Aeschylus Agamemnon 699

CHOROS.

Who may he have been that named thus wholly with exactitude —

(Was he someone whom we see not, by forecastings of the future

Guiding tongue in happy mood?)

— Her with battle for a bridegroom, on all sides contention-wooed,

Helena? Since — mark the suture! —

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Ship’s-Hell, Man’s-Hell, City’s-Hell,

From the delicately-pompous curtains that pavilion well,

Forth, by favour of the gale

Of earth-born Zephuros did she sail.

Many shield-bearers, leaders of the pack,

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Sailed too upon their track,

Theirs who had directed oar,

Then visible no more,

To Simois’ leaf-luxuriant shore —

For sake of strife all gore!

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To Ilion Wrath, fulfilling her intent,

This marriage-care — the rightly named so — sent:

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In after-time, for the tables’ abuse

And that of the hearth-partaker Zeus,

Bringing to punishment

Those who honoured with noisy throat

The honour of the bride, the hymenseal note

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Which did the kinsfolk then to singing urge.

But, learning a new hymn for that which was,

The ancient city of Priamos

Groans probably a great and general dirge,

Denominating Paris

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The man that miserably marries: —

She who, all the while before,

A life, that was a general dirge

For citizens’ unhappy slaughter, bore.

And thus a man, by no milk’s help,

Within his household reared a lion’s whelp

That loved the teat

In life’s first festal stage:

Gentle as yet,

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A true child-lover, and, to men of age,

A thing whereat pride warms;

And oft he had it in his arms

Like any new-born babe, bright-faced, to hand

Wagging its tail, at belly’s strict command.

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But in due time upgrown,

The custom of progenitors was shown:

For-thanks for sustenance repaying

With ravage of sheep slaughtered —

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It made unbidden feast;

With blood the house was watered,

To household came a woe there was no staying:

Great mischief many-slaying!

From God it was-some priest

Of Até, in the house, by nurture thus increased.

At first, then, to the city of Ilion went

A soul, as I might say, of windless calm —

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Wealth’s quiet ornament,

An eyes’-dart bearing balm,

Love’s spirit-biting flower.

But — from the true course bending —

She brought about, of marriage, bitter ending:

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Ill-resident, ill-mate, in power

Passing to the Priamidai — by sending

Of Hospitable Zeus —

Erinus for a bride, — to make brides mourn, her dower.

Spoken long ago

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Was the ancient saying

Still among mortals staying:

Man’s great prosperity at height of rise

Engenders offspring nor unchilded dies;

And, from good fortune, to such families,

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Buds forth insatiate woe.

Whereas, distinct from any,

Of my own mind I am:

For ’t is the unholy deed begets the many,

Resembling each its dam.

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Of households that correctly estimate,

Ever a beauteous child is born of Fate.

But ancient Arrogance delights to generate

Arrogance, young and strong mid mortals’ sorrow,

Or now, or then, when comes the appointed morrow.

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And she bears young Satiety;

And, fiend with whom nor fight nor war can be,

Unholy Daring — twin black Curses

Within the household, children like their nurses.

But Justice shines in smoke-grimed habitations,

And honours the well-omened life;

While, — gold-besprinkled stations

Where the hands’ filth is rife,

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With backward-turning eyes

Leaving, — to holy seats she hies,

Not worshipping the power of wealth

Stamped with applause by stealth:

And to its end directs each thing begun.

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Approach then, my monarch, of Troia the sacker, of Atreus the son!

How ought I address thee, how ought I revere thee, — nor yet overhitting

Nor yet underbending the grace that is fitting?

Many of mortals hasten to honour the seeming-to-be —

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Passing by justice: and, with the ill-faring, to groan as he groans all are free.

But no bite of the sorrow their liver has reached to:

They say with the joyful, — one outside on each, too,

As they force to a smile smileless faces.

But whoever is good at distinguishing races

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In sheep of his flock — it is not for the eyes

Of a man to escape such a shepherd’s surprise,

As they seem, from a well-wishing mind,

In watery friendship to fawn and be kind.

Thou to me, then, indeed, sending an army for Helena’s sake,

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(I will not conceal it) wast — oh, by no help of the Muses! — depicted

Not well of thy midriff the rudder directing. — convicted

Of bringing a boldness they did not desire to the men with existence at stake.

But now — from no outside of mind, nor unlovingly — gracious thou art

To those who have ended the labour, fulfilling their part;

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And in time shalt thou know, by inquiry instructed,

Who of citizens justly, and who not to purpose, the city conducted.