T h e T rage d y o f S au l

F I R S T ! I N G OF I S R AE L

BY

LEW I S A . S T O R RS

G . W . D I LL IN G H A M CO .

L
PUB I S H ERS N EW YO R!
 C OPYRI G HT, 1 904 . B Y

LEW I S A . S TO RRS

! Al l r ig h ts r ese r v ed )

T/z e Trag edy f

o S au l fi il
t s mea
'
S ep teméer , 1 904
 T H E T RA G E D Y OF SA U L

P ER S ON S

S A U L , ! in g o f I srae l .

S A M UE L , Ju dge of I srae l .

DA ! I D, in S aul s A my
A C aptain ’
r an d aspi rant f or th e thro ne
JO N A T H A N A S f S aul ,
on o .

A B N E R G eneral f S aul s A my
,
o
’
r .

AB IS H AI
u
S pport e rs of David
A H I M E L E CH
.

A DR I E L A S h eik h ,
in tr ea ty wi th S aul .

DO E G , A n E do mi te
aul s C o u rt of S
’
.

A H I M A N ET Z A O ffi c e r f S aul s A my
’
n o r
, .

BE ZE R An O ffi c e r f S aul s C o u rt
,
o
’
.

M ALA C H I A M f Ju da h ,
an o .

IR A A M f Issa ch a r
,
an o .

A R M OR B E A R E R to S aul .

A P RI E S T .

M I CH A L Dau ght e r f S aul

,
o .

T A M A R S e r an t f Mi ch al
, v o .

WI TCH OF EN DOR A N e cro man c e r -

, .

Offi c e rs , So d l ie rs ,
A ide s ,
He rald , W o men, Musicians I sraelites
, .
 TH E TR A G E D Y OF S A UL

AC T I .

SC E N E 1 . N ear Mi zpeh .

FI R S T I S R A E L I T E , S E CON D I S RAE L I T E .

I S RA E LI T E
FI R S T .

H ow thi n k you of the state of I sr ael 2

“

SE CON D I S R A E LI T E .

Tis mo st u n me rciful
’
.

Philistia fi rmed o n the litto ral

,

O f the Great Sea in Gaza Ashkelon

, , ,

D oth bu rst o u r crumbling borders o n the west

And sits in citadel o n Gibeah .

O n east the fea rful M oabite lies wait

An d giant A malek S o ci rcu mscript
.

Are grown our liberties that we are like

To perish in the bulge of heathen flood .

FI R S T I S R A E LI T E .

H ad we another M oses to scourge in

Th e tribes to common purpose and one front
8 TH E TRAGE DY OF S AUL [ CT
A I

Against the enemy we should possess

,

The way o f Egypt an d bad Dagon s host

,
’

Drive back into the sea from which they spawned .

S E CON D I S R A E LI T E .

H ow shall a sace rdotal man a seer ,

‘
And judge schooled in the law give I srael peac e 2
,

We need a king of regal name and state .

What think you o f the son Of ! ish 8 B u t now “

I heard he gropes toward the throne has seen ,

The holy man o f M izpeh and thence comes

With strange repo rt so that the mockers s ay
, ,

I s S aul among the prophets 2

‘

F I R S T I S R A E LI T E .

I indeed , ,

H ave he ard the news but take no heed O f it .

Sh all we bow down to twelfth born Benjamin 3-

‘

L et Judah whelp a king to I srael !

Against the lion none will d are rebel .

[ E x eun h

S C EN E 2 A t M i zpeh
. .

M ALAC H I a man o f Judah ! I R A a man o f I ssa

'

, ,

C h an

M A LA C H I .

Peace to the son o f I mri .

 C
S EN E 2 ] T H E TRAGEDY O F S AUL

IRA .

TO thee peace .

MA L A C H I .

Thou comest a long journey to the sacrifices .

I RA .

A long jou rney true and the country is turbulent

, , .

M A L AC H I .

I believe it is very turbulent .

I RA .

W hat said great M oses when he led o u r fathers

forth from fatty E gypt to the wilderness !
that we should have a land o f milk and
honey ! and there were sundry prophecies Of
o u r repose in this land of delectable pro mise .

H o w th e n !

M A L ACH I .

The lan d is fertile .

I RA .

of many things What is it that our cattle

.

have swelling udders if we must milk them

with the sword ! What worth are mellow
 T HE TR A GE DY O F S AUL [ CT
A I

fiel d s if th e pillager must reap them 3 Three ‘

hundred fifty and six years we have been in

the land and Jacob is a motley nation o f
, ,

jarring an d dismembered parts .

M ALA C H I .

T is said there is a ceremony toward day will

’
to -

mend o ur state .

I RA .

’
Tis said tis true tis said ! twere better when
’ ’ ’

tis sai d tis done

’ ’
.

M A LA C H I .

How l o ok the northern tribes at the affair 2

6

I RA .

But coldly We would have a king indeed

.
,

But not from fierce unmannered Benjamin

, .

A king o f parts who wears an eminence

,

O f valor pedigree or common love

,

That shall co mpel us to his willing rule .

M A LA C H I .

Why such an one is Saul H is person mak es

, .

Mo st brave c o mpar e against our puny race .

S CEN E 2 ] T HE TR A GEDY O F S AUL II

When he shall lead against the Amm onite

Who now impinges o n our eastern front
H e ll prove his princely strain e fi h l ge n tl y
’

As full a kin g as N ahash .

I RA
H ush ! the Seer .

n ter S amue l , H emc

[ E an d P eop l e .

ITE R ALD .

By tribes and by your families assemble ! ,

SAM U E L .

H O men o f I srael hear !

, ,

S ince childhood till the age you see in me

I have been in your witness I have judged .

The body o f your l aw intinerant ,

I n Gilgal Mizpeh Bethel and have b een

, , ,

The archon of your theocratic state .

S ay now have I done wrong to any man

, ,

Weighed justice gainst a bribe your chattels

’
,

tithe d ,

O r made Oppression sit upon your nec k s !

PE OPL E .

T hou hast been just and merciful .

 TH E TRA G ED Y OF S A UL [ ACT I

S AI . J EL .

Y et un aggrie v e d you strain against my yoke ,

Would cast me in the b y ways o f Ol d age

-
,

And with a soun d ing nam e infatuate

Will have a king .

PEOPL E .

A king S how us the k ing

, .

SAM U E L .

What S hib b oleth is in a mouth ing word

What conjure that spells freemen with its taste
C an guttural acclaim mask from your sense
The thing that is a k ing ! A m aster that
Will bruise you with his heel will draft your s ons ,

TO m ake noblesse o f his drone fatting court -

And will distrain your substance to shore up

H is pinnacle d estate such is a king !

P E OPL E .

The ceremony tard ies with these word s .

SA M U E L .

Since A d am in that garden orient

Brok e fealty to his Maker tis d ec ree d
,
’

That his posterity shoul d not know good

But by the taste Of evil Make the lot
. .
S CE N E 2 ] TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL I3

H E RA L D .

I t falls to Be nj a min .

P E OPLE .

And O f him who ,

I TE RALD .

of ! ish . L et him be brought .

[ E n ter S aul , a tten ded .

SA M U E L .

Behold you r k ing who by divinest rite ,

And holy Oil is here elect to b e

Y our sovereign an d vice gerent of the L ord -
.

PE O P L E .

Go d save th e k ing !
MA L A C H I .

W hat think you Imri s son ,

’
,

Now that the matter s do ne Of its event ’

,

This S aul does not he measure with my words

,

C ompellin g majesty sits on him bold ,

Against base argument ! his b locky neck ,

L i k e Bashan bull s is pillared in the thwart

’
,

O f his broad trunk ! as o n Lib an u s spi res

The ce dar fro m its feebler forest folk ,

S o S aul an d is embod iment o f king

,
.
I 4 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [A C T

I RA .

An d shall this b lob o f girth rule o ver me

Prerogative o f what doth boost him up
Above us all his peers and dub him lord !
, ,

A cubit of gross flesh ! Pie ! by such test

W e had been vassal to the C anaanites .

C an sacred Oil an d ritual o f words

Purge to the soul and transubstantiate
I ts essence to a thing it was not Then
Then o f the alchemy that s done in him
’
,

Refining his dross part from the sublime ,

L et us have voucher to o u r proving sense

And patent of this S aul imperial .

My suffrage waits this miracle Till then .

T ill b ursts the masking chrysalis Of king ,

My spirit is as free as any man s ’

To say I will I won t and to enjoy

’
, , ,

I ts natural conceits O nly itself

.

I ts proper liberties can harness in

An d give the bridle to its o wn elect .

! olition is the bit o f loyalty .

MA LA C H I .

To such lose hitch abandoned I dare say ,

The chariot Of state would run away .

S CE N E 3] TH E TRA GEDY OF S AU L 15

SC E N E 3 I sraelite c amp
. .

SAUL A B N E R Sol d iers of the G uard

, , .

A BN ER .

H ow d oes the glad morning find my lord

king !

Most wretche d ly well .

A BN ER .

Y our majesty doth appose opposing words N o t .

even fiat sealed can match such unmatched

language into sense I t is a jest . .

S A UL .

I t is a state o f kings who are comple x

,

O f such a dual being that at once

Themselves can be the antipodes o f things
And can in their o wn persons ju x tapose
The poles o f thought N O man s more
’
.

than I ,

N or takes his ration with more appetite .

W ere somewhat less the b urde n o f my years

And this my royal dignity I might
, ,

Go o u t to the o utrage o us pi g wh o wagers us ,

16 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [AC T I

Not hopeless of success L ook how I m thewed ! .

,
’

Am I not S till the army s paragon ’

N O ague s in me and no weather rhe um

’
.

O h I am well well well

,
and wretched ill
, , .

The s o mething that is lo dged within my core ,

The quick elusive element o f S aul

,

I s in such tension with my lusty flesh

That I do fear twill make divorcement thence
’

O r that dissolving through my blood twill fill

’
, ,

M e with its humors H ow s the army s state

’ ’
.

A BNE R .

N ot badly yet n o t well , .

SA UL .

Why you too play with para do x es

, , ,
n o w .

A BNE R .

The army s like a h orse broa d in the win d

’
,

S traight posted neath the withers and high fl an k e d

-
’
-
,

Y et Of n o mettle ! so his ass s head ’

I s chuck with frights and shies at all alarms .

T he army hath all organs but a heart .

S A UL .

C h op o ff their feet an d they ll grow hea rt o e r night

’ ’
,

T he timi d hare that cannot run will fight .

S CENE 3 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL I 7

AB NE R .

I think tis so for in the skirmishings

’
,

W ith which o ur front is daily e x ercised ,

Advantage hath n o t leaned to either side .

Yet dare I not th e general battle make ,

SO cowed o u r men are by wild senseless fears ,

And by the champion who panoplied , ,

Stalks daily in o u r vision insolent , .

S A UL .

I s there no man in I srael wh o dares

To pit his paltry life against this brute
To hazard glory on a stroke o r sink ,

I nconsequential to the dust he is

H ath Jacob only d aughters L et them then
G o grind for the Philistines To your posts . .

[ xeun t j en er an d s aldz err

’

E .

Im thirty y ears a king Tis a long ti me

’
.
’

To feed o n a confection th at s so sweet

’
.

Y et I m not glutted with its taste but still

’
,

E ach morsel s sweeter than the o n e before

’
.

Tis long I said

’
, Aye yes for many men
, ,

Have m ade their span and gone in thi rty years , .

The bond man counti n g to the jubilee ,

T he lover warming to a maid to them ,

 18 TH E TRA G EDY OF S AU L [ A C T I

’
Tis ages long But in the calen d ar
.

O f us who p ause th e chasing sprite of power

Tis but the z enith segment o f a day
’
.

And then the dark The d ropping sun

.

S e ts in Philistia and day is done .

[ En ter a Cap tain f

o th e Guard

CA P T A IN .

Y our Majesty ! a lad would Speak with y o u.

S A UL .

A lad of what favor

CA PT A I N .

No t

H is name
CA P T A I N .

I kn ow n o t .

S A UL .

Well his b usiness th en

,

CA P T A IN .

’
T issuch as one must mention with bro ad smiles .

H e woul d d efy that giant one o f G a th

Who ve x e s u s .
S C ENE 3 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 19

S A UL .

I ll see him ! b i d h im in
’
.

[ Ex it Ca
p tain .

Away forebodings and be S aul again !

These devil thoughts that in my vacant hours
C ome stealing o n me loot me Of my se x , .

My cr o wn that I can touch my tempered sword ,

Wi th which I ve cle ft poor bodies from their souls

’

This host who hold their lives upon my nod ,

Are they but fi gme n ts dreams False devils

,
’

crew ,

Back b ack into the crannies o f the night !

,

Saul orders and y o u flee .

[ n ter D a n ia
’
E a n d so ldie rs .

H ow lad ! what news

DA VI D .

