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Orestes
son of Agamemnon once
The leader of th' illustrious host of Greece.
Such was this day: but when some god decrees
His doom, not e'en the mighty can escape.
The next day's contest was the rapid course
Of rolling chariots. With the orient sun
Ardent 'midst many rivals he advanced;
One an Achæan, one from Sparta, two
From Libya, skill'd to rule the harness'd car:
With these Orestes, his Thessalian mares
Restraining: From Ætolia came a youth,
His coursers colour'd like the burnish'd gold:
Nor was Magnesia wanting to the course:
Proud of his snow white steeds an Ænian came,
One came from Athens built by hands divine;
The list of heroes a Bœotian closed.
Now standing where th' appointed umpires fix'd
By lot their stations, and arranged the cars,
Soon as the trumpet gave the signal, swift
They bounded from the barrier, cheer'd their steeds,
And tost their slacken'd reins; the rolling wheels
With thunder shook the plain, and clouds of dust
Rose to the skies. Together all were mix'd,
Nor spared the lash, impatient each to pass
The others axle and high-snorting steeds;
For o'er their backs and summits of the wheels
Their whitening foam they threw, and fiery breath.
But ever, the last pillar as he reach'd,
He drew his axle nigh, for on the right
He gave his steed the reins, the nearer curb'd.
Thus far the rapid cars roll'd on erect;
Till now the Ænian's wild unmanaged steeds
Broke from the ground, and at the seventh return
Reckless their fronts with headstrong fury dash'd
Against the Lybian chariot. From this shock
Of one, wheel clash'd with shatter'd wheel, and fell;
The wreck of cars fill'd all the Phocian plain.
This saw th' Athenian, and, with skilful hand
Wheeling aloof, his courser's speed restrain'd,
And pass'd the wide confusion of the storm
Roll'd in the middle course. His steeds behind
son of Agamemnon once
The leader of th' illustrious host of Greece.
Such was this day: but when some god decrees
His doom, not e'en the mighty can escape.
The next day's contest was the rapid course
Of rolling chariots. With the orient sun
Ardent 'midst many rivals he advanced;
One an Achæan, one from Sparta, two
From Libya, skill'd to rule the harness'd car:
With these Orestes, his Thessalian mares
Restraining: From Ætolia came a youth,
His coursers colour'd like the burnish'd gold:
Nor was Magnesia wanting to the course:
Proud of his snow white steeds an Ænian came,
One came from Athens built by hands divine;
The list of heroes a Bœotian closed.
Now standing where th' appointed umpires fix'd
By lot their stations, and arranged the cars,
Soon as the trumpet gave the signal, swift
They bounded from the barrier, cheer'd their steeds,
And tost their slacken'd reins; the rolling wheels
With thunder shook the plain, and clouds of dust
Rose to the skies. Together all were mix'd,
Nor spared the lash, impatient each to pass
The others axle and high-snorting steeds;
For o'er their backs and summits of the wheels
Their whitening foam they threw, and fiery breath.
But ever, the last pillar as he reach'd,
He drew his axle nigh, for on the right
He gave his steed the reins, the nearer curb'd.
Thus far the rapid cars roll'd on erect;
Till now the Ænian's wild unmanaged steeds
Broke from the ground, and at the seventh return
Reckless their fronts with headstrong fury dash'd
Against the Lybian chariot. From this shock
Of one, wheel clash'd with shatter'd wheel, and fell;
The wreck of cars fill'd all the Phocian plain.
This saw th' Athenian, and, with skilful hand
Wheeling aloof, his courser's speed restrain'd,
And pass'd the wide confusion of the storm
Roll'd in the middle course. His steeds behind
Electra. Sophocles. Robert Potter (Translator). London. 1820.