FIRST PART OF WALLENSTEIN.
175
To violate the breasts that nourish'd thee?
That were against our nature, that might aptly
[1]Make thy flesh shudder, and thy whole heart sicken.
Yet not a few, and for a meaner object
Have ventur'd'even this, ay, and perform'd it.
What is there in thy case so black and monstrous?
Thou art accus'd of treason—whether with
Or without justice is not now the question—
Thou art lost if thou dost not avail thee quickly
Of the power which thou possessest.—Friedland! Duke!
Tell me, where lives that thing so meek and tame,
That doth not all his living faculties
Put forth in preservation of his life?
What deed so daring, which necessity
And desperation will not sanctify?
That were against our nature, that might aptly
[1]Make thy flesh shudder, and thy whole heart sicken.
Yet not a few, and for a meaner object
Have ventur'd'even this, ay, and perform'd it.
What is there in thy case so black and monstrous?
Thou art accus'd of treason—whether with
Or without justice is not now the question—
Thou art lost if thou dost not avail thee quickly
Of the power which thou possessest.—Friedland! Duke!
Tell me, where lives that thing so meek and tame,
That doth not all his living faculties
Put forth in preservation of his life?
What deed so daring, which necessity
And desperation will not sanctify?
WALLENSTEIN.
Once was this Ferdinand so gracious to me:
He lov'd me; he esteem'd me; I was plac'd
The nearest to his heart. Full many a time
We like familiar friends, both at one table,
Have banqueted together. He and I—
And the young kings themselves held me the bason
Where with to wash me—and is't come to this?
Once was this Ferdinand so gracious to me:
He lov'd me; he esteem'd me; I was plac'd
The nearest to his heart. Full many a time
We like familiar friends, both at one table,
Have banqueted together. He and I—
And the young kings themselves held me the bason
Where with to wash me—and is't come to this?
COUNTESS.
So faithfully preserv'st thou each small favour,
And hast no memory for contumelies?
So faithfully preserv'st thou each small favour,
And hast no memory for contumelies?
- ↑ I have not ventured to affront the fastidious delicacy of our age with a literal translation of this line."werth
"Die Eingeweide schaudernd aufzuregen."
Must
