Euripides, Rhesus, ed. Gilbert Murray, 85

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Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ Αἰνέας καὶ μάλα σπουδῇ ποδὸς
85

στείχει, νέον τι πρᾶγμʼ ἔχων φίλοις φράσαι.

Αἰνείας

Ἕκτορ, τί χρῆμα νύκτεροι κατὰ στρατὸν

τὰς σὰς πρὸς εὐνὰς φύλακες ἐλθόντες φόβῳ

νυκτηγοροῦσι καὶ κεκίνηται· στρατός;

Ἕκτωρ

Αἰνέα, πύκαζε τεύχεσιν δέμας σέθεν.
90

Αἰνείας

τί δʼ ἔστι; μῶν τις πολεμίων ἀγγέλλεται

δόλος κρυφαῖος ἑστάναι κατʼ εὐφρόνην;

Ἕκτωρ

φεύγουσιν ἅνδρες κἀπιβαίνουσιν νεῶν.

Αἰνείας

τί τοῦδʼ ἂν εἴποις ἀσφαλὲς τεκμήριον;

Ἕκτωρ

αἴθουσι πᾶσαν νύκτα λαμπάδας πυρός·
95

καί μοι δοκοῦσιν οὐ μενεῖν ἐς αὔριον,

ἀλλʼ ἐκκέαντες πύρσʼ ἐπʼ εὐσέλμων νεῶν

φυγῇ πρὸς οἴκους τῆσδʼ ἀφορμήσειν χθονός.

Αἰνείας

σὺ δʼ ὡς τί δράσων πρὸς τάδʼ ὁπλίζῃ χέρας;

Ἕκτωρ

φεύγοντας αὐτοὺς κἀπιθρῴσκοντας νεῶν
100

λόγχῃ καθέξω κἀπικείσομαι βαρύς·

αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἡμῖν, καὶ πρὸς αἰσχύνῃ κακόν,

θεοῦ διδόντος πολεμίους ἄνευ μάχης

φεύγειν ἐᾶσαι πολλὰ δράσαντας κακά.

Αἰνείας

εἴθʼ ἦσθʼ ἀνὴρ εὔβουλος ὡς δρᾶσαι χερί.
105

ἀλλʼ οὐ γὰρ αὑτὸς πάντʼ ἐπίστασθαι βροτῶν

πέφυκεν· ἄλλῳ δʼ ἄλλο πρόσκειται γέρας,

σὲ μὲν μάχεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ βουλεύειν καλῶς·

ὅστις πυρὸς λαμπτῆρας ἐξήρθης κλύων

φλέγειν Ἀχαιούς, καὶ στρατὸν μέλλεις ἄγειν
110

τάφρους ὑπερβὰς νυκτὸς ἐν καταστάσει.

καίτοι περάσας κοῖλον αὐλώνων βάθος,

εἰ μὴ κυρήσεις πολεμίους ἀπὸ χθονὸς

φεύγοντας, ἀλλὰ σὸν βλέποντας ἐς δόρυ,

νικώμενος μὲν οὔτι μὴ μόλῃς πάλιν·
115

πῶς γὰρ περάσει σκόλοπας ἐν τροπῇ στρατός;

πῶς δʼ αὖ γεφύρας διαβαλοῦσʼ ἱππηλάται,

ἢν ἆρα μὴ θραύσαντες ἀντύγων χνόας;

νικῶν δʼ ἔφεδρον παῖδʼ ἔχεις τὸν Πηλέως,

ὅς σʼ οὐκ ἐάσει ναυσὶν ἐμβαλεῖν φλόγα,
120

οὐδʼ ὧδʼ Ἀχαιούς, ὡς δοκεῖς, ἀναρπάσαι.

αἴθων γὰρ ἁνὴρ καὶ πεπύργωται χερί.

ἀλλὰ στρατὸν μὲν ἥσυχον παρʼ ἀσπίδας

εὕδειν ἐῶμεν ἐκ κόπων ἀρειφάτων,

κατάσκοπον δὲ πολεμίων, ὃς ἂν θέλῃ,
125

πέμπειν δοκεῖ μοι· κἂν μὲν αἴρωνται φυγήν,

στείχοντες ἐμπέσωμεν Ἀργείων στρατῷ·

εἰ δʼ ἐς δόλον τινʼ ἥδʼ ἄγει φρυκτωρία,

μαθόντες ἐχθρῶν μηχανὰς κατασκόπου

βουλευσόμεσθα· τήνδʼ ἔχω γνώμην, ἄναξ.
130

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.)) — 85 focus

Chorus Leader

Look! Here comes Aeneas, in great haste too, with news to tell his friends.
85

Aeneas

Hector, why have the sentinels in terror made their way through the army at night to your couch to hold a midnight conclave and disturb the army?