Thy servant is from Bethlehem arrived ,

The son of Jesse who despatched me here

TO greet my brethren C oming then I heard
.
,

That o n e unci rcumcised doth bark gai n st us ’

D efying un de fi e d H im would I meet .

I n battle wager if my lord approve

,
.

S AUL
Why , th o u
’
d b e but a mouthful for his maw .
 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ACT I

DA VI D .

My k ing y o u r servant k ept his fathe r s sheep

,
’

And when a lion from the wilderness

C ame hungrily I S ei z ed him by the bea rd
,

And slew h im There s a h ardihood in me

.
’

Beyond what seems .

SA UL .

to my arsenal !
GO
What s there is at your order man y o u well
’
, .

H O guards ! attend this man I hold him dear

, , .

DA VI D .

Y ou r Majesty !
S A UL .

What then

DA VI D .

I am a
U ne x ercised in implements o f war .

What virtue s in them to anothe r man

’
,

I n me would be defect M y only c raft

.

I learned untutored o n the feeding hills

Where I with li mbs unhindered led my
, ,

And so
S C ENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 2 1

DA VI D .

And so I ll buc k le with this man

’
.

S A UL .

The matter lies with you and fare you well , .

[ Ex eun t D a v id an d s o ldiers .

—
And if tis a wild chance — yet if you win
’

A dange r th at s without will come within

’

And th rice more imminent will threat my th rone

Than that Philistine G o sling o u t your stone
.
,

Twill couple with your fate but n o t with mine

’
.

The sun descends ! another sun will shine .

A
[ p aus e .

H ark ! what s this murmur soughing like the sea

’
, ,

O r like the wind among the forest tops

The camp agape with rumor o f what s o n
,
’

Jerks o u t its breath wi th doubting aspi rates

Which it with ready lingual will in fl e c t
To match what s d one H O ho my shepherd
’
.
, ,

boy !
This hour you stride the world footing the poles ,

O f fame and failure and with S ingle play

,

Will cast for which is yours Ugh ! that s the .

’

itch ,

That there s a balance in yo ur j o ust Of fate

’
,
 TH E TRA G EDY OF S AUL [ACT I

T he winning o r the loss superlative ,

And either case yourself ripped from the crowd ,

A moment s name though stenched with ribaldry

’
, .

And I have laid two ha z ards where was one ,

By Davi d or Goliath I m un d one ’

.

—
And yet and yet let me pluck back my heart
,

That starts at each new terror with a smart .

Tut stripling mo ritu rus tut I say

,
'
, ,

Y ou louse to make Philistine holiday !

Y o u ghost in imminence Of hope forlorn , ,

H ere I e x orcise you W hiff and begone !

.

[d n o t/z er
p a use .

What mean these shouts The battle s o n ’

The rout
So perish Saul ! ! grasp s his swo rd ) And yet .

nay nay ! I ll not

,
’

So un ac c o un tin g go to m y acc o unt ,

But gore th e first who o fl e rs me his b reast

'

And with his spirit fly unto th e sha d es .

[ E n ter a Cap tain .

CA P TA I N .

O h, k ing
S AUL .

S till k ing th e news!

 S C ENE 3 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 2 3

CA P TA IN .

The ruddy lad

I s buzzards meat ’
.

CA P TA IN .

s laid a carrion feastHe

’

W ill gorge the vultures to the spewing point .

G oliath s dead ’
.

S AUL .

I wish we d served him worse

’
.

CA P TA IN .

H ow worse
SA UL .

W hy let him live you fool

, , .

Supp o se an ague d twinged his hulking frame

’
,

As like en o ugh it would o r other ill , ,

An d wri thed him with great groanings F rom .

such case
H e is d elivere d and wi th quic k d espatch
I s sli d in to b e ati t u de .

CA P T A I N .

My l ord ,

Twa s tho ught th i s c o n sum mati on was yo ur wish

’
.
2 4 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ A CT I

S AUL .

H ave I said otherwise thou chucklehead

,

Must know a king can pity where he slays .

There s business for thee go

’
, .

CA P TA IN .

My lord adieu , .

[Exit .

S A UL .

Poor giant ! I n that nether land you ve made ’

S ome day if days are reckoned where all s ’

dark
I too arriving shall strike hands with y o u
, , ,

And tell h o w kindly I was so unkind .

But lest you shoul d be l onesome while I stay ,

I ll send yo u the Philistines s o uls to day

’ ’
-
.

[ Exit .

SC E N E 4 T h e ro yal house a t G ib eah

. .

F IR S T O FF IC E R S E C O N D O FF IC E R
,
.

F IR S T O F F IC E R .

I hear there is to be distribution o f Offi c e t o d ay to

him who slew the G oliath .

S CEN E 4 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 2 5

S E CO N D O FF IC E R .

SO it is reported .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Is it said how it will go

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

N O more than that the king s n o t to o well fe c

at
’

tio n e d toward hi m .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Why that is well I f every upstart who does

.

some sounding thing in the public audience

is to be posted over us who have served hard
commissions in the trade o f war twill come ,
’

that the army will be the boosting place o f

a d venturers who will play dice with fate ,

staking nothing against chance o f great

reward .

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

H ere comes the king ! we shall know more anon .

[ E n ter ! in , d on er,
g 7 o n atn an

S A UL .

Ho generals ! I thank you for your pains

,

To be so promptly here at my command .

2 6 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

’
T is b ut our duty which we hol d most dear
,
.

SAU L .

I much rely o n you O ur purpose here

.

I s by o ur royal warrant to affi rm

TO D avid that which he deser ves o f us .

What is the m e asure Of his service Speak .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

As much as great S aul likes there is no gauge , .

A king w ithholds and gives o f his free purse !

N O man may bargain with him for a price
Since all are wholly conscript to his will .

SO what is given is royal overplus .

SA UL .

My general you never were a king

, .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

N or would be .

S A UL .

Pray G o d keep you in mind .

N ow with approval o f my counsellors

I nominate to have a thousand men ,

David the s o n of J e sse

, I s it we l l !
.
S CEN E 4] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 2 7

S E C O N D O FF IC E R .

T he king do es always well .

L et it be sealed .

[S h o uts w it/to ut . A p rocessio n p asses bef o re

tlte do o r f
o w o men , s in in
g g ]

WO ME N .

S aul hath slain his thousands

And D avid his ten thousands .

A BN E R .

They celebrate your victory ,

O king .

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

Of such great deeds the very rocks must sing .

S A UL .

I see n o music in their cracking throats .

That song has hailed me all my homeward march

T ill b eggare d of all sense when it began
, ,

I t stales by repetition to disgust .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

I n t r uth i t is a d ull ill m anne re d s ong

,
-
.
 2 8 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [A CT

S A UL .

There is a gnawing air in Ph il isty

That s turned my stomach ro de n t till all hours
’

I t clamors to be fed H o sluggard cooks !

.
,

S et o n the feast or I shall starve away .

My generals will eat with me to day ! -

F IR S T A N D
SE CON D O FF IC E R S .

T he king commands us .

SA UL .

Good then y o u shall stay , .

! ind Abner we o u r pleasure must set by

,

To l end thee to thy duties for this time

O r thou shouldst be o u r dearest guest at board .

[ Ex i t A é n er .

D e ar Jonathan of Our full state the hei r

, ,

S it by o u r hand as thou art nea r o u r heart

, .

L et music be the condiment o f food .

[ E n ter musician s .

’
Tis done . And n o w eat large as soldiers should
, .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

H ow music is familiar o f th e soul

And wiles it th rough the gamut Of its moods
F rom hi h to base from grave to piping ga y
g , .
S CENE 4] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL

That thrumming fool who in the battle wage , ,

S ang murder I n my heart and brave despair ,

C an make my taps leak like a love lost maid s

’
-

When he de sc an te th with a solemn theme .

J ON A T H A N .

W h y so thou art a man and not a brute

,

Which can discern n o episode Of sounds .

S A UL .

What is the soul th is flitty element

,

Which is so willy n il l y play ed with

- !

JON AT H A N .

That
The king must answer o r unan swe red be .

S AU L
I s not itself an harm ony which breathes ,

While I m atune unto the universe !

’

S O when a ch ord strikes in the world the soul

, ,

Through all its octaves with a quick response

, ,

S ings unison T here was a soul named Saul

.

Who once was set unto this melody ,

F elt joy ambition love as he was touche d

, , ,

An d rang in ch o ral with the stars of fate .

30 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ ACT

But now some string which he s no wit to fin d

,
’

H as b een let d own an d he is out Of pitc h .

The Saul who roun ded in the sneering t ribes

TO his authority that sometime Saul
,

I s dumb is d ea d as R ameses
, .

JONA T H A N .

My lord ,

The harper is without whose gentle art

I s wont to charm this melancholy o ff .

S AUL .

come in ! I ll test his art again

L e t him
’

And may my devils enter into him !

n ter D a v id wit
[ E h h ar
p .

S O merr y fool ! Why I was me rry once !

,

But no friend had the grace to kill me then

And send me to E lysium N ow s too late !
.
’

I am out aged to enter with the blest

-

But with o l d men and kings an d all such damne d

Shall feste r in the weary dreary pit
,
.

I would be kinder to thee lad [ H urls his sp ear

, . .

See now ! ,

W o ul d Saul h ave missed his a im li k e that !

[ H url s an oth er .
S C EN E 4] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AUL 31

Again !
The fates ar e turned to yo u , I fight in vain .

J O NAT HA N .

Good father see how long the shad ows grow

, .

C ast Off the fretting v estment of the state

And with the k ing of d ay go to thy couch .

S A UL .

M ayI like him rise on the morrow bright

, .

My generals an d all my guests good night

, , .

[ Exeun t a ll hut S aul an d 7 o n ath an .

My son .

JO N A T H A N .

My sire .

SAUL .

L ast night I dreamed Of thee .

J O N AT H A N .

I would own peace th o u loved me less .

SAU L .

Would st ’
be k ing !

JO NA T H A N .

N ay, but the s on .

32 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT I

SA U L .

Thou wish e st what thou hast Were all so wise .

There d be less heartache in this p o or Ol d world

’
.

Wast th o u in be d last night

JON A T HA N

And slept !
JONA T H A N .

As tight as any tick .

Y et at the hour
When n ight stands balancing the day thou came , ,

All panoplied and stood beside my bed !

Thy sword was held at hilt as in defense !
,

By ever y line Of cognizance tw ast thou ’

.

And I upstarting did address thee S on

, , , ,

What urgency is here D oes murder wake

O r dark rebellion paramour with night
T hou answered not but moved a pace away
, ,

T hen ripped thy weapon round with fearful swath ,

A s if a foe afi ro n te d where was voi d

'

.
,
S C EN E 4] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL

An d n o w m o st strange thy blade b roke with a

, ,

snap ,

A s i t had met an armor where was none , .

Therewi th thou vanished back into the night .

C an spirits whic h no substance are can they

, ,

Parad e in all the frumme ry o f sense

F or it w a s th o u t w a s ve ry th o u my son
’
.
, ,

JO N A T H A N .

Think not of it fo r I ve not stalked the night

,
’
.

’
Sleep now and I ll no t visit you again
, .

S A UL .

I ll walk yet in the gloam awhile

’
. G ood night .

[ Ex i t 7 on a than .

T h ere was an o ak in G ibeah Of S aul .

S ome accident o f nature set its seed

I nto a silt fi l l e d dip Of fallow ground
-

The rams In gentle courses flowed it round

The fat land loved it and gave it her suck .

Fared so it grew o e rto ppin g brawned and broad

’
, , ,

And all its little fellows bowed M y lord ,

.

W as it a praise to grow when fi x ed so snug

Upon the very teat o f al mo n y
T hen we re it merit in the stones to fall ,
34 TH E TRAGEDY OF S AUL [A CT I

The wind dashed waves to beat the stars to whirl

-
, ,

And nature to move by a law decreed .

I ts height was measure d in its corn ! each leaf,

R ight numbered lobed and in its order pose d
, , ,

To the Great Thought that overrules the world

Was certified to be before it was .

What then is future and what past but that ,

The eyes Of mortals only see behind !

N ay there s no has been nor to be but all
,
’
- -
,

I s present and ete m I grew a k ing

.
,

My dam lay with my fate and from her womb

Belched forth a crown inchoate o n my brow ,

—
Which I must wear till when Thou pole fi x e d
! -

star ,

D ivine to me my morrows what the y are ! ,

[ En te r M ich al .

MIC H A L .

The king walks late .

S A UL .

And so sweet Michal doth .

H ow is my puss !
MIC HA L .

H o w is the king My soul

SO echoes unto yours that if you say
S CENE 4] T HE TRA G EDY OF S AUL 35

T is
well I answer Well ,
!
But if you say .

O h I do fear that if y o u glower so

, , .

S A UL .

