---
title: "Persians · Πέρσαι"
author: "Aeschylus"
translator: "Herbert Weir Smyth"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
url: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/
cite: "Aeschylus, tr. Herbert Weir Smyth, Persians · Πέρσαι. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/"
---

# Persians · Πέρσαι

*Aeschylus, tr. Herbert Weir Smyth*

The defeat at Salamis seen from the Persian court, by a poet who fought there.

> Greek: ed. Herbert Weir Smyth, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0085.tlg002, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Herbert Weir Smyth, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0085.tlg002.perseus-eng2). Notes are not included.

> Rows follow the references the two texts share (line numbers), cut where both reach the end of a sentence.

## Contents

1. [Lines 1–516](https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/1.md)
2. [Lines 517–1076](https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/2.md)

## 1. Lines 1–516

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/1/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/1/#p-N

[¶0] Enter a band of Elders, guardians of the Persian Empire
Chorus:
Here we are, the faithful Council of the Persians, who have gone to the land of Hellas, we who serve as warders of the royal abode, rich in bountiful store of gold,
we whom Xerxes, our King, Darius’ royal son, himself selected, by virtue of our rank and years, to be the guardians of his realm. Yet as regards the return of our King and of his host, so richly decked out in gold,
the soul within my breast is distressed and presages disaster. For the whole populace of the Asian nation has come and murmurs against its youthful King, nor does any courier or horseman
arrive at the city of the Persians, who left behind them the walled defence of Susa and Agbatana and Cissa’s ancient ramparts, and went forth, some on horseback, some in galleys, others on foot
presenting a dense array of war. Such are Amistres and Artaphrenes and Megabates and Astaspes, marshals of the Persians; kings themselves, yet vassals of the Great King,
they press on, commanders of an enormous host, skilled in archery and horsemanship, formidable to look upon and fearful in battle through the valiant resolve of their souls. Artembares, too, who fights from his chariot,
and Masistres, and noble Imaeus, skilled with the bow, and Pharandaces, and Sosthanes, who urges on his steeds. Others in addition the mighty, fecund Nile sent forth — Susiscanes,
Pegastagon of Egyptian lineage, mighty Arsames, lord of sacred Memphis, Ariomardus, governor of ancient Thebes, and the marsh-dwelling oarsmen,
well-skilled and countless in number.

> Greek: Χορός:
Τάδε μὲν Περσῶν τῶν οἰχομένων
Ἑλλάδʼ ἐς αἶαν πιστὰ καλεῖται,
καὶ τῶν ἀφνεῶν καὶ πολυχρύσων
ἑδράνων φύλακες, κατὰ πρεσβείαν
οὓς αὐτὸς ἄναξ Ξέρξης βασιλεὺς
Δαρειογενὴς
εἵλετο χώρας ἐφορεύειν.
ἀμφὶ δὲ νόστῳ τῷ βασιλείῳ
καὶ πολυχρύσου στρατιᾶς ἤδη
κακόμαντις ἄγαν ὀρσολοπεῖται
θυμὸς ἔσωθεν.
πᾶσα γὰρ ἰσχὺς Ἀσιατογενὴς
ᾤχωκε, νέον δʼ ἄνδρα βαΰζει,
κοὔτε τις ἄγγελος οὔτε τις ἱππεὺς
ἄστυ τὸ Περσῶν ἀφικνεῖται·
οἵτε τὸ Σούσων ἠδʼ Ἀγβατάνων
καὶ τὸ παλαιὸν Κίσσιον ἕρκος
προλιπόντες ἔβαν, τοὶ μὲν ἐφʼ ἵππων.
τοὶ δʼ ἐπὶ ναῶν, πεζοί τε βάδην
πολέμου στῖφος παρέχοντες·
οἷος Ἀμίστρης ἠδʼ Ἀρταφρένης
καὶ Μεγαβάτης ἠδʼ Ἀστάσπης,
ταγοὶ Περσῶν,
βασιλῆς βασιλέως ὕποχοι μεγάλου,
σοῦνται, στρατιᾶς πολλῆς ἔφοροι,
τοξοδάμαντές τʼ ἠδʼ ἱπποβάται,
φοβεροὶ μὲν ἰδεῖν, δεινοὶ δὲ μάχην
ψυχῆς εὐτλήμονι δόξῃ·
Ἀρτεμβάρης θʼ ἱππιοχάρμης
καὶ Μασίστρης, ὅ τε τοξοδάμας
ἐσθλὸς Ἰμαῖος, Φαρανδάκης θʼ,
ἵππων τʼ ἐλατὴρ Σοσθάνης.
ἄλλους δʼ ὁ μέγας καὶ πολυθρέμμων
Νεῖλος ἔπεμψεν· Σουσισκάνης,
Πηγασταγὼν Αἰγυπτογενής,
ὅ τε τῆς ἱερᾶς Μέμφιδος ἄρχων
μέγας Ἀρσάμης, τάς τʼ ὠγυγίους
Θήβας ἐφέπων Ἀριόμαρδος,
καὶ ἑλειοβάται ναῶν ἐρέται
δεινοὶ πλῆθός τʼ ἀνάριθμοι.

[¶1] Behind them follows a throng of luxurious Lydians and those who hold in subjection all the people of the mainland, whom Metrogathes and brave Arcteus, their regal commanders,
and Sardis rich in gold sent forth, riding in many a chariot, in ranks with three and four steeds abreast, a spectacle terrible to behold. They too who live by sacred Tmolus pledge themselves
to cast the yoke of slavery upon Hellas—Mardon, Tharybis, anvils of the lance, and the Mysians, hurlers of the javelin. Babylon, also, teeming with gold, sends a mixed host arrayed in a long line, both mariners borne in galleys
and those who rely on their skill in archery. The nation too which wears the sabre follows from every part of Asia in the fearful procession of the King. Such are the warriors, the flower of the Persian land,
who have departed, and in fierce longing for them the whole land of Asia, their foster-nurse, laments, while parents and wives, as they count the days, shudder at the lengthening delay.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἁβροδιαίτων δʼ ἕπεται Λυδῶν
ὄχλος, οἵ τʼ ἐπίπαν ἠπειρογενὲς
κατέχουσιν ἔθνος, τοὺς Μητρογαθὴς
Ἀρκτεύς τʼ ἀγαθός, βασιλῆς δίοποι,
καὶ πολύχρυσοι Σάρδεις ἐπόχους
πολλοῖς ἅρμασιν ἐξορμῶσιν,
δίρρυμά τε καὶ τρίρρυμα τέλη,
φοβερὰν ὄψιν προσιδέσθαι.
στεῦται δʼ ἱεροῦ Τμώλου πελάται
ζυγὸν ἀμφιβαλεῖν δούλιον Ἑλλάδι,
Μάρδων, Θάρυβις, λόγχης ἄκμονες,
καὶ ἀκοντισταὶ Μυσοί· Βαβυλὼν δʼ
ἡ πολύχρυσος πάμμικτον ὄχλον
πέμπει σύρδην, ναῶν τʼ ἐπόχους
καὶ τοξουλκῷ λήματι πιστούς·
τὸ μαχαιροφόρον τʼ ἔθνος ἐκ πάσης
Ἀσίας ἕπεται
δειναῖς βασιλέως ὑπὸ πομπαῖς.
τοιόνδʼ ἄνθος Περσίδος αἴας
οἴχεται ἀνδρῶν,
οὓς πέρι πᾶσα χθὼν Ἀσιῆτις
θρέψασα πόθῳ στένεται μαλερῷ,
τοκέες τʼ ἄλοχοί θʼ ἡμερολεγδὸν
τείνοντα χρόνον τρομέονται.

[¶2] Chorus:
The royal army, dealing destruction to cities, has already passed to the neighboring land upon the facing shore, and this they did by crossing the Hellespont,
named for the daughter of Athamas, on a bridge of boats made fast with cables, thereby casting a tightly constructed roadway as a yoke upon the neck of the sea.

> Greek: Χορός:
πεπέρακεν μὲν ὁ περσέπτολις ἤδη
βασίλειος στρατὸς εἰς ἀν-
τίπορον γείτονα χώραν,
λινοδέσμῳ σχεδίᾳ πορθ-
μὸν ἀμείψας
Ἀθαμαντίδος Ἕλλας,
πολύγομφον ὅδισμα
ζυγὸν ἀμφιβαλὼν αὐχένι πόντου.

[¶3] Chorus:
The fiery lord of populous Asia
is leading his wondrous warrior-flock against the whole earth in two divisions, on foot and by the sea, putting his trust in his stalwart and stern commanders; he himself,
a god-like hero whose race is sprung from gold.

> Greek: Χορός:
πολυάνδρου δʼ Ἀσίας θούριος ἄρχων
ἐπὶ πᾶσαν χθόνα ποιμα-
νόριον θεῖον ἐλαύνει
διχόθεν, πεζονόμον τʼ ἔκ
τε θαλάσσας,
ἐχυροῖσι πεποιθὼς
στυφελοῖς ἐφέταις, χρυ-
σογόνου γενεᾶς ἰσόθεος φώς.

[¶4] Chorus:
With eyes flashing with the dark glare of a deadly dragon, attended by soldiers and mariners in great numbers, and speeding his Syrian chariot,
he leads against a people renowned for the spear a warlike host of archers.

> Greek: Χορός:
κυάνεον δʼ ὄμμασι λεύσσων
φονίου δέργμα δράκοντος,
πολύχειρ καὶ πολυναύτας,
Σύριόν θʼ ἅρμα διώκων,
ἐπάγει δουρικλύτοις ἀν-
δράσι τοξόδαμνον Ἄρη.

[¶5] Chorus:
And there is no man skilled to withstand the mighty stream of men, and with strong barriers keep out the sea’s invincible surge;
for Persia’s host cannot be withstood, and her men are courageous.

> Greek: Χορός:
δόκιμος δʼ οὔτις ὑποστὰς
μεγάλῳ ῥεύματι φωτῶν
ἐχυροῖς ἕρκεσιν εἴργειν
ἄμαχον κῦμα θαλάσσας·
ἀπρόσοιστος γὰρ ὁ Περσᾶν
στρατὸς ἀλκίφρων τε λαός.

[¶6] Chorus:
For by the will of the gods Fate has held sway
since ancient time, and has ordained for the Persians the pursuit of rampart-destroying war, the turmoil of fighting horsemen, and the storming of cities.

> Greek: Χορός:
θεόθεν γὰρ κατὰ Μοῖρʼ
ἐκράτησεν τὸ παλαι-
όν, ἐπέσκηψε δὲ Πέρσαις
πολέμους πυργοδαΐκτους
διέπειν ἱππιοχάρμας
τε κλόνους
πόλεών τʼ ἀναστάσεις.

[¶7] Chorus:
And they have learned to look upon the precinct of the deep when the broad-wayed sea whitens to foam beneath the tempest’s blast, trusting in their finely wrought
cables and their devices which give passage to their army.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔμαθον δʼ εὐρυπόροι-
ο θαλάσσας πολιαι-
νομένας πνεύματι λάβρῳ
ἐσορᾶν πόντιον ἄλσος,
πίσυνοι λεπτοδόμοις πεί-
σμασι λα-
οπόροις τε μαχαναῖς.

[¶8] Chorus:
Yet the insidious guile of god—what mortal man can escape it? Who with agile foot can lightly overleap
and escape its toils?

> Greek: Χορός:
δολόμητιν δʼ ἀπάταν θεοῦ
τίς ἀνὴρ θνατὸς ἀλύξει;
τίς ὁ κραιπνῷ ποδὶ πήδη-
μα τόδʼ εὐπετῶς ἀνᾴσσων;

[¶9] Chorus:
For Delusion, with her fair appearance, lures men astray into her snares, from which it is not possible to escape without meeting with disaster.

> Greek: Χορός:
φιλόφρων γὰρ παρασαίνει
βροτὸν εἰς ἄρκυας Ἄτα,
τόθεν οὐκ ἔστιν ὕπερθέν
νιν ἄνατον ἐξαλύξαι.

[¶10] Chorus:
Therefore my heart is wrapped in gloom and is racked with fear for the Persian army lest the state learn that the mighty capital of Susa is empty of men.

> Greek: Χορός:
ταῦτά μοι μελαγχίτων
φρὴν ἀμύσσεται φόβῳ,
ὀᾶ, Περσικοῦ στρατεύματος
τοῦδε, μὴ πόλις πύθη-
ται κένανδρον μέγʼ ἄστυ Σουσίδος,

[¶11] Chorus:
Fearful I am too that as bands of women cry aloud “woe,” the Cissian stronghold will raise a resounding shout responsive to the beating of breasts,
and that there will be a tearing of fine linen robes.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ τὸ Κισσίων πόλισμʼ
ἀντίδουπον ᾄσεται,
ὀᾶ, τοῦτʼ ἔπος γυναικοπλη-
θὴς ὅμιλος ἀπύων,
βυσσίνοις δʼ ἐν πέπλοις πέσῃ λακίς.

[¶12] Chorus:
For all the men-at-arms, those who urge on steeds and those who march along the plain, have left the city and gone forth, like bees in a swarm, together with the captain of the host.
They have crossed the headland, projecting into the sea and common to either continent, through which both shores are bridged.

> Greek: Χορός:
πᾶς γὰρ ἱππηλάτας
καὶ πεδοστιβὴς λεὼς
σμῆνος ὣς ἐκλέλοιπεν μελισ-
σᾶν σὺν ὀρχάμῳ στρατοῦ,
τὸν ἀμφίζευκτον ἐξαμείψας
ἀμφοτέρας ἅλιον
πρῶνα κοινὸν αἴας.

[¶13] Chorus:
And marriage-beds are filled with tears through longing for husbands;

> Greek: Χορός:
λέκτρα δʼ ἀνδρῶν πόθῳ
πίμπλαται δακρύμασιν·

[¶14] each Persian woman has sent to the field her warlike and fiery consort, and now in grief and longing for her beloved lord, is left forsaken by her mate.

> Greek: Περσίδες δʼ ἁβροπενθεῖς ἑκά-
στα πόθῳ φιλάνορι
τὸν αἰχμάεντα θοῦρον εὐνα-
τῆρʼ ἀποπεμψαμένα
λείπεται μονόζυξ.

