Euripides

“ Would that thy prudence matched thy might of hand! 105
So is it: one man cannot be all-wise,
But diverse gifts to diverse men belong—
Prowess to thee, to others prudent counsel.
Thou hear'st of these fire-beacons, leap'st to think
The Achaians flee, dost pant to lead thine host 110
Over the trenches in the hush of night.
Yet if, the foss's yawning chasm crossed,
Thou find the foemen not in act to flee
The land, but set to face thy spear, beware
Lest, vanquished, thou return not unto Troy. ”

“ Nigh the foes' towers. I come to help thee raze
Their ramparts, and to fire their galleys' hulls.
Hector.
Son of the Songful Mother, of the Muse,
And Thracian Strymon's flood, I love to speak
The truth: no man am I of double tongue. 395
Long, long since shouldest thou have come to aid
This land, nor suffered, for all help of thine,
That Troy should stoop 'neath spears of Argive foes.
Thou canst not say thou cam'st not to thy friends,
Nor visitedst for their help, for lack of bidding. 400
What Phrygian herald, or what ambassage,
Came not with instant prayer for help to Troy? ”

“ Scared was the sea-borne host of the foe.
So—for I doubted what time hath in store—
Bearing my tidings to thee I came, 50
That with thee I be henceforth clear of blame.
Hector.
Timely thou com'st, though thou dost herald fear.
Yon men are minded to flee forth the land
With darkling oar, escaping so my ken:
Their beacons of the night flash this to me. 55
Ah Fortune, that thou shouldst in triumph's hour
Rob of his prey the lion, ere my spear
With one swoop make an end of Argos' host! ”

“ Exit Paris.
Ho ye! I bid you, over-eager twain—
Laertes' son!—let sleep the whetted swords;
For at our feet dead lies the Thracian chief; 670
Our prize his steeds are. But the foe have heard,
And close on you. Now must ye with all speed
To yon ship-channels flee. Why linger ye,
When bursts the storm of foes, to save your lives?
Enter Odysseus followed by Chorus, tumultuously.
Chorus.
Ha, smite!—ha, smite!—ha, smite!—ha, smite!
Stab thou!—stab thou!—who is this wight?
Semichorus 1.
Look ye on him—this fellow, I say!—
Semichorus 2. ”

“ For ten full years hast thou been warring now,
Yet hast achieved nought, dost from day to day 445
Against the Argives cast the dice of war.
But for me one sun's dawning shall suffice
To storm their towers, to fall upon their fleet,
And slay the Achaians. So, thy toils cut short,
From Ilium on the morrow home I pass. 450
Of you let no man lift in hand a shield:
I ruining with my spear will still the vaunts
Of yon Achaians, howso late I come.
Chorus.
(Str. to Ant. 820—832) .
Hail to thee! welcome thy shout is, our champion from Zeus and our friend! ”

“ Return we to the ships' array in haste.
Some God, whoever giveth him good speed,
Shields him. 'Tis not for us to strive with fate.
Diomedes.
Nay, on Aeneas fall we, or on Paris— 585
Of foes most hated,—and smite off their heads.
Odysseus.
How in the dark, amidst a host of foes,
Unperilled wilt thou search, and slay these twain?
Diomedes.
Yet base it were to hie to Argos' ships
With nought of mischief to the foe achieved. 590
Odysseus.
Nothing achieved? Have we not slain the spy
Upon the galleys, Dolon? Have we not
His spoils? Look'st thou to ravage all their camp? ”

“ Scene:—In the camp of Troy, before Hector's tent.
RHESUS.
Enter Chorus marching to Hector's tent, before which stand guards.
Chorus.
Ho, pass to the couch of Hector your lord,
Ye watchful henchmen that guard his sleep,
If perchance he will hearken our tidings, the word
Of them through the night's fourth watch that keep
The wide war-host safe-fenced with the spear.
Ho! raise thine head on thine arm upstaying;
Unseal thine eyes, the battle-dismaying:
Leap from thine earth-strewn leaf-bed sere,
Hector: 'tis time to hear. 10
Enter Hector from the tent. ”

“ Before us camped were thou and Phrygia's host:—
Of thy friends who was wounded then, who slain,
When came the foes whereof thou tellest us?
We—some are wounded, some have suffered scathe
More deadly, and the sun's light see no more. 850
In plain words, no Achaian we accuse.
Who of the foe had come, and in the night
Found Rhesus' couch—except a very God
Guided the slayers? They not even knew
That he had come! Now nay, this plot is thine. 855
Hector. ”

“ But thou—upon the left wing or the right, 485
Or centre of our allies, mayst thou plant
Thy buckler, and array thy battle-line.
Rhesus.
Hector, alone I fain would fight the foe.
Yet, if thou think shame not to help to fire
The ship-sterns, after all thy toils o'erpast, 490
Post me to face Achilles and his host.
Hector.
'Gainst him one cannot lift the eager spear.
Rhesus.
Yet rumour ran that he too sailed to Troy.
Hector.
He sailed, and he is here; but, being wroth
With fellow-chieftains, lifteth not the spear. 495
Rhesus. ”

