Aeschylus Agamemnon 128

CHOROS.

Empowered am I to sing

The omens, what their force which, journeying,

105

Rejoiced the potentates:

(For still, from God, inflates

My breast song-suasion: age,

Born to the business, still such war can wage)

— How the fierce bird against the Teukris land

110

Despatched, with spear and executing hand,

The Achaian’s two-throned empery—o’er Hellas ’ youth

Two rulers with one mind:

The birds’ king to these kings of ships, on high,

— The black sort, and the sort that’s white behind, —

115

Appearing by the palace, on the spear-throw side,

In right sky-regions, visible far and wide, —

Devouring a hare-creature, great with young,

Baulked of more racings they, as she from whom they sprung!

Ah, Linos, say — ah, Linos, song of wail!

120

But may the good prevail!

The prudent army-prophet seeing two

The Atreidai, two their tempers, knew

Those feasting on the hare

The armament-conductors were;

And thus he spoke, explaining signs in view.

125

In time, this outset takes the town of Priamos:

But all before its towers, — the people’s wealth that was,

Of flocks and herds, — as sure, shall booty-sharing thence

Drain to the dregs away, by battle violence.

Only, have care lest grudge of any god disturb

130

With cloud the unsullied shine of that great force, the curb

Of Troia , struck with damp

Beforehand in the camp!

For envyingly is

The virgin Artemis

135

Toward — her father’s flying hounds — this House —

The sacrificers of the piteous

And cowering beast,

Brood and all, ere the birth: she hates the eagles’ feast.

Ah, Linos, say — ah, Linos, song of wail!

But may the good prevail!

Thus ready is the beauteous one with help

140

To those small dewdrop-things fierce lions whelp,

And udder-loving litter of each brute

That roams the mead; and therefore makes she suit,

The fair one, for fulfilment to the end

Of things these signs portend —

145

Which partly smile, indeed, but partly scowl —

The phantasms of the fowl.

I call Ieïos Paian to avert

She work the Danaoi hurt

By any thwarting waftures, long and fast

Holdings from sail of ships:

150

And sacrifice, another than the last,

She for herself precipitate —

Something unlawful, feast for no man’s lips,

Builder of quarrels, with the House cognate —

Having in awe no husband: for remains

A frightful, backward-darting in the path,

Wily house-keeping chronicler of wrath,

155

That has to punish that old children’s fate!

Such things did Kalchas, — with abundant gains

As well, — vociferate,

Predictions from the birds, in journeying,

Above the abode of either king.

With these, symphonious, sing —

Ah, Linos, say — ah, Linos, song of wail!

But may the good prevail!

Zeus, whosoe’er he be, — if that express

160

Aught dear to him on whom I call —

So do I him address.

I cannot liken out, by all

Admeasurement of powers,

Any but Zeus for refuge at such hours,

165

If veritably needs I must

From off my soul its vague care-burthen thrust.

Not — whosoever was the great of yore,

Bursting to bloom with bravery all round —

Is in our mouths: he was, but is no more.

And who it was that after came to be,

170

Met the thrice-throwing wrestler, — he

Is also gone to ground.

But Zeus — if any, heart and soul, that name —

Shouting the triumph-praise — proclaim,

Complete in judgment shall that man be found.

175

Zeus, who leads onward mortals to be wise,

Appoints that suffering masterfully teach.

In sleep, before the heart of each,

A woe-remembering travail sheds in dew

Discretion, — ay, and melts the unwilling too

180

By what, perchance, may be a graciousness

Of gods, enforced no less, —

As they, commanders of the crew,

Assume the awful seat.

And then the old leader of the Achaian fleet,

Disparaging no seer —

185

With bated breath to suit misfortune’s inrush here

— (What time it laboured, that Achaian host,

By stay from sailing, — every pulse at length

Emptied of vital strength, —

Hard over Kalchis shore-bound, current-crost

190

In Aulis station, — while the winds which post

From Strumon, ill-delayers, famine-fraught,

Tempters of man to sail where harbourage is naught,

Spendthrifts of ships and cables, turning time

To twice the length, — these carded, by delay,

195

To less and less away

The Argeians’ flowery prime:

And when a remedy more grave and grand

Than aught before, — yea, for the storm and dearth, —

The prophet to the foremost in command

200

Shrieked forth, as cause of this

Adducing Artemis,

So that the Atreidai striking staves on earth

Could not withhold the tear) —

Then did the king, the elder, speak this clear.

205

Heavy the fate, indeed, — to disobey!

Yet heavy if my child I slay,

The adornment of my household: with the tide

Of virgin-slaughter, at the altar-side,

A father’s hands defiling: which the way

210

Without its evils, say?

How shall I turn fleet-fugitive,

Failing of duty to allies?

Since for a wind-abating sacrifice

And virgin blood, — ’t is right they strive,

215

Nay, madden with desire.

Well may it work them — this that they require!

But when he underwent necessity’s

Yoke-trace, — from soul blowing unhallowed change

Unclean, abominable, — thence—another man —

220

The audacious mind of him began

Its wildest range.

For this it is gives mortals hardihood —

Some vice-devising miserable mood

Of madness, and first woe of all the brood.

The sacrificer of his daughter — strange! —

He dared become, to expedite

225

Woman-avenging warfare, — anchors weighed

With such prelusive rite!

Prayings and callings Father — naught they made

Of these, and of the virgin-age, —

Captains heart-set on war to wage!

230

His ministrants, vows done, the father bade —

Kid-like, above the altar, swathed in pall,

Take her — lift high, and have no fear at all,

Head-downward, and the fair mouth’s guard

And frontage hold, — press hard

235

From utterance a curse against the House

By dint of bit-violence bridling speech.

And as to ground her saffron-vest she shed,

She smote the sacrificers all and each

240

With arrow sweet and piteous,

From the eye only sped, —

Significant of will to use a word,

Just as in pictures: since, full many a time,

In her sire’s guest-hall, by the well-heaped board

Had she made music, — lovingly with chime

Of her chaste voice, that unpolluted thing,

245

Honoured the third libation, — paian that should bring

Good fortune to the sire she loved so well.

What followed — those things I nor saw nor tell.

But Kalchas’ arts, — whate’er they indicate, —

Miss of fulfilment never: it is fate.

True, justice makes, in sufferers, a desire

250

To know the future woe preponderate.

But — hear before is need?

To that, farewell and welcome! ’t is the same, indeed,

As grief beforehand: clearly, part for part,

Conformably to Kalchas’ art,

Shall come the event.

But be they as they may, things subsequent, —

255

What is to do, prosperity betide

E’en as we wish it! — we, the next allied,

Sole guarding barrier of the Apian land.