Four Plays of Aeschylus Part 3

Libya, with name of a wide land endowed.

THE KING OF ARGOS

And who from her was born unto the race?

CHORUS

Belus: from him two sons, my father one.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Speak now to me his name, this greybeard wise.

CHORUS

Revere the G.o.ds thus crowned, who steer the State.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Awe thrills me, seeing these shrines with leaf.a.ge crowned.

CHORUS

Yea, stern the wrath of Zeus, the suppliants' lord.

Child of Palaichthon, royal chief Of thy Pelasgians, hear!

Bow down thine heart to my relief- A fugitive, a suppliant, swift with fear, A creature whom the wild wolves chase O'er toppling crags; in piteous case Aloud, afar she lows, Calling the herdsman's trusty arm to save her from her foes!

THE KING OF ARGOS

Lo, with bowed heads beside our city shrines Ye sit 'neath shade of new-plucked olive-boughs.

Our distant kin's resentment Heaven forefend!

Let not this hap, unhoped and unforeseen, Bring war on us: for strife we covet not.

CHORUS

Justice, the daughter of right-dealing Zeus, Justice, the queen of suppliants, look down, That this our plight no ill may loose Upon your town!

This word, even from the young, let age and wisdom learn: If thou to suppliants show grace, Thou shalt not lack Heaven's grace in turn, So long as virtue's gifts on heavenly shrines have place.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Not at my private hearth ye sit and sue; And if the city bear a common stain, Be it the common toil to cleanse the same: Therefore no pledge, no promise will I give, Ere counsel with the commonwealth be held.

CHORUS

Nay, but the source of sway, the city's self, art thou, A power unjudged! thine, only thine, To rule the right of hearth and shrine!

Before thy throne and sceptre all men bow!

Thou, in all causes lord, beware the curse divine!

THE KING OF ARGOS

May that curse fall upon mine enemies!

I cannot aid you without risk of scathe, Nor scorn your prayers-unmerciful it were.

Perplexed, distraught I stand, and fear alike The twofold chance, to do or not to do.

CHORUS

Have heed of him who looketh from on high, The guard of woeful mortals, whosoe'er Unto their fellows cry, And find no pity, find no justice there.

Abiding in his wrath, the suppliants' lord Doth smite, unmoved by cries, unbent by prayerful word.

THE KING OF ARGOS

But if Aegyptus' children grasp you here, Claiming, their country's right, to hold you theirs As next of kin, who dares to counter this?

Plead ye your country's laws, if plead ye may, That upon you they lay no lawful hand.

CHORUS

Let me not fall, O nevermore, A prey into the young men's hand; Rather than wed whom I abhor, By pilot-stars I flee this land; O king, take justice to thy side, And with the righteous powers decide!

THE KING OF ARGOS

Hard is the cause-make me not judge thereof.

Already I have vowed it, to do nought Save after counsel with my people ta'en, King though I be; that ne'er in after time, If ill fate chance, my people then may say- In aid of strangers thou the state hast slain.

CHORUS

Zeus, lord of kins.h.i.+p, rules at will The swaying balance, and surveys Evil and good; to men of ill Gives evil, and to good men praise.

And thou-since true those scales do sway- Shall thou from justice shrink away?

THE KING OF ARGOS

A deep, a saving counsel here there needs- An eye that like a diver to the depth Of dark perplexity can pa.s.s and see, Undizzied, unconfused. First must we care That to the State and to ourselves this thing Shall bring no ruin; next, that wrangling hands Shall grasp you not as prey, nor we ourselves Betray you thus embracing sacred shrines, Nor make the avenging all-destroying G.o.d, Who not in h.e.l.l itself sets dead men free, A grievous inmate, an abiding bane.- Spake I not right, of saving counsel's need?

CHORUS

Yea, counsel take and stand to aid At Justice' side and mine.

Betray not me, the timorous maid Whom far beyond the brine A G.o.dless violence cast forth forlorn.

O King, wilt thou behold- Lord of this land, wilt thou behold me torn From altars manifold?

Bethink thee of the young men's wrath and l.u.s.t, Hold off their evil pride; Steel not thyself to see the suppliant thrust From hallowed statues' side, Haled by the frontlet on my forehead bound, As steeds are led, and drawn By hands that drag from shrine and altar-mound My vesture's fringed lawn.

Know thou that whether for Aegyptus' race Thou dost their wish fulfil, Or for the G.o.ds and for each holy place- Be thy choice good or ill, Blow is with blow requited, grace with grace Such is Zeus' righteous will.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Yea, I have pondered: from the sea of doubt Here drives at length the bark of thought ash.o.r.e; Landward with screw and windla.s.s haled, and firm, Clamped to her props, she lies. The need is stern; With men or G.o.ds a mighty strife we strive Perforce, and either hap in grief concludes.

For, if a house be sacked, new wealth for old Not hard it is to win-if Zeus the lord Of treasure favour-more than quits the loss, Enough to pile the store of wealth full high; Or if a tongue shoot forth untimely speech, Bitter and strong to goad a man to wrath, Soft words there be to soothe that wrath away: But what device shall make the war of kin Bloodless? that woe, the blood of many beasts, And victims manifold to many G.o.ds, Alone can cure. Right glad I were to shun This strife, and am more fain of ignorance Than of the wisdom of a woe endured.

The G.o.ds send better than my soul foretells!

CHORUS

Of many cries for mercy, hear the end.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Say on, then, for it shall not 'scape mine ear.

CHORUS

Girdles we have, and bands that bind our robes.

THE KING OF ARGOS

Even so; such things beseem a woman's wear.