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Paris and Œnone
Excerpt from Paris and OEnone
Shame on you, Melissa! Have you the heart to name that day of woe? The broken heart of Troy sent up that day A groan, which even now is in my ears. I heard it on the mountains, and I wept, Although I knew not what great cause I had. Melissa. I was a child then. But I wonder much What was the wailing that to-day we heard Down by the city gates. These many hours They have been closed, and the plain empty; yet When we passed by this morning, how we saw The battle run like breakers in a bay, Tossing with plumes and lances!
Come away. The pathway will be dark under the trees. Melissa. Pyrgo, is Priam dead, or Agamemnon? Or is it fair Prince Paris? What hath happened?
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Shame on you, Melissa! Have you the heart to name that day of woe? The broken heart of Troy sent up that day A groan, which even now is in my ears. I heard it on the mountains, and I wept, Although I knew not what great cause I had. Melissa. I was a child then. But I wonder much What was the wailing that to-day we heard Down by the city gates. These many hours They have been closed, and the plain empty; yet When we passed by this morning, how we saw The battle run like breakers in a bay, Tossing with plumes and lances!
Come away. The pathway will be dark under the trees. Melissa. Pyrgo, is Priam dead, or Agamemnon? Or is it fair Prince Paris? What hath happened?
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
24 pages, Hardcover
First published July 26, 2015
About the author
Laurence Binyon
232 books7 followersRobert Laurence Binyon was an English poet, dramatist and art scholar. His most famous work, For the Fallen, is well known for being used in Remembrance Sunday services.
Husband of Cicely Margaret Powell Binyon
Husband of Cicely Margaret Powell Binyon
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
April 9, 2024
A short play by a British classicist mostly known for writing patriotic poetry about the First World War.
Even though the play is rather short there are essentially three sections. First the stage is set and then Paris attempts to convince Eonone
When Paris gets hit in his shoulder by Philoctetes' poisoned arrow he finds himself in the awkward position of having to return to the nymph Eonone, his former wife whom he left for Helen and the only person who can heal him. He attempts to charm her into helping him. She feels rather conflicted however. She thinks back of their time together, but feels bitterness now about what happened afterwards:
""Have I not
Remembered them? Those soft uncounted hours,
Spun for our pleasure out of smoothest wool,
I never knew their sweetness till 'twas gone.
And Life unmasking showed her Fury face,
And knotted the remembrance for my scourge.""
She feels like Paris is only visiting her out of need, not out of love or regret. These conflicted feelings are central to the story. In the end Eonone leaves after some harsh words. This leads Paris to think that Eonone will not help him and he makes the decision to burn his body on a pyre in the woods.
In the last scene Eonone returns with some herbs which could heal Paris. She goes outside in distress and comes across Helen, her rival in love. They argue until they see the pyre and realize what has happened. Standing before the burning body of Paris Eonone challenges Helen:
'Now, Helen, shall our hearts be proved by fire.
Your love and my love. Will you not go down,
Down to that pyre, and take the kiss you crave.
And fold him in your arms to be your own
In dying as in living? Will you not?'
Eonone then proceeds to walk into the fire whilst Helen watches in horror.
This interpretation of the myth differs from the one I read in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.... For one Helen remained in Troy throughout the events surrounding Paris' death in that version and she mourned him (somewhat) within the walls of Troy.
Both these works coincide in their appraisal of Eonone's spousal love however. This love far outstrips the love that Helen feels. Helen's feelings are presented as being much more self-interested. She comes to look for Paris because she does not feel liked in Troy and in the end she is not capable of following Eonone's dramatic last decision. In The Fall of Troy this was used to prove the superiority of spousal love. Binyon does not make this as explicit but the actual precense of Helen whilst Eonone jumps into the fire makes the message about the value of true spousal love even stronger. Definitely a work of its time, rather different from modern day (re)interpretations of Greek myths and fiction.
Even though the play is rather short there are essentially three sections. First the stage is set and then Paris attempts to convince Eonone
When Paris gets hit in his shoulder by Philoctetes' poisoned arrow he finds himself in the awkward position of having to return to the nymph Eonone, his former wife whom he left for Helen and the only person who can heal him. He attempts to charm her into helping him. She feels rather conflicted however. She thinks back of their time together, but feels bitterness now about what happened afterwards:
""Have I not
Remembered them? Those soft uncounted hours,
Spun for our pleasure out of smoothest wool,
I never knew their sweetness till 'twas gone.
And Life unmasking showed her Fury face,
And knotted the remembrance for my scourge.""
She feels like Paris is only visiting her out of need, not out of love or regret. These conflicted feelings are central to the story. In the end Eonone leaves after some harsh words. This leads Paris to think that Eonone will not help him and he makes the decision to burn his body on a pyre in the woods.
In the last scene Eonone returns with some herbs which could heal Paris. She goes outside in distress and comes across Helen, her rival in love. They argue until they see the pyre and realize what has happened. Standing before the burning body of Paris Eonone challenges Helen:
'Now, Helen, shall our hearts be proved by fire.
Your love and my love. Will you not go down,
Down to that pyre, and take the kiss you crave.
And fold him in your arms to be your own
In dying as in living? Will you not?'
Eonone then proceeds to walk into the fire whilst Helen watches in horror.
This interpretation of the myth differs from the one I read in https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1.... For one Helen remained in Troy throughout the events surrounding Paris' death in that version and she mourned him (somewhat) within the walls of Troy.
Both these works coincide in their appraisal of Eonone's spousal love however. This love far outstrips the love that Helen feels. Helen's feelings are presented as being much more self-interested. She comes to look for Paris because she does not feel liked in Troy and in the end she is not capable of following Eonone's dramatic last decision. In The Fall of Troy this was used to prove the superiority of spousal love. Binyon does not make this as explicit but the actual precense of Helen whilst Eonone jumps into the fire makes the message about the value of true spousal love even stronger. Definitely a work of its time, rather different from modern day (re)interpretations of Greek myths and fiction.
Displaying 1 of 1 review