F earnothing child there is no health in fear

, ,

But it will leach the ruby from thy cheek .

Were there a medicine in those thine eyes ,

The state should not go sodden .

M IC H A L .

S O perhaps ,

I have a pharmacy will lighten it .

SA UL .

N ay chuck twill only lighten as I fear

, ,
’
,

When it unloads the house Of S aul G o now .

And think no more o f what I ve said I wear ’

.

The name of what I have been Thou sweet .

,

rose ,

By nature s stamp art b alled imperial

’
.

R eign o u t thy blooming hour and seed and die , , .

N ow to thy bed o r thou lt unsceptered lie,

’
.

MIC HA L .

My father there s a philter Of o ur se x

,
’

C an sometimes physic o ff these stagnant ills

 36 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [A CT I

When grosser drugs but harry up th e state

And leave the fester without purge Y ou fear .

The son o f Jesse H ave I guessed

.

Yo u h ave .

MIC HA L .

Then by the test Of my clairvoyance proved

I n diagnose Of thy disease mayhap ,

Y ou ll trust me to prescribe its cure The way

’
.

That leads to eminence lies foul with falls .

Thy darts but prick ambition to safe jump

Where cozened it might stumble R ather then
, ,
.
, ,

Sow so ft seduction in th adventurer s path ’ ’

T hat shall flick O ff his gaze from its sole fi x

Y oke o n him thy fast loves S O if he gulf .
,

T hou conscience free art rid Of him

,
-
,
But if .
,

D espite he shall arrive the bastioned top

, ,

Thou shalt be parcener o f what he wins .

The sun in ! irgo S its The H eavens spell

.

The horoscope o f S aul And now farewell.

,

SA UL .

Tis a wise chuck ! h e r wit outpaces mine

’
.

The sun is in the virgin ! well what o n t ,

’
S C ENE 4 ] TH E TRA GEDY O F S AUL 37

But that his amour scorches up th e earth

And yet I have a daughter who s a maid
’

And apple O f desire Ah Merab mine !

.
,

S hould I pawn thee into this checkered game

And by thy rape save my chief piece from mate
Tis a last move H owever it shall fall
’
.
, ,

Thou wilt remain a vestige stock Of Saul .

 ACT I I .

SCEN E 1 . On roof Of S aul s house in G ibe ah

’
.

MIC H A L .

—
I love my father which o f course I S hould ,
.

I love him once as sire and twice as king !

And so by thrice afi e c tio n e d loyalty
'

, ,

I m liege to him and to his stable throne

’
.

But if— fo r there is ever that bad Chance ,

H e should O e rto ppl e from h is royal nub

’

As pray he don t ! yet there s the ugly if

’ ’

Why so I ll love him still right fi l ial l y

,
’
.

But t will not peg him to his top again

’
,

N or sweet his bitte r raze from dynasty ,

TO d ra g me down into his general wrack .

I m so conform to my high edifice

’
,

I d fit but sorry in some vulgar niche

’
.

L ive Saul ! if live he can And if he s termed ’

.
,

L ive D avid ! But live Michal e ith e rwise .

I ve meddled to mend up the state o f things

’

An d been lurche d over by my o wn advice .

Well it s a common hap perverse that some

,
’
,

S hall wear success which others wit did win ’

.
S CENE I] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 39

But I m not dead yet Merab dear Perchance

’

, .

There ll be a back lurch will right up this mess

’
-
.

H O Tamar
,

n ter Ta ma r
[ E .

TAMA R .

H ere sweet princess .

MIC HA L .

Adriel
H as au d ience this evening with the king .

T A MA R .

My lady he but now comes from the king

, .

MIC HA L .

SO soon H o w looked he

TA M A R .

Something grave methought , .

MIC H A L .

Most e x cellent ! there s appetite in him

’

For more than he s been fed with There s a hope

’ ’
.

TO b ait these grave and hungry fools I t s those ’

.

Who re fatted with success of their desires

’

Who sullen at a dvisement G o to him .

Say I have business near concerns him Say .

I wait him here .

40 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT I I

TAMAR .

My lady , I Obe y .

M I C HAL .

Poor popinjay o f po wer fantastic sheikh !

,

I love you not but I shall seem to love

, ,

T o make your fortunes mine to crowd them o n ,

With all my little wit political .

F or which good turn I ll quit y o u o f all thanks

’
.

I f I can move yo u o n the checking square

And sell you gainst that piece Impediment
’

Which balks my game why then Old camel , ,

prince
,

The devil take you ! H ark I sniff your steps , .

N ow let slow music play so shall we see ,

H ow you will puppet it .

n te r A driel
[ E .

G ood evening sir , .

A D RI E L .

Sweet queen my salutation is to you

,

Whose e yes like mimic stars d electable

, ,

Wi tch Off the gh o sts o f ni ght Yo u se n t .

S C ENE I] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 41

MIC H A L .

Aye I ve a word to speak in your sole ear

,
’

May be o f import to us both Art thou .

I n mood to listen
A D RI E L .

Speak my ears pricked, .

MIC H A L .

c o u rte st something to the king .

A D RI E L .

And he
Has made thee partner Of his counsels

M IC H A L .

NO
But I ve a cypher with the e l fi n folk
’

Who traffi c in king s secrets and things whist

’

I n bed chambers and in the dark fouled holes -

Where men do hide to pigment their bad thoughts .

Them summoning at the accustomed hour ,

I heard h o w thou had suit unto the king

Which he in d ifferent heard .

A DRI EL .

Bright star Of Saul ,

I nstruct me to clairvoyance o f such s o rt

A n d I will give thee pay mun ifi c e n t .
 2 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [A C T II

MIC H A L .

H adst th ou all Araby to buy this sense

’
Twoul d be base barter being what thou art ,
.

’
Tis only woman who as rec o mpense ,

Fo r her low se x can conjure with the sprites

, ,

As only she would entertainment find

I n what is done twix t sheets But this delays
’
.

The business we are here to speak upon .

A D RI E L .

Y our pardon pray Fo r some years I have had

, .

A league Of friendship with your father S aul , ,

The which I ve journeyed hi ther to renew

’

With ceremony and if p o ssible

,

TO add some strength to it which incre ase he , ,

D isdaining the advantage of my pact ,

D emurs to .

M IC HA L .

Twas his stomach answered thee

’

For thou approached him at the lean sour hour ,

When he s n o t fed There s more diplomacy

’
.
’

I n dinners than in drawling argument .

A dumpling roun d and seasoned to the taste

May oft decide the grave affairs o f state .

I have a certain favor with the king

S C ENE 1 ] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AU L 43

Who in his stresses sometimes summons me

To wheedle o ff with silly art his care
, , ,

O r clarify the murk of ve x ed affairs .

I ll ply him with thy cause as I have chan c e

’
,

Speak large o f thy importance and declare

Thou lt article thy full demand or none
’
.

T he while I ll not seem thy ambassador

’

But with hap phrases as I think I hear

,
“
,
!
,

I ll keep the business quick within his heart

’

Where incubated twill in ripe time hatch

’

When thou canst thy desired convention make

And spons or it with rites effectual .

M y sister shall be hostage to thy bed

O f the observance o f the things agreed .

A D RI E L .

Thy sister I s it n o t let out that she

I s trothed unto this captain o f renown
W h o scales advancement with great leaps

MIC HA L .

What then ‘
2

T ill priest in te rl o c ute and bed confirm

She is nego tiable where it shall seem
E x pe d ient Tis the prerogative
’
.
44 TH E TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ CT
A II

An d burden o f us b orn Of royal get

To b e the merchandise o f civic needs
And pledge o f signatories promises ’
.

Y o u l ove my sister

A D RI E L .

As the solstice sun

E namours with the Sharon rose so I ,

G row h o t to Merab jewel o f my soul

,
.

MIC H A L .

Forswear no more for I am satisfie d

,

Thou hast a right accommodating love .

Efface thyself till thou shalt hear from me .

A D RI E L .

S weet princess ,
I entrust my case to thee .

MIC H A L .

F rom now forget that thou hast speech Good .

night .

t A driel
[ Ex i .

N o w m y old dolt if I c an trump y our fate

, , ,

Y o u lone arrived shall go in duplicate

, , ,

I ndentured to th is unre d eeming Saul ,

A br i d e a n d bo the r tu ck e d o n yo u wi th al .
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AUL 45

Well it grows crowded o n this diz z y top

, ,

! ings generate s o fast that some must drop ,

And we are pushed by an unlineal man

I n such case he m ust save himself who can .

S CE N E 2 . A wood near G ibeah .

MIC H A L .

The play drags o n The four prologuing acts .

H ave marshalled up th e elements Of plot

To such taught tension with themselves that if ,

There s virtue in my tetragrammaton

’
,

They S hall combine in fifth climacteric !

The base and task Of which compounding is
The hero ! if he do his pretty role
As I have wri t him fo r it there s no doubt ,
’

About the riff raff who fill up the stage

-
.

H e s coming ! I will practise o n his sort

’
,

See if his temper which he s proved so hard ’

Against the brunt Of men and iron forged war -

Will fl u x in woman s fire N ow gods attend ’

.
, .

To be all blind and yet to be all eyes

, ,

To seem so simple and to b e so wise , ,

46 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ ACT I I

TO coo at mating time and caw at nest ,

Why that s to be a woman— at her best

’
.

And that is Michal .

[E n ter D a v id, w a l kin

g
Oh

DA VI D .

Am
I a wolf ,

That yo u scream oh ! and frighten at my

!

I unawares have ve x ed your solitude

And mean no threat against your treasure .

MIC H A L .

S ir ,

I do beseech your pardon That brave na me

.

Which you have knightly won is your safe pledge ,

Against dishonor I t was the surprise

.

O f your most sudden apparition to my sense ,

Made my heart j ump an d break this little Oh .

DA VI D .

Y ou bandy me .

MIC HA L .

With truth and your due praise .

S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 47

DA VI D .

T he tru th that praises me is traitorous .

Y ou are a branch Of Saul and cannot be

U nkind unto the stoc k on which you grow .

MIC HA L .

I am a see d fi x ed by my proper roots ,

And can divide the elements o f things ,

D iscern the foul from fair and liquidate

The flush and oo ze o f o ur to o muddy state .

DA VI D .

SO much deserves an honorarium .

But if you dare declare that good is good

And call the d irty rubbish by its n ame

MIC HA L .

What then
DA VI D .

Why then you are a puling daft , ,

I mpolitic and co mmon branded fool

-
.

S uch folk do not advance but in the mire

,

O f verities sink to Oblivion .

MIC HA L .

T hen I am sloughed ! fo r I will never truce

With sycophants But you re in minor tune
.
’
.
48 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AU L [A C T I I

DA VI D .

Well there are players o f anothe r sort

Will pipe to y o u As I came to this wood
.

I met them going gaily up the hill .

MIC HA L .

To play my sister s prothalamium

’
.

DA VI D .

And line their gi zz ards with king s provender ’

Which they ll digest into rare melody

’
.

U gh ! h o w they ll fret the air when they let o u t

’

Their hold Of porridge jig steps and a quart

-

O r tw o o f d ancing nuptial beaded wine

,
-

MIC H A L .

They ll not jig up G oliath do you think

’

H e fertiles to o much ground in Ph il isty

To get c o mpac t again .

DA VI D .

s maggot sure
He
’
-

But from him stinks this stale philosophy

A king s faith is as long a s his distress
’
.

H is promises which do n o t come to term

W hile he s in fi dge t are uncurrent stu ff
’
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 49

That would not be a beggar s alms Y o u know ’

.

By ceremony Of most public banns

Y our sister was afli an c e d unto me .

And mine could I re c arn ate that Old hulk

,

Who lies so large and sleepy yes mine mine , , ,

S he should be .

M IC H A L .

I s it then j ust loss o f her

, ,

That makes you put this sad demeanor o n

O r loss Of her concomi tants

DA VI D .

O f both .

S he was the chiefest jewel in Saul s crown ! ’

H er eyes were like two pools unplummeted ,

Which mimicked bac k all things that looked

them ,

D eep dark confounding devil Satan s eyes

’
-
.
, , ,

MIC HA L .

O h foolishness her eyes are ble ary

, , ,
S ir .

DA VI D .

H er cheeks
MIC H A L .

Bosh with her cheeks !

so TH E TRA GEDY O F S AUL [A C T I I

DA VI D .

k isses foo d A re
’
.

H er hair with S pice d arome plaits nets of love

, , .

—
H er laughter there s a spring in Bethlehem
’

That only ripples with such melody .

H er fashi o n s queenly by her all she s fair

’ ’
, .

MIC H A L .

T hou hast not grown a beard thou countryman , ,

And hast no sense in these comparisons .

DA VI D .

An d she in her o wn self a dowry rich

, ,

Was wardrobed with ra re honors Of the state .

H er what she is and her investiture

, , ,

I made large play to win and winnin g lost , , .