Hector

Encase yourself in your armor, Aeneas.
90

Aeneas

What is it? Have tidings come of some secret stratagem set on foot during the night by the foe?

Hector

The men are flying, and going aboard their ships.

Aeneas

What sure proof can you give of this?

Hector

The whole night they are kindling blazing torches; I think they will not wait for tomorrow, but after lighting brands upon their ships’ decks will leave this land and fly to their homes.
95

Aeneas

And you, why do you gird on your sword?

Hector

With my spear I will stop them even as they fly and leap aboard their ships, and my hand shall be heavy upon them; for it is shameful in us, yes, and cowardly as well as shameful, when the god gives them into our hands, to let our foes escape without battle, after all the injuries they have done us.
100

Aeneas

Would you were as sage as you are bold! But, to be sure, among mortals the same man is not dowered by nature with universal knowledge; each has his special gift appointed him, yours is battle, another’s is sage counsel. You are excited to hear that the Achaeans are
105

lighting blazing torches, and you would lead on our troops across the ditches in the calm still night. Now after crossing the deep yawning trench, supposing you should find the enemy are not flying from the land, but are awaiting your onset,
110

beware lest you suffer defeat and so never reach this city again; for how will you pass the palisades in a rout? And how shall your charioteers cross the bridges without dashing the axles of their cars to pieces? And, if victorious, you have next the son of Peleus to engage;
115

he will never allow you to cast the firebrand on the fleet or harry the Achaeans, as you believe. No, for that man is fierce as fire, a very tower of might. Let us rather then leave our men to sleep calmly under arms after the weariness of battle,
120

while we send, as I advise, whoever will volunteer to spy upon the enemy; and if they really are preparing to fly, let us arise and fall upon the Argive army, but if this signalling is a trap to catch us, we shall discover from the spy the enemy’s designs
125

and take counsel; such is my advice, lord.
130

Rhesus Perseus (Euripides. The Rhesus of Euripides. Murray, Gilbert, translator. London: George Allen and Company, Ltd., 1913.) — 85 focus

[A sound of marching without.

LEADER.

Who comes? Aeneas, and in haste, as though
85

Fraught with some sudden tiding of the night.

Enter AENEAS.

AENEAS.

Hector, what means it? Watchers in affright

Who gather shouting at thy doors, and then

Hold midnight council, shaking all our men?

HECTOR.

To arms, Aeneas! Arm from head to heel!
90

AENEAS.

What is it? Tidings? Doth the Argive steal

Some march, some ambush in the day’s eclipse?

HECTOR.

’Tis flight, man! They are marching to the ships.

AENEAS.

How know’st thou?—Have we proof that it is flight?

HECTOR.

They are burning beacon-fires the livelong night.
95

They never mean to wait till dawn. Behind

That screen of light they are climbing in the blind

Dark to their ships—unmooring from our coast.

AENEAS.
(looking toward the distant fires: after a pause)

God guide them!—Why then do you arm the host?

HECTOR.

I mean to lame them in their climbing, I
100

And my good spear, and break them as they fly.

Black shame it were, and folly worse than shame,

To let these spoilers go the road they came

Unpunished, when God gives them to us here.

AENEAS.

Brother, I would thy wit were like thy spear!¹
105

But Nature wills not one man should be wise

In all things; each must seek his separate prize.

And thine is battle pure. There comes this word

Of beacons, on the touch thy soul is stirred:

They fly! Out horse and chariots!—Out withal
110

Past stake and trench, while night hangs like a pall!

Say, when we cross that coiling depth of dyke,

We find the foe not fled, but turned to strike;

One check there, and all hope of good return

Is gone. How can our men, returning, learn
115

The tricks of the palisade? The chariots how

Keep to the bridges on the trenches’ brow,

Save with jammed wheels and broken axles? Aye,

And say thou conquer: other wars yet lie

Before thee. Peleus’ son, for all his ire,

Will never let thee touch the ships with fire
120

Or pounce on his Greek lambs. The man will bide

No wrong and standeth on a tower of pride.

Nay, brother, let the army, head on shield,

Sleep off its long day’s labour in the field:

Then, send a spy; find someone who will dare
125

Creep to yon Argive camp. Then, if ’tis clear

They mean flight, on and smite them as they fly.