[¶15] Chorus:
But come, Persians, let us take our place on the steps of this ancient palace and devise some wise and deeply-pondered counsel—for need of this has come upon us—as to how Xerxes our King,
Darius’ son, scion of our own race as his forefather’s name declares, is faring. Is it the drawing of the bow that has triumphed, or is it the might of the sharp spear-head which has prevailed? Enter Atossa, richly dressed, on a chariot and attended by a numerous retinue
But look, here is a light like the eyes of the god, the mother of our king, my Queen. I bow low before her. It is fitting also that we all address her with words of salutation. The elders prostrate themselves and then rise to their feet. Their leader continues

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἄγε, Πέρσαι, τόδʼ ἐνεζόμενοι
στέγος ἀρχαῖον,
φροντίδα κεδνὴν καὶ βαθύβουλον
θώμεθα, χρεία δὲ προσήκει,
πῶς ἄρα πράσσει Ξέρξης βασιλεὺς
Δαρειογενής,
τὸ πατρωνύμιον γένος ἡμέτερον·
πότερον τόξου ῥῦμα τὸ νικῶν,
ἢ δορικράνου
λόγχης ἰσχὺς κεκράτηκεν.
ἀλλʼ ἥδε θεῶν ἴσον ὀφθαλμοῖς
φάος ὁρμᾶται μήτηρ βασιλέως,
βασίλεια δʼ ἐμή· προσπίτνω·
καὶ προσφθόγγοις δὲ χρεὼν αὐτὴν
πάντας μύθοισι προσαυδᾶν.

[¶16] Chorus:
O Queen, most exalted of Persia’s deep-girdled women, venerable mother of Xerxes, wife of Darius, all hail! You were the consort of the Persian’s god, and of another god the mother, that is, unless its former good fortune has now forsaken our host.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ βαθυζώνων ἄνασσα Περσίδων ὑπερτάτη,
μῆτερ ἡ Ξέρξου γεραιά, χαῖρε, Δαρείου γύναι·
θεοῦ μὲν εὐνάτειρα Περσῶν, θεοῦ δὲ καὶ μήτηρ ἔφυς,
εἴ τι μὴ δαίμων παλαιὸς νῦν μεθέστηκε στρατῷ.

[¶17] Atossa:
For this very reason I have left the gold-decorated palace
and the chamber which belongs to Darius and myself, and have come here. My heart, too, is racked with anxiety, and to you, my friends, will I make a disclosure. For I am by no means free from apprehension that wealth, grown great, will, raising a cloud of dust upon the ground, trip up the prosperity which Darius raised not without the favor of some god.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ταῦτα δὴ λιποῦσʼ ἱκάνω χρυσεοστόλμους δόμους
καὶ τὸ Δαρείου τε κἀμὸν κοινὸν εὐνατήριον.
κἀμὲ καρδίαν ἀμύσσει φροντίς· ἐς δʼ ὑμᾶς ἐρῶ
μῦθον οὐδαμῶς ἐμαυτῆς οὖσʼ ἀδείμαντος, φίλοι,
μὴ μέγας πλοῦτος κονίσας οὖδας ἀντρέψῃ ποδὶ
ὄλβον, ὃν Δαρεῖος ἦρεν οὐκ ἄνευ θεῶν τινος.

[¶18] It is for this reason that there is a double concern in my mind: neither to hold in honor vast wealth without men, and that the light of success does not shine, in proportion to their strength, on men without riches. Our wealth, at all events, is ample, but my anxiety is for the light, the salvation of the house, which I regard to be the presence of its lord.

> Greek: ταῦτά μοι διπλῆ μέριμνα φραστός ἐστιν ἐν φρεσίν,
μήτε χρημάτων ἀνάνδρων πλῆθος ἐν τιμῇ σέβειν
μήτʼ ἀχρημάτοισι λάμπειν φῶς ὅσον σθένος πάρα.
ἔστι γὰρ πλοῦτός γʼ ἀμεμφής, ἀμφὶ δʼ ὀφθαλμῷ φόβος·
ὄμμα γὰρ δόμων νομίζω δεσπότου παρουσίαν.

[¶19] Therefore, since things stand as they do, lend me your counsel in this concern, Persians, my aged trusty servants. For all my hopes of good counsel depend on you.

> Greek: πρὸς τάδʼ ὡς οὕτως ἐχόντων τῶνδε, σύμβουλοι λόγου
τοῦδέ μοι γένεσθε, Πέρσαι, γηραλέα πιστώματα·
πάντα γὰρ τὰ κέδνʼ ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστί μοι βουλεύματα.

[¶20] Chorus:
Be assured, our country’s Queen, that you need not twice mention either word or deed regarding that in which it is possible for us to direct you.

> Greek: Χορός:
εὖ τόδʼ ἴσθι, γῆς ἄνασσα τῆσδε, μή σε δὶς φράσαι
μήτʼ ἔπος μήτʼ ἔργον ὧν ἂν δύναμις ἡγεῖσθαι θέλῃ·

[¶21] For we whom you summon as counsellors in these matters are well disposed towards you and your interests.

> Greek: εὐμενεῖς γὰρ ὄντας ἡμᾶς τῶνδε συμβούλους καλεῖς.

[¶22] Atossa:
I have been haunted by a multitude of dreams at night since the time when my son, having despatched his army, departed with intent to lay waste the land of the Ionians. But never yet have I beheld so distinct a vision
as that of the last night. This I will describe to you. I dreamed that two women in beautiful clothes, one in Persian garb, the other in Dorian attire, appeared before my eyes; both far more striking in stature than are the women of our time,
flawless in beauty, sisters of the same family. As for the lands in which they dwelt, to one had been assigned by lot the land of Hellas, to the other that of the barbarians. The two, as I imagined it, seemed to provoke each other to a mutual feud, and my son, when he had become aware of this,
attempted to restrain and placate them. He yoked them both to his car and placed the collar-straps upon their necks. The one bore herself proudly in these trappings and kept her mouth obedient to the rein. The other struggled and with her hands
tore apart the harness of the car; then, free of the curb, she dragged it violently along with her and snapped the yoke in two. My son was hurled to the ground and his father Darius stood by his side filled with pity. But Xerxes, when he caught sight of him, tore the garments covering his body.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
πολλοῖς μὲν αἰεὶ νυκτέροις ὀνείρασιν
ξύνειμʼ, ἀφʼ οὗπερ παῖς ἐμὸς στείλας στρατὸν
Ἰαόνων γῆν οἴχεται πέρσαι θέλων·
ἀλλʼ οὔτι πω τοιόνδʼ ἐναργὲς εἰδόμην
ὡς τῆς πάροιθεν εὐφρόνης· λέξω δέ σοι.
ἐδοξάτην μοι δύο γυναῖκʼ εὐείμονε,
ἡ μὲν πέπλοισι Περσικοῖς ἠσκημένη,
ἡ δʼ αὖτε Δωρικοῖσιν, εἰς ὄψιν μολεῖν,
μεγέθει τε τῶν νῦν ἐκπρεπεστάτα πολύ,
κάλλει τʼ ἀμώμω, καὶ κασιγνήτα γένους
ταὐτοῦ· πάτραν δʼ ἔναιον ἡ μὲν Ἑλλάδα
κλήρῳ λαχοῦσα γαῖαν, ἡ δὲ βάρβαρον.
τούτω στάσιν τινʼ, ὡς ἐγὼ ʼδόκουν ὁρᾶν,
τεύχειν ἐν ἀλλήλαισι· παῖς δʼ ἐμὸς μαθὼν
κατεῖχε κἀπράυνεν, ἅρμασιν δʼ ὕπο
ζεύγνυσιν αὐτὼ καὶ λέπαδνʼ ἐπʼ αὐχένων
τίθησι. χἠ μὲν τῇδʼ ἐπυργοῦτο στολῇ
ἐν ἡνίαισί τʼ εἶχεν εὔαρκτον στόμα,
ἡ δʼ ἐσφάδαζε, καὶ χεροῖν ἔντη δίφρου
διασπαράσσει καὶ ξυναρπάζει βίᾳ
ἄνευ χαλινῶν καὶ ζυγὸν θραύει μέσον.
πίπτει δʼ ἐμὸς παῖς, καὶ πατὴρ παρίσταται
Δαρεῖος οἰκτείρων σφε· τὸν δʼ ὅπως ὁρᾷ
Ξέρξης, πέπλους ῥήγνυσιν ἀμφὶ σώματι.

[¶23] Such was the vision I beheld in the night. But when I had risen and dipped my hands in the clear-flowing water of a spring, I drew near to an altar with incense in my hand, intending to make an offering of sacrificial cake to the divinities that avert evil, those to whom these rites are due.

> Greek: καὶ ταῦτα μὲν δὴ νυκτὸς εἰσιδεῖν λέγω.
ἐπεὶ δʼ ἀνέστην καὶ χεροῖν καλλιρρόου
ἔψαυσα πηγῆς, σὺν θυηπόλῳ χερὶ
βωμὸν προσέστην, ἀποτρόποισι δαίμοσιν
θέλουσα θῦσαι πέλανον, ὧν τέλη τάδε.

[¶24] But I saw an eagle fleeing for safety to the altar of Phoebus—and out of terror, my friends, I stood speechless. Thereupon I caught sight of a falcon rushing at full speed with outstretched wings and with his talons plucking at the head of the eagle, which did nothing but cower and
yielded its body to his foe. These are the terrors I beheld, terrors too for you to hear. Be assured that if my son should suceeed, he would prove to be remarkable indeed, but if he fails, he does not have to answer to the state; if he returns safely, he will hold sway in this land as he did before.

> Greek: ὁρῶ δὲ φεύγοντʼ αἰετὸν πρὸς ἐσχάραν
Φοίβου· φόβῳ δʼ ἄφθογγος ἐστάθην, φίλοι·
μεθύστερον δὲ κίρκον εἰσορῶ δρόμῳ
πτεροῖς ἐφορμαίνοντα καὶ χηλαῖς κάρα
τίλλονθʼ· ὁ δʼ οὐδὲν ἄλλο γʼ ἢ πτήξας δέμας
παρεῖχε. ταῦτʼ ἔμοιγε δείματʼ εἰσιδεῖν,
ὑμῖν δʼ ἀκούειν. εὖ γὰρ ἴστε, παῖς ἐμὸς
πράξας μὲν εὖ θαυμαστὸς ἂν γένοιτʼ ἀνήρ,
κακῶς δὲ πράξας, οὐχ ὑπεύθυνος πόλει,
σωθεὶς δʼ ὁμοίως τῆσδε κοιρανεῖ χθονός.

[¶25] Chorus:
Mother, we would neither alarm you unduly by our words nor raise your hopes too high. If, however, it is something inauspicious that you have seen, visit the gods with supplication and entreat them to avert the evil and to bring to pass what will be beneficial to you, your children, the kingdom, and all else that you hold dear. Next, it is appropriate that you should
offer libations to Earth and the dead; and use auspicious words to address your husband Darius, whom you say you have seen in the night, and ask him to send into the light of day from beneath the earth blessings for you and your son; ask too that the reverse of this may be held in bondage beneath the earth and fade away in gloom. Such is the advice I, relying on my instincts, offer you with kind intent.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὔ σε βουλόμεσθα, μῆτερ, οὔτʼ ἄγαν φοβεῖν λόγοις
οὔτε θαρσύνειν. θεοὺς δὲ προστροπαῖς ἱκνουμένη,
εἴ τι φλαῦρον εἶδες, αἰτοῦ τῶνδʼ ἀποτροπὴν τελεῖν,
τὰ δʼ ἀγάθʼ ἐκτελῆ γενέσθαι σοί τε καὶ τέκνοις σέθεν
καὶ πόλει φίλοις τε πᾶσι. δεύτερον δὲ χρὴ χοὰς
Γῇ τε καὶ φθιτοῖς χέασθαι· πρευμενῶς δʼ αἰτοῦ τάδε,
σὸν πόσιν Δαρεῖον, ὅνπερ φὴς ἰδεῖν κατʼ εὐφρόνην,
ἐσθλά σοι πέμπειν τέκνῳ τε γῆς ἔνερθεν ἐς φάος,
τἄμπαλιν δὲ τῶνδε γαίᾳ κάτοχα μαυροῦσθαι σκότῳ.
ταῦτα θυμόμαντις ὤν σοι πρευμενῶς παρῄνεσα.

[¶26] According to our interpretation of these portents, the issue will in all respects prove prosperous to you.

> Greek: εὖ δὲ πανταχῇ τελεῖν σοι τῶνδε κρίνομεν πέρι.

[¶27] Atossa:
You, its first interpreter, have indeed read the meaning of my dream with goodwill, at least, toward my son and house. May the outcome then prove beneficial! When I return to the palace, I will perform for the gods and my dear ones beneath the earth all those rites which you recommend. Meanwhile, my friends, I would like to learn
where Athens is located.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἀλλὰ μὴν εὔνους γʼ ὁ πρῶτος τῶνδʼ ἐνυπνίων κριτὴς
παιδὶ καὶ δόμοις ἐμοῖσι τήνδʼ ἐκύρωσας φάτιν.
ἐκτελοῖτο δὴ τὰ χρηστά· ταῦτα δʼ, ὡς ἐφίεσαι,
πάντα θήσομεν θεοῖσι τοῖς τʼ ἔνερθε γῆς φίλοις,
εὖτʼ ἂν εἰς οἴκους μόλωμεν. κεῖνα δʼ ἐκμαθεῖν θέλω,
ὦ φίλοι, ποῦ τὰς Ἀθήνας φασὶν ἱδρῦσθαι χθονός.

[¶28] Chorus:
Far from here, to the west where the last rays of our Lord the Sun set.

> Greek: Χορός:
τῆλε πρὸς δυσμαῖς ἄνακτος Ἡλίου φθινασμάτων.

[¶29] Atossa:
Can it then really be that my son had the keen desire to make this city his prey?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἀλλὰ μὴν ἵμειρʼ ἐμὸς παῖς τήνδε θηρᾶσαι πόλιν;

[¶30] Chorus:
Yes, for then all Hellas would be subject to the King.

> Greek: Χορός:
πᾶσα γὰρ γένοιτʼ ἂν Ἑλλὰς βασιλέως ὑπήκοος.

[¶31] Atossa:
Does their army have such a multitude of men?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὧδέ τις πάρεστιν αὐτοῖς ἀνδροπλήθεια στρατοῦ;

[¶32] Chorus:
Yes, it is an army of such magnitude that it has caused great disaster for the Medes.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ στρατὸς τοιοῦτος, ἔρξας πολλὰ δὴ Μήδους κακά.

