Four Plays of Aeschylus Part 13

He bridged the ford of h.e.l.le's strait by artful carpentry.

GHOST OF DARIUS

How? could his craft avail to span the torrent of that tide?

ATOSSA

'Tis sooth I say-some unknown power did fatal help provide!

GHOST OF DARIUS

Alas, that power in malice came, to his bewilderment!

ATOSSA

Alas, we see the end of all, the ruin on us sent.

GHOST OF DARIUS

Speak, tell me how they fared therein, that thus ye mourn and weep?

ATOSSA

Disaster to the army came, through ruin on the deep!

GHOST OF DARIUS

Is all undone? hath all the folk gone down before the foe?

ATOSSA

Yea, hark to Susa's mourning cry for warriors laid low!

GHOST OF DARIUS

Alas for all our gallant aids, our Persia's help and pride!

ATOSSA

Ay! old with young, the Bactrian force hath perished at our side!

GHOST OF DARIUS

Alas, my son! what gallant youths hath he sent down to death!

ATOSSA

Alone, or with a scanty guard-for so the rumour saith-

GHOST OF DARIUS

He came-but how, and to what end? doth aught of hope remain?

ATOSSA

With joy he reached the bridge that spanned the h.e.l.lespontine main.

GHOST OF DARIUS

How? is he safe, in Persian land? speak soothly, yea or nay!

ATOSSA

Clear and more clear the rumour comes, for no man to gainsay.

GHOST OF DARIUS

Woe for the oracle fulfilled, the presage of the war Launched on my son, by will of Zeus! I deemed our doom afar In lap of time; but, if a king push forward to his fate, The G.o.d himself allures to death that man infatuate!

So now the very fount of woe streams out on those I loved, And mine own son, unwisely bold, the truth hereof hath proved!

He sought to shackle and control the h.e.l.lespontine wave, That rushes from the Bosphorus, with fetters of a slave!- To curb and bridge, with welded links, the streaming water-way, And guide across the pa.s.sage broad his manifold array!

Ah, folly void of counsel! he deemed that mortal wight Could thwart the will of Heaven itself and curb Poseidon's might!

Was it not madness? much I fear lest all my wealth and store Pa.s.s from my treasure-house, to be the s.n.a.t.c.her's prize once more!

ATOSSA

Such is the lesson, ah, too late! to eager Xerxes taught- Trusting random counsellors and hare-brained men of nought, Who said Darius mighty wealth and fame to us did bring, But thou art nought, a blunted spear, a palace-keeping king!

Unto those sorry counsellors a ready ear he lent, And led away to h.e.l.las' sh.o.r.e his fated armament.

GHOST OF DARIUS

Therefore through them hath come calamity Most huge and past forgetting; nor of old Did ever such extermination fall Upon the city Susa. Long ago Zeus in his power this privilege bestowed, That with a guiding sceptre one sole man Should rule this Asian land of flock and herd.

Over the folk a Mede, Astyages, Did grasp the power: then Cyaxares ruled In his sire's place, and held the sway aright, Steering his state with watchful wariness.

Third in succession, Cyrus, blest of Heaven, Held rule and 'stablished peace for all his clan: Lydian and Phrygian won he to his sway, And wide Ionia to his yoke constrained, For the G.o.d favoured his discretion sage.

Fourth in the dynasty was Cyrus' son, And fifth was Mardus, scandal of his land And ancient lineage. Him Artaphrenes, Hardy of heart, within his palace slew, Aided by loyal plotters, set for this.

And I too gained the lot for which I craved, And oftentimes led out a goodly host, Yet never brought disaster such as this Upon the city. But my son is young And reckless in his youth, and heedeth not The warnings of my mouth. Mark this, my friends, Born with my birth, coeval with mine age- Not all we kings who held successive rule Have wrought, combined, such ruin as my son!

CHORUS

How then, O King Darius? whitherward Dost thou direct thy warning? from this plight How can we Persians fare towards hope again?

GHOST OF DARIUS

By nevermore a.s.sailing Grecian lands, Even tho' our Median force be double theirs- For the land's self protects its denizens.

CHORUS

How meanest thou? by what defensive power?

GHOST OF DARIUS

She wastes by famine a too countless foe.

CHORUS