE IV     Eric, Aslaug. ERIC They say the anarchy of love disturbs ‘ Gods even, shaken are the marble natures, The deathless\u00b9 hearts…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","wpcat-15-id"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716","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=716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/716\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}