[¶33] Atossa:
And what else have they besides? Do they have sufficient wealth in their homes?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
καὶ τί πρὸς τούτοισιν ἄλλο; πλοῦτος ἐξαρκὴς δόμοις;

[¶34] Chorus:
Of silver they possess a veritable fountain, a treasure chest in their soil.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀργύρου πηγή τις αὐτοῖς ἐστι, θησαυρὸς χθονός.

[¶35] Atossa:
Is the bow-stretching arrow particularly suited to their hands?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
πότερα γὰρ τοξουλκὸς αἰχμὴ διὰ χεροῖν αὐτοῖς πρέπει;

[¶36] Chorus:
Far from it; they have lances for close fight and shields that serve them for armor.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδαμῶς· ἔγχη σταδαῖα καὶ φεράσπιδες σαγαί.

[¶37] Atossa:
And who is set over them as shepherd and is master of their host?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
τίς δὲ ποιμάνωρ ἔπεστι κἀπιδεσπόζει στρατῷ;

[¶38] Chorus:
Of no man are they called the slaves or vassals.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὔτινος δοῦλοι κέκληνται φωτὸς οὐδʼ ὑπήκοοι.

[¶39] Atossa:
How then can they withstand the attack of an invading foe?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
πῶς ἂν οὖν μένοιεν ἄνδρας πολεμίους ἐπήλυδας;

[¶40] Chorus:
So well as to have destroyed Darius’ great and courageous host.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὥστε Δαρείου πολύν τε καὶ καλὸν φθεῖραι στρατόν.

[¶41] Atossa:
In truth, your words have given the fathers and mothers of those who are now on their way there dire food for thought.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
δεινά τοι λέγεις ἰόντων τοῖς τεκοῦσι φροντίσαι.

[¶42] Chorus:
No, rather I think that you will soon learn the truth of the matter. For here comes one who is beyond a doubt a Persian courier. He bears clear tidings of some issue, be it good or bad.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν τάχʼ εἴσῃ πάντα νημερτῆ λόγον.
τοῦδε γὰρ δράμημα φωτὸς Περσικὸν πρέπει μαθεῖν,
καὶ φέρει σαφές τι πρᾶγος ἐσθλὸν ἢ κακὸν κλύειν.

[¶43] Messenger:
O cities of all the land of Asia,
O realm of Persia, and bounteous haven of wealth, at a single stroke all your plenteous prosperity has been shattered, and the flower of the Persians has fallen and perished! Ah, it is a terrible task to be the first to deliver news of disaster. And yet, Persians, I must relate the entirety of the calamity
—the whole barbarian host is lost.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ γῆς ἁπάσης Ἀσιάδος πολίσματα,
ὦ Περσὶς αἶα καὶ πολὺς πλούτου λιμήν,
ὡς ἐν μιᾷ πληγῇ κατέφθαρται πολὺς
ὄλβος, τὸ Περσῶν δʼ ἄνθος οἴχεται πεσόν.
ὤμοι, κακὸν μὲν πρῶτον ἀγγέλλειν κακά·
ὅμως δʼ ἀνάγκη πᾶν ἀναπτύξαι πάθος,
Πέρσαι· στρατὸς γὰρ πᾶς ὄλωλε βαρβάρων.

[¶44] Chorus:
Grievous, grievous disaster, strange and cruel. Alas, Persians, weep now that you hear of this calamity.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄνιʼ ἄνια κακὰ
νεόκοτα καὶ δάιʼ·. αἰαῖ,
διαίνεσθε, Πέρσαι,
τόδʼ ἄχος κλύοντες.

[¶45] Messenger:
Yes, weep, for you hear that the whole army is utterly destroyed; and I myself unexpectedly behold the day of my return.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὡς πάντα γʼ ἔστʼ ἐκεῖνα διαπεπραγμένα·
αὐτὸς δʼ ἀέλπτως νόστιμον βλέπω φάος.

[¶46] Chorus:
The life which has been given to us elders is too long, for we have now heard
of this unexpected misery.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ μακροβίοτος
ὅδε γέ τις αἰὼν ἐφάνθη
γεραιοῖς, ἀκούειν
τόδε πῆμʼ ἄελπτον.

[¶47] Messenger:
Since I myself was present and did not merely hear what happened from the report of others, I can tell you exactly what kind of disaster was wrought.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
καὶ μὴν παρών γε κοὐ λόγους ἄλλων κλύων,
Πέρσαι, φράσαιμʼ ἂν οἷʼ ἐπορσύνθη κακά.

[¶48] Chorus:
Alas, alas! In vain did our vast and variously armed host
go forth from the land of Asia against the hostile soil of Hellas.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὀτοτοτοῖ, μάταν
τὰ πολλὰ βέλεα παμμιγῆ
γᾶς ἀπʼ Ἀσίδος ἦλθε δᾴ-
αν ἐφʼ Ἑλλάδα χώραν.

[¶49] Messenger:
Full of the bodies of men who perished by a miserable fate are the shores of Salamis and all the neighboring coasts.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
πλήθουσι νεκρῶν δυσπότμως ἐφθαρμένων
Σαλαμῖνος ἀκταὶ πᾶς τε πρόσχωρος τόπος.

[¶50] Chorus:
Alas, alas! You say that the bodies of our loved ones,
battered by the brine and drenched, are tossing, washed back and forth among the reefs.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὀτοτοτοῖ, φίλων
ἁλίδονα μέλεα πολυβαφῆ
κατθανόντα λέγεις φέρε-
σθαι πλάγκτʼ ἐν διπλάκεσσιν.

[¶51] Messenger:
Our bows were of no use, and the whole host has perished, overwhelmed when ship charged on ship.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
οὐδὲν γὰρ ἤρκει τόξα, πᾶς δʼ ἀπώλλυτο
στρατὸς δαμασθεὶς ναΐοισιν ἐμβολαῖς

[¶52] Chorus:
Raise a doleful and mournful wail for the Persians, the wretched Persians, since they have met with complete and utter ruin. Alas for the destruction of our host!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἴυζʼ ἄποτμον Πέρσαις
δυσαιανῆ βοὰν
δᾴοις, ὡς πάντα παγκάκως
ἔφθισαν· αἰαῖ στρατοῦ φθαρέντος.

[¶53] Messenger:
O name of Salamis most odious to my ears!

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ὦ πλεῖστον ἔχθος ὄνομα Σαλαμῖνος κλύειν.

[¶54] Alas, how I groan when I recall the memory of Athens!

> Greek: φεῦ, τῶν Ἀθηνῶν ὡς στένω μεμνημένος.

[¶55] Chorus:
Ah, hateful indeed is Athens to her foes. Now must we remember how many Persian women she has deprived of sons and husbands, lost all in vain.

> Greek: Χορός:
στυγναί γʼ Ἀθᾶναι δᾴοις·
μεμνῆσθαί τοι πάρα
ὡς πολλὰς Περσίδων μάταν
ἔκτισαν εὔνιδας ἠδʼ ἀνάνδρους.

[¶56] Atossa:
Long have I kept silent in my misery, struck with dismay at our disaster; for this calamity is so great that it is not possible to say or even to ask about its extent. Nevertheless mortals must endure affliction when it is heaven-sent.
Compose yourself, and even though you groan at our loss, relate the sum of our disaster and speak out! Who is there that is not dead? Whom of our leaders must we bewail? Who, appointed to wield command, by death left his post empty, without its chief?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
σιγῶ πάλαι δύστηνος ἐκπεπληγμένη
κακοῖς· ὑπερβάλλει γὰρ ἥδε συμφορὰ
τὸ μήτε λέξαι μήτʼ ἐρωτῆσαι πάθη.
ὅμως δʼ ἀνάγκη πημονὰς βροτοῖς φέρειν
θεῶν διδόντων· πᾶν δʼ ἀναπτύξας πάθος
λέξον καταστάς, κεἰ στένεις κακοῖς ὅμως.
τίς οὐ τέθνηκε, τίνα δὲ καὶ πενθήσομεν
τῶν ἀρχελείων, ὅστʼ ἐπὶ σκηπτουχίᾳ
ταχθεὶς ἄνανδρον τάξιν ἠρήμου θανών;

[¶57] Messenger:
Xerxes himself lives and beholds the light.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Ξέρξης μὲν αὐτὸς ζῇ τε καὶ βλέπει φάος.

[¶58] Atossa:
The words you utter bring a great light of joy into my house, and bright day after night wrapped in gloom.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἐμοῖς μὲν εἶπας δώμασιν φάος μέγα
καὶ λευκὸν ἦμαρ νυκτὸς ἐκ μελαγχίμου.

[¶59] Messenger:
But Artembares, commander of ten thousand cavalrymen, is being battered now against Silenia’s cruel shore. And Dadaces, leader of a thousand men, leapt, struck by a spear,
with a nimble bound from his ship. Tenagon, the true-born Bactrians’ chieftain, is ranging now around the surf-beaten isle of Ajax. Lilaeus and Arsames, and, third, Argestes,
kept buffeting against its rugged shore, whirled around about the island, the breeding-place of doves. Arcteus, too, who lived by the waters of the Egyptian Nile, Adeues, and Pharnuchus of the mighty shield—all these were hurled out of one ship. Matallus of Chrysa, commander of ten thousand,
leader of the Black Cavalry, thirty thousand strong, in death dyed red his thick and shaggy beard, changing its color with a deep crimson stain. Arabus, too, the Magian, perished there, and Bactrian Artabes, a settler now in a rugged land.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Ἀρτεμβάρης δὲ μυρίας ἵππου βραβεὺς
στύφλους παρʼ ἀκτὰς θείνεται Σιληνιῶν.
χὠ χιλίαρχος Δαδάκης πληγῇ δορὸς
πήδημα κοῦφον ἐκ νεὼς ἀφήλατο·
Τενάγων τʼ ἀριστεὺς Βακτρίων ἰθαιγενὴς
θαλασσόπληκτον νῆσον Αἴαντος πολεῖ.
Λίλαιος, Ἀρσάμης τε κἈργήστης τρίτος,
οἵδʼ ἀμφὶ νῆσον τὴν πελειοθρέμμονα
δινούμενοι ʼκύρισσον ἰσχυρὰν χθόνα·
πηγαῖς τε Νείλου γειτονῶν Αἰγυπτίου
Ἀρκτεύς, Ἀδεύης, καὶ φερεσσάκης τρίτος
Φαρνοῦχος, οἵδε ναὸς ἐκ μιᾶς πέσον.
Χρυσεὺς Μάταλλος μυριόνταρχος θανών,
ἵππου μελαίνης ἡγεμὼν τρισμυρίας,
πυρρὰν ζαπληθῆ δάσκιον γενειάδα
ἔτεγγʼ, ἀμείβων χρῶτα πορφυρέᾳ βαφῇ.
καὶ Μᾶγος Ἄραβος, Ἀρτάβης τε Βάκτριος,
σκληρᾶς μέτοικος γῆς, ἐκεῖ κατέφθιτο.

[¶60] Amistris, and Amphistreus, wielder of a painful spear, and brave Ariomardus, whose death brought grief to Sardis, and Seisames the Mysian, and Tharybis, admiral of five times fifty ships, a Lyrnaean by descent, a man of physical beauty,
lies dead in a state of misery, no longer attended by good fortune. Syennesis, also, the governor of the Cilicians, foremost in courage, he whose prowess did the foe most harm, found there a glorious death. Such were the leaders about whom I was making my report.

> Greek: Ἄμιστρις Ἀμφιστρεύς τε πολύπονον δόρυ
νωμῶν, ὅ τʼ ἐσθλὸς Ἀριόμαρδος Σάρδεσι
πένθος παρασχών, Σεισάμης θʼ ὁ Μύσιος,
Θάρυβίς τε πεντήκοντα πεντάκις νεῶν
ταγός, γένος Λυρναῖος, εὐειδὴς ἀνήρ,
κεῖται θανὼν δείλαιος οὐ μάλʼ εὐτυχῶς·
Συέννεσίς τε πρῶτος εἰς εὐψυχίαν,
Κιλίκων ἄπαρχος, εἷς ἀνὴρ πλεῖστον πόνον
ἐχθροῖς παρασχών εὐκλεῶς ἀπώλετο.
τοσόνδε ταγῶν νῦν ὑπεμνήσθην πέρι.

[¶61] Although our losses were many, I announce but few.

> Greek: πολλῶν παρόντων δʼ ὀλίγʼ ἀπαγγέλλω κακά.

[¶62] Atossa:
Alas! The words I hear put the very crown upon our woes; a disgrace to the Persians and cause for shrill lament. But retrace your tale and tell me this clearly:
how great was the number of the Greek ships which gave them confidence enough to go into battle with their armed prows against the Persian army?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
αἰαῖ, κακῶν ὕψιστα δὴ κλύω τάδε,
αἴσχη τε Πέρσαις καὶ λιγέα κωκύματα.
ἀτὰρ φράσον μοι τοῦτʼ ἀναστρέψας πάλιν·
πόσον δὲ πλῆθος ἦν νεῶν Ἑλληνίδων,
ὥστʼ ἀξιῶσαι Περσικῷ στρατεύματι
μάχην συνάψαι ναΐοισιν ἐμβολαῖς;

[¶63] Messenger:
If numbers had been the only factor, be assured that the barbarians would have gained the victory with their fleet. For the whole number of the ships of Hellas amounted to ten times thirty,
and, in addition to these, there was a chosen squadron of ten. But Xerxes, this I know, had under his command a thousand, while those excelling in speed were twice a hundred, and seven more. This is the total of their respective numbers. Do you think that we were simply outnumbered in this contest?

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
πλήθους μὲν ἂν σάφʼ ἴσθʼ ἕκατι βάρβαρον
ναυσὶν κρατῆσαι. καὶ γὰρ Ἕλλησιν μὲν ἦν
ὁ πᾶς ἀριθμὸς ἐς τριακάδας δέκα
ναῶν, δεκὰς δʼ ἦν τῶνδε χωρὶς ἔκκριτος·
Ξέρξῃ δέ, καὶ γὰρ οἶδα, χιλιὰς μὲν ἦν
ὧν ἦγε πλῆθος, αἱ δʼ ὑπέρκοποι τάχει
ἑκατὸν δὶς ἦσαν ἑπτά θʼ· ὧδʼ ἔχει λόγος.
μή σοι δοκοῦμεν τῇδε λειφθῆναι μάχῃ;

[¶64] No, it was some divine power that tipped the scale of fortune with unequal weight and thus destroyed our host. The gods preserve the city of the goddess Pallas.

