The suppliants A monologue from the play by Euripides Essay Example For Students

The suppliants A monologue from the play by Euripides Essay A monologue from the play by Euripides NOTE: This monologue is reprinted from The Plays of Euripides in English, vol. ii. Trans. Shelley Dean Milman. London: J.M. Dent Sons, 1922. IPHIS: Why was this privilege, alas! denied To mortals, twice to flourish in the bloom Of youth, and for a second time grow old? For in our houses, we, if aught is found To have been ill contrived, amend the fault Which our maturer judgment hath descried; While each important error in our life Admits of no reform: but if with youth And ripe old age we twice had been indulged, Each devious step that marked our first career We in our second might set right. For children, Seeing that others had them, much I wished, And pined away with vehement desire; But if I had already felt these pangs, And from my own experience learnt how great Is the calamity to a fond father To be bereft of all his hopeful race, I into such distress had never fallen As now oerwhelms me, who begot a youth Distinguished by his courage, and of him Am no deprived. No more. But what remains For mewretch that I am? Shall I return To my own home, view many houses left Without inhabitants, and waste the dregs Of life in hopeless anguish, or repair To the abode of Capaneus, with joy By me frequented while my daughter lived? But she is now no more, who loved to kiss My furrowed cheeks and stroked this hoary head. Nought can delight us more than the attention Which to her aged sire a daughter pays: Though our male progeny have souls endued With courage far superior, yet less gently Do they these soothing offices perform. Will ye not quickly drag me to my home, And in some dungeons gloomy hold confine, To wear away these aged limbs by famine? Me, what, alas! can it avail to touch My daughters bones! What hatred do I bear To thee, O irresistible old age! Them, too, my soul abhors who vainly strive To lengthen out our little span of life; By th easy vehicle, the downy couch, And by the boasted aid of magic song, Labouring to turn aside from his career Remorseless death: when they who have no longer The strength required to serve their native land Should vanish, and to younger men give place. We will write a custom essay on The suppliants A monologue from the play by Euripides specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now