Danaus

Be of good cheer, my children, all goes well on the part of the citizens. Decrees, carrying full authority, have been passed.

600

Chorus

Hail, our envoy, harbinger of tidings most welcome, But tell us—to what end has the decision been carried, and to what course does the majority of the people’s votes incline?

Danaus

Action was taken by the Argives, not by any doubtful vote but in such a way as to make my aged heart renew its youth. For the air bristled with right hands held aloft as, in full vote, they ratified this resolution into law: That we are settlers in this land, and are free, subject to no seizure, and secure from robbery of man; that no one, native or alien, lead us captive; but, if they turn to violence, any landholder who refuses to rescue us, should both forfeit his rights and suffer public banishment.

605

Such was the persuasive speech that the king of the Pelasgians delivered on our behalf, uttering the solemn warning that never in the future should the city feed the great wrath of Zeus, protector of the suppliant; and declaring that, should a twofold defilement—from strangers and from natives at once—arise before the city,

615

it would become fodder for distress past all relief. Hearing these words, the Argive people, waiting for no proclamation of crier, voted by uplifted hand that this should be so. It was the Pelasgian people, won readily to assent, who heard the subtle windings of his speech; but it was Zeus who brought the end to pass.

620

CHORUS

O hail, old man, dearest of messengers to me; but declare to us how the decree has been ratified, to what purport the prevailing hand of the people is in the majority 3

.

DANAUS

The decree has been passed by the Argives, not with divided opinions, but so as for me to be young again in my aged mind. For in full assembly the air hurtled with the right hands [as the people] determined this matter; that we should inhabit this land, free, and not as pledges, and with sanctity of place among mortals; and that no one either of inhabitants or strangers should lead us away: but if violence should be added, that he of the citizens who did not give his aid should be disgraced by public exile. The king of the Pelasgians strove to persuade, speaking concerning us a speech to this effect, declaring the great wrath of Jove, that never in after time [the god] would increase the city, and saying that if a double pollution both to from the contempt of strangers, and upon the state, should appear before the city, it would be the food of irremediable calamity. Hearing such things, the Argive people passed a decree, without a crier, that these things should be: but the citizens of the Pelasgi heard the eloquent winning turns [of the king's speech]: and Jove brought about a happy conclusion.

CHORUS

DANAOS.

Rassurez-vous, mes filles : tout va bien du côté d'Argos; le peuple a rendu un décret décisif.

LE CORYPHÉE.

Salut, vieillard, porteur de si douces

LE CORYPHÉE.

nouvelles ! Mais dis-nous à quoi s'arrête la décision prise - à quelle majorité aussi a prévalu le vote populaire.

DANAOS.

Argos s'est prononcée d'une voix una- nime, et mon vieux cœur s'en est senti tout rajeuni. De ses droites levées le peuple entier a fait frémir l'éther, pour ratifier ces mots : nous aurons « la résidence en ce
pays, libres et protégés contre toute reprise par un droit d'asile reconnu ; nul habitant ni étranger ne pourra nous saisir; use-t-on de violence, tout bourgeois d'Argos qui ne nous prête aide est frappé d'atimie, exilé par sentence du
peuple ». Telle est la formule qu'a défendue notre patron, le roi des Pélasges, en invitant la cité à ne pas fournir d'aliment pour les jours à venir au terrible courroux de Zeus Suppliant et en évoquant la double souillure, à la fois nationale et étrangère ² , que la ville verrait alors venir à elle,
monstre indomptable, qu'il faudrait nourrir de douleurs ³ . A ces mots, les mains du peuple argien, sans attendre l'appel du héraut, ont prononcé dans ce sens. La nation pélasge s'est rendue aux persuasives raisons d'une adroite harangue; mais

CHORUS.

Dear to my ſoul, with grateful tidings fraught,

Hail, reverend parent! But inform us how

680

Paſs'd the decree; what numbers favour'd us ?

DANAUS.

Not one diſcordant voice jarr'd in their counſels.

The fire of youth glow'd in theſe aged veins,

When the whole people their uplifted hands

Wav'd in the air, to witneſs their aſſent

685

That we might be permitted here to dwell

Free, unreclaimable, inviolate :

That none preſume, native or ſtranger, hence

To lead us; and ſhou'd force be us'd, whoe'er

Aſſiſts not, him the public ſentence drives,

690

With infamy, an exile from his country.

