Tecumseh - Act 3, Scene 6
SCENE SIXTH. — Morning . T HE FIELD OF T IPPECANOE AFTER THE B ATTLE . T HE GROUND STREWN WITH DEAD SOLDIERS AND WARRIORS .
Enter H ARRISON , Officers and Soldiers and B ARRON .
H ARRISON . A costly triumph, reckoned by our slain!
Look how some lie still clenched with savages
In all-embracing death, their bloody hands
Glued in each other's hair! Make burial straight
Of all alike in deep and common graves:
Their quarrel now is ended.
1 ST O FFICER . I have heard
The red man fears our steel — 'twas not so here!
From the first shots, which drove our pickets in,
Till daylight dawned, they rushed upon our lines,
And flung themselves upon our bayonet points
In frenzied recklessness of bravery.
B ARRON . They trusted in the Prophet's rites and spells,
Which promised them immunity from death.
All night he sat on yon safe eminence,
Howling his songs of war and mystery,
Then fled, at dawn, in fear of his own braves.
Enter an A IDE .
H ARRISON . What tidings bring you from the Prophet's Town?
A IDE . The wretched women with their children flee
To distant forests for concealment. In
Their village is no living thing save mice
Which scampered as we oped each cabin door.
Their pots still simmered on the vacant hearths,
Standing in dusty silence and desertion,
Naught else we saw, save that their granaries
Were crammed with needful corn.
H ARRISON . Go bring it all —
Then burn their village down!
2 ND O FFICER . This victory
Will shake Tecumseh's project to the base.
Were I the Prophet I should drown myself
Rather than meet him.
B ARRON . We have news of him —
Our scouts report him near in heavy force.
H ARRISON . 'Twill melt, or draw across the British line,
And wait for war. But double the night watch,
Lest he should strike, and give an instant care
To all our wounded men: to-morrow's sun
Must light us on our backward march for home.
Thence Rumor's tongue will spread so proud a story
New England will grow envious of our glory;
And, greedy for renown so long abhorred,
Will on old England draw the tardy sword!
Enter H ARRISON , Officers and Soldiers and B ARRON .
H ARRISON . A costly triumph, reckoned by our slain!
Look how some lie still clenched with savages
In all-embracing death, their bloody hands
Glued in each other's hair! Make burial straight
Of all alike in deep and common graves:
Their quarrel now is ended.
1 ST O FFICER . I have heard
The red man fears our steel — 'twas not so here!
From the first shots, which drove our pickets in,
Till daylight dawned, they rushed upon our lines,
And flung themselves upon our bayonet points
In frenzied recklessness of bravery.
B ARRON . They trusted in the Prophet's rites and spells,
Which promised them immunity from death.
All night he sat on yon safe eminence,
Howling his songs of war and mystery,
Then fled, at dawn, in fear of his own braves.
Enter an A IDE .
H ARRISON . What tidings bring you from the Prophet's Town?
A IDE . The wretched women with their children flee
To distant forests for concealment. In
Their village is no living thing save mice
Which scampered as we oped each cabin door.
Their pots still simmered on the vacant hearths,
Standing in dusty silence and desertion,
Naught else we saw, save that their granaries
Were crammed with needful corn.
H ARRISON . Go bring it all —
Then burn their village down!
2 ND O FFICER . This victory
Will shake Tecumseh's project to the base.
Were I the Prophet I should drown myself
Rather than meet him.
B ARRON . We have news of him —
Our scouts report him near in heavy force.
H ARRISON . 'Twill melt, or draw across the British line,
And wait for war. But double the night watch,
Lest he should strike, and give an instant care
To all our wounded men: to-morrow's sun
Must light us on our backward march for home.
Thence Rumor's tongue will spread so proud a story
New England will grow envious of our glory;
And, greedy for renown so long abhorred,
Will on old England draw the tardy sword!
Translation:
Language:
Reviews
No reviews yet.