_Cain_. But thee the better: I care not for that;
Thou art fitter for his worship than I am;
Revere him, then--but let it be alone--
At least, without me.

_Abel_. Brother, I should ill
Deserve the name of our great father's son,
If, as my elder, I revered thee not,
And in the worship of our God, called not
On thee to join me, and precede me in
Our priesthood--'tis thy place.

_Cain_. But I have ne'er 200
Asserted it.

_Abel_. The more my grief; I pray thee
To do so now: thy soul seems labouring in
Some strong delusion; it will calm thee.

_Cain_. No;
Nothing can calm me more. _Calm!_ say I? Never
Knew I what calm was in the soul, although
I have seen the elements stilled. My Abel, leave me!
Or let me leave thee to thy pious purpose.

_Abel_. Neither; we must perform our task together.
Spurn me not.

_Cain_. If it must be so----well, then,
What shall I do?

_Abel_. Choose one of those two altars. 210

_Cain_. Choose for me: they to me are so much turf
And stone.

_Abel_. Choose thou!

_Cain_. I have chosen.

_Abel_. 'Tis the highest,
And suits thee, as the elder. Now prepare
Thine offerings.

_Cain_. Where are thine?

_Abel_. Behold them here--
The firstlings of the flock, and fat thereof--
A shepherd's humble offering.

_Cain_. I have no flocks;
I am a tiller of the ground, and must
Yield what it yieldeth to my toil--its fruit:
[_He gathers fruits_.
Behold them in their various bloom and ripeness.
[_They dress their altars, and kindle aflame upon them_[130].

_Abel_. My brother, as the elder, offer first 220
Thy prayer and thanksgiving with sacrifice.

_Cain_. No--I am new to this; lead thou the way,
And I will follow--as I may.

_Abel_ (_kneeling_). Oh, God!
Who made us, and who breathed the breath of life
Within our nostrils, who hath blessed us,
And spared, despite our father's sin, to make
His children all lost, as they might have been,
Had not thy justice been so tempered wit