This the Pelaſgian king advis'd, to us

Benevolent, declaring the fierce wrath

Of Jove, protector of the ſuppliant,

Cou'd not permit this firm and proſp'rous ſtate

695

To flourish; but ſuch double inſult, offer'd

To ev'ry law of hoſpitality

Sacred and civil, wou'd with twofold vengeance

Draw ruin on it.

When the Argives heard

700

Theſe arguments of winning eloquence,

Impatient of the uſual forms, they gave

With hands uplifted their concordant ſuffrage

Friendly to us: thus Jove decreed th' event.

CHORUS.

CORO

Pu.

Salue ſenex chariſsime nuncians mihi,

565

Vnum dic nobis quò tetendit finis?

Populi imperans manus quomodo plena est?

Da.

Viſum est Argiuis non diuiſim,

Sed tanquam pubescerem antiqua mente.

Totus populus manibus dextris

570

Horruit æther perficientium hunc ſermonem,

Nos incolere hanc terram liberos,

Et liberatos cum defenſione mortalium.

Neq; incolarum neq; aduenarum quenquam

Ducere. ſi uerò addatur robur,

575

Non adiuuantem has aduenas,

Ignominioſum eſse cum fuga populari.

Talem uerò sententiam perſuaſit pro nobis dicens

Rex Pelaſgorum, Iceſij Iouis iram

Magnam, lætus exiſtens ne fortè ultionem temporis

580

In urbem augeretur hoſpitale ciuicum simul

Dicens duplum ſcelus ante urbem apparere.

Inops cibus doloris eſse

Talia audiens manibus Argiuus populus

Perfecit ſine apparitore ut essem hæc.

585

Concionatores audiuit perſuaſus uerſutijs

Populus Pelaſgorum, Iupiter uerò perfecit finem.

Cho.

Chorus

All hail, my sire; thy word brings utmost joy.

660

Say, to what issue is the vote made sure,

And how prevailed the people's crowding hands?

Danaus

With one assent the Argives spake their will,

And, hearing, my old heart took youthful cheer.

The very sky was thrilled when high in air

665

The concourse raised right hands and swore their oath:—

Free shall the maidens sojourn in this land.

Unharried, undespoiled by mortal wight:

No native hand, no hand of foreigner

Shall drag them hence; if any man use force—

670

Whoe'er of all our countrymen shall fail

To come unto their aid, let him go forth,

Beneath the people's curse, to banishment.

So did the king of this Pelasgian folk

Plead on behalf of us, and bade them heed

675

That never, in the after-time, this realm

Should feed to fulness the great enmity

Of Zeus, the suppliants' guard, against itself!

A twofold curse, for wronging stranger-guests

Who are akin withal, confrontingly

680

Should rise before this city and be shown

A ruthless monster, fed on human doom.

Such things the Argive people heard, and straight,

Without proclaim of herald, gave assent:

Yea, in full conclave, the Pelasgian folk

685

Heard suasive pleas, and Zeus through them resolved.

Chorus

Der Chor.

Heil, Alter, der so liebe Botschaft uns gebracht!

Wohlan, verkünd' uns, wie des Volkes Schluß beschied,

Wo sich der Mehrheit Hände siegend hingeneigt.

580

Danaos.

Es stimmten Argos' Bürger all' in Einem Sinn,

Daß frisch in Jugend wieder schlug dies greise Herz.

Weit scholl der Aether, als des Volkes Hände rings

Empor sich hoben, diesen Spruch bestätigend:

„Wir sollen frei in diesem Lande wohnen, frei

585

Vor jedem Anspruch, unverleßlich aller Welt,

Und Fremde weder dürfen uns, noch Heimische,

Von hinnen führen; wird Gewalt an uns geübt,

So soll der Bürger, welcher uns nicht Hülfe leiht,

Ehrlos erklärt sein und verbannt durch Volkesschluß."

590

Zu solchem Antrag stimmend, sprach der König selbst

Für uns, Pelasgos, an den schweren Zorn des Zeus,

Des Flüchtlingshortes, mahnend, daß ihn nie die Stadt

Aufwecken möge: solch ein Doppelgräul, zugleich

Am Fremdling und am Bürger durch die Stadt verübt,

595

Würd' ihr ein unerschöpfter Born des Leides sein.

Das Volk von Argos hörte dies, erhob die Hand,

Bevor man aufrief, und gebot: „so soll es sein!"

Der Rede klugen vielgewandten Gang vernahm

Das Volk Pelasgos'; aber Zeus entschied das Ziel.

600

Die Chorführerin.