I s there not then a sequence in my mood

MIC HA L .

H e who says lost until the yawning pit

S hall stifle o ut his quic k contriving mind
, ,

I s not a brave man but a coward fool

, .

H ark ! let me lay my hand upon your breast .

I s that your heart which beats in there

DA VI D .
 S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 51

MIC HA L .

Art sure
DA VI D .

! uite sure .

MIC HA L .

Then prove it There s no lout .

’

I n I srael but has an organ there

That thumps against his ribs as well as thine
And keeps the worms away But tis not heart .
’
.

’
Tis something sweetens him from carrion ,

D ead in all else The feeble sheep s as much ’

. .

To stave corruption Off, to grow to sperm , ,

TO make the common cycle Of one s sort

’

I s that to live I f you ve a man soul here’

-
,

I f there is spirit in your red red blood , ,

Y ou ll cry loud N O and rise up from the br ute

’
, ,

TO empyrean o f the souls elect .

I s Merab only beauti ful ! I s Sh e

S ole portioner Of all emoluments

DA VI D .

She has on e twin .

MIC H A L .

Oh many .
52 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT 11

DA VI D .

Nay , one .

S uch paragons birth n o t in multiple ,

But be i ng doubled fill repletion o e r ’

.

H ave you a lover

DA VI D .

I f o n e y o u had
H e d be a glass to y o u speak o f your eyes
’
, ,

Tell your perfections and with each new count

,

Add o n e delection he d n o t seen before

’
.

H ere where this quiet pool nests o ff the brook

L ook down and by its proof say if you re not
’

The verity Of her I have described .

MIC HA L .

I thought y o u were a man Of sounding deeds ,

O f gru ff deport and hot speech Of the camp ,

Who d Choke to tell this dilly dally stu ff

’
-

DA VI D .

Ihave a tough and weathered bark b ut I m ,

’

A man and know a lily from a leek .

S CEN E 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 53

M IC H A L .

And can call o n e the other with such grace

They ll be fo r swapping smells at your cajole
’
.

L ook in my eyes N ow sir swear they are dull

.
, , .

DA VI D .

S wear fire is cold that burns S wear

heaven
The triple spangle o f O rion s belt ’

I fear perdition O f such senseless oaths .

MIC H A L .

But have I n o t a squint !

DA VI D .

I cannot tell
What wiles o f masquerade you may
When suits you But to squint ! .

could .

M IC H A L .

M y neck then and my hair my cheeks my

, , ,

L ook well and say they are not beautiful .

DA VI D .

I cannot lie so even to please you

, .

O ur fathe r Jacob
54 T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ CT
A II

MIC H A L .

Well what news

, Of him !

DA VI D .

He s dead
’
.

MIC H A L .

I must b e l ie ve t you re such a truthful man

’

,
’
.

R ise cypress and blast palm fo r Jacob s dead

’
.
,

While he was on th e roof o f earth they say , ,

H e had a rich and rare sagacity .

Mayhap he s had the wit to cheat the worm

’

Who has his market in the cellar room .

DA VI D .

O ld L abansecond bested him at that

-
.

H e angled for a fish and caught a fowl ,

And did not know its feathers from right scales

When he took bed with it .

MIC H A L .

Yet in the
H e was a double winner But sir pray .
, , ,

What relevancy has he to this glen

And to our talk Of her and y o u and me , ,

DA VI D .

Well , L ab an had two daughers .

S CEN E 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 55

MIC HA L .

S O has S aul .

DA VI D .

That s relevancy
’
one . And Jacob served
Fo r both .

M IC H A L .

What apposition s there ’

DA VI D .

There s n one ’

—
U nless you are o f R achel
’
s lineage !
! ueen o f my heart may , I serve Saul for you

MIC HA L .

So quick I ve sprung into this regency

’

I fear I am a mushroom queen o f hearts ,

T hat grow out o f my sister s sad decay

’
.

DA VI D .

Is love a b ase unwholesome soil fed thing !

, ,
-

T is an eli x ir all ethereal

’
,

A fire which Merab lit to smouldering

And you have breath ed to flame For her I could .

H ave unconsuming waited ! but y ou you ,

I must enjoy or perish in desire .

56 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL A
[ CT II

S uch passion burns the fiber o ut a man .

And leaves him in the ash .

MIC H A L .

Protest no more .

I am a thing o f state to be disposed

,

Where I the best shall fit necessity .

—
H ad I a love to give why if I had ,

I d give it to a man who first was brave !

’

, ,

Who second had a neat and pretty wit

, ,

—
And third Oh third to him whose calves I liked
, , , , .

I must t o M e rab s bridal S ir go od by

’
-
.
, .

DA VI D .

May we go plighting some day ,

y o u an d I
 ACT I II .

S C EN E 1 . D avid
’
s house near G ibeah , .

MIC H A L .

I m in dilemma with two creditors

’

Who both demand what I can pay but once .

Fo r faith cannot be halved ! tis all o r none

’
.

—
I hoped no hardly hoped but wished that I
, ,

C ould pay my father an annuity

O f my full love itself in principal
,

R emaindered to my husb and the right heir ,

By me and by himself Of S aul s estate ,

’
.

But love will not be merchanted that way .

The world is full o f quirks and tis more wise ,

’

To say Tis so tis sadly badly so

’ ’ !

, , , ,

Than say I t ought to be some otherwise

, .

There s an essential conflict in the stars

’

O f D avid and Of S aul ! their orbits cross ,

And by all computation they ll conjunct ! ’

Which dire event is now in imminence

By my astronomy What noise is that ! .

[ En te r D a vid f
.

T his panting haste speaks mischief What s to do !

’
.
58 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AU L [ A C T I I I

DA VI D .

Y our father s broke with me again ! in rage

’

Swore o u t my life hurled at me with his spear

,

That in the wall crashed singing where I d been ’

.

H e s hot upon my track his b road nosed hounds

’
-
,

Will rat me out I m lost H ave y o u no tears

.
’
! .

MIC H A L .

I
’
ve plenty but no time to shed them now .

DA VI D .

I shall admire the savage

H enceforth In d s
Who drown their women .

MIC H A L .

L ove ,
your speech is dark .

Henceforth What is henceforth to o n e con

dem me d
Who feels the stifle on his breathing pipe -

DA VI D .

There s hell ’
.

MIC H A L .

so I ve heard When yo u rea c h there

O h,
’
.

I ll ply the water cure m ost suitabl y

’
.
S CENE I ] TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL 59

Just now it s good sound legs not sobs y o u need

’
, , , .

Then up pluck heart and give these pups the S lip !

, ,

O nce you re Off straightaway and ru n ning free

’

They ll not have bottom to S tay in the chase

’
.

A wise fo x makes his burrow with two holes

H e earths by one and outs the other end .

The messengers will come in by the door !

Then while they hawk the warrant O f their haste
And sniff the corners to make your arrest
O ut by the window and when o ut away ! , ,

DA VI D .

But Be z er— he s chief courser Of th e pack

’

Will not he sni ff the game is in the clear

Before I ve go t my head
’

MIC H A L .

Be sure he ll not ’
.

I ll feed him cheese and when he gets his nose

’
,

The scent will be to o cold for following .

I know that hound and h o w to play with him .

DA VI D .

My wife y o u are more subtle deep and wise

, ,

Than that Ol d serpent who in E den yon

I mplanted E v e with his bad sophistries .
60 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT I I I

M IC H A L .

L ist ! when you hear him trudging through the

d O OL
S tay not fo r kissing but with h o t rash plunge
, ,

As o n e surpris ed in illicit love ,

D rop from my ch amber window I distraught .

, ,

H al fl dish ab ill e d as if waked from my bed

, ,

Will parley what such bruit entrance means

C ommand him by my station and your rank ,

Which both resent his burly impud e nce .

S O much will give you to your second wind .

N e x t I will let my woman nature o u t ,

Make little screams and Ohs and wring my hands ,

And clutching here and there as in distress , ,

Will let my blushing flesh peek o u t my clothes ,

! uite modestly in l,
ittle teasing peeks ,

Just big enough to itch him neath the skin ’

And take the soldier o u t o f him By then .

’
—
Y ou ll be a league away away from me .

O h husband can I do so much for y o u

,

S ee look h o w black it is across the hills

, ,

Where unstarred night hangs to the limb Of earth

H er sable curtain and shakes from its folds
Wild mordant beasts and cruel scapes Of men !
D oes G od look in this Tophet where are done
S C EN E I ] TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL 61

Such things ungodly O h tis better chance !

,
’

To lot with o n e king s wrath th an gainst a

’ ’

horde
O f things malign each s overeign where it stalks ,
.

H ere there are tears at least and sepulchre .

But there— oh back these foolish frighting fears !

, ,

Y o u are a man and kingly in yourself

Against disaster Twas my little me .
’

Who ll be the lo n ely relict Of your flight

’

That spoke S O doubtingly Tis n o t tis n o t .

’
,
’

The monstrous S hapes that lurk o u t there I fe ar ,

—
But those which are why those which are like ,

me .

A woman trusts her lover s strength but not ’

H er lover s heart F orgive my jealousy !

’
.

Tis Adam Ol d tis woof Of us and so

’
-
,
’
,

Tis not a fault but virtue o f o u r love

’
.

DA VI D .

S weet Michal you weave nets to cage me in

, .

L et me lie in your arms and die NO n o .

, ,

I could n o t die but my immortal soul , ,

Slipt through the rips the knives sunk in my

flesh ,

Would h over scatheless sipping o n your breath , .

62 TH E TRA G E DY OF S AUL [A C T I I I

MIC HA L .

I hear the soldiers now Away away ! .

,

G o d bless you O ne more kiss . Good night . .

Good b y -
.

t D a v id
[ Ex i .

[n o ise he l o w
] .

Y es y es old bat I hear thy reveille

, ,
.

I d fain h ave dreamt o n e blissful moment more !

’

B u t I will put my waking garments o n

And mask th e woman who is warm within .

N ow passion pause and masquerade begin

SCEN E 2 . Saul s house

’
.

S A UL A B N E R JON AT H A N
, , ,
O fficers .

S A UL .

I s t not enough to fall and not be mocked

’

I gendered with a woman and by law

My get should be an human Where s the slip .
’

T he silly rabbits procreate themselves ,

The she wolves whelp their kind u n b astarde d

-

All nature couples to derive itself

But me To me s reserved this miracle
.
’

O f sire in g what s unkind O h cruel hate !

’
.
,
S CENE 2 ] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AUL

H as damned adultery lain in my bed

N ot even that foul leech o f honor could
E nwomb abortion so unnatural .

JON ATH A N .

But father
S AUL .

Put a smother o n thy speech ,

Thou hairy o n e ! this D avid s J ac o b e d thee ’

O ut Of thy birthright and my daughter made

C onfederate in wage against my throne .

H enceforth let kings who d last be celibate

’
.

The serpent s in the wom an and twill bite

’ ’
.

—H o w has she so b alked o u r authority !

O ur royal warrant this full hour despatched
, ,

C ommanded her production at this bar .

AN O FF IC E R .

My lord the messengers have just returned !

,

I ll learn their news

’
.

S AUL .

Throw to dogs their news

baggage in .

[ Ex it Oflice r .
64 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ A C T II I

My heart s turned stone ’

An d stony judgment it can render n o w .

[ E n ter B ez er w ith M ich al .

W hat Bezer so soon back

, , I h ad prepared
To send a tortoise posting after y o u
‘

B Ez ER .

My lord the man

, y ou sent me to a rrest

S A UL .

G rew hungry waiting I remember now .

I ve heard the magi wise in searching found

’

, ,

That in C haldae a worms can t catch a fo x ’

.

Jump to some news .

B E ZE R .

The princess whom I ve brought

,
’

S A UL .

The prisoner . D on t Oil your music here

’
.

B Ez ER .

Put hindrance to o u r entrance tol d us lies ,

That D avid had been taken ill ! the while

U nmannerly she in his bed rigged up
A shaggy rude preposterous manikin
, ,

At which we gaped and swallowed the gross Sham

S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 65

Fo r honest she so mocked solicitude

,

L est he should waken .

S A UL .

! A side
) I t is hard to hate
R ascality when it s so deftly done
’
.

The clumsy knaves are punishe d twice their due ,

The masters o f bad c raft are left to breed .

—S tand forward Michal By much evidence

,
.

Y ou re charged with being traitor to o u r throne

’

Which you should doubly love O ur enemy .

,

Who would suppl ant us you have helped escape,

And put contempt upon o ur royal writ .

Against this heinous crime have y o u defence

I put y o u to your plea .

MIC HA L .

Most noble S aul

I am a w o man without counsellor
,

O r without art forensic which can draw

A nimbus upon naughtiness By night .

I ve been d ragged hither by these surly men

’

To plead my capital Offence My he art .