> Greek: ἀλλʼ ὧδε δαίμων τις κατέφθειρε στρατόν,
τάλαντα βρίσας οὐκ ἰσορρόπῳ τύχῃ.
θεοὶ πόλιν σῴζουσι Παλλάδος θεᾶς.

[¶65] Atossa:
Is then the city of Athens not yet despoiled?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἔτʼ ἆρʼ Ἀθηνῶν ἔστʼ ἀπόρθητος πόλις;

[¶66] Messenger:
No, while her men still live, her ramparts are impregnable.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἀνδρῶν γὰρ ὄντων ἕρκος ἐστὶν ἀσφαλές.

[¶67] Atossa:
But the beginning of the encounter of the fleets, tell me about it. Who began the onset? Was it the Hellenes? Or my son, exulting in the multitude of his ships?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἀρχὴ δὲ ναυσὶ συμβολῆς τίς ἦν, φράσον·
τίνες κατῆρξαν, πότερον Ἕλληνες, μάχης,
ἢ παῖς ἐμός, πλήθει καταυχήσας νεῶν;

[¶68] Messenger:
My Queen, some destructive power or evil spirit, appearing from somewhere or other, caused the beginning of our utter rout.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ἦρξεν μέν, ὦ δέσποινα, τοῦ παντὸς κακοῦ
φανεὶς ἀλάστωρ ἢ κακὸς δαίμων ποθέν.

[¶69] A Hellene, from the Athenian host, came to your son Xerxes and told this tale: that, when the gloom of black night should set in, the Hellenes would not remain in place, but, springing upon the rowing benches of their ships, would seek, some here, some there,
to preserve their lives by stealthy flight. But Xerxes, when he heard this, comprehending neither the cleverness of the Greek nor that the gods grudged him success, straightway gave all his captains orders to this effect—that, when the sun had ceased to illumine the earth with his beams,
and darkness had covered the region of the sky, they should bring up in a tight group the main body of the fleet, disposed in triple line, to bar the exits and the sounding straits, and station other ships in a circle around the island of Ajax. He gave them a warning too that, should the Hellenes escape an evil doom,
finding by stealth some means of flight for their fleet, it had been decreed that every captain should lose his head. These commands he made with complete confidence of heart, since he knew not the issue intended by the gods. Our crews then, with no lack of order but with an obedient spirit,
prepared their evening meal, while each sailor looped his oar about its thole-pin so that it fitted well. But when the light of the sun had faded and night drew on, each master of an oar and each man versed in arms went on board.

> Greek: ἀνὴρ γὰρ Ἕλλην ἐξ Ἀθηναίων στρατοῦ
ἐλθὼν ἔλεξε παιδὶ σῷ Ξέρξῃ τάδε,
ὡς εἰ μελαίνης νυκτὸς ἵξεται κνέφας,
Ἕλληνες οὐ μενοῖεν, ἀλλὰ σέλμασιν
ναῶν ἐπανθορόντες ἄλλος ἄλλοσε
δρασμῷ κρυφαίῳ βίοτον ἐκσωσοίατο.
ὁ δʼ εὐθὺς ὡς ἤκουσεν, οὐ ξυνεὶς δόλον
Ἕλληνος ἀνδρὸς οὐδὲ τὸν θεῶν φθόνον,
πᾶσιν προφωνεῖ τόνδε ναυάρχοις λόγον,
εὖτʼ ἂν φλέγων ἀκτῖσιν ἥλιος χθόνα
λήξῃ, κνέφας δὲ τέμενος αἰθέρος λάβῃ,
τάξαι νεῶν στῖφος μὲν ἐν στοίχοις τρισὶν
ἔκπλους φυλάσσειν καὶ πόρους ἁλιρρόθους,
ἄλλας δὲ κύκλῳ νῆσον Αἴαντος πέριξ·
ὡς εἰ μόρον φευξοίαθʼ Ἕλληνες κακόν,
ναυσὶν κρυφαίως δρασμὸν εὑρόντες τινά,
πᾶσιν στέρεσθαι κρατὸς ἦν προκείμενον.
τοσαῦτʼ ἔλεξε κάρθʼ ὑπʼ εὐθύμου φρενός·
οὐ γὰρ τὸ μέλλον ἐκ θεῶν ἠπίστατο.
οἱ δʼ οὐκ ἀκόσμως, ἀλλὰ πειθάρχῳ φρενὶ
δεῖπνόν τʼ ἐπορσύνοντο, ναυβάτης τʼ ἀνὴρ
τροποῦτο κώπην σκαλμὸν ἀμφʼ εὐήρετμον.
ἐπεὶ δὲ φέγγος ἡλίου κατέφθιτο
καὶ νὺξ ἐπῄει, πᾶς ἀνὴρ κώπης ἄναξ
ἐς ναῦν ἐχώρει πᾶς θʼ ὅπλων ἐπιστάτης·

[¶70] The long galleys cheered each other, line by line; and they held their course as each captain had been ordered, and all through the night the commanders of the fleet kept their whole force cruising to and fro across the strait. Night began to wane,
yet the fleet of the Hellenes in no way attempted to put forth by stealth. When, however, radiant Day with her white horses shone over all the land, a loud cheer like a song of triumph first rang out from the Hellenes, and, at the same instant,
clear from the island crags, an echo returned an answering cry. Terror fell on all the barbarians, balked of their purpose; for then the Hellenes chanted their solemn paean, not as in flight, but as men rushing to the onset with the courage of gallant hearts.

> Greek: τάξις δὲ τάξιν παρεκάλει νεὼς μακρᾶς·
πλέουσι δʼ ὡς ἕκαστος ἦν τεταγμένος,
καὶ πάννυχοι δὴ διάπλοον καθίστασαν
ναῶν ἄνακτες πάντα ναυτικὸν λεών.
καὶ νὺξ ἐχώρει, κοὐ μάλʼ Ἑλλήνων στρατὸς
κρυφαῖον ἔκπλουν οὐδαμῇ καθίστατο·
ἐπεί γε μέντοι λευκόπωλος ἡμέρα
πᾶσαν κατέσχε γαῖαν εὐφεγγὴς ἰδεῖν,
πρῶτον μὲν ἠχῇ κέλαδος Ἑλλήνων πάρα
μολπηδὸν ηὐφήμησεν, ὄρθιον δʼ ἅμα
ἀντηλάλαξε νησιώτιδος πέτρας
ἠχώ· φόβος δὲ πᾶσι βαρβάροις παρῆν
γνώμης ἀποσφαλεῖσιν· οὐ γὰρ ὡς φυγῇ
παιᾶνʼ ἐφύμνουν σεμνὸν Ἕλληνες τότε,
ἀλλʼ ἐς μάχην ὁρμῶντες εὐψύχῳ θράσει·

[¶71] The trumpet with its blast set all their side afire, and instantly, at the word of command, with the even stroke of foaming oars they struck the briny deep. Swiftly they all came clear into view. Their right wing, well marshalled,
led on in orderly advance, next their whole army pressed on against us, and at the same time a loud shout met our ears: “On, you men of Hellas! Free your native land. Free your children, your wives, the temples of your fathers’ gods, and the tombs of your ancestors. Now you are fighting for all you have.” Then from our side arose in response the mingled clamor of Persian speech, and straightaway the ships dashed together their bronze prows. It was a ship of Hellas
that began the charge and chopped off in its entirety the curved stern of a Phoenician boat. Each captain drove his ship straight against some other ship. At first the stream of the Persian army held its own. When, however, the mass of our ships had been crowded in the narrows, and none could render another aid,
and each crashed its bronze prow against each of its own line, they splintered their whole bank of oars. Then the Hellenic galleys, not heedless of their chance, hemmed them in and battered them on every side. The hulls of our vessels rolled over, and the sea was hidden from our sight,
strewn as it was with wrecks and slaughtered men. The shores and reefs were crowded with our dead, and every ship that formed a part of the barbarian fleet plied its oars in disorderly flight. But, as if our men were tuna or some haul of fish,
the foe kept striking and hacking them with broken oars and fragments of wrecked ships. Groans and shrieks together filled the open sea until the face of black night hid the scene. But as for the the full extent of our disasters, this, even if I had ten days in succession to do so, I could not describe to you.
However, you can be sure that so great a multitude of men never perished in a single day.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
σάλπιγξ δʼ ἀϋτῇ πάντʼ ἐκεῖνʼ ἐπέφλεγεν.
εὐθὺς δὲ κώπης ῥοθιάδος ξυνεμβολῇ
ἔπαισαν ἅλμην βρύχιον ἐκ κελεύματος,
θοῶς δὲ πάντες ἦσαν ἐκφανεῖς ἰδεῖν.
τὸ δεξιὸν μὲν πρῶτον εὐτάκτως κέρας
ἡγεῖτο κόσμῳ, δεύτερον δʼ ὁ πᾶς στόλος
ἐπεξεχώρει, καὶ παρῆν ὁμοῦ κλύειν
πολλὴν βοήν, ὦ παῖδες Ἑλλήνων ἴτε,
ἐλευθεροῦτε πατρίδʼ, ἐλευθεροῦτε δὲ
παῖδας, γυναῖκας, θεῶν τέ πατρῴων ἕδη,
θήκας τε προγόνων· νῦν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀγών.
καὶ μὴν παρʼ ἡμῶν Περσίδος γλώσσης ῥόθος
ὑπηντίαζε, κοὐκέτʼ ἦν μέλλειν ἀκμή.
εὐθὺς δὲ ναῦς ἐν νηὶ χαλκήρη στόλον
ἔπαισεν· ἦρξε δʼ ἐμβολῆς Ἑλληνικὴ
ναῦς, κἀποθραύει πάντα Φοινίσσης νεὼς
κόρυμβʼ, ἐπʼ ἄλλην δʼ ἄλλος ηὔθυνεν δόρυ.
τὰ πρῶτα μέν νυν ῥεῦμα Περσικοῦ στρατοῦ
ἀντεῖχεν· ὡς δὲ πλῆθος ἐν στενῷ νεῶν
ἤθροιστʼ ἀρωγὴ δʼ οὔτις ἀλλήλοις παρῆν,
αὐτοὶ δʼ ὑφʼ αὑτῶν ἐμβόλοις χαλκοστόμοις
παίοντʼ, ἔθραυον πάντα κωπήρη στόλον,
Ἑλληνικαί τε νῆες οὐκ ἀφρασμόνως
κύκλῳ πέριξ ἔθεινον, ὑπτιοῦτο δὲ
σκάφη νεῶν, θάλασσα δʼ οὐκέτʼ ἦν ἰδεῖν,
ναυαγίων πλήθουσα καὶ φόνου βροτῶν.
ἀκταὶ δὲ νεκρῶν χοιράδες τʼ ἐπλήθυον,
φυγῇ δʼ ἀκόσμῳ πᾶσα ναῦς ἠρέσσετο,
ὅσαιπερ ἦσαν βαρβάρου στρατεύματος.
τοὶ δʼ ὥστε θύννους ἤ τινʼ ἰχθύων βόλον
ἀγαῖσι κωπῶν θραύμασίν τʼ ἐρειπίων
ἔπαιον, ἐρράχιζον· οἰμωγὴ δʼ ὁμοῦ
κωκύμασιν κατεῖχε πελαγίαν ἅλα,
ἕως κελαινῆς νυκτὸς ὄμμʼ ἀφείλετο.
κακῶν δὲ πλῆθος, οὐδʼ ἂν εἰ δέκʼ ἤματα
στοιχηγοροίην, οὐκ ἂν ἐκπλήσαιμί σοι.
εὖ γὰρ τόδʼ ἴσθι, μηδάμʼ ἡμέρᾳ μιᾷ
πλῆθος τοσουτάριθμον ἀνθρώπων θανεῖν.

[¶72] Atossa:
Alas! In truth a vast sea of troubles has burst upon the Persians and the entire barbarian race.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
αἰαῖ, κακῶν δὴ πέλαγος ἔρρωγεν μέγα
Πέρσαις τε καὶ πρόπαντι βαρβάρων γένει.

[¶73] Messenger:
Be assured of this, not even half of the disaster has as yet been told. A calamity so dreadful as to outweigh these ills twice over befell them.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
εὖ νυν τόδʼ ἴσθι, μηδέπω μεσοῦν κακόν·
τοιάδʼ ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἦλθε συμφορὰ πάθους
ὡς τοῖσδε καὶ δὶς ἀντισηκῶσαι ῥοπῇ.

[¶74] Atossa:
But what greater misfortune than this could have befallen them? Speak! What is this other disaster you say
came upon our force, sinking the scale to greater weight of ill?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
καὶ τίς γένοιτʼ ἂν τῆσδʼ ἔτʼ ἐχθίων τύχη;
λέξον τίνʼ αὖ φὴς τήνδε συμφορὰν στρατῷ
ἐλθεῖν κακῶν ῥέπουσαν ἐς τὰ μάσσονα.

[¶75] Messenger:
Those Persians who were in their life’s prime, bravest in spirit, pre-eminent for noble birth, and always among the foremost in loyalty to the King himself— these have fallen ignobly by a most inglorious doom.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
Περσῶν ὅσοιπερ ἦσαν ἀκμαῖοι φύσιν,
ψυχήν τʼ ἄριστοι κεὐγένειαν ἐκπρεπεῖς,
αὐτῷ τʼ ἄνακτι πίστιν ἐν πρώτοις ἀεί,
τεθνᾶσιν αἰσχρῶς δυσκλεεστάτῳ μόρῳ.

[¶76] Atossa:
Ah, I am truly reduced to misery through this disaster! By what fate was it that you say they met their end?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινα συμφορᾶς κακῆς, φίλοι.
ποίῳ μόρῳ δὲ τούσδε φὴς ὀλωλέναι;

[¶77] Messenger:
There is an island lying before Salamis, a small one and dangerous anchorage for ships; its sea-washed shore is the haunt of Pan, who loves the dance.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
νῆσός τις ἔστι πρόσθε Σαλαμῖνος τόπων,
βαιά, δύσορμος ναυσίν, ἣν ὁ φιλόχορος
Πὰν ἐμβατεύει, ποντίας ἀκτῆς ἔπι.

