Works of Aeschylus - Aeschylus [98]
To whom of our guest-champions hast appealed?
Herald of Aegyptus:
To Hermes, herald's champion, lord of search.
The King of Argos:
Yea, to a god-yet dost thou wrong the gods!
Herald of Aegyptus:
The gods that rule by Nilus I revere.
The King of Argos:
Hear I aright? our Argive gods are nought?
Herald of Aegyptus:
The prey is mine, unless force rend it from me.
The King of Argos:
At thine own peril touch them-'ware, and soon!
Herald of Aegyptus:
I hear thy speech, no hospitable word.
The King of Argos:
I am no host for sacrilegious hands.
Herald of Aegyptus:
I will go tell this to Aegyptus' sons.
The King of Argos:
Well it I my pride will ponder not thy word.
Herald of Aegyptus:
Yet, that I have my message clear to say
(For it behoves that heralds' words be clear,
Be they or ill or good), how art thou named?
By whom despoiled of this sister-band
Of maidens pass I homeward?-speak and say!
For lo, henceforth in Ares' court we stand,
Who judges not by witness but by war:
No pledge of silver now can bring the cause
To issue: ere this thing end, there must be
Corpse piled on corpse and many lives gasped forth.
The King of Argos:
What skills it that I tell my name to thee?
Thou and thy mates shall learn it ere the end.
Know that if words unstained by violence
Can change these maidens' choice, then mayest thou,
With full consent of theirs, conduct them hence.
But thus the city with one voice ordained-
No force shall bear away the maiden band.
Firmly this word upon the temple wall
Is by a rivet clenched, and shall abide:
Not upon wax inscribed and delible,
Nor upon parchment sealed and stored away.-
Lo, thou hast heard our free mouths speak their will:
Out from our presence-tarry not, but go!
Herald of Aegyptus:
Methinks we stand on some new edge of war:
Be strength and triumph on the young men's side!
The King of Argos:
Nay but here also shall ye find young men,
Unsodden with the juices oozed from grain.
The Herald of Aegyptus and his followers withdraw.
But ye, O maids, with vour attendants true,
Pass hence with trust into the fenced town,
Ringed with a wide confine of guarding towers.
Therein are many dwellings for such guests
As the State honours; there myself am housed
Within a palace neither scant nor strait.
There dwell ye, if ye will to lodge at ease
In halls well-thronged: yet, if your soul prefer,
Tarry secluded in a separate home.
Choose ye and cull, from these our proffered gifts,
Whiche'er is best and sweetest to your will:
And I and all these citizens whose vote
Stands thus decreed, will your protectors be.
Look not to find elsewhere more loyal guard.
Chorus, singing:
O godlike chief, God grant my prayer:
Fair blessings on thy proffers fair,
Lord of Pelasgia's race!
Yet, of thy grace, unto our side
Send thou the man of courage tried,
Of counsel deep and prudent thought
Be Danaus to his children brought;
For his it is to guide us well
And warn where it behoves to dwell-
What place shall guard and shelter us
From malice and tongues slanderous:
Swift always are the lips of blame
A stranger-maiden to defame-
But Fortune give us grace!
The King of Argos:
A stainless fame, a welcome kind
From all this people shall ye find:
Dwell therefore, damsels, loved of us,
Within our walls, as Danaus
Allots to each, in order due,
Her dower of attendants true.
Danaus re-enters. A troop of soldiers accompanies him.
Danaus:
High thanks, my children, unto Argos con,
And to this folk, as to Olympian gods,
Give offerings meet of sacrifice and wine;
For saviours are they in good sooth to you.
From me they heard, and bitter was their wrath,
How those your kinsmen strove to work you wrong,
And how of us were thwarted: then to me
This company of spearmen did they grant,
That honoured I might walk, nor unaware
Die by some secret thrust and on this land
Bring down the curse of death, that dieth not.
Such boons they gave me: it behoves me pay
A deeper reverence from a soul sincere.
Ye, to the many words of wariness