Fo r women have that silly core within

I s fl uste re d with the conflict it s been th rough
’
.

I thus undone am haled incriminate

, ,
66 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ A CT I I I

To answer what Fo r life

,
Were that stake all
I d hilt the dagger here where all s so white
’ ’

And let my poor soul from its ambient flesh .

What s life when all is gone that sweetens it

’

I d play a die for mine n o r give a care

’
,

Which face it fell But to die infamous !

.

For that I will defend what I have done

I n S imple speech that has no praise but truth .

T he king is just and he S hall j udge my cause .

—
That son o f Belial fo r I ll spare to name ’

This o n e wh o should be nameless for his shame

With bold derision at the edge o f night
,

Burst in my chamber H e d a hunted look.

’
.

SO snarls the quarry coursing tusk ed wolf

-
,

When he s crossed by a lion With great oath

’
.

—
H e leaped upon my th roat see ye are men , ,

Where sank his talons in ! commanded me

To be accomplice o f his bad escape
As I loved life There is no more to tell
.

But what y o u all d o know I did his will . .

I m guilty and o f sentence o n ly ask

’
,

T hat it be speedy .

S A UL .

Ah thou simple o n e , ,

Who in thy zeal our process to obey

S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 67

Paused not to don thy grave and seemly robes

But came with peeking S houlders which preach
o ut

Wh at pity twere to part them from thy neck !

’

MIC H A L .

Why justice ,
S ir, is blind .

S A UL .

but not deaf Y es ,

TO these mute advocates H enceforth I ll have

’
.

A Chancery o f spare and sour o l d maids

To try my felons feminine O h hell ! .

H o w that chaste bench will hew o u t equity

M y council you have heard the evidence
,
.

What will y o u do with it The commonwealth

Whose solidarity holds you in place ,

S tands by the faithful prop Of all its parts .

This D avid has turned traitor to o u r love ,

E ased Off the common burden and escaped

By aid o f this accused TO this tough much .

I t is confessed But to the gravamen

.

O f her indictment as accessory

She pleads duress I f you as h onest men
.
, ,

Believe her testimony y o u must judge

68 TH E TRA G ED Y OF S AU L [ACT I I I

H ow far it lifts the onus O f the fac t

That she has done a wr o n g unto th e s ta te .

JON A T HA N .

Most nob le Saul and you grave gentlemen

, , .

N one is more loyal to the state than I ,

N o r with more reason b eing Of its pith

,
.

I love my sister but with lesser love

,

Than justice I f she s false my greater l o ve

.
’

Makes H agar Of my k inship H ear me th en . .

The base of crime is moral I t must be .

Act overt Of a free con triving will

, .

I ts essence is the malice n o t the fact, .

C an brutes do murder treason rape , O r is ,

There a rson in the lightning ! I f these h e

She s criminal to gi bbeting I ve done
’
.
’
.

ABNE R .

Y our Maj esty I am a plain rough man

, ,

W h o do not know the niceties Of law ,

But as I fight I Speak My tra d e of war

.

IS aboriginal it taps o u r stock

,

And by its a ge h as an authority

Above these academic after growths -
.

I ts sole code is empirical I t h as .

N o metaphysics and no sophistries ,

S CENE 2 ] TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL 69

N O ifs no b uts n o logic an d no lore !

, ,

But tests its findings in the crucible

O f conflict where the drossy base all oy ,

Goes vol atile and leaves the proven truth .

I n practice th en Of this my trade I ve found

’

That G od has built his universe upon

A law primordial Of struggle which ,

E x tends its sanction over brutes and men ,

To neither moral cogent yet to both ,

.

E at o r be eaten— when you ve smelte d o ut

’

T he fl ub d ub and j udicial rhetoric

-

F rom the word matchin g systems o f the world

-
,

That s your unfusible residuum

’
,

Gape at it as you will Was M ichal forced .

Was Michal free D oes M ichal lie What

Odds !
The question is I s Michal dangerous ,

A nd by the answer which y o u all must give ,

Then crush her like the viper which S he is .

T he devil needs a paramour I ve done

’
. .

S A UL .

T h e v o tes are balanced L et some other .

AN O F F IC E R .

Le t Da vi d uffe r fo r wh at Davi d d i d
s ,
70 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [AC T I I I

ANO T HE R O FF IC E R .

her go free .

ANO T H E R O FF IC E R .

SO I .

A N O T HE R O F F IC E R .

And I .

SAU L .

She s fair with o ut an d swart wi thin

’

S he s straight as truth and tort as sin

’
,

She s angel demon all between

’

, , .

But always everywhere she s queen

,
’
.

A n d it s a stern matter to chop o ff royalty

’
.

her go home and play the devil no

We ll h ave an eye to her
’
.

[ Ex eun t al l hut S aul .

What curse is in this tawdry th ing a crown , ,

Th at it can put the blight o n nature so

Make sons u n fi lial daughters false and scorch
, ,

The heart o ut everyone All all alone , ,

U nrooted in one human clasp ing love

t
, ,

I stand like some poor sere leaved sapless shr ub

,
-
,
,

The buff o f every snarling wind that blows ,

Safe on ly in their con fl ict gainst themselves

’
.
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 71

’
Twill not last long but while it does I ll flaunt
,
’

M y dry Old shell unto the weather shock ,

And to the unruled forces cry in m o ck

I m king abate go hang
’
, ,
H o there below '
,
!

Y o u devils o f the world incinerate ,

Peep o u t the ground and parley with a king .

I s there a soul in S heol a black soul ,

I mago o f myself ! I s it called S aul !

O h that is I ! n o t this who bruits here
,
.

But while my flesh parades in heaven s air ’

I m alien to the fellowship Of hell

’

And Spirits disembodied and must dwell

m
,

I n purgatory spitted to , y throne

A king of multitu des a man alone , .
 A CT I! .

SC E N E I . T he cli ffs of En -
ge d i .

DA VI D, A B I S HA I .

A B I S HA I .

—
L ast night I chi d y ou pardon sir the w o r d , ,

—
I n o n e whose love y ou ve proven when I found
’

Y o u poste d like a vulture on this rock

Which pinnacles in frightful eminence
Above th e gorge Y et y ou a re here again
. .

Y o u look o e rmu c h upon this sp reading view

’

Which mimic k s the infernal and become ,

By contemplation colored with its gloom .

What cheer is in things hideous R eturn

U nto your men who need your heartening .

I f y o u will roam your eyes look Judah— ward

,

Where ple asant fields reach o u t their Offerings

To you their advent king S huc k Off this dream
, .

And cast fo rebodings to the scuttling night .

The golden day Of Opportunity

Already with its dappling harbingers
, ,

L eads in the orient Of fortune Up ! .

The r e s matin work b efo re the n oo nday crown

’
.
S C ENE 1 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 73

DA VI D .

Ab ishai , do you believe in fate !

A B I S HA I .

I n y ours I do o r I should not be h ere

,

Where hell crops from its nether bowl and shocks

The vault o f heaven But we have no time .

To put the world in creeds I sir believe .

, ,

I n legs for running swords for fighting and , , ,

As he can use these D avid to be king , .

That s sh o rt and crisp and lets me sleep at night

’
.

DA VI D .

Two rain drops that were twins each heaven ,

wombed ,

F ell o n L an u
ib s —
O ne it had no Choice .

Went laughing to th e west where it discharged ,

I nto th e great b lue sea and danced away

TO mingle in achievements ocean free ,
-
.

The other by course long and tortuous

, ,

Fell in this coppery unbottomed lake ,

Whose roots fl o w round the littoral Of hell ,

T he liquor o f the damned By this I se e .

’
Tis but a stone s throw between destinies ’
.

O h well I ll go with y ou a n d teas e the hope

’

,
74 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT IV

That I have fallen on the ocean slope .

But who co mes hither bounding like a go at ,

Across the rocks H aste must have lent him

hoofs
O r twenty ti mes he S hould have slipped and fell
Where falling s de ath H is rashness tells his
’
.

name ,

A himelech an d bad news are his wings

,
.

n ter Ah imel ech

[ E .

A H I ME L E C H .

My lord
DA VI D .

l o rd of fleas ! When you ve you r

My
’

C hop o ut this sic k fanfaronade o f talk

A nd tell y our errand which see m s o v erhot
, .

A H I ME L E C H .

T he k ing informed b y spies whe r e you are hi d

, ,

I s marching h ither with three thousan d men .

We ve seen his van I have n o m o re to tell

’
, .

DA VI D .

NO m o re What you h a ve t ol d is qu ite enough

T o season me with jollity I thin k .

T he k ing c o mes n o t into t his wil d e rness

S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL 75

TO lake himself with scenery nor yet

S ,

To tilt against these boulders adamant .

T herefore my dear Abishai we ll test

’

, ,

Y our creed Of legs There s an agility .

’

That s learnt by hunted things I ll risk a guess

’
.
’

We play pranks with this royal infantry .

! uick ! to my men ! I see the army s dust ’

.

U p to the ro cks ! and fight if fight y o u must .

[ Exeun t .

SC E N E 2 . The cliffs Of En —
gedi .

S A UL A B N E R
, .

SAU L .

My faithful Abner what s this thing calle d age

,
’

That slides men out the world

ABN E R .

k now not si r I , ,

E x cept what s written by o u r chroniclers

’

That creeping S atan ven o med life with it .

S AUL .

H is poison which he spewed into o ur bl oo d ,

Was it ag ainst the spirit impotent !

76 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ACT I v

Or was it summit of h i s vile design

That we decayin g in ou r enginery
, ,

Shoul d su ffer n o ab at ement of desire

A BN E R .

The soul sir cannot have senility

, , ,

I tself immo rtal .

S A UL .

these fires th en burn

C an

, ,
—
L ove an ger hate ambition fo r all time
,

And not consume to thei r e x tinguishment !

That is damnation Y et it cannot be .

That souls will live un c ased ete rnall y .

T hey must must S leep so wea ry

, O r the y must
, .

S urcease in m adness rollicking and mad , .

I ll lay me down awhile And when kings sleep

’
.

S upplanters o n thei r helpless slumbers creep .

A BN E R .

I
’
ll post the watch m y lor d ! drink yo ur full rest
,
.

[ Exit.

! S aul sl e e s
p )
[ E nter Dav id an d Ahish ai
 C
S E NE 2 ] T HE TRA GE D Y O F S AUL 77

A B IS HA I .

My lo rd now prove my three part creed c o m

,
-

p l ete .

Plunge in yo ur sword an d D avid shall b e k ing .

DA VI D .

Yes kin g an d mu rderer myself at once

, ,

I nfractor and defender o f the law

Which is most fu n damental to my throne .

S uch two stu ffed kings are e ffigies which last

-

U ntil s o me rival pelts them down .

A B I S HA I .

My lord ,

I s it then murder to take chance o f war !

This Saul would slice you r head o ff with mo re
grace
Than he would eat his dinner But it haps .

The tu rn is yours fo r slicing H elp me sir ! .

,

I f you ve no st omach to let o ut his win d

’

I ll take a hew at him

’
.

DA VI D .

Put up your swo rd .

S ee how he lies his hands crossed o n his breast

, ,

T he curtains o er his e y es and to the w o rld

’

,
78 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ ACT I V

H an g s out the truce of sleep L ook at his .

moul d !
For nature sp ok e o n him the name Of k ing ,

I mperial though sleeping I f you then

.

Will hac k your blade at this rare han d iwork ,

C all back the roaming spirit to its post ,

Shout t o his do z ing sense Al arm ! De fend !

,
!

T hen draw an d lay at him as man to man .

A B I S HA I .

They say he hath much craft at swordsmanship

And is th ree me n for strength I doubt yourself .

Would h ardly be his match at quarters sir , .

DA VI D .

See how his fingers twitch an d now he groans

, .

O ur talk is filtering into his dreams

And he becomes perturbe d Anon he ll wake .
’
.

I ll clip away this fringing skirt o f his

’

A s voucher that I m not his enemy

’

Though s o maligned .

! uts of S aul s shirt

)
’
C

N ow to o u r crevices
An d watch the issue o f this episode .

[ Ex e un t D a v id, A hish ai

! S aul w alees
)
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL 79

S AU L .

I ve slept an d wok e Why here s the miracle

’
.
,
’

That I subtracted from my sluggish rind

, ,

B etwi x t a wink can flit in carnival

T O the o u tpo ste d stars and volatile , ,

Soar thro ugh the dome Of heaven or deep hell ,

Both space and time defying Y et despite .

, ,

That my e x cursive spirit can return

Back from its primal void into my flesh .

I s less this quality o f miracle

That thrice ten thousand times I have awaked
S ome day my errant soul will n o t come back ,

H ow loud they beat the sum mons I have .

S lept

H OW long ! But there s no time in lethy sleep

’
.

D ays hours months years the cycle calendar

, , , ,

These are not time but scheme o f it wherein ,

To plot in relevance the things we do .