[¶78] There Xerxes dispatched these, his choicest troops, in order that when the Hellenic enemy, wrecked from their ships, should flee in search of safety to the island, they might slaughter their force, an easy prey, and rescue their comrades from the straits of the sea. Grievously did he misjudge the issue. For when some god
had given the glory to the Hellenes in the battle on the sea, on that same day, fencing their bodies in armor of bronze, they leapt from their ships and encircled the whole island, so that our men were at a loss which way to turn. Often they were struck by stones slung from their hands,
and arrows sped from the bow-string kept falling upon them and doing them harm. At last the Hellenes, charging with one shout, struck them and hacked to pieces the limbs of the poor wretches, until they had utterly quenched the life of all.

> Greek: ἐνταῦθα πέμπει τούσδʼ, ὅπως, ὅταν νεῶν
φθαρέντες ἐχθροὶ νῆσον ἐκσῳζοίατο,
κτείνοιεν εὐχείρωτον Ἑλλήνων στρατόν,
φίλους δʼ ὑπεκσῴζοιεν ἐναλίων πόρων,
κακῶς τὸ μέλλον ἱστορῶν. ὡς γὰρ θεὸς
ναῶν ἔδωκε κῦδος Ἕλλησιν μάχης,
αὐθημερὸν φράξαντες εὐχάλκοις δέμας
ὅπλοισι ναῶν ἐξέθρῳσκον· ἀμφὶ δὲ
κυκλοῦντο πᾶσαν νῆσον, ὥστʼ ἀμηχανεῖν
ὅποι τράποιντο. πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ χερῶν
πέτροισιν ἠράσσοντο, τοξικῆς τʼ ἄπο
θώμιγγος ἰοὶ προσπίτνοντές ὤλλυσαν·
τέλος δʼ ἐφορμηθέντες ἐξ ἑνὸς ῥόθου
παίουσι, κρεοκοποῦσι δυστήνων μέλη,
ἕως ἁπάντων ἐξαπέφθειραν βίον.

[¶79] Xerxes groaned aloud when he beheld the extent of the disaster, for he occupied a seat commanding a clear view of the entire army—a lofty headland by the open sea. Tearing his robes and uttering a loud cry, he straightaway gave orders to his force on land
and dismissed them in disorderly flight. This, besides the one already told, is the disaster you must bewail.

> Greek: Ξέρξης δʼ ἀνῴμωξεν κακῶν ὁρῶν βάθος·
ἕδραν γὰρ εἶχε παντὸς εὐαγῆ στρατοῦ,
ὑψηλὸν ὄχθον ἄγχι πελαγίας ἁλός·
ῥήξας δὲ πέπλους κἀνακωκύσας λιγύ,
πεζῷ παραγγείλας ἄφαρ στρατεύματι,
ἵησʼ ἀκόσμῳ ξὺν φυγῇ. τοιάνδε σοι
πρὸς τῇ πάροιθε συμφορὰν πάρα στένειν.

[¶80] Atossa:
O hateful divinity, how have you foiled the purpose of the Persians! Cruel was the vengeance which my son brought upon himself for his designs against illustrious Athens; the barbarians
whom Marathon destroyed were not enough. It was in an effort to exact retribution for them that my son has drawn upon himself so great a multitude of woes. But the ships that escaped destruction—tell me about them. Where did you leave them? Can you give a clear report?

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὦ στυγνὲ δαῖμον, ὡς ἄρʼ ἔψευσας φρενῶν
Πέρσας· πικρὰν δὲ παῖς ἐμὸς τιμωρίαν
κλεινῶν Ἀθηνῶν ηὗρε, κοὐκ ἀπήρκεσαν
οὓς πρόσθε Μαραθὼν βαρβάρων ἀπώλεσεν·
ὧν ἀντίποινα παῖς ἐμὸς πράξειν δοκῶν
τοσόνδε πλῆθος πημάτων ἐπέσπασεν.
σὺ δʼ εἰπέ, ναῶν αἳ πεφεύγασιν μόρον,
ποῦ τάσδʼ ἔλειπες· οἶσθα σημῆναι τορῶς;

[¶81] Messenger:
The commanders of the ships which still remained fled with a rush in disorder wherever the wind bore them. As for the survivors of the army, they perished in Boeotian territory, some, faint from thirst, beside a refreshing spring, while some of us, exhausted and panting,
made our way to the land of the Phocians, to Doris and the Melian gulf, where the Spercheus waters the plain with kindly stream. Coming from there, badly in need of food, we received welcome in the Achaean land and the cities of the Thessalians.
There it was that many perished of thirst and hunger, for we were oppressed by both. And we came to the Magnesian land and to the country of the Macedonians, to the ford of the Axius and Bolbe’s reedy marsh, and to Mount Pangaeus,
in the Edonian land. But on that night the god roused winter before its time and froze the stream of sacred Strymon from shore to shore. Many a man who before that had held the gods in no esteem, implored them then in supplication, doing obeisance to earth and heaven.

> Greek: Ἄγγελος:
ναῶν γε ταγοὶ τῶν λελειμμένων σύδην
κατʼ οὖρον οὐκ εὔκοσμον αἴρονται φυγήν·
στρατὸς δʼ ὁ λοιπὸς ἔν τε Βοιωτῶν χθονὶ
διώλλυθʼ, οἱ μὲν ἀμφὶ κρηναῖον γάνος
δίψῃ πονοῦντες, οἱ δʼ ὑπʼ ἄσθματος κενοὶ
διεκπερῶμεν ἔς τε Φωκέων χθόνα
καὶ Δωρίδʼ αἶαν, Μηλιᾶ τε κόλπον, οὗ
Σπερχειὸς ἄρδει πεδίον εὐμενεῖ ποτῷ·
κἀντεῦθεν ἡμᾶς γῆς Ἀχαιίδος πέδον
καὶ Θεσσαλῶν πόλεις ὑπεσπανισμένους
βορᾶς ἐδέξαντʼ· ἔνθα δὴ πλεῖστοι ʼθάνον
δίψῃ τε λιμῷ τʼ· ἀμφότερα γὰρ ἦν τάδε.
Μαγνητικὴν δὲ γαῖαν ἔς τε Μακεδόνων
χώραν ἀφικόμεσθʼ, ἐπʼ Ἀξίου πόρον,
Βόλβης θʼ ἕλειον δόνακα, Πάγγαιόν τʼ ὄρος,
Ἠδωνίδʼ αἶαν· νυκτὶ δʼ ἐν ταύτῃ θεὸς
χειμῶνʼ ἄωρον ὦρσε, πήγνυσιν δὲ πᾶν
ῥέεθρον ἁγνοῦ Στρυμόνος. θεοὺς δέ τις
τὸ πρὶν νομίζων οὐδαμοῦ τότʼ ηὔχετο
λιταῖσι, γαῖαν οὐρανόν τε προσκυνῶν.

[¶82] But when our host had made an end of its fervent invocation of the gods, it ventured to pass across the ice-bound stream. And each of us who started on his way before the sun god dispersed his beams, found himself in safety, for the bright orb of the sun with its burning rays
heated the middle section and pierced it with its flames. One after another our men sank in, and fortunate indeed was he who perished soonest. The survivors, after making their way through Thrace with great hardship,
—and few they were indeed—escaped to the safety of the land of their homes; now the city of the Persians may make lament in regret for the beloved youth of the land. What I say is true, yet much remains untold of the ills launched by Heaven upon the Persians. Exit
Chorus:
O unearthly power, source of our cruel distress, with what crushing weight have you fallen upon the whole Persian race!

> Greek: ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλὰ θεοκλυτῶν ἐπαύσατο
στρατός, περᾷ κρυσταλλοπῆγα διὰ πόρον·
χὤστις μὲν ἡμῶν πρὶν σκεδασθῆναι θεοῦ
ἀκτῖνας ὡρμήθη, σεσωσμένος κυρεῖ.
φλέγων γὰρ αὐγαῖς λαμπρὸς ἡλίου κύκλος
μέσον πόρον διῆκε, θερμαίνων φλογί.
πῖπτον δʼ ἐπʼ ἀλλήλοισιν· ηὐτύχει δέ τοι
ὅστις τάχιστα πνεῦμʼ ἀπέρρηξεν βίου.
ὅσοι δὲ λοιποὶ κἄτυχον σωτηρίας,
Θρῄκην περάσαντες μόγις πολλῷ πόνῳ,
ἥκουσιν ἐκφυγόντες, οὐ πολλοί τινες,
ἐφʼ ἑστιοῦχον γαῖαν· ὡς στένειν πόλιν
Περσῶν, ποθοῦσαν φιλτάτην ἥβην χθονός.
ταῦτʼ ἔστʼ ἀληθῆ· πολλὰ δʼ ἐκλείπω λέγων
κακῶν ἃ Πέρσαις ἐγκατέσκηψεν θεός.
Χορός:
ὦ δυσπόνητε δαῖμον, ὡς ἄγαν βαρὺς
ποδοῖν ἐνήλου παντὶ Περσικῷ γένει.

## 2. Lines 517–1076

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/2/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/aeschylus-persians/2/#p-N

[¶0] Atossa:
How the utter destruction of our host distresses me! O vivid vision of my dreams at night, how clearly did you signify misfortune to me!

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
οἲ ʼγὼ τάλαινα διαπεπραγμένου στρατοῦ·
ὦ νυκτὸς ὄψις ἐμφανὴς ἐνυπνίων,
ὡς κάρτα μοι σαφῶς ἐδήλωσας κακά.

[¶1] And all too lightly did you in turn interpret it. However, since your explanation determined thus, first of all I wish to offer prayers to the gods, and then I will return after I have brought from the palace a sacrificial cake as a gift to Earth and the dead.
I know indeed that it is for what cannot be undone, yet I do this in the hope that something more auspicious may come to pass in the future. But you should confer faithfully with the faithful counsellors in view of what has befallen. And as for my son, if he should come here before I return,
comfort him and escort him to the palace, so that he will not inflict on himself some further ill to crown those already ours. Exit
Chorus:
O sovereign Zeus, by destroying the army of the haughty and multitudinous Persians,
you have shrouded in the gloom of grief the city of Susa and of Agbatana! Many a woman, who has a share in this sorrow, tears her veil with tender hands
and moistens with drenching tears the robe covering her bosom. And the Persian wives, indulging in soft wailing through longing to behold their lords and abandoning the daintily wrought coverlets of their couches, the delight of their youth,
mourn with complainings that know no end. So I too sustain the truly woeful fate of those who are gone.

> Greek: ὑμεῖς δὲ φαύλως αὔτʼ ἄγαν ἐκρίνατε.
ὅμως δʼ, ἐπειδὴ τῇδʼ ἐκύρωσεν φάτις
ὑμῶν, θεοῖς μὲν πρῶτον εὔξασθαι θέλω·
ἔπειτα Γῇ τε καὶ φθιτοῖς δωρήματα
ἥξω λαβοῦσα πέλανον ἐξ οἴκων ἐμῶν,—
ἐπίσταμαι μὲν ὡς ἐπʼ ἐξειργασμένοις,
ἀλλʼ ἐς τὸ λοιπὸν εἴ τι δὴ λῷον πέλοι.
ὑμᾶς δὲ χρὴ ʼπὶ τοῖσδε τοῖς πεπραγμένοις
πιστοῖσι πιστὰ ξυμφέρειν βουλεύματα·
καὶ παῖδʼ, ἐάν περ δεῦρʼ ἐμοῦ πρόσθεν μόλῃ,
παρηγορεῖτε, καὶ προπέμπετʼ ἐς δόμους,
μὴ καί τι πρὸς κακοῖσι προσθῆται κακόν.
Χορός:
ὦ Ζεῦ βασιλεῦ, νῦν ⟨γὰρ⟩ Περσῶν
τῶν μεγαλαύχων καὶ πολυάνδρων
στρατιὰν ὀλέσας
ἄστυ τὸ Σούσων ἠδʼ Ἀγβατάνων
πένθει δνοφερῷ κατέκρυψας·
πολλαὶ δʼ ἀταλαῖς χερσὶ καλύπτρας
κατερεικόμεναι
διαμυδαλέοις δάκρυσι κόλπους
τέγγουσʼ, ἄλγους μετέχουσαι.
αἱ δʼ ἁβρόγοοι Περσίδες ἀνδρῶν
ποθέουσαι ἰδεῖν ἀρτιζυγίαν,
λέκτρων εὐνὰς ἁβροχίτωνας,
χλιδανῆς ἥβης τέρψιν, ἀφεῖσαι,
πενθοῦσι γόοις ἀκορεστοτάτοις.
κἀγὼ δὲ μόρον τῶν οἰχομένων
αἴρω δοκίμως πολυπενθῆ.

[¶2] Chorus:
For now in truth the whole land of Asia, decimated, moans:

> Greek: Χορός:
νῦν γὰρ δὴ πρόπασα μὲν στένει γαῖʼ
Ἀσιὰς ἐκκενουμένα.

[¶3] Xerxes led forth (woe!), Xerxes laid low (woe!), Xerxes disposed all things imprudently with his sea-going vessels. Why then was Darius
in his time so unscathed by disaster, he who was ruler of archers, to the men of Susa a beloved leader?

> Greek: Ξέρξης μὲν ἄγαγεν, ποποῖ,
Ξέρξης δʼ ἀπώλεσεν, τοτοῖ,
Ξέρξης δὲ πάντʼ ἐπέσπε δυσφρόνως
βαρίδεσσι ποντίαις.
τίπτε Δαρεῖος μὲν οὕ-
τω τότʼ ἀβλαβὴς ἐπῆν
τόξαρχος πολιήταις,
Σουσίδαις φίλος ἄκτωρ;

[¶4] Chorus:
For infantry and seamen both, the ships, dark-eyed and linen-winged,
led forth (woe!), the ships laid them low (woe!), the ships, under the deadly impact of the foe and by the hands of Ionians.
The King himself, as we learn, has barely made his escape over the wintry paths which traverse the plains of Thrace.

