Tamriel Data:The Apology of Stendarr

Book Information The Apology of Stendarr
Added by	Tamriel Data
ID	T_Bk_ApologyStendarrSum
	175		1.5
Skill	Speechcraft

The Apology of Stendarr or, Mankind on Trial

A High Elven religious play.

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Y'FFRE

It gladdens me, Altmer, you here to see,

For tale have I to tell of thine esteem'd

Ancestors past. So hark! and hear my words,

As I relate Stendarr's Apology.

AURI-EL

Deceived am I, and are we all, for caged

The trickster Lorkhan left us mew'd, and bound

To cruellest limitations on our splend'r,

Though dead and heartless still the traitor lies.

Before us lays the matter of Mankind;

The wretched progeny of Doom's harsh Drum.

And I, the wisest king, seek counsel from

Those honour'd close advisors who might speak.

MARA

Lord Husband mine, the piteous form of Man

Does stir maternal love within my breast.

Yet grieve I still the children we have lost:

Our own who were despoil'd and killed by they.

Is it beyond the power even of

The gods to teach such savage beasts as these

To shed the furs of barb'rous hate and learn

Their place? I'd sooner cull than risk their spread.

TRINIMAC

The hateful frenzy of Mankind we've seen.

An honor temper'd by a wisdom bright,

Or ways of peace they could not learn and so

I press my king: for all shear soul from flesh.

STENDARR

Lo! Mothers have their voice in Mara, and

The bravest in the knight of Auri-El.

'Tis true that Man has fought for Lorkhan's end

But in his death shun not the chance for peace.

TRINIMAC

Their passion rules them basely into ruin.

Their blood enflam'd, they know of no restraint.

STENDARR

But think ye, Trinimac, of how that flame

Could burn to serve the good of Ehlnofey.

XARXES

For me, the guard of secret knowledge and

Scholar of sacred genealogies,

The ignorance of Man evokes disgust.

Offense to reason is their very cast.

STENDARR

No lie is spake here by the wise Xarxes:

The light of wisdom touches not their minds.

Yet Syrabane has taught to those unlearn'd

And shown how truth may taketh root in all.

SYRABANE

Such blossoms have indeed been taught to grow,

Yet never in the minds of Men by me.

If one among them had the wit and will

To rise above their ignorance, I'd aid.

STENDARR

To me the hope seems ever more the clear'r.

Did Phynaster not teach to Mer a way

To lengthen life and thus drink deeper of

The cup of knowledge? Thus, let Mer teach Man.

My king, you call'd upon your servants' words.

Let mine be this: show mercy to Mankind.

AURI-EL

I give my thanks to all of you, my kin.

With counsel fair, a verdict have I reach'd.

Y'FFRE

And so the judgement pass'd and Auri-El

Did chart the course of wisdom for us all.

Now heard, have you, the words that Stendarr spoke:

Apology for those who had no worth.

The prison built by Lorkhan's lies will soon

Be shatter'd but it falls to you, Altmer:

Until that time you must repeat this tale

For all the generations yet to come.