For time is action conscious cli ma x es

, .

Saul king h as lived a thousand times more long

Than S aul the herder When we wake from .

sleep
We take up time where we had let it pause .

H O Abner ! ho my faithful adj utant !

, ,

n ter A hn er
[ E
80 T HE T RA G ED Y O F S A U L [A C T I V

ABN E R .

T he sunh as c li mb ed a quadrant o f the sky

While y o u my l o rd have gath ered you r rep o se
, , ,

An d n o w S it s tw o h o urs past the n o on .

W h at news
ABN ER .

Of the pre ten d er n one A s to ourselves

,
.

T he men grow d isaffe c tio n e d in this wil d

And mutter abo ut Jewry .

Snarling d o gs
Wh o love me for my victuals ! I f they found
,

This D avid they would fly at him as is

Their savage business and bark from the kil l
L ive Saul an d live the treasury o f bones
,

But if he wins his ha z ard for my room

The y ll lick his han d as easily as mine
’
,

Their voice as blatant and their guts as lean .

A BNE R .

Y ou r Majes ty tis part o f generalship

,
’

T o take men at their tempe n I advise

T hat you remove fro m this outlan d ish place
S C EN E 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AU L 81

To so me more blan d encampment where

fumes
O f those two ancient cities o f the plain
Shall not prov ok e our nostr ils .

L et us go .

A BN E R .

Assemble
[ E n ter so l diers

F o rm your columns ! F orward ,

march !
n te r D a v id, A bish ai, A h ime l ech ,
[ E an d

D av id s s o ldie rs
’
.

DA VI D .

My father !
S A UL .

H alt ! who calls me father here

A BN E R .

The r o ck s have gen d ered D avi d .

By my faith ,

E nchan t ment is in this unholy place .

I f thou be what thou se e me st speak again .

82 TH E TRA G E DY OF S AU L [ACT I V

DA VI D .

M y l or d I am no ghost of man nor worth

,

T hi s martial demonstration Will the king .

Pursue a dog a flea

SA UL .

A trait o r si r ! ,

DA VI D .

Were half the worl d as ba d as it s d efame d ’

Twoul d stink to heaven As to my own case

’
.
,

S ee th l S e x hi b it Of my innocence ,

Your skirt which I cut o ff the while y o u l ay

,

I n S leep unguarde d Judge th en if this b e

.

The guise of traitor when I h a d m y blade

,

I n tierce against your quic k th at I forbore ,

To give you your d espatch D oes treaso n wear .

C ompuncti o n of that color

do I f it
May all my c ap tains vest themselves in
My son my honest D avi d let us here
, ,

Swear amnesty o f our too paltry strife .

DA VI D .

T is well
’
.
 C
S EN E 2 ] T HE T RA GEDY O F S AUL 83

S A UL .

Y et I li k e not your shabby crew

Marau ding o n the fringes of our state .

These brawlers debtors fugitives o f law

, , ,

E x creted from the CIVIC government ,

A re minatory to o ur peace I f thou .

Wilt wear a fairer fac e Of loyalty ,

D isban d this ri ff r aff tagging at your heels

-
.

DA VI D .

I ve never use d my force against the king

’

And will not .

S A UL .

Ah my so n this Will s a b awd

, ,
’

Who s chaste by lacking opportunity

’
.

When she is amo u re d b y the Power to do - -

A fig for her Virginity March o n .

[Exeun t S aul , A huer an d so ldiers .

DA VI D .

G et b ac k into yo ur rocks an d sleep to night -

H alf eye d and bolstered on your swords to fight

-
.

This ancient king is weather whimsical

H e now blows west b ut with no interval
,
84 TH E TRA G EDY OF S AUL [A CT I V

He may d o right about an d blast on us .

H is faith is gusty He . 18 d angerous .

x eun t A h imel ech D av id s so ldiers

’

[ E an d

And if at last I shall be king what then !

,

W hat s there th at s worth the weariness to

’ ’
wm

A B I S HA I .

There s power my l o rd sweet power What s

’
, ,
.
’

weariness ,

What s every throe o f soul wh at s l ooming death

’
,
’
,

I f we b efore we gasp the world can drink

, ,

In e b rian c e fro m that bright chalice ! See ,

This king who s mocked you shamed you and ’

, ,

the host
O f his abettors who have slurre d your name
To tramp y our foot upon their bowing necks ,

To plug their blatant mouths to retribute ,

Their gorge o f S lander back into their throats

And c ry I m master master Oh that s sweet
,
“ ’

, ,
!
,
’
.

DA VI D .

I t s bitter sweet F or love will not be whipped

’
-
. .

TO tyrannize to lay the r o d on men

, ,

M akes vassal only Of their baser part ,

Their m inds free to contemn That is the gall .

,
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 85

That is the mock of mastery There is .

A past writ with my progress hieroglyphed ,

With my ascendant to meridian .

M y n asc it facit debet so c iat

, , ,

Are al man ac ke d where all the worl d can read

And cry them back to me S o shall my state .

S eem to the common conscience less to rest

U pon divine prerogative than o n
The swords of my tatterdemalion
By whom I ve levered to my vantage point
’
.

O h could we birth full purpled in o u r n o o n !

,

Or by some art forget the carking past !

A B I S HA I .

W e should be gods my lord , .

DA VI D .

But we are me n .

[Exeun t .
 AC T ! .

SC E N E 1 . Mt G il b oa the I s raelite camp

.
, .

F IR S T O F F IC E R , S E CON D O FF IC E R .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Where d o the Philistines c o me from !

S E CON D O FF IC E R .

Where d id the lice of the Egyptians co me from

N ature has spasms o f fecundity but how , ,

y ou know as well as any other man — all

be i ng Ign o rant The solemn thing is they re
.
,
’

here .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Sinc e took up th e swor d I ve seen en o ugh Phil

I
’

istin e s k illed to buil d a mountain o f, y et o n e

woul d say that every c o rpse h a d c o me back
twins .

S E C ON D O FF IC E R .

T hat s like en o ugh T he surest wa y to b ree d a

’
.

nation is to k ill it Off A nd that s true of.

’

h eresies as well Opp o sition puts a vigor in

.
S CENE I ] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AU L 87

its butt which let alone would die of sic k l i

, ,

ness I f the Philistines had not I srael to e x

.

e rc ise themselves against they li k e a pack ,

o f dogs would fly at o n e another s thro ats ’

,

and eat each other up .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

H ave you s een the king !

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

N ot to have converse with him these three days .

F I R S T O FF IC E R .

Ho w seemed he then

S E CON D O FF IC E R .

C alm ! calm as C hinnereth so that i t was d anger

,

ous to take ship upon his humor The mo .

ment you blew upon him with the bre ath

Of Speech he lashed himself to fury raved ,

against his confines and mad e mouths to

swall o w up th e navi gato r wh o ha d l aunch ed
into h is lonely peace .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Wh at s h is ail m ent
’
88 TH E TRA GED Y OF S AU L [A CT v

S E C ON D O F F IC E R .

Re x b ifi dus,it s an ol d king s malady S o me

’ ’
.

time the sane and normal k ing was scratched ,

an d from the w o und unhealing budded o ut

, ,

a k ing e x crescent which has grown to the

equation o f its stock I f either half o f this
.

preposterous double were rift away there d be ’

a king remaining under wh om there d be ’

so me direction Of pu rpose But with norm .

and abnorm keeping internecine strife it s ,

’

dark for I srael .

F IR S T O F F IC E R .

I f one may trust the vulgar astronomy the king is ,

in his westing t o o for his slanting beams

,

warm not the people s love as formerly ’

.

There is in the gross populace a sense of

when a king s in twelfth hour and like the
’

trefoil they fo l d in their a d ulati o n until

another d ayspring .

S E CO N D O FF IC E R .

I
’
ve notice d something o f the sort an d trimmed to
it S till it s a dangerous business to prog
.
’

n o stic ate kings under the h o ri zo n before the y

 C
S EN E I] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 89

get there There s a refrangent Of their last

.
’

degrees may mar o ur mathematics and I ve ,

’

heard o f twilight sunstroke in such cases .

I d rather see the sea snu ffer o n to day b e

’
- -

fore I hail the morro w Who goes there ! .

[ E n ter D oe
g .

D O EG .

A friend .

S E CON D O FF IC E R .

’
T is a time to mistrust friends Yo ur na me .

DO EG .

D o eg ! o f s o me repute I trust in I srael

, , .

SE C O N D O FF IC E R .

A d vance The ki n g s Chamb erlain has always

.
’

free passage .

D O EG .

Are you gentle men studying the stars

F IR S T O F FI C E R .

Y e s,an d wondering how soon we ll be sent to ’

dwell on them There ll be some Of us put

.
’

rid o f earth I tak e it b efore the year s much

, ,
’

O l d er .

DO E G .

H ave y o u a craving for immortality !

90 T HE T RA GEDY OF S AUL [A C T V
F IR S T O F F IC E R .

never shirked the brunt of an assa ult Still .

I h ave a lustiness by which I am willing to

defer my sublimation D O y o u think the .

ki n g will chance a battle with suc h disparity

of numb ers !

DOEG .

I think he ll not bid battle come b u t if i t

’

unbi d den he ll not send his e x cuses

’
.

ever he s not garrulous o f his plans

,
’
.

S E CON D O FF IC E R .

I hear he s grown cont aine d f speech

’
o .

DOEG .

ho ur ago I passe d him pacing b efore his tent ,

his eyes downcast and twice I heard a groan

,

rock his great chest as if his pris one d spirit

,

stretche d itself within .

F I R S T O FF IC E R .

T here
’
s omen in that I li k e not these seisms in
.

a king A n d it is said a fish was seen point

.

ing up the ! ishon scaled only to his mi dd le

, ,
S C ENE I ] T HE TRA G EDY O F S AUL 91

his forward parts being those o f a man and

bearded with hairs .

DOEG .

To the devil with your signs I f I coul d meet a .

sprat like that I d set a net for him without

’

a shiver Stiffen up your nerves or go home

.

to your women O ne man brave in the.

,

single purpose to win is worth a thousand ,

human shapes irresolute I f S aul fails in the .

imminent test there ll be no I srael For what

’
.

the Philistines leave will devour itself in the

fight fo r the succession and o ur enemies , ,

which now we barely hold back o n either

hand will roll over us like the R ed Sea over
,

the Egyptians Whet up your blade and

.

promise it one Philistine I ve business ! .

’

fare you well .

[ Ex it

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

I believe we sh o ul d serve the k ing b es t b y letting

hol es in t o this Doe g .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

U n d oub te d ly ! b ut we woul d have to h ol d o ur

noses at th e job he s so rotten within

,
’
.
92 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ ACT v

SE CON D O FF IC E R .

T his battle will be crucial to the fate o f S aul I f .

he fails he will hardly establish his dynasty .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

D O yo u think David has the common l o ve

SE CON D O F F IC E R ,

The common love is a small quantity in the mak

ing o f masters H e has his p arty o f course
.
,

but the serious fact is he has a pack o f hardy

adventurers ready to swoop upon the king
dom And with the monarchy in suspense
.
,

who is going to say By what right

,

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

True . Y et we have but five senses and there are ,

forces paramount which we canno t see or

hear smell taste o r feel The powers of the
, , .

air play with o u r poor parade delimit the ,

stupendous o r press o n th e ignoble to un

hoped Victory ! men are the d ummies of
their arbitrage .
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 93

S E C O N D O F F IC E R .

T hat s only a haggle concerning a prime cause

’
.

I f there be these powers imponderable their

militancy in o u r affairs will wear some name
and if that name be Davi d it will be a com
fo rtabl e place under his banner I n a time .

Of calm the wind may spring from any

quarter There s n o use o f guessing how it
.
’

came but set your sails to it

, .

F IR S T O FEI C ER .

I ve duty at my post
’
. Good night .

S E CON D O F F IC E R .

G oo d night .

[ Ex eun t
.

SC E N E 2 . The same .

SAU L .

Put down your h aughty crest B e n amal e k , ,

An d let me lay my arms about y o u r neck

Fo r I must speak away this loa d that s pent
’

U pon my breaking heart and has no vent

E x cept to y o u m y n ob le horse
, O f all .
94 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ A C T

Who g e n ufle c t
an d d o me p o mp w h o c all ,

Me k ing I have n o trusty o nly you

, , ,

To whom I can unbosom without rue

O f my o e rc o n fi de n c e but I must check
’

m
,

The sy pathy Of words B e n amal e k .

,

The battle s in th e front and you and I

’

Are going o ut to fight perhaps to die , ,

TO die an d transmigrate in mad W ild flight , ,

Beyon d the furry cl o uds beyond the night , ,

Beyond thirst hunger falsehood to the land

, , ,

O f heartsease and ambrosial mead o ws and

S o so your pawing lad ! y o u are half man
, ,

W h o being fed and warmed y et by his ban , ,

C annot reduce life to the swinish go al

O f hale d igestion b ut must plague his soul
,

By ever living forward of his hour

With whiling phantasms and glimpsed hopes of
power .