Else, if the beacons hide some strategy,

The spy will read it out, and we can call

A council.—Thus speak I, my general.
130

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 85

ed. Gilbert Murray

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Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ Αἰνέας καὶ μάλα σπουδῇ ποδὸς
85

στείχει, νέον τι πρᾶγμʼ ἔχων φίλοις φράσαι.

Αἰνείας

Ἕκτορ, τί χρῆμα νύκτεροι κατὰ στρατὸν

τὰς σὰς πρὸς εὐνὰς φύλακες ἐλθόντες φόβῳ

νυκτηγοροῦσι καὶ κεκίνηται· στρατός;

Ἕκτωρ

Αἰνέα, πύκαζε τεύχεσιν δέμας σέθεν.
90

Αἰνείας

τί δʼ ἔστι; μῶν τις πολεμίων ἀγγέλλεται

δόλος κρυφαῖος ἑστάναι κατʼ εὐφρόνην;

Ἕκτωρ

φεύγουσιν ἅνδρες κἀπιβαίνουσιν νεῶν.

Αἰνείας

τί τοῦδʼ ἂν εἴποις ἀσφαλὲς τεκμήριον;

Αἰνείας

σὺ δʼ ὡς τί δράσων πρὸς τάδʼ ὁπλίζῃ χέρας;

Current edition Perseus

Chorus Leader

Look! Here comes Aeneas, in great haste too, with news to tell his friends.
85

Aeneas

Hector, why have the sentinels in terror made their way through the army at night to your couch to hold a midnight conclave and disturb the army?

Hector

Encase yourself in your armor, Aeneas.
90

Aeneas

What is it? Have tidings come of some secret stratagem set on foot during the night by the foe?

Hector

The men are flying, and going aboard their ships.

Aeneas

What sure proof can you give of this?

Hector

The whole night they are kindling blazing torches; I think they will not wait for tomorrow, but after lighting brands upon their ships’ decks will leave this land and fly to their homes.
95

Aeneas

And you, why do you gird on your sword?

LEADER.

Who comes? Aeneas, and in haste, as though
85

Fraught with some sudden tiding of the night.

AENEAS.

Hector, what means it? Watchers in affright

Who gather shouting at thy doors, and then

Hold midnight council, shaking all our men?

HECTOR.

To arms, Aeneas! Arm from head to heel!
90

AENEAS.

What is it? Tidings? Doth the Argive steal

Some march, some ambush in the day’s eclipse?

HECTOR.

’Tis flight, man! They are marching to the ships.

AENEAS.

How know’st thou?—Have we proof that it is flight?

HECTOR.

They are burning beacon-fires the livelong night.
95

They never mean to wait till dawn. Behind

That screen of light they are climbing in the blind

Dark to their ships—unmooring from our coast.

AENEAS.
(looking toward the distant fires: after a pause)

God guide them!—Why then do you arm the host?

HECTOR.

I mean to lame them in their climbing, I
100

And my good spear, and break them as they fly.

Black shame it were, and folly worse than shame,

To let these spoilers go the road they came

Unpunished, when God gives them to us here.

Stable identifiers

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Search the Perseus Catalog for:

Χορός καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ Αἰνέας καὶ μάλα σπουδῇ ποδὸς 85 στείχει, νέον τι πρᾶγμʼ ἔχων φίλοις φράσαι.

Αἰνείας Ἕκτορ, τί χρῆμα νύκτεροι κατὰ στρατὸν τὰς σὰς πρὸς εὐνὰς φύλακες ἐλθόντες φόβῳ νυκτηγοροῦσι καὶ κεκίνηται· στρατός;

Ἕκτωρ Αἰνέα, πύκαζε τεύχεσιν δέμας σέθεν. 90

Αἰνείας τί δʼ ἔστι; μῶν τις πολεμίων ἀγγέλλεται δόλος κρυφαῖος ἑστάναι κατʼ εὐφρόνην;

Ἕκτωρ φεύγουσιν ἅνδρες κἀπιβαίνουσιν νεῶν.

Αἰνείας τί τοῦδʼ ἂν εἴποις ἀσφαλὲς τεκμήριον;

Αἰνείας σὺ δʼ ὡς τί δράσων πρὸς τάδʼ ὁπλίζῃ χέρας;

Current edition Perseus

Chorus Leader Look! Here comes Aeneas, in great haste too, with news to tell his friends. 85

Aeneas Hector, why have the sentinels in terror made their way through the army at night to your couch to hold a midnight conclave and disturb the army?

