{"id":720,"date":"2013-07-13T01:29:57","date_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/?p=720"},"modified":"2013-07-13T01:29:57","modified_gmt":"2013-07-13T01:29:57","slug":"46-rodogune-act-two-scene-3-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\/46-rodogune-act-two-scene-3-vol-06-collected-plays-part-i-volume-06","title":{"rendered":"-46_Rodogune-Act Two-Scene-3.htm"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n
\n
\n

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

\n

\n <\/div>\n

\n

\n <\/div>\n

\nAntiochus’ chamber.
\nAntiochus, with a map before him.<\/i><\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nEcbatana, Susa, and Sogdiana,""
\nThe Aryan country which the Indus bounds,
\nEuphrates’ stream and Tigris’ golden sands,
\nThe <\/b> Oxus and Jaxartes and these mountains
\nVague and enormous shouldering the moon
\nWith all their dim beyond of nations huge;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThis were an empire! What are Syria, Greece<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAnd the blue littoral to Gades ? They are<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nToo narrow to contain my soul, too petty<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nTo satisfy its hunger and its vastness.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nO pale sweet Parthian face with liquid eyes<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nMid darkest masses and O gracious limbs<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nObscuring this epitome of earth,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nYou will not let me fix my eyes on Susa.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI never yearned for any woman yet.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhile Timocles with the light Theban dames<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAmused his careless heart, I walked aside;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nParthia and Greece became my mistresses.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nBut now my heart is filled with one pale girl.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nExult not, archer, I will quiet thee<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWith sudden and assured possession first,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThen keep thee beating an eternal strain.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI have loved her through past lives and many ages.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe Parthian princess, lovely Rodogune!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nO name of sweetness! Renowned Phraates’ daughter,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nA bud of kings, \u2014 my glorious prisoner<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWith those beseeching eyes. O high Antiochus,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWho snatched her from among her guardian spears,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThou hast gone past but left this prophecy<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nOf beautiful conquered Persia grown my slave<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nTo love me. It is thou, my Rodogune!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 380<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nRodogune enters.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>(with lowered eyes)<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nI have brought the wine.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou art the only wine,
\nO Parthian! Wine to flush Olympian souls
\nIs in this glorious flask. Set down the bowl.
\nLift up instead thy long and liquid eyes;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI grudge them to the marble Rodogune.
\nThou knowest well why I have sent for thee.
\nHave we not gazed into each other’s eyes
\nAnd thine confessed their knowledge?<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nPrince, I am<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThy mother’s slave,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nMine, mine, O Rodogune,
\nFor I am Syria.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nThine.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nO, thou hast spoken!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nTouch me not, touch me not, Antiochus!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nSon of Nicanor, spare me, spare thyself,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nO me! I know the gods prepare some death;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nI am a living misfortune.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nWert thou my fate<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 381<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nOf death itself, delightful Rodogune,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nNot, as thou art, heaven’s pledge of bliss, I’ld not abstain<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nFrom thy delight, but have my joy of thee<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nThe short while it is possible on earth.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nO, play not with the hours, my Rodogune.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nWhy should brief man defer his joys and wait<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nAs if life were eternal ? Time does not pause,<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nDeath does not tarry.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAlas!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou lingerest yet.
\nWilt thou deny the beating of our hearts
\nThat call to us to bridge these sundering paces ?
\nO, then I will command thee as a slave.
\nThou would’st not let me draw thee, come thyself
\nInto my arms, O perfect Rodogune,
\nMy Parthian captive!<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nAntiochus, my king!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nSo heave against me like a wave for ever.
\nMelt warmly into my bosom like the Spring,
\nO honied breathing tumult!<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nO release me!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nThou sudden sorceress, die upon my breast!
\nMy arms are cords to bind thee to this stake,
\nSlowly to burn away in crimson fire.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 382<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\n\tRODOGUNE <\/font><\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nRelease me, O release me!<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nNot till our lips have joined
\nEternal wedlock. With this stamp and this
\nAnd many more I’ll seal thee to myself.
\nEternal Time’s too short for all the kisses
\nI yearn for from thee, O pale loveliness,
\nDim mystery! Press thy lips to mine. Obey.
\nAgain! and so again and even for ever
\nChant love, O marvel, let thy lips’ wild music
\nCome faltering from thy heart into my bosom><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nRodogune sinks at his feet and
\nembraces his knees.<\/i><\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nI am thine, thine, thine, thine for ever.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nShe rises and hides her face in her hands.<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tA<\/font>NTIOCHUS
\n\t<\/font>(uncovering her face)<\/i><\/font>
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nHide not thy face from love. The gods in heaven
\nLook down on us; let us look up at them
\nWith fearless eyes of candid joy and tell them
\nNot Time nor any of their dooms can move us now.
\nThe passion of oneness two hearts are this moment
\nDenies the steps of death for ever.<\/font> <\/font><\/p>\n

\n\tR<\/font>ODOGUNE
\n\t<\/font>\n<\/p>\n

\nMy heart
\nStops in me. I can bear no more of bliss.
\nO, leave me now that I may live for thee.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

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

\nStay where thou art. <\/b> Or go, for thou art mine
\nAnd I can send thee from me when I will
\nAnd call thee when I will. Go, Rodogune<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 383<\/font><\/p>\n

\n

\nWho yet remain with me.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nRodogune leaves the chamber with<\/i><\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nfaltering steps.<\/i><\/font><\/p>\n

\nO Love, thou art
\nDiviner in the enjoying. Can I now
\nUnblinded scan this map? No, she is there;<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nIt is her eyes I see and not Ecbatana.<\/font>
\n<\/font><\/p>\n

\nPage \u2013 384<\/font><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SCENE III     Antiochus’ chamber. Antiochus, with a map before him. ANTIOCHUS Ecbatana, Susa, and Sogdiana,"" The Aryan country which the Indus bounds, Euphrates’…<\/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-720","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\/720","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=720"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/720\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=720"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=720"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worksofthemotherandsriaurobindo.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=720"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}