> Greek: Χορός:
πεζούς τε γὰρ καὶ θαλασσίους
λινόπτεροι κυανώπιδες
νᾶες μὲν ἄγαγον, ποποῖ,
νᾶες δʼ ἀπώλεσαν, τοτοῖ,
νᾶες πανωλέθροισιν ἐμβολαῖς,
αἵ τʼ Ἰαόνων χέρες.
τυτθὰ δʼ ἐκφυγεῖν ἄνακτʼ
αὐτὸν εἰσακούομεν
Θρῄκης ἂμ πεδιήρεις
δυσχίμους τε κελεύθους.

[¶5] Chorus:
And they who were first to meet their doom (alas!), left behind by dire necessity (alas!),
are swept along the Cychrean strand (woe!). Groan and gnash your teeth; in grievous strain shout forth our woes till they reach the heavens (alas!), raise high
your wailing clamor in cries of misery.

> Greek: Χορός:
τοὶ δʼ ἄρα πρωτόμοιροι, φεῦ,
λειφθέντες πρὸς ἀνάγκας, ἠέ,
ἀκτὰς ἀμφὶ Κυχρείας, ὀᾶ,
⟨σύρονται⟩· στένε καὶ δακνά-
ζου, βαρὺ δʼ ἀμβόασον
οὐράνιʼ ἄχη, ὀᾶ·
τεῖνε δὲ δυσβάυκτον
βοᾶτιν τάλαιναν αὐδάν.

[¶6] Chorus:
Lacerated by the swirling waters (alas!) they are gnawed (alas!) by the voiceless children of the undefiled sea (alas!). The home, bereaved of his presence, laments its head;
and parents, bereft of their children, in their old age bewail their heaven- sent woes (alas!), now that they learn the full measure of their afflictions.

> Greek: Χορός:
γναπτόμενοι δὲ δίνᾳ, φεῦ,
σκύλλονται πρὸς ἀναύδων, ἠέ,
παίδων τᾶς ἀμιάντου, ὀᾶ.
πενθεῖ δʼ ἄνδρα δόμος στερη-
θείς τοκέες τʼ ἄπαιδες
δαιμόνιʼ ἄχη, ὀᾶ,
δυρόμενοι γέροντες
τὸ πᾶν δὴ κλύουσιν ἄλγος.

[¶7] Chorus:
Not now for long will those who dwell throughout the length and breadth of Asia
abide under the sway of the Persians, nor will they pay further tribute at the compulsion of their lord, nor will they prostrate themselves to the earth and do him reverence;
for the royal power has perished utterly.

> Greek: Χορός:
τοὶ δʼ ἀνὰ γᾶν Ἀσίαν δὴν
οὐκέτι περσονομοῦνται,
οὐδʼ ἔτι δασμοφοροῦσιν
δεσποσύνοισιν ἀνάγκαις,
οὐδʼ ἐς γᾶν προπίτνοντες
ἅζονται· βασιλεία
γὰρ διόλωλεν ἰσχύς.

[¶8] No longer will men keep a curb upon their tongues; for the people are set free to utter their thoughts at will, now that the yoke of power has been broken.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδʼ ἔτι γλῶσσα βροτοῖσιν
ἐν φυλακαῖς· λέλυται γὰρ
λαὸς ἐλεύθερα βάζειν,
ὡς ἐλύθη ζυγὸν ἀλκᾶς.

[¶9] The blood-stained soil of Ajax’ sea-washed isle holds all that once was Persia.
Enter Atossa
Atossa:
My friends, whoever has experience of misery knows that when a sea
of troubles comes upon mortal men, they view all things with alarm; but when fortune flows with prosperous tide, they believe that this same fortune will forever bring them success. Now in my case everything seems full of dread; before my eyes appears the enmity of the gods,
and in my ears there rings a sound that has no note of joy; such is my consternation at the evil tidings which terrify my soul. It is for this reason that I have come here from the palace once again, without my chariot and my former pomp, and bring, as propitiatory libations for the father of my son,
offerings that soothe the dead, both white milk, pleasant to drink, from an unblemished cow, and bright honey, distillation wrought from blossoms by the bee, together with lustral water from a virgin spring;
and from a rustic source, this unmixed draught, the quickening juice of an ancient vine. Here too is the fragrant fruit of the pale-green olive that lives the entirety of its life in luxuriant foliage; and garlanded flowers, produce of the bounteous earth. But come, my friends,
chant solemn songs as I make these libations to the dead, and summon forth the divine spirit of Darius, while I convey, in honor of the gods, these offerings for the earth to drink.

> Greek: αἱμαχθεῖσα δʼ ἄρουραν
Αἴαντος περικλύστα
νᾶσος ἔχει τὰ Περσᾶν.
Ἄτοσσα:
φίλοι, κακῶν μὲν ὅστις ἔμπειρος κυρεῖ,
ἐπίσταται βροτοῖσιν ὡς ὅταν κλύδων
κακῶν ἐπέλθῃ πάντα δειμαίνειν φιλεῖ·
ὅταν δʼ ὁ δαίμων εὐροῇ, πεποιθέναι
τὸν αὐτὸν αἰεὶ δαίμονʼ οὐριεῖν τύχην.
ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἤδη πάντα μὲν φόβου πλέα
ἐν ὄμμασιν τἀνταῖα φαίνεται θεῶν,
βοᾷ δʼ ἐν ὠσὶ κέλαδος οὐ παιώνιος·
τοία κακῶν ἔκπληξις ἐκφοβεῖ φρένας.
τοιγὰρ κέλευθον τήνδʼ ἄνευ τʼ ὀχημάτων
χλιδῆς τε τῆς πάροιθεν ἐκ δόμων πάλιν
ἔστειλα, παιδὸς πατρὶ πρευμενεῖς χοὰς
φέρουσʼ, ἅπερ νεκροῖσι μειλικτήρια,
βοός τʼ ἀφʼ ἁγνῆς λευκὸν εὔποτον γάλα,
τῆς τʼ ἀνθεμουργοῦ στάγμα, παμφαὲς μέλι,
λιβάσιν ὑδρηλαῖς παρθένου πηγῆς μέτα,
ἀκήρατόν τε μητρὸς ἀγρίας ἄπο
ποτὸν παλαιᾶς ἀμπέλου γάνος τόδε·
τῆς τʼ αἰὲν ἐν φύλλοισι θαλλούσης βίον
ξανθῆς ἐλαίας καρπὸς εὐώδης πάρα,
ἄνθη τε πλεκτά, παμφόρου γαίας τέκνα,
ἀλλʼ, ὦ φίλοι, χοαῖσι ταῖσδε νερτέρων
ὕμνους ἐπευφημεῖτε, τόν τε δαίμονα
Δαρεῖον ἀνακαλεῖσθε, γαπότους δʼ ἐγὼ
τιμὰς προπέμψω τάσδε νερτέροις θεοῖς.

[¶10] Chorus:
Royal lady, august queen of the Persians, pour these libations down to the chambers of the earth,
while we, in solemn chant, beseech the guides of the dead beneath the earth to be gracious to our prayers. O holy divinities of the nether world, Earth and Hermes, and you, Lord of the dead,
send up to the light the spirit from below; for if, beyond our prayers, he knows any further remedy for our distress, he alone of mortals can declare how to bring it to accomplishment.

> Greek: Χορός:
βασίλεια γύναι, πρέσβος Πέρσαις,
σύ τε πέμπε χοὰς θαλάμους ὑπὸ γῆς,
ἡμεῖς θʼ ὕμνοις αἰτησόμεθα
φθιμένων πομποὺς
εὔφρονας εἶναι κατὰ γαίας.
ἀλλά, χθόνιοι δαίμονες ἁγνοί,
Γῆ τε καὶ Ἑρμῆ, βασιλεῦ τʼ ἐνέρων,
πέμψατʼ ἔνερθεν ψυχὴν ἐς φῶς·
εἰ γάρ τι κακῶν ἄκος οἶδε πλέον,
μόνος ἂν θνητῶν πέρας εἴποι.

[¶11] Chorus:
Does our sainted and godlike king hear me as I utter,
in obscure barbaric speech, my dismal and dolorous cries? Or must I shout aloud the utter misery of my anguish so that it pierces the earth? Does he hear me from below?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ ῥʼ ἀίει μου μακαρίτας
ἰσοδαίμων βασιλεὺς
βάρβαρʼ ἀσαφηνῆ
ἱέντος τὰ παναίολʼ αἰ-
ανῆ δύσθροα βάγματʼ, ἢ
παντάλανʼ ἄχη διαβοάσω;
νέρθεν ἆρα κλύει μου;

[¶12] Chorus:
O Earth, and you other rulers of those who dwell in the nether world, ensure, I implore, that the glorious spirit, the god of the Persians, whom Susa bore, may quit his abode.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλὰ σύ μοι Γᾶ τε καὶ ἄλλοι
χθονίων ἁγεμόνες
δαίμονα μεγαυχῆ
ἰόντʼ αἰνέσατʼ ἐκ δόμων,
Περσᾶν Σουσιγενῆ θεόν·

[¶13] Send to the upper world him the likes of whom the Persian earth has never entombed.

> Greek: πέμπετε δʼ ἄνω οἷον οὔπω
Περσὶς αἶʼ ἐκάλυψεν.

[¶14] Chorus:
Beloved indeed was the hero, beloved is his burial mound; beloved are the qualities that lie buried there. O Aidoneus,
Aidoneus, who convey shades to the upper air, permit our divine lord Darius to come forth!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ φίλος ἁνήρ, φίλος ὄχθος·
φίλα γὰρ κέκευθεν ἤθη.
Ἀιδωνεὺς δʼ ἀναπομ-
πὸς ἀνείης, Ἀιδωνεύς,
θεῖον ἀνάκτορα Δαριᾶνα. ἠέ.

[¶15] Chorus:
For since he did not ever cause the destruction of his people by senseless and ruinous wars, he bore the name of divine counsellor
to the Persians; and a divine counsellor he was, since he guided his people well.

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνδρας ποτʼ ἀπώλλυ
πολεμοφθόροισιν ἄταις,
θεομήστωρ δʼ ἐκικλή-
σκετο Πέρσαις, θεομήστωρ δʼ
ἔσκεν,ἐπεὶ στρατὸν εὖ ποδούχει. ἠέ.

[¶16] Chorus:
King, our king of old, come forth, draw near! Rise to the barrow’s topmost point,
lift your saffron-dyed sandal, display the crest of your royal tiara! Come forth, O blameless father Darius.

> Greek: Χορός:
βαλήν, ἀρχαῖος βαλήν,
ἴθι, ἱκοῦ·
ἔλθʼ ἐπʼ ἄκρον κόρυμβον ὄχθου,
κροκόβαπτον ποδὸς εὔμαριν ἀείρων,
βασιλείου τιάρας
φάλαρον πιφαύσκων.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἶ.

[¶17] Chorus:
That you may hear
pitiable and unheard-of sorrows, O Lord of our lord, appear! For a gloom, like that of Styx, hovers over us, since all the youth of the land
is now utterly destroyed. Come forth, O blameless father Darius!

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅπως αἰανῆ κλύῃς
νέα τʼ ἄχη,
δέσποτα δεσπότου φάνηθι.
Στυγία γάρ τις ἐπʼ ἀχλὺς πεπόταται·
νεολαία γὰρ ἤδη
κατὰ πᾶσʼ ὄλωλεν.
βάσκε πάτερ ἄκακε Δαριάν, οἶ.

[¶18] Chorus:
Alas, alas! You whose death your friends bewailed with bitter tears,
why, my king, my king, why is it that our land has lost all its three-tiered galleys,
ships that are no more, no more?
The ghost of Darius rises from his tomb
Ghost of Darius:
O most faithful of the faithful, comrades of my youth, aged Persians, what is it that is troubling the state? The earth groans and is furrowed by the stamp of men. As I behold my wife by my tomb,
I feel alarm, and I accept her libations in kindly mood; while you, standing near my tomb, make lament, and with shrill cries that summon the spirits of the dead, invoke me piteously. Not easy is the path out of the tomb, for this reason above all, that the gods beneath the earth
are readier to seize than to release. Nevertheless, since I have obtained dominion among them, I have come. But make haste, so that I may not incur blame regarding the time of my sojourn. What is this unexpected ill that weighs the Persians down?

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ·
ὦ πολύκλαυτε φίλοισι θανών,
τί τάδε δυνάτα δυνάτα
περὶ τᾷ σᾷ δίδυμα [διαγόεν ] ἁμάρτια;
πᾶσαι γᾷ τᾷδʼ
ἐξέφθινται τρίσκαλμοι
νᾶες ἄναες ἄναες.
Εἴδωλον Δαρείου:
ὦ πιστὰ πιστῶν ἥλικές θʼ ἥβης ἐμῆς
Πέρσαι γεραιοί, τίνα πόλις πονεῖ πόνον;
στένει, κέκοπται, καὶ χαράσσεται πέδον.
λεύσσων δʼ ἄκοιτιν τὴν ἐμὴν τάφου πέλας
ταρβῶ, χοὰς δὲ πρευμενὴς ἐδεξάμην.
ὑμεῖς δὲ θρηνεῖτʼ ἐγγὺς ἑστῶτες τάφου
καὶ ψυχαγωγοῖς ὀρθιάζοντες γόοις
οἰκτρῶς καλεῖσθέ μʼ· ἐστὶ δʼ οὐκ εὐέξοδον,
ἄλλως τε πάντως χοἰ κατὰ χθονὸς θεοὶ
λαβεῖν ἀμείνους εἰσὶν ἢ μεθιέναι.
ὅμως δʼ ἐκείνοις ἐνδυναστεύσας ἐγὼ
ἥκω. τάχυνε δʼ ὡς ἄμεμπτος ὦ χρόνου.
τί ἐστι Πέρσαις νεοχμὸν ἐμβριθὲς κακόν·

[¶19] Chorus:
I shrink in awe from gazing upon you.
I shrink in awe from speaking in your presence by reason of my former dread of you.

> Greek: Χορός:
σέβομαι μὲν προσιδέσθαι,
σέβομαι δʼ ἀντία λέξαι
σέθεν ἀρχαίῳ περὶ τάρβει.

[¶20] Darius:
Since, in compliance with your moanings, I have come from the world below, lay aside your awe of me; make your tale not long, but brief; speak out and deliver your story in its entirety.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ κάτωθεν ἦλθον σοῖς γόοις πεπεισμένος,
μή τι μακιστῆρα μῦθον, ἀλλὰ σύντομον λέγων
εἰπὲ καὶ πέραινε πάντα, τὴν ἐμὴν αἰδῶ μεθείς.