Hector Encase yourself in your armor, Aeneas. 90

Aeneas What is it? Have tidings come of some secret stratagem set on foot during the night by the foe?

Hector The men are flying, and going aboard their ships.

Aeneas What sure proof can you give of this?

Hector The whole night they are kindling blazing torches; I think they will not wait for tomorrow, but after lighting brands upon their ships’ decks will leave this land and fly to their homes. 95

Aeneas And you, why do you gird on your sword?

LEADER. Who comes? Aeneas, and in haste, as though 85 Fraught with some sudden tiding of the night.

AENEAS. Hector, what means it? Watchers in affright Who gather shouting at thy doors, and then Hold midnight council, shaking all our men?

HECTOR. To arms, Aeneas! Arm from head to heel! 90

AENEAS. What is it? Tidings? Doth the Argive steal Some march, some ambush in the day’s eclipse?

HECTOR. ’Tis flight, man! They are marching to the ships.

AENEAS. How know’st thou?—Have we proof that it is flight?

HECTOR. They are burning beacon-fires the livelong night. 95 They never mean to wait till dawn. Behind That screen of light they are climbing in the blind Dark to their ships—unmooring from our coast.

AENEAS. (looking toward the distant fires: after a pause) God guide them!—Why then do you arm the host?

HECTOR. I mean to lame them in their climbing, I 100 And my good spear, and break them as they fly. Black shame it were, and folly worse than shame, To let these spoilers go the road they came Unpunished, when God gives them to us here.

Stable identifiers

Χορός

καὶ μὴν ὅδʼ Αἰνέας καὶ μάλα σπουδῇ ποδὸς
85

στείχει, νέον τι πρᾶγμʼ ἔχων φίλοις φράσαι.

Αἰνείας

Ἕκτορ, τί χρῆμα νύκτεροι κατὰ στρατὸν

τὰς σὰς πρὸς εὐνὰς φύλακες ἐλθόντες φόβῳ

νυκτηγοροῦσι καὶ κεκίνηται· στρατός;

Ἕκτωρ

Αἰνέα, πύκαζε τεύχεσιν δέμας σέθεν.
90

Αἰνείας

τί δʼ ἔστι; μῶν τις πολεμίων ἀγγέλλεται

δόλος κρυφαῖος ἑστάναι κατʼ εὐφρόνην;

Ἕκτωρ

φεύγουσιν ἅνδρες κἀπιβαίνουσιν νεῶν.

Αἰνείας

τί τοῦδʼ ἂν εἴποις ἀσφαλὲς τεκμήριον;

Αἰνείας

σὺ δʼ ὡς τί δράσων πρὸς τάδʼ ὁπλίζῃ χέρας;

Chorus Leader

Look! Here comes Aeneas, in great haste too, with news to tell his friends.
85

Aeneas

Hector, why have the sentinels in terror made their way through the army at night to your couch to hold a midnight conclave and disturb the army?

Hector

Encase yourself in your armor, Aeneas.
90

Aeneas

What is it? Have tidings come of some secret stratagem set on foot during the night by the foe?

Hector

The men are flying, and going aboard their ships.

Aeneas

What sure proof can you give of this?

Hector

The whole night they are kindling blazing torches; I think they will not wait for tomorrow, but after lighting brands upon their ships’ decks will leave this land and fly to their homes.
95

Aeneas

And you, why do you gird on your sword?

LEADER.

Who comes? Aeneas, and in haste, as though
85

Fraught with some sudden tiding of the night.

AENEAS.

Hector, what means it? Watchers in affright

Who gather shouting at thy doors, and then

Hold midnight council, shaking all our men?

HECTOR.

To arms, Aeneas! Arm from head to heel!
90

AENEAS.

What is it? Tidings? Doth the Argive steal

Some march, some ambush in the day’s eclipse?

HECTOR.

’Tis flight, man! They are marching to the ships.

AENEAS.

How know’st thou?—Have we proof that it is flight?

HECTOR.

They are burning beacon-fires the livelong night.
95

They never mean to wait till dawn. Behind

That screen of light they are climbing in the blind

Dark to their ships—unmooring from our coast.

AENEAS.
(looking toward the distant fires: after a pause)

God guide them!—Why then do you arm the host?

HECTOR.

I mean to lame them in their climbing, I
100

And my good spear, and break them as they fly.

Black shame it were, and folly worse than shame,

To let these spoilers go the road they came

Unpunished, when God gives them to us here.