Euripides, Rhesus, ed. Gilbert Murray, 284

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Ἄγγελος

οὐκ οἶδʼ ἀκριβῶς· εἰκάσαι γε μὴν πάρα.

νυκτὸς γὰρ οὔτι φαῦλον ἐμβαλεῖν στρατόν,
285

κλύοντα πλήρη πεδία πολεμίας χερός.

φόβον δʼ ἀγρώσταις, οἳ κατʼ Ἰδαῖον λέπας

οἰκοῦμεν αὐτόρριζον ἑστίαν χθονός,

παρέσχε δρυμὸν νυκτὸς ἔνθηρον μολών.

πολλῇ γὰρ ἠχῇ Θρῄκιος ῥέων στρατὸς
290

ἔστειχε· θάμβει δʼ ἐκπλαγέντες ἵεμεν

ποίμνας πρὸς ἄκρας, μή τις Ἀργείων μόλῃ

λεηλατήσων καὶ σὰ πορθήσων σταθμά,

πρὶν δὴ διʼ ὤτων γῆρυν οὐχ Ἑλληνικὴν

ἐδεξάμεσθα καὶ μετέστημεν φόβου.
295

στείχων δʼ ἄνακτος προυξερευνητὰς ὁδοῦ

ἀνιστόρησα Θρῃκίοις προσφθέγμασι,

Τίς ὁ στρατηγὸς καὶ τίνος κεκλημένος

στείχει πρὸς ἄστυ Πριαμίδαισι σύμμαχος;

καὶ πάντʼ ἀκούσας ὧν ἐφιέμην μαθεῖν,
300

ἔστην· ὁρῶ δὲ Ῥῆσον ὥστε δαίμονα

ἑστῶτʼ ἐν ἵπποις Θρῃκίοις τʼ ὀχήμασι.

χρυσῆ δὲ πλάστιγξ αὐχένα ζυγηφόρον

πώλων ἔκλῃε χιόνος ἐξαυγεστέρων.

πέλτη δʼ ἐπʼ ὤμων χρυσοκολλήτοις τύποις
305

ἔλαμπε· Γοργὼν δʼ ὡς ἐπʼ αἰγίδος θεᾶς

χαλκῆ μετώποις ἱππικοῖσι πρόσδετος

πολλοῖσι σὺν κώδωσιν ἐκτύπει φόβον.

στρατοῦ δὲ πλῆθος οὐδʼ ἂν ἐν ψήφου λόγῳ

θέσθαι δυναίμην, ὡς ἄπλατον ἦν ἰδεῖν,
310

πολλοὶ μὲν ἱππῆς, πολλὰ πελταστῶν τέλη,

πολλοὶ δʼ ἀτράκτων τοξόται, πολὺς δʼ ὄχλος

γυμνὴς ὁμαρτῇ, Θρῃκίαν ἔχων στολήν.

τοιόσδε Τροίᾳ σύμμαχος πάρεστʼ ἀνήρ,

ὃν οὔτε φεύγων οὔθʼ ὑποσταθεὶς δορὶ
315

ὁ Πηλέως παῖς ἐκφυγεῖν δυνήσεται.

Χορός

ὅταν πολίταις εὐσταθῶσι δαίμονες,

ἕρπει κατάντης ξυμφορὰ πρὸς τἀγαθά.

Rhesus. Euripides. ed. Gilbert Murray. Oxford. 1913.

Sponsored by Perseus Project, Tufts University.

Funding provided by The Annenberg CPB/Project.

Current edition Perseus

Ῥῆσος (Greek) (Euripides. Euripidis Fabulae, Vol. III. Murray, Gilbert, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913. (Reprinted 1920-1978))

Translations (3)

Rhesus Perseus (Euripides. The Plays of Euripides, Vol. I. Coleridge, Edward P., translator. London: George Bell and Sons, 1906. (Modernized by Perseus.)) — 284 focus

Messenger

I cannot say for certain, though I might guess.