C urse curse this striving spirit that in tease

,

C ries more and will not lie at sur feit ease

“

L ike gan d ers in the sun G O browse my bo y .

, , ,

U ntil this consummation of our joy .

— I s it so brave to die Fo r the s o ul fi re -

,

Blown to its spume by b last of b attle ire ,

T o leap i t s body s e dg e its r elict n a me

’

,
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA G ED Y O F S AUL 95

o n the mn e mal ith s o f fame

E scutche o ne d
The courage is to live to buff earth s lies ,
’

A nd unapplau d ed drudge t o blank demise .

n te r D o e
[ E g .

There goes that cursed E domite . H o , D oeg !

H ere .

DO E G .

My lord .

S AUL .

DO you know an holy man when you see him !

DOE G .

Aye my lord
,
.

H ow b y his beard

DO E G .

By his he ard my lord and by the saintliness th at

, ,

sh ines in him .

SA U L
Yo u know the sight o f saintliness So the devil
knows light it makes him squint But it is
,
.

as dear to him as holiness to y ou D o you .

k now what was the fi e n d s d amnation ’

9 6 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [A C T v

DOEG .

To live in hell my l o rd,

.

SA UL .

T ut ! that s not half

’
T here are ten million souls
.

in hell and all less damned than he What

,
.

is the twinge that s in his arch estate ’

DO EG .

I k n ow not my lord
,
.

S A UL .

Why to be king Of hell

,
To wear an un ab dic a .

ble crown that is the pink the sum the ele

, , ,

mental metal Of d amnation .

DO EG .

Perh aps tis so in hell my lord

’
, , .

S A UL .

I n hell ! Perhaps D O you thin k th e infe rn al

is a topsy turvy world ! D o y o u think to
-

prank the ruler before th e un so b o rdin ate

is only a nether badness

DO E G .

T here are some who would chance the perdition ,

my lord within the sunshine

, .
S CENE 2 ] T H E T RA G E D Y O F S AU L 97

S AUL .

I h ave hopes o f yo ur soul D o eg ! fo r you have ,

told a truth But b e c a reful h o w you toy

.

with thi s c hap H onesty ! he may take a grip

on you and then farewell to all y our emi
,

n en ce H onest men stay in the lees only

.
,

the o ther kin d b rim the cup .

DO E G .

T hese are h ar d wo rds m y lord

, .

SAU L .

An d hit a hard mark I s o metimes wonder if .

those wh o have tak en novitiate damnation

o f k ing in this w o rl d may n o t b e eased in

the ne x t .

DO E G .

It is not a presumptuous hope m y lord , .

SAU L .

Go fin d a priest and send him hith e r . I want an

ap o calypse .

DO EG .

My l o r d shall b e ob e ye d .
98 THE T RA G ED Y OF S AUL A
! CT v

SAU L .

T hese hierarchs have lost their craft . Or are the y

too reb ellious to my thro ne
En ter riest
a
P .

A re you a holy man

PRI E S T .

I am oh king
,
.

GO t o the E gyptians .

PRI E S T .

The E gyptians

SAU L .

Y es that they may embalm yo u If

, .

holy man in I srael he should last to

ages what fashi o n he was Of .

PRI E S T .

I am a priest an d Of the loins of L evi .

SA UL .

N ow your words have the sound o f truth C an .

you divine from high heaven the fast decrees

of th O mnipotent
e !
S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL 99

PRI E S T .

king I have in other times e x pl ore d the black

,

abysm Of the fates but now the practice of

,

divinest rites will steal no oracle from the

blind dark The U rim does not illumine ,

nor night send its vision messengers There .

is no conjure in the name of Saul .

Get to your place .

[ Exitp riest .

Alone alone ! a public derelict ! a leper of the

,

state whose health I was O h Go d and .

,

thou to whom from the profound I raise d my

prayer hast shut thy heaven against my
o ratr
y Alone .H a ha ! are there no folk
,

but the supernal no god o f orisons but one

,
!

no armies but these surly phalan x es who

mutter that I am decayed to rule ! Mu n dus
trigeminus G od the world and— that place
, , ,

Of last res ort which counterpoises the grace

o f heaven I will ambassador the p owers
.

below H o for a necromancer ! ho for a

.

pe aked Chin who can incant prophecy fr o m

the ground ! Abner !
n te r A hn er
[ E .
mo TH E T RA G EDY OF S A U L [A CT v

ABNE R .

My l o rd .

T he night is d ark .

ABN E R .

m oo n is in the middle heaven m y lord and , ,

with her gossamer robe blin d s all the envious

stars Say y o u tis dark !
. My s word ! I
’

could see a Philistine to a th o usand paces o n

such a night .

SA U L .

I sai d tis d ark tis treason t o say otherwise But

’
,
’
.

treason is a foul smelling plant n o longer .

when all my courtiers wear nosegays o f it .

What b oots the moon if closed are all the

windows Of the soul ! H ow is there light
if there s no light to me
’

ABN ER .

T he k ing tal k s in ri dd les .

S A UL .

F or every swe et there is a sour .

S C ENE 2 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUI! 101

A BN E R .

I h ave n o do ubt .

S AUL .

every day a night fo r eve ry b i rth a death for

, ,

every power be n e fi c e n t a power malign for ,

Ormu sd Ah riman for Jehovah Satan ! and

,

between these opposites there is eternal and

essential strife I with formal requisite have
.

addressed my cause to the celestial throne ,

but to no purpose What then ! for there s

.
’

no middle ground I will memorialize the

.

powers Of darkness But where s a legate

.
’

who s accredited b el o w an d will b ring me

’

answer from the sha des !

ABN E R .

I d rather not me dd le in these uncanny things my

’
,

lord .

S A UL .

Y o u have a k inswoman who trad es in mag ic !

ABN E R .

S he s eighty s um me r s drie d good S ir an d will

’
, ,

v e x the world much longer Pray let .

,

liv e he r little te r m in pe ace .

1 02 TH E T RA G EDY O F S A UL [ACT V

SAU L .

T he re you go against the bit I s she so tinctured .

through with badness that it will lessen her

peace to do me a se rvice Fo r kings have
their necessities as well as anothe r man and ,

th ere is to them an e x igence of alms which

are n o t weighe d in silver .

A BN E R .

you did havoc to the wizards outlawed them ,

and laid o n their art the grievous weight Of

y our authority .

SA UL .

When o ur Ofli c e r e x ecuted o ur proscription

against the sorcerers who were leeching the
people s wits we winked at his forgetting this
’

o l d dam S o much was fo r o u r love to y o u

.
,

dear Abner That love s n o t less to day

.
’
-
.

ABNE R .

I than k my lord .

SA UL .

T hen lead me to her Abner Without an oracle

, .

I d are nor trust this imminent fight I ll

’
.

clothe myself in a d isguise and be you mute

of what I am As a common She k el doli n g
.
-
S CENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 103

man I ll test th e virtue o f her power L ead

’
.

on .

[ Ex eun t

SC E N E 3 . The cave o f the Witch o f En - dor .

TH E WI T C H O F EN -
D OR .

WI T C H .

T wenty years turned four times round

All my sisters in the ground ,

All my brothers turned to worms

All my fellows lived their terms ,

H alf myself decayed and gone ,

T oothless pl u mpl e ss stale forlorn

, , , ,

D eath s my social and I tell

’

E soteric things Of hell .

Mumble j umble o n e two three

, , , , ,

So the dead come up to me .

Jumble mumble eight nine ten

, , , , ,

S o the dead go down again .

heu ! heu ! it is cold to p O the groun d and ’

Saul is king I ll take a quaff of liquor s o I

.
’

will weigh m o re .

[E n ter S aul an d two oj fi cers

at the mouth f
o th e cav e .
1 04 T H E T RA GEDY O F S AUL [A CT V

SA UL .

I s t his the place this the cu r st bowl of ear th

,

Which leak s to Sheol

F IR S T O FFI C E R .

’
T is the plac e my lord , .

SO leave me .

F IR S T O F F IC E R .

We obey my lord
, .

Ye t stay

F IR S T O FFI C E R .

Y our pleasure
S A UL .

L et me p r ess yo ur hands Go od sirs .

,

I thank you for your pains C ompose yourselves

.

Within convenient call Farewell farewell

.
, .

I ll ente r tho ugh it b l a st me Fa re yo u well

’
. .

[ Exeun t ofi cers .

WI T C H .

Blac k the pot and b urn th e stubb l e ,

Man is bo rn t o trouble troub le , ,

S C ENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AU L 1 05

As the spark s go up up up , , .

T here s a serpent in the cup

’

There s a harlot in the wife

’

There s a maggot cored in life

’
.

H oo -
o o OO
-
! the o wl has a hoo k e d nose there ,

fo re he s no E gyptian
’
.

SAU L .

T hou foul and b lemished strump cadaverous ,

Avast your clickings !

WI T C H .

Who commands

S A UL .

A man
Who from the air s alubrious d escends
I nto this crypt o f pestilential fu mes
To parley with the souls in prison .

YYI T C H .

R eturn back to the ro o f o f ea rth .

S A UL .

Peac e hag , ,

I have an erran d an d cannot return

U nanswered H ast th o u sorcery !
.
1 06 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [A C T V

WI T C H .

H O ho
And art thou emissary o f great Saul
Who s come to hang me in broad spectacle
’

Before his army

S A UL .

By my faith I m not ,
’

But see k a numen Of the under world -

O n a proposed adventure I f then thou

.

C anst raise the speaking spirit whom I name

T o my intelligent and proving sight ,

Thou shalt n o t b e the poorer fo r thy pains .

WI T C H .

L en t ils
gathere d in the b u d
Are the humor o f his blood .

F rom his flesh a nettle grows ,

F rom his heart a ruby rose .

C armel daisies are his eyes ,

Thistles are his beard s disguise ’

.

C ast these herbs in smutty pot ,

Brew them bubb ling brew them h ot

,

Snip o f salt to germ the broth ,

F rom the scum a ghost will froth .

S CEN E 3] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 1 07

Y our honest leek hath a rank smell fo r it s the ,

’

saprophyte Of Egyptians and they rot slow in

the ground .

S A UL .

Shut Off your scratchy drivel I ve no time ,

’

TO dally with cheap mumblings and to sniff

T he steep Of silly herbs Provoke the dead
.

I nto my audience or else confess

,
—
T hou art a lying artless thrice damned hag , .

WI T C H .

Whom shall I conjure from his sheeted sleep

TO corporate effu l gence !

S A UL .

Samuel .

WI T C H .

H e was an holy man and in great age

Went weary to his rest D isturb him .

O r fea r his choler .

SA UL .

F ear thyself my sword

Thou anc ient raisin o r attest thy craft
,

By su dd en answer to my will Wilt thou .

C orro d e my n o st rils with narc o tic fumes ,

1 08 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ AC T v

Benum b my wits and to my gla z y e ye

Trump up a bastard specter unavouched ,

By heaven or hell Aye wilt thou trade ,

H is gibberish for prophes y G O hang ,

Tho u p itted gi zz ard !

‘

WI T C H .

Y et have patience sir , .

H ush ! there co mes o n e from th e c row d .

N ow I see his trailing sh rou d .

With deport o f seer he glides ,

T wain his arms cl apt to his sides .

Proud his m i en his poll h o w white !

,

H e no subst ance is but light .

N ow I see his flaming eyes ,

Samuel arise arise !

, ,

Sir thou art Saul the king o f I srael

, , .

S A UL .

By that acclaim thou pro v e st thy dark art .

Y et tell me Mystic h o w the vision comes

, , .

WI T C H .

I see a god ascending from the earth .

S AUL .

What form has he

S CENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 109

WI T C H .

A n o l d man cometh up ,

And vestured with a mantle .

n ter o rm o m
[ E f f S a uel .

S amuel
WI T C H .

He halts an d with inquiring eyes demands

The purpose Of his summons from the vast .

Address him e re he shall dissolve again

I nto his natural invisible .

F or these incanted reappearances

Are labored short and gru d ging o f delay
, , .

S A UL .

Thou prophet sage and judge o f I srael !

, ,

I suppliant address thee from the groun d

, ,
.

SAMU E L .

Why hast thou me disturbed to bring me up

S A UL .

I am in straights Of doubt and sore distressed .

Against me the Philisti nes have brought war

1 10 T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL [ACT V

An d Go d has gone from me N O m o re by .

d re ams
N o r by the mouth Of prophets doth he Ope
T o me m y future way but all is night , ,

U nbeacone d formless u n d ire c tin g night

, , ,

I nto which I go stumbling I f then thou .