[¶21] Chorus:
I fear to do your bidding; I fear to speak in your presence and deliver to those I love news hard to utter.

> Greek: Χορός:
δίεμαι μὲν χαρίσασθαι,
δίεμαι δʼ ἀντία φάσθαι,
λέξας δύσλεκτα φίλοισιν.

[¶22] Darius:
Since dread long ingrained in your mind restrains you,
cease, noble woman, venerable partner of my bed, from your tears and laments, speak to me with all frankness. Afflictions ordained for human life must, we know, befall mankind. For many calamities from the sea, many from the land, arise to mortal men if their span of life is extended far.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ δέος παλαιὸν σοὶ φρενῶν ἀνθίσταται,
τῶν ἐμῶν λέκτρων γεραιὰ ξύννομʼ εὐγενὲς γύναι,
κλαυμάτων λήξασα τῶνδε καὶ γόων σαφές τί μοι
λέξον· ἀνθρώπεια δʼ ἄν τοι πήματʼ ἂν τύχοι βροτοῖς.
πολλὰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ θαλάσσης, πολλὰ δʼ ἐκ χέρσου κακὰ
γίγνεται θνητοῖς, ὁ μάσσων βίοτος ἢν ταθῇ, πρόσω.

[¶23] Atossa:
O you who in prosperity surpassed all mortal men by your happy destiny,
since, so long as you gazed upon the beams of the sun, you lived a life of felicity, envied of all, in Persian eyes a god, so now too I consider you fortunate in that you died before you beheld the depth of our calamities. The whole tale, O Darius, you will hear in brief space of time: the power of Persia is ruined almost utterly.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὦ βροτῶν πάντων ὑπερσχὼν ὄλβον εὐτυχεῖ πότμῳ
ὡς ἕως τʼ ἔλευσσες αὐγὰς ἡλίου ζηλωτὸς ὢν
βίοτον εὐαίωνα Πέρσαις ὡς θεὸς διήγαγες,
νῦν τέ σε ζηλῶ θανόντα, πρὶν κακῶν ἰδεῖν βάθος.
πάντα γάρ, Δαρεῖʼ ἀκούσῃ μῦθον ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ.
διαπεπόρθηται τὰ Περσῶν πράγμαθʼ, ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔπος.

[¶24] Darius:
How did it happen? Did some stroke of pestilence or factional strife come upon the State?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
τίνι τρόπῳ; λοιμοῦ τις ἦλθε σκηπτὸς ἢ στάσις πόλει;

[¶25] Atossa:
Neither; but near Athens our whole host has been brought to ruin.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλʼ ἀμφʼ Ἀθήνας πᾶς κατέφθαρται στρατός.

[¶26] Darius:
Tell me, what son of mine led our army there?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
τίς δʼ ἐμῶν ἐκεῖσε παίδων ἐστρατηλάτει; φράσον.

[¶27] Atossa:
Impetuous Xerxes, depopulating the whole surface of the continent.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
θούριος Ξέρξης, κενώσας πᾶσαν ἠπείρου πλάκα.

[¶28] Darius:
Was it by land or sea that he made this mad expedition, the reckless man?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
πεζὸς ἢ ναύτης δὲ πεῖραν τήνδʼ ἐμώρανεν τάλας;

[¶29] Atossa:
By both. There was a twofold front of double armies.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἀμφότερα· διπλοῦν μέτωπον ἦν δυοῖν στρατευμάτοιν.

[¶30] Darius:
But how was it that so vast a land force won a passage to the farther shore?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
πῶς δὲ καὶ στρατὸς τοσόσδε πεζὸς ἤνυσεν περᾶν;

[¶31] Atossa:
By a clever device he yoked the Hellespont so as to gain a passage.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
μηχαναῖς ἔζευξεν Ἕλλης πορθμόν, ὥστʼ ἔχειν πόρον.

[¶32] Darius:
What! Did he succeed in closing the mighty Bosporus?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
καὶ τόδʼ ἐξέπραξεν, ὥστε Βόσπορον κλῇσαι μέγαν·

[¶33] Atossa:
Yes indeed. One of the divine powers must have assisted him in his purpose.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὧδʼ ἔχει· γνώμης δέ πού τις δαιμόνων ξυνήψατο.

[¶34] Darius:
Alas! Some mighty power came upon him so that he was not able to think clearly.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
φεῦ, μέγας τις ἦλθε δαίμων, ὥστε μὴ φρονεῖν καλῶς.

[¶35] Atossa:
Yes, since we can see the outcome, what ruin he wrought.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὡς ἰδεῖν τέλος πάρεστιν οἷον ἤνυσεν κακόν.

[¶36] Darius:
And how then did they fare that you now lament them?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
καὶ τί δὴ πράξασιν αὐτοῖς ὧδʼ ἐπιστενάζετε;

[¶37] Atossa:
Disaster to the naval force brought ruin to the force on land.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ναυτικὸς στρατὸς κακωθεὶς πεζὸν ὤλεσε στρατόν.

[¶38] Darius:
And did the whole army utterly perish by the spear?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ὧδε παμπήδην δὲ λαὸς πᾶς κατέφθαρται δορί;

[¶39] Atossa:
Yes, and it is for this reason that the whole city of Susa groans at its desolation.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
πρὸς τάδʼ ὡς Σούσων μὲν ἄστυ πᾶν κενανδρίαν στένει.

[¶40] Darius:
Alas for the loss of our warriors’ valiant force and defence!

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ὦ πόποι κεδνῆς ἀρωγῆς κἀπικουρίας στρατοῦ.

[¶41] Atossa:
And the host of the Bactrians is lost, wholly destroyed: not even an old man is left.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
Βακτρίων δʼ ἔρρει πανώλης δῆμος, οὐδέ τις γέρων.

[¶42] Darius:
Unhappy man, since he has brought to ruin the youth of our allies.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ὦ μέλεος, οἵαν ἄρʼ ἥβην ξυμμάχων ἀπώλεσεν.

[¶43] Atossa:
But Xerxes, alone and forlorn, with scanty train, they say—

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
μονάδα δὲ Ξέρξην ἔρημόν φασιν οὐ πολλῶν μέτα—

[¶44] Darius:
Met his end, how, tell me, and where? Of his safety is there any hope?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
πῶς τε δὴ καὶ ποῖ τελευτᾶν; ἔστι τις σωτηρία;

[¶45] Atossa:
To his joy he reached the bridge yoking the two continents.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ἄσμενον μολεῖν γέφυραν γαῖν δυοῖν ζευκτηρίαν.

[¶46] Darius:
And reached our continent in safety? Is this certain?

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
καὶ πρὸς ἤπειρον σεσῶσθαι τήνδε, τοῦτʼ ἐτήτυμον;

[¶47] Atossa:
Yes, a proven report establishes this. Doubt there is none.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ναί· λόγος κρατεῖ σαφηνὴς τοῦτό γʼ, οὐδʼ ἔνι στάσις.

[¶48] Darius:
Alas! The fulfilment of the oracles has indeed come swiftly, and it is my son upon whom
Zeus has caused their issue to descend. Yet I was confident that, only after long lapse of time, the gods would in some way bring them to accomplishment; nevertheless, when man hastens to his own undoing, the god too participates with him. A fountain of misfortune has now, I think, been discovered for all I love. A son of mine it was who, in his ignorance, brought these things to pass through youthful recklessness;

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
φεῦ, ταχεῖά γʼ ἦλθε χρησμῶν πρᾶξις, ἐς δὲ παῖδʼ ἐμὸν
Ζεὺς ἀπέσκηψεν τελευτὴν θεσφάτων· ἐγὼ δέ που
διὰ μακροῦ χρόνου τάδʼ ηὔχουν ἐκτελευτήσειν θεούς·
ἀλλʼ ὅταν σπεύδῃ τις αὐτός, χὠ θεὸς συνάπτεται.
νῦν κακῶν ἔοικε πηγὴ πᾶσιν ηὑρῆσθαι φίλοις.
παῖς δʼ ἐμὸς τάδʼ οὐ κατειδὼς ἤνυσεν νέῳ θράσει·

[¶49] for he conceived the hope that he could by shackles, as if it were a slave, restrain the current of the sacred Hellespont, the Bosporus, a stream divine; he set himself to fashion a roadway of a new type, and, by casting upon it hammer-wrought fetters, made a spacious causeway for his mighty host. Mortal though he was, he thought in his folly that he would gain the mastery of all the gods,
yes, even over Poseidon. Must this not have been a disease of the soul that possessed my son? I fear that the plenteous treasure amassed by my toil may become the prey of the spoiler.

> Greek: ὅστις Ἑλλήσποντον ἱρὸν δοῦλον ὣς δεσμώμασιν
ἤλπισε σχήσειν ῥέοντα, Βόσπορον ῥόον θεοῦ·
καὶ πόρον μετερρύθμιζε, καὶ πέδαις σφυρηλάτοις
περιβαλὼν πολλὴν κέλευθον ἤνυσεν πολλῷ στρατῷ,
θνητὸς ὢν θεῶν τε πάντων ᾤετʼ, οὐκ εὐβουλίᾳ,
καὶ Ποσειδῶνος κρατήσειν. πῶς τάδʼ οὐ νόσος φρενῶν
εἶχε παῖδʼ ἐμόν; δέδοικα μὴ πολὺς πλούτου πόνος
οὑμὸς ἀνθρώποις γένηται τοῦ φθάσαντος ἁρπαγή.

[¶50] Atossa:
This lesson impetuous Xerxes learned through conversation with evil men. For they kept telling him that, whereas you
won plentiful treasure for your children by your spear, he, on his part, through lack of manly spirit, played the warrior at home and did not increase his father’s wealth. Hearing such taunts many a time from evil counsellors, he planned this expedition and army against Hellas.

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ταῦτά τοι κακοῖς ὁμιλῶν ἀνδράσιν διδάσκεται
θούριος Ξέρξης· λέγουσι δʼ ὡς σὺ μὲν μέγαν τέκνοις
πλοῦτον ἐκτήσω ξὺν αἰχμῇ, τὸν δʼ ἀνανδρίας ὕπο
ἔνδον αἰχμάζειν, πατρῷον δʼ ὄλβον οὐδὲν αὐξάνειν.
τοιάδʼ ἐξ ἀνδρῶν ὀνείδη πολλάκις κλύων κακῶν
τήνδʼ ἐβούλευσεν κέλευθον καὶ στράτευμʼ ἐφʼ Ἑλλάδα.

[¶51] Darius:
Therefore a calamity
dreadful and unforgettable has been caused by him, a desolating calamity such as never before befell this city of Susa since our Lord Zeus first ordained that one ruler should bear sway over all Asia with its flocks and wield the sceptre of its government.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
τοιγάρ σφιν ἔργον ἐστὶν ἐξειργασμένον
μέγιστον, ἀείμνηστον, οἷον οὐδέπω
τόδʼ ἄστυ Σούσων ἐξεκείνωσεν πεσόν,
ἐξ οὗτε τιμὴν Ζεὺς ἄναξ τήνδʼ ὤπασεν,
ἕνʼ ἄνδρʼ ἁπάσης Ἀσίδος μηλοτρόφου
ταγεῖν, ἔχοντα σκῆπτρον εὐθυντήριον.

[¶52] For Medus was first to be the leader of its host; and another, his son, completed his work since wisdom ruled his spirit. Third, after him, Cyrus, blessed in good fortune, came to the throne and established peace for all his people.

> Greek: Μῆδος γὰρ ἦν ὁ πρῶτος ἡγεμὼν στρατοῦ·
ἄλλος δʼ ἐκείνου παῖς τόδʼ ἔργον ἤνυσεν·
φρένες γὰρ αὐτοῦ θυμὸν ᾠακοστρόφουν.
τρίτος δʼ ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ Κῦρος, εὐδαίμων ἀνήρ,
ἄρξας ἔθηκε πᾶσιν εἰρήνην φίλοις·

[¶53] The Lydians and Phrygians he won to his rule, and the whole of Ionia he subdued by force; for he won the favor of the gods through his right-mindedness. Fourth in succession, the son of Cyrus ruled the host. Fifth in the list, Mardus came to power, a disgrace to his native land
and to the ancient throne; but he was slain in his palace by the guile of noble Artaphrenes, with the help of friends whose duty this was. Sixth came Maraphis, and seventh Artaphrenes. And I in turn attained the lot I desired,
and many a campaign I made with a valiant force; but disaster so dire as this I brought not upon the state. Yet Xerxes my son, youth that he is, has the mind of youth and does not remember my injunctions. Be sure of this, my age-mates:
all of us who have held this sovereign power cannot be shown to have wrought ruin as great as this.

> Greek: Λυδῶν δὲ λαὸν καὶ Φρυγῶν ἐκτήσατο,
Ἰωνίαν τε πᾶσαν ἤλασεν βίᾳ.
θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἤχθηρεν, ὡς εὔφρων ἔφυ.
Κύρου δὲ παῖς τέταρτος ηὔθυνε στρατόν.
πέμπτος δὲ Μάρδος ἦρξεν, αἰσχύνη πάτρᾳ
θρόνοισί τʼ ἀρχαίοισι· τὸν δὲ σὺν δόλῳ
Ἀρταφρένης ἔκτεινεν ἐσθλὸς ἐν δόμοις,
ξὺν ἀνδράσιν φίλοισιν, οἷς τόδʼ ἦν χρέος.
[ἕκτος δὲ Μάραφις, ἕβδομος δʼ Ἀρταφρένης.]
κἀγὼ πάλου τʼ ἔκυρσα τοῦπερ ἤθελον,
κἀπεστράτευσα πολλὰ σὺν πολλῷ στρατῷ·
ἀλλʼ οὐ κακὸν τοσόνδε προσέβαλον πόλει.
Ξέρξης δʼ ἐμὸς παῖς ὢν νέος νέα φρονεῖ,
κοὐ μνημονεύει τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπιστολάς·
εὖ γὰρ σαφῶς τόδʼ ἴστʼ, ἐμοὶ ξυνήλικες,
ἅπαντες ἡμεῖς, οἳ κράτη τάδʼ ἔσχομεν,
οὐκ ἂν φανεῖμεν πήματʼ ἔρξαντες τόσα.