It is no idle task for an army to make an invasion by night, hearing that the plains are packed with foemen’s troops. But he frightened us rustic shepherds who dwell along the slopes of Ida, the earliest settlement in the land, as he came by night through the wood full of wild beasts.
285

On surged the tide of Thracian warriors with loud shouts; at this in wild amazement we drove our flocks unto the heights, for fear that some Argives were coming to plunder and harry your steading, till we caught the sound of voices
290

other than Greek and ceased from our alarm. Then I went and questioned in the Thracian tongue those who were reconnoitring the road for their lord, who it was that lead them, and whose son he was called, that came to the city to help the sons of Priam.
295

And when I had heard all I wished to learn, I stood still; and I see Rhesus mounted like a god upon his Thracian chariot. Of gold was the yoke that linked the necks of his horses brighter than the snow;
300

and on his shoulders flashed his shield with figures welded in gold; while a gorgon of bronze like that on the aegis of the goddess was bound upon the front of his horses, ringing out its note of fear with many a bell. The number of his army you could not reckon
305

to an exact sum, for it was beyond one’s comprehension; many knights, many ranks of targeteers, many archers, a great crowd of light-armed troops, arrayed in Thracian garb, to bear them company. Such the man who comes to Troy ’s assistance,
310

whom the son of Peleus will never escape, either if he tries to escape or if he meets him spear to spear.
315

Chorus Leader

Whenever the gods stand by the citizens, the tide of fortune glides with easy flow to a successful goal.

Rhesus Perseus (Euripides. The Rhesus of Euripides. Murray, Gilbert, translator. London: George Allen and Company, Ltd., 1913.) — 284 focus

SHEPHERD.

I know not rightly, though one well may guess.¹

’Tis hard to land at night, with such a press
285

Of spears, on a strange coast, where rumours tell

Of foes through all the plain-land. We that dwell

On Ida, in the rock, Troy’s ancient root

And hearth-stone, were well frighted, through the mute

And wolfish thickets thus to hear him break.

A great and rushing noise those Thracians make,
290

Marching. We, all astonied, ran to drive

Our sheep to the upmost heights. ’Twas some Argive ,

We thought, who came to sweep the mountain clear

And waste thy folds; till suddenly our ear

Caught at their speech, and knew ’twas nothing Greek.

Then all our terror fled. I ran to seek
295

Some scout or pioneer who led the van

And called in Thracian: Ho, what child of man

Doth lead you? From what nation do ye bring

This host with aid to Ilion and her king?

He told me what I sought, and there I stood
300

Watching; and saw one gleaming like a God,

Tall in the darkness on a Thracian car.

A plate of red gold mated, like a bar,

His coursers’ necks, white, white as fallen snow.

A carven targe, with golden shapes aglow,
305

Hung o’er his back. Before each courser’s head

A Gorgon, to the frontlet riveted,

With bells set round-like stories that they tell

Of Pallas’ shield-made music terrible.

The numbers of that host no pen could write

Nor reckon; ’tis a multitudinous sight,
310

Long lines of horsemen, lines of targeteers,

Archers abundant; and behind them veers

A wavering horde, light-armed, in Thracian weed.

A friend is come to Ilion in her need

’Gainst whom no Argive , let him fly or stand,
315

Shall aught avail nor ’scape his conquering hand.

LEADER.

Lo, when the Gods breathe gently o’er a town,

All runs to good, as water-streams run down.

Rhesus (OCR draft) Experimental (Rhesus. Robert Potter's English verse translation, first published in 1781–1783; text from the 1808 Oxford printing.)

No corresponding passage available

Euripides Rhesus 284

ed. Gilbert Murray

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χορός

ὅταν πολίταις εὐσταθῶσι δαίμονες,

ἕρπει κατάντης ξυμφορὰ πρὸς τἀγαθά.

Current edition Perseus

Chorus Leader

Whenever the gods stand by the citizens, the tide of fortune glides with easy flow to a successful goal.

LEADER.

Lo, when the Gods breathe gently o’er a town,

All runs to good, as water-streams run down.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χορός ὅταν πολίταις εὐσταθῶσι δαίμονες, ἕρπει κατάντης ξυμφορὰ πρὸς τἀγαθά.

Current edition Perseus

Chorus Leader Whenever the gods stand by the citizens, the tide of fortune glides with easy flow to a successful goal.

LEADER. Lo, when the Gods breathe gently o’er a town, All runs to good, as water-streams run down.

Stable identifiers

Χορός

ὅταν πολίταις εὐσταθῶσι δαίμονες,

ἕρπει κατάντης ξυμφορὰ πρὸς τἀγαθά.

Chorus Leader

Whenever the gods stand by the citizens, the tide of fortune glides with easy flow to a successful goal.

LEADER.

Lo, when the Gods breathe gently o’er a town,

All runs to good, as water-streams run down.