C anst point direction to my guide l ess way ,

I f there is pity in necropolis ,

H ear hear me an d illume the sight Of S aul

, ,
.

SA M U E L .

Whereas Jehovah hath deserted thee

And turned thine enemy deaf to thy suit , ,

Then wherefore hast thou brou ght me from my

place
T o be thy interlocutor before
The high assize o f heaven and declare
I ts sealed decrees Thy argument is close d ,

T hy last word sai d in ultimate reso rt

H enceforward thy most ritual address ,

I mpinging against heaven s muniments ’

R ebounds unanswered Thou art Saul acc urse d

. .

S A UL .

N ay leave me not thou august form but still

, , ,

Decl a re to me what s writ a b ove

’
Spea k on ! .
S CENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL III

SAMU E L .

The L or d hath done as he affi rmed by me ,

The L ord hath rent the kingdom from thy hand

And given it to D avid kith Of thee , ,

Because recalcitrant to his command

Thou didst n o t do his wrath o n Amalek .

The L ord moreover will deliver thee

, ,

With I srael to the Philistines hand ’

.

To morrow thou and those whose sin is that

-

T hey hold their taint o f origin from thee

S hall vault mortality and be with me .

S AUL .

H ast thou departed with no lurk behind

, ,

Back to thy natural umbrageous haunt

Where myriads Of disembodied shapes
Sit postured round the architrave Of hell ,

U nspaced nor space consuming H ast

gone !
N O nor canst ever go
,
Thy figment form
.

D issolving to wh at minim beyond sight ,

C annot steal Off the blighting trail o f words

T hat like the slimy e x ude o f th e snail
D eclares thy passage Words i mmortal are
.

T hey have beginning but not end and term

,
 TH E TRA GED Y OF S AUL [A C T v

E ternity,clipt only at the fore .

The d oom that s utte red is half done grace left

’
,

TO say o ur prayers and don the formal robes

I n which to mak e o u r valedictory .

WI T C H .

Oh king the simulacrum has retired

,

And all the air is sane again A rise .

Fr o m thy unroyal g rovel and bre ast b ack

The foes substantial which assail y o u Feed .

Y our stomach courage and by good round fare ,

E x purge the bile Of malade spirits who

D istemper your vacuit y U p ! E at ! .

S A UL .

Are visions in the liver thou crude hag , ,

O r didst thou stew a gall in thy damne d pot !

I will not eat H e ll o my Offi cers !

.
,
\

[ E n ter tw o j
o fcers .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

!
Y our M ajest y
SAUL .

Am I still majesty
There s something tardy in this poor Ol d world
’

I f that b e so And d o es the sun shine to o

.
!
,
S CENE 3] T HE TRA GEDY OF S AUL 1 13

F IR S T O F F IC E R .

It does .

S A UL .

Thou liest not

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

My oath , I don t ’
.

S A UL .

The prodigy of Joshua again !

Are y o u a bachelor

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

I am my lord
, .

S A UL .

Then marry with this woman .

F IR S T O FF IC E R .

Please the king ,

She s somewhat overripe for grafting with

’
.

S A UL .

Tut tut ! wha t if y o u quarter age with he r

,

I t would have been unwholesome once but n ow ,

I t s smack in tune the world s all upside d own

’ ’
.
,

I f y o u will marry for th e custom is n ot y et purge d

,
1 14 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ AC T !

out of the earth make sure that yo ur wi fe is

,

no virgin and that she is past the age o f

child bearing So shall you be rid o f two
-
.

evils jealousy and undutiful issue I married

,
.

in the lustiness o f love and begat hopes .

Beware sir o f maidens leastwise until they

, , ,

r o und their fi fty mark .

S E C O N D O F F IC E R .

What ambling word s are these th o u an c ient ,

dove
W ITCH .

I n truth sir I can make no sense o f them

, , .

S E CON D O FF IC E R .

What philter o f concocted herbs have

Administered unto the king that he
I s so turmoiled o f reason

WI T C H .

N one good sirs , ,

That he s n o t better fo r the taking of

’
.

H e s in the dumpy doldrums of his fast

’
.

I have a calf fat o n its mother s teat

’

, ,

Which is to humors o f this maudlin sort ,

A potent purgative But he ll not eat ’

. .
S CEN E 4] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 1 15

S E C O N D O FF IC E R .

Most e x cellent o u r sovereign for o ur love

, ,

Ship o ff this leaden gravity and rise

U p to thy temperate and royal poise
Between the poles o f passion What ! I s not .

Thy supplication done and said what s said ’

Then break your fast and thick your blood again !

S A UL .

N O longer am I debtor to this flesh

But we have quittance struck .

sakes ,

G ood friends I ll eat ,

’
.

F IR S T O F F IC E R .

He ll eat L et him be served

’
.

[ Ex eun t
.

SCEN E 4 . M ount Gilboa .

S A UL JON AT H A N A H I MAN ET z S aul s Armor

, ,
’

bearer Aides ,
.

S A UL .

As when a river swollen by the flood

, ,

C reeps inching up its channel till at to p

1 16 TH E T RA G E D Y OF S AUL [A C T V

It b ulges o ver and with ripping waste

,

S weeps up the plain s o these uncircumcise d

,

C rowd up o ur dike b re a k holes thro ugh its d e

,

fe n se
Which we as quick stop up but to delay
T he moment epochal when th ey shall leap
T he crest o f opposition Jonathan .
,

The people love you j ump am ong them Set , .

The brawn o f your affection to their help .

Perchance they ll h o l d this surge bac k in its be d

’
.

[ Ex it 7 o n athan .

Perchance ! H o ho ! I s there such thing per

, ,

ch ance
I s there a slip in H eaven s so v re ign plans ’

O r casualty with O mnipotence

H ave men turned gods to make their destiny
T here is a season when we grow and grow
With no volition like the wa x ing moon
, ,

S uccess with broa d er lustre rounding us

To o u r full radiance Then will o r no
.
, ,

We shrink and shrink and go o u t in eclipse .

Perchance ! H o h o A lie Perchance I Saul

, , ,

An atom in the universe am lord ,

O f its phantasmagoria ! Perchance !

Ahiman e tz
S CENE 4] TH E TRA G EDY O F S AU L 1 17

AH I MAN ET z .

My lord
S A UL .

Y our eyes are young !

L oo k over to the battle s confluence
’

And say what you can see C ome talk .

,

frowns
AH I M AN ETz .

O ur men d ispute the ground with valor sir

, .

S AU L .

T hat s in their grain b u t which wa y leans success !

’
,

AH I MANETz .

Sir these Philistines are no mortal sort

,

Which can b e spitted down to lie but each ,

D ismembe re d s o ws the gro un d with sudden

O f surgent pr ogeny .

S AUL .

muc h a d mire I
Y our politic ci rcumlocution sir , .

To spit it out in brief your meaning is

,

We re o vermatched
’
.

AH I MAN ETz .

W hy th en I fe a r , ,
1 18 TH E TRA GEDY OF S AUL [ AC T

S A UL .

B ut here comes on e with news .

[ E n ter M esseng er .

MES S E N GE R .

Y ou r Majesty
S A UL .

C urtail your deference and o u t with it

M E S S ENG E R .

T he enemy makes vantage every where .

Such slaughter s done as must make heaven weep

’

And with her pluvial tears wash and erade

T he red re d stains that sully the fair ground
, .

S A UL .

T he bulbul sat in a bay tree t o p

And sang a roundelay .

A sorry kite gulpe d him in spite .

For that s this o l d world s way

’ ’
.

T hou hast a pretty song lad but It Is somewhat

, ,

to o frolicsome too antic in its measures too

, ,

merry o h quite too mer ry Sombre it with

, .

a little gravity an d thou shalt pass for a rare

chor i ster Ha st tho u n o mor e o f thy t une
.
S C ENE 4] T HE T RA GEDY O F S AUL 1 19

M E S S E NG E R .

T his only let the king make haste to flee

, .

Th at s out o f pitch
’
.

N ow thou art but a common cackling fowl .

Stand by and give advisement when you re asked ! ’

[ E n ter a se co n d messen ger .

What sir ,

Fo r I perceive you re loaded with report

’
.

SE CON D M E S S E N G E R .

Thy sons Abi n adab and Jonathan

And Malchi shua have b een slain-
.

W h y so ,

They re in no danger D id yo u scurry here

’
.

To mumble such inconsequential stu ff !

D iscourse about the living as to say ! ,

“
I saw a quail run in the bush below ,

And hast thou mou th for quail to day ! o r thus -

“
I met a maid as I came up the hill ,

And she perhaps she won t perhaps she ’

will .

A po x y la d pre ce de d yo u wh o sai d
 T HE TRA G E DY OF S AUL [A C T V

That some Philistines ru d ely c asting o ff

,

T he cerem o n y with w h ich we forfend

Approach unto our person sought to force ,

Themselve s into o ur presence O f which fact .

I had some inkling when a singing barb

S hot with bad frien d ship clipt me near the heart .

Y o u have n o twaddle have y o u o f that sort

, ,

T hat s rattling in your n odd le une x pres se d

’

S E C O N D M E S S E NG E R .

We re overridden b y Philistia
’

And he who runs not while th e running s ’

Will get his hamstrings c ut .

S A UL .

T hen get away

eun t A h iman et A ides M esseng ers
[ Ex z , an d

What orderly D id you no t hear the word

'

T h at s reinforced by double nunciate

’

Y o u are a worthy man and have a claim

Upon a salvage of th is thin g called life .

A R MOR -
B EA RER .

I heard but master give no he e d

, , .
S CE N E 4] T HE TRA GED Y O F S AU L 12 1

N o heed
H ave y o u s o fat a wit that you must taste
The iron in your gut before you go
I swear you it is not worth waiting for .

I t hath the bite o f mustard thrice e x tract

To pe rpu issan c e Ugh ! the archer s dart
.
’

That j ust now flanged my ribs gives me a

That samples th e realit y Go go ! .
,

AR M O R BE A R E R
-
.

I will not go e x cept t he k ing precedes .

That is my duty .

S A UL .

D uty
what s that wo rd ! ’

I heard it when a lad long long ago , , ,

But it is quite outgrown in these new times .

Y our duty ! T ush '

The thing is o b solete .

O r rather in our modern criticism

, ,

I s reinterpreted in better taste .

Y our duty is to fit with circumstance .

C lean up yo ur virtue when it s popular

’

And let it t arnish when it s o ut o f vogue ’

.

! eep oaths up to the edge Of profit but ,

12 2 THE T RA G ED Y OF S AU L [ACT V

Be alway s plastic t o the changing times .

So shall you be wise moral and esteemed

, .

Y et this one thing stamp in your memory

I t s duty s one eternal cardinal
’ ’

T o al w ay s save y our sk in Now will you go .

A RM O R -
B EA R E R .

No master till my going follows yours

, , .

S A UL .

Still ob d urate Then as you ll se r ve me yet ’

Be surgeon to my need I have a wound .

H ere in this throbbing place that will n o t heal

Save b y a lancet s prick Whip out y our sword
’
.

And rip it to this aching fester spot !

L et o ut the disappointments griefs despairs , , ,

And start me o n my road to Paradise .

AR M O R BE A R E R
-
.

I d are n ot .

S A UL .

D are not

AR M O R -
E EAR ER .

N o n o r will not sir

, , .
 C
S EN E 4 ] T HE TRA GEDY O F S AUL 12 3

SAU L .

Yo u dare not will not do your king this case

,

I t is not murder nor yet treason but

, ,

A dee d o f benison by one short hour

,

To thus forestall the rank de fi l e me n t which

These cursed Philistines will enact o n me .

D raw an d d eliver me my quittance !

A R M O R-B E A R E R .

SAU L .

Then know that by your disobedience

Y ou are not autocrat to make me live .

H ail ye penumbral host of shade dilute

, , ,

I n v sib l e until death s shadow ! H ail !

’

And y o u who carry still your flesh farewell , .

My going is abrupt ! Forgive it then ,

I f an y be who still bear love for Saul .

Fo r why should I wear welcome to its threa d s

And the c ontumely o f m y underdress
Show th rough the tatters to a gaping world
When I have here a ribbon o f raw steel
Will slip me neatly o ff H o all farewell
,
.

s w o rd an d
[F al ls on h is dies .
12 4 T H E T RA G ED Y O F S A U L [ACT V

ARMOR -
B EA RE R .

SO dies th e majesty o f I srael ,

A king in whole and one who was a m an

,

U ntil his night o e rl appin g o n his day

’
, ,

Spread twilight o n his soul A nd I p oo r I

.
, ,

Whose offi ce was to tender him an d serve ,

What do I yet the pageantry all gone

-

I n which I played a super part Off o ff .

,

T his costume o f the stage T he lights are out .

Why flickers yet my taper Snuff dull flame ! ,

I n life o ur sta tes were wide ! in death the same .

on h is s word an d dies .