“ Are startling our array!—
Hitherward, hitherward, all! 680
Semichorus 1.
I have them caught in the grasp of mine hand!
Semichorus 2.
(To Od.) What is thy troop?—whence art thou?—a man of what land?
Odysseus. [9]
Nought to thee is this!
Semichorus 1.
For thou shalt die for evil wrought this day!
Tell the watchword, ere the spear unto thine heart have found the way!
Odysseus.
Ha! and hast thou murdered Rhesus? 685
Semichorus 2. ”

“ Dull-witted are we clowns, I gainsay not:
Yet none the less I bring thee welcome news.
Hector.
Forbear to tell me how the sheep-pens thrive.
Battles have we in hand, and brandish spears.
Shepherd.
Even such the tidings are wherewith I come. 275
A warrior captaining a countless host
Draws nigh,—thy friend, and this land's war-ally.
Hector.
Leaving what country's plains untenanted?
Shepherd.
Thrace: and he bears the name of Strymon's son.
Hector.
Rhesus! Doth he set foot in Troy, say'st thou? 280
Shepherd. ”

“ Curse her, who voyaged from Hellas over
To a Phrygian lover, 910
A wanton's bed,
Who of sons made desolate towns without number,
And bowed thee in slumber
Of death, dear head!
Sore hast thou wrung mine heart, Philammon's son, 915
In life, and since to Hades thou hast passed.
Thine overweening, ruinous rivalry
With Muses, made me bear this hapless child. ”

“ Great thine emprise is, and great the reward thou dost claim;
So thou mayst but attain thereunto, high bliss shalt thou know.
Verily this thine adventure is fraught with fame.
Yet, to wed with a princess!—glory had this been, I trow.
For the Gods' part, even let Justice look to the same:
But for men—never guerdon more perfect may man bestow. 200
Dolon. ”

“ When the sun in the sea sinks stormily, and the state's prow heavily dips.
There is, there is mid the Phrygians found a hero!—our prowess shall glow 250
Mid the clash of the spears:—at our help who sneers, save the envious Mysian lips? ”

“ Not him shall Pallas save, who murdered thee,
Such shaft doth Loxias' quiver keep for him.
Ah, woes of mothers! Miseries of men! 980
Yea, whoso taketh true account of you
Childless will live, nor bear sons for the grave. ”

“ And the Trojans sent forth Dolon a spy to know what the Greeks were minded to do. But there went forth also two spies from the camp of the Greeks, even Odysseus and Diomedes, and these met Dolon and slew him, after that he had told them in his fear all that they would know of the array of the Trojans, and of the coming of their great ally, Rhesus the Thracian, the son of a Goddess. And herein is told of the coming of the Thracian king, and of all that befell that night in the camp of the Trojans.
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.
Hector, captain of the host of Troy. ”

“ What meaneth this? Is stealthy ambuscade
Of foes 'neath darkness' screen announced afoot?
Hector.
Our enemies flee: even now they board their ships.
Aeneas.
What certain proof hereof hast thou to tell?
Hector.
All through the night they kindle flaming brands: 95
Yea, and methinks they will not wait the morn,
But, burning torches on the fair-benched ships,
In homeward flight will get them from this land.
Aeneas.
And thou, with what intent dost arm thine hand?
Hector.
Even as they flee, and leap upon their decks, 100
My spear shall stay them and mine onset crush. ”

“ Odysseus.
Beware thou light not darkling on their guards. 570
Diomedes.
Even in darkness will I step with heed.
Odysseus.
But, shouldst thou rouse them, knowest thou the watchword?
Diomedes.
"Phœbus"—from Dolon's mouth I heard the word.
Odysseus.
Ha! void of foes this bivouac I see!
Diomedes.
Yet surely Dolon told us that here lay 575
Hector, against whom this my spear is trailed.
Odysseus.
What means this? Is his troop elsewhither gone?
Diomedes.
Perchance he frames 'gainst us a stratagem.
Odysseus.
Ay, bold is Hector, now triumphant—bold!
Diomedes. ”

“ Of dartmen passed, accoutred Thracian-wise.
Such warrior is at hand for Troy's ally
As Peleus' son shall not prevail to escape, 315
Fleeing or biding onset of the spear.
Chorus.
When to our burghers heaven lends present aid,
Down-gliding to success fleets Fortune's stream. ”

“ What wouldst thou then of treasures Ilium hoards?
Dolon.
Pledge me my gift, if thou destroy the foe.
Hector.
I will give. Ask aught save their chiefs for thralls.
Dolon.
Slay them: not Menelaus' life I ask.
Hector.
Sure, thou wouldst ask not of me Oïleus' son? 175
Dolon.
Ill at field-toil be dainty-nurtured hands.
Hector.
Whom of the Greeks wouldst hold to ransom then?
Dolon.
Erewhile I said it—gold my halls lack not.
Hector.
Then come, and of the spoils make choice thyself.
Dolon.
These to the Gods hang thou on temple-walls. 180
Hector. ”

“ THE END.
↑ Reading dubious: ξυνέσχον gives no indisputable sense. ↑ Dolon, "the crafty," from dolos, craft. ↑ Or, "The land's hearth nestling at the mountain's feet," according to the interpretation of αὐτόρριζον preferred by Paley. ↑ Since the corpse of an enemy is a welcome burden to the soil of our country. ↑ Reading ἐν γένει (Paley) . ↑ As Rhesus, starting, we may suppose, at the beginning of spring for Troy, had had to turn back and undertake a spring campaign in Scythia, the time of his actual arrival at Troy could not well be before the summer. ”