Quest Of Orestes
© Surazeus
2018 04 14
The boy with the scar on his forehead limps
slowly across rugged Korinthian plain,
traveling from Parnassos to Mykenai
on quest to avenge murder of his father.
Orestes pauses by the waterfall
and watches sunlight flicker on the stream,
remembering when he was a little boy
and played with Electra among fruit trees.
"Her long black hair flowed in the summer breeze
when she ran laughing among the white blossoms,
and she commanded that I find mushrooms
so I picked small purple caps from wet caves."
Orestes slips behind the jagged rock
when some young girl skips singing in the grove,
but when he sees his cousin Hermione
he leaps off the rock like a snarling wolf.
Hermione screams, but when she sees his face
she cries for joy and embraces his chest,
then weeps for joy as she kisses his mouth,
"How glad I am to see you still alive!"
Orestes cradles her by sparkling pool,
caressing her head nestled on his chest
as she sings Orphic hymn to Artemis,
"Fierce Huntress who glories in Sylvan war."
Orestes sighs and kisses her forehead,
"I must armor my heart against affection
to perform the horrible deed of justice,
killing my mother for killing my father."
Orestes gazes in her moon-dark eyes,
"My mother generated my whole body
and blessed me with my animating soul,
but I must kill her for killing my father."
Pursing his lips tightly, Orestes growls,
"She killed my noble father, regal warrior
who conquered the pirate city of Troy
by leading our people to victory."
Holding Hermione tight in his arms,
Orestes kisses her with passionate faith,
and they make love by gushing waterfall,
bodies moving in rhythm with the river.
"I would rather stay here with you, my love,
and hide forever in this cave of dreams,
raising children with you in peaceful trust,
but my mother killed my father for lust."
Hermione holds him tightly to her breast,
gasping when he fills womb her with his spirit,
then floats in sweet pleasure of his warm heart,
but wakes at dawn alone by waterfall.
Orestes gazes at two mountain peaks
that shimmer in the bright indifferent sun,
"I remember training with my wolf troop,
how we practiced war on steep mountain slopes."
"I want to turn back now from this hard task
of exacting revenge on my cruel mother,
and live tending sheep on my own small farm
instead of fighting to make myself king."
"My father ruled this kingdom with gold scepter,
dispensing words of judgment on all cases,
and organizing harvest of rich wheat
while managing large fleet of merchant ships."
"Can I rule this kingdom like he did,
or better yet, would I want to rule these tribes,
enforcing laws and organizing workers,
then leading warriors to defend our homeland?"
Orestes walks toward citadel of stone,
limping steep trail that winds toward Lion Gate,
but slips behind bushes when guards patrol
crowded road with sharp spears ready to kill.
Sitting by the tomb where his father lies,
Orestes listens to owls hoot in gloom
of purple twilight that shrouds silent world,
and gazes at the painting of the king.
"So fierce the vile torment of my race
that cuts my veins with grinding scream of death
and causes grief to gush from my torn heart,
I cannot bear this curse in my own house."
"This bloody strife between mother and son
tears at me from within my haughty heart,
and urges me to commit this awful deed,
killing my mother for killing my father."
"Dark gods who dwell beneath the blooming Earth,
answer my call and send me strength of courage
for I must fight the mother who bore me
because she killed the man who sired my soul."
Closing his eyes and pressing hands on stone,
Orestes breathes deep spirit of the stars,
and searches for some bolt of lightning strength,
but only silent wind brushes his face.
© Surazeus
2018 04 14
The boy with the scar on his forehead limps
slowly across rugged Korinthian plain,
traveling from Parnassos to Mykenai
on quest to avenge murder of his father.
Orestes pauses by the waterfall
and watches sunlight flicker on the stream,
remembering when he was a little boy
and played with Electra among fruit trees.
"Her long black hair flowed in the summer breeze
when she ran laughing among the white blossoms,
and she commanded that I find mushrooms
so I picked small purple caps from wet caves."
Orestes slips behind the jagged rock
when some young girl skips singing in the grove,
but when he sees his cousin Hermione
he leaps off the rock like a snarling wolf.
Hermione screams, but when she sees his face
she cries for joy and embraces his chest,
then weeps for joy as she kisses his mouth,
"How glad I am to see you still alive!"
Orestes cradles her by sparkling pool,
caressing her head nestled on his chest
as she sings Orphic hymn to Artemis,
"Fierce Huntress who glories in Sylvan war."
Orestes sighs and kisses her forehead,
"I must armor my heart against affection
to perform the horrible deed of justice,
killing my mother for killing my father."
Orestes gazes in her moon-dark eyes,
"My mother generated my whole body
and blessed me with my animating soul,
but I must kill her for killing my father."
Pursing his lips tightly, Orestes growls,
"She killed my noble father, regal warrior
who conquered the pirate city of Troy
by leading our people to victory."
Holding Hermione tight in his arms,
Orestes kisses her with passionate faith,
and they make love by gushing waterfall,
bodies moving in rhythm with the river.
"I would rather stay here with you, my love,
and hide forever in this cave of dreams,
raising children with you in peaceful trust,
but my mother killed my father for lust."
Hermione holds him tightly to her breast,
gasping when he fills womb her with his spirit,
then floats in sweet pleasure of his warm heart,
but wakes at dawn alone by waterfall.
Orestes gazes at two mountain peaks
that shimmer in the bright indifferent sun,
"I remember training with my wolf troop,
how we practiced war on steep mountain slopes."
"I want to turn back now from this hard task
of exacting revenge on my cruel mother,
and live tending sheep on my own small farm
instead of fighting to make myself king."
"My father ruled this kingdom with gold scepter,
dispensing words of judgment on all cases,
and organizing harvest of rich wheat
while managing large fleet of merchant ships."
"Can I rule this kingdom like he did,
or better yet, would I want to rule these tribes,
enforcing laws and organizing workers,
then leading warriors to defend our homeland?"
Orestes walks toward citadel of stone,
limping steep trail that winds toward Lion Gate,
but slips behind bushes when guards patrol
crowded road with sharp spears ready to kill.
Sitting by the tomb where his father lies,
Orestes listens to owls hoot in gloom
of purple twilight that shrouds silent world,
and gazes at the painting of the king.
"So fierce the vile torment of my race
that cuts my veins with grinding scream of death
and causes grief to gush from my torn heart,
I cannot bear this curse in my own house."
"This bloody strife between mother and son
tears at me from within my haughty heart,
and urges me to commit this awful deed,
killing my mother for killing my father."
"Dark gods who dwell beneath the blooming Earth,
answer my call and send me strength of courage
for I must fight the mother who bore me
because she killed the man who sired my soul."
Closing his eyes and pressing hands on stone,
Orestes breathes deep spirit of the stars,
and searches for some bolt of lightning strength,
but only silent wind brushes his face.
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