[¶54] Chorus:
What then, O king Darius? What is the intention of your words? How, after this reverse, may we, the people of Persia, best prosper in time to come?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί οὖν, ἄναξ Δαρεῖε, ποῖ καταστρέφεις
λόγων τελευτήν; πῶς ἂν ἐκ τούτων ἔτι
πράσσοιμεν ὡς ἄριστα Περσικὸς λεώς;

[¶55] Darius:
If you do not take the field against the Hellenes’ land, even if the forces of the Medes outnumber theirs. The land itself is their ally.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
εἰ μὴ στρατεύοισθʼ ἐς τὸν Ἑλλήνων τόπον,
μηδʼ εἰ στράτευμα πλεῖον τὸ Μηδικόν.
αὐτὴ γὰρ ἡ γῆ ξύμμαχος κείνοις πέλει.

[¶56] Chorus:
What do you mean? In what way “their ally”?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς τοῦτʼ ἔλεξας, τίνι τρόπῳ δὲ συμμαχεῖ;

[¶57] Darius:
It wastes with famine an enemy force which is too large.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
κτείνουσα λιμῷ τοὺς ὑπερπόλλους ἄγαν.

[¶58] Chorus:
But we will dispatch a force of select and easily managed troops.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἀλλʼ εὐσταλῆ τοι λεκτὸν ἀροῦμεν στόλον.

[¶59] Darius:
Not even the host which now remains in Hellas will be able to return to safety.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
ἀλλʼ οὐδʼ ὁ μείνας νῦν ἐν Ἑλλάδος τόποις
στρατὸς κυρήσει νοστίμου σωτηρίας.

[¶60] Chorus:
How is that? Will not the whole barbarian army cross from Europe over the Hellespont?

> Greek: Χορός:
πῶς εἶπας; οὐ γὰρ πᾶν στράτευμα βαρβάρων
περᾷ τὸν Ἕλλης πορθμὸν Εὐρώπης ἄπο;

[¶61] Darius:
Few indeed out of many, if it is right to put any faith in the oracles of Heaven, with regard to what has just been brought to pass; for they are fulfilled, not just some, while others fail. And if this is truth, it is through persuasion of vain hopes that he is leaving behind a body of picked troops.

> Greek: Δαρεῖος:
παῦροι γε πολλῶν, εἴ τι πιστεῦσαι θεῶν
χρὴ θεσφάτοισιν, ἐς τὰ νῦν πεπραγμένα
βλέψαντα· συμβαίνει γὰρ οὐ τὰ μέν, τὰ δʼ οὔ.
κεἴπερ τάδʼ ἐστί, πλῆθος ἔκκριτον στρατοῦ
λείπει κεναῖσιν ἐλπίσιν πεπεισμένος.

[¶62] They are now lingering where the plain is watered by the stream of Asopus which nourishes Boeotia’s fields. Here they will meet their crowning disaster in requital for their presumptuous pride and impious thoughts. For, on reaching the land of Hellas,
restrained by no religious awe, they ravaged the images of the gods and set fire to their temples. Altars have been destroyed, statues of the gods have been thrown from their bases in utter ruin and confusion. Therefore, since they wrought such evil, evil they suffer in no less measure; and other evils are still in store:
the spring of their woes is not yet quenched, but it still wells forth. For so great will be the mass of clotted gore spilled by the Dorian lance upon Plataean soil that heaps of dead will reveal, even to the third generation, a voiceless record for the eyes of men
that mortal man should not vaunt himself excessively. For presumptuous pride, when it has matured, bears as its fruit a crop of calamity, from which it reaps an abundant harvest of tears. Bear in mind that such are the penalties for deeds like these, and hold Athens and Hellas in your memory. Let no one of you,
through disdain of present fortune and lust for more, squander his abundant wealth. Zeus, in truth, is a chastiser of overweening pride and corrects with heavy hand. Therefore, now that my son has been warned to be prudent by the voice of God,
instruct him with admonitions of reason to cease from drawing the punishment of Heaven on himself by his vaunting rashness. And as for you, beloved and venerable mother of Xerxes, withdraw to the palace and bring from there clothing which is suitable for him, and prepare to meet your son. For
through grief at his misfortunes, the embroidered apparel which he was wearing has been torn into tattered shreds. Soothe him with words of kindness; for it is to your voice alone, I know, that he will listen. As for me, I depart to the darkness beneath the earth.

> Greek: μίμνουσι δʼ ἔνθα πεδίον Ἀσωπὸς ῥοαῖς
ἄρδει, φίλον πίασμα Βοιωτῶν χθονί·
οὗ σφιν κακῶν ὕψιστʼ ἐπαμμένει παθεῖν,
ὕβρεως ἄποινα κἀθέων φρονημάτων·
οἳ γῆν μολόντες Ἑλλάδʼ οὐ θεῶν βρέτη
ᾐδοῦντο συλᾶν οὐδὲ πιμπράναι νεώς·
βωμοὶ δʼ ἄιστοι, δαιμόνων θʼ ἱδρύματα
πρόρριζα φύρδην ἐξανέστραπται βάθρων.
τοιγὰρ κακῶς δράσαντες οὐκ ἐλάσσονα
πάσχουσι, τὰ δὲ μέλλουσι, κοὐδέπω κακῶν
κρηνὶς ἀπέσβηκʼ ἀλλʼ ἔτʼ ἐκπιδύεται.
τόσος γὰρ ἔσται πέλανος αἱματοσφαγὴς
πρὸς γῇ Πλαταιῶν Δωρίδος λόγχης ὕπο·
θῖνες νεκρῶν δὲ καὶ τριτοσπόρῳ γονῇ
ἄφωνα σημανοῦσιν ὄμμασιν βροτῶν
ὡς οὐχ ὑπέρφευ θνητὸν ὄντα χρὴ φρονεῖν.
ὕβρις γὰρ ἐξανθοῦσʼ ἐκάρπωσεν στάχυν
ἄτης, ὅθεν πάγκλαυτον ἐξαμᾷ θέρος.
τοιαῦθʼ ὁρῶντες τῶνδε τἀπιτίμια
μέμνησθʼ Ἀθηνῶν Ἑλλάδος τε, μηδέ τις
ὑπερφρονήσας τὸν παρόντα δαίμονα
ἄλλων ἐρασθεὶς ὄλβον ἐκχέῃ μέγαν.
Ζεύς τοι κολαστὴς τῶν ὑπερκόμπων ἄγαν
φρονημάτων ἔπεστιν, εὔθυνος βαρύς.
πρὸς ταῦτʼ ἐκεῖνον, σωφρονεῖν κεχρημένον,
πινύσκετʼ εὐλόγοισι νουθετήμασιν,
λῆξαι θεοβλαβοῦνθʼ ὑπερκόμπῳ θράσει.
σὺ δʼ, ὦ γεραιὰ μῆτερ ἡ Ξέρξου φίλη,
ἐλθοῦσʼ ἐς οἴκους κόσμον ὅστις εὐπρεπὴς
λαβοῦσʼ ὑπαντίαζε παιδί. πάντα γὰρ
κακῶν ὑπʼ ἄλγους λακίδες ἀμφὶ σώματι
στημορραγοῦσι ποικίλων ἐσθημάτων.
ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν εὐφρόνως σὺ πράυνον λόγοις·
μόνης γάρ, οἶδα, σοῦ κλύων ἀνέξεται.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἄπειμι γῆς ὑπὸ ζόφον κάτω.

[¶63] Farewell, Elders, and despite your troubles, rejoice while each day is yours; for wealth does not profit the dead at all. The ghost of Darius descends
Chorus:
I grieve as I hear the many misfortunes that are now, and are yet to be, the lot of the barbarians.

> Greek: ὑμεῖς δέ, πρέσβεις, χαίρετʼ, ἐν κακοῖς ὅμως
ψυχῇ διδόντες ἡδονὴν καθʼ ἡμέραν,
ὡς τοῖς θανοῦσι πλοῦτος οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ.
Χορός:
ἦ πολλὰ καὶ παρόντα καὶ μέλλοντʼ ἔτι
ἤλγησʼ ἀκούσας βαρβάροισι πήματα.

[¶64] Atossa:
O God! How much grief assails me! But most of all this sorrow wounds me, to hear of the shameful clothes which are now worn by my son. But I will depart, and when I have brought appropriate garments from the palace,
I will make attempt to meet my son; for I will not forsake him whom I love so well in his affliction. Exit

> Greek: Ἄτοσσα:
ὦ δαῖμον, ὥς με πόλλʼ ἐσέρχεται κακὰ
ἄλγη, μάλιστα δʼ ἥδε συμφορὰ δάκνει,
ἀτιμίαν γε παιδὸς ἀμφὶ σώματι
ἐσθημάτων κλύουσαν, ἥ νιν ἀμπέχει.
ἀλλʼ εἶμι, καὶ λαβοῦσα κόσμον ἐκ δόμων
ὑπαντιάζειν παιδί μου πειράσομαι.
οὐ γὰρ τὰ φίλτατʼ ἐν κακοῖς προδώσομεν.

[¶65] Chorus:
Oh yes, it was in truth a glorious and good life under civil government that we enjoyed so long as our aged
and all-powerful king, who did no wrong and did not favor war, god-like Darius, ruled the realm.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὦ πόποι ἦ μεγάλας ἀγαθᾶς τε πο-
λισσονόμου βιοτᾶς ἐπεκύρσαμεν,
εὖθʼ ὁ γηραιὸς
πανταρκὴς ἀκάκας
ἄμαχος βασιλεὺς
ἰσόθεος Δαρεῖος ἆρχε χώρας.

[¶66] Chorus:
In the first place we showed to the world armies worthy of our fame, and civil institutions, like towers in strength,
regulated all the state; and our return from war brought back our men, unworn and unsuffering, to happy homes.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρῶτα μὲν εὐδοκίμους στρατιὰς ἀπε-
φαινόμεθʼ, ἠδὲ νομίσματα πύργινα
πάντʼ ἐπηύθυνε,
νόστοι δʼ ἐκ πολέμων
ἀπόνους ἀπαθεῖς
⟨ἀνέρας⟩ εὖ πράσσοντας ἆγον οἴκους.

[¶67] Chorus:
And what a number of cities he captured!—
without crossing the stream of Halys or even stirring from his own hearth: such as the Acheloan cities on the Strymonian sea which is located beside
the Thracian settlements.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅσσας δʼ εἷλε πόλεις πόρον
οὐ διαβὰς Ἅλυος ποταμοῖο,
οὐδʼ ἀφʼ ἑστίας συθείς,
οἷαι Στρυμονίου πελά-
γους Ἀχελωίδες εἰσὶ πάροικοι
Θρῃκίων ἐπαύλων,

[¶68] Chorus:
And those outside the lake, the cities on the mainland, surrounded with a rampart, obeyed him as their king;
those, too, that boast to be on both sides of the broad Hellespont and Propontis, deeply-recessed, and the outlet of Pontus.

> Greek: Χορός:
λίμνας τʼ ἔκτοθεν αἳ κατὰ
χέρσον ἐληλαμέναι πέρι πύργον
τοῦδʼ ἄνακτος ἄιον,
Ἕλλας τʼ ἀμφὶ πόρον πλατὺν
εὐχόμεναι, μυχία τε Προποντίς,
καὶ στόμωμα Πόντου·

[¶69] Chorus:
The sea-washed islands, also, off the projecting arm
of the sea, lying close to this land of ours, such as Lesbos, and olive-planted Samos, Chios and Paros, Naxos, Mykonos,
and Andros which lies adjacent to Tenos.

> Greek: Χορός:
νᾶσοί θʼ αἳ κατὰ πρῶνʼ
ἅλιον περίκλυστοι
τᾷδε γᾷ προσήμεναι
οἵα Λέσβος ἐλαι-
όφυτός τε Σάμος, Χίος
ἠδὲ Πάρος, Νάξος, Μύκο-
νος, Τήνῳ τε συνάπτουσʼ
Ἀνδρος ἀγχιγείτων,

[¶70] Chorus:
And he held under his sway the sea-girt islands midway between the continents,
Lemnos, and the settlement of Icarus, and Rhodes, and Cnidos, and the Cyprian cities Paphos, Soli, and Salamis,
whose mother-city is now the cause of our lament.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ τὰς ἀγχιάλους
ἐκράτυνε μεσάκτους,
Λῆμνον, Ἰκάρου θʼ ἕδος,
καὶ Ῥόδον ἠδὲ Κνίδον
Κυπρίας τε πόλεις, Πάφον,
ἠδὲ Σόλους, Σαλαμῖνά τε,
τᾶς νῦν ματρόπολις τῶνδʼ
αἰτία στεναγμῶν.

[¶71] Chorus:
And the rich and populous cities of the Hellenes in the Ionian heritage
he controlled by his own will; and at his command he had an unwearied strength of men-at-arms and of allies from every nation. But now,
worsted completely in war through disasters on the sea, we endure this change of fortune no doubt from the hand of god.
Enter Xerxes in tattered robes, and attended by a scanty retinue

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ τὰς εὐκτεάνους κατὰ
κλῆρον Ἰαόνιον πολυάνδρους
Ἑλλάνων ἐκράτει σφετέραις φρεσίν.
ἀκάματον δὲ παρῆν σθένος
ἀνδρῶν τευχηστήρων
παμμίκτων τʼ ἐπικούρων.
νῦν δʼ οὐκ ἀμφιλόγως
θεότρεπτα τάδʼ αὖ
φέρομεν πολέμοισι
δμαθέντες μεγάλως
πλαγαῖσι ποντίαισιν.

[¶72] Xerxes:
Alas, wretched am I who have met this cruel doom
which did not give the faintest sign of its coming! In what savage mood has Fortune trampled upon the Persian race? What misery is yet in store for me, unhappy wretch? The strength of my limbs is loosened as I look upon this aged group of citizens.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἰώ,
δύστηνος ἐγὼ στυγερᾶς μοίρας
τῆσδε κυρήσας ἀτεκμαρτοτάτης,
ὡς ὠμοφρόνως δαίμων ἐνέβη
Περσῶν γενεᾷ· τί πάθω τλήμων;
λέλυται γὰρ ἐμοὶ γυίων ῥώμη
τήνδʼ ἡλικίαν ἐσιδόντʼ ἀστῶν.

[¶73] Ah, Zeus, I wish that the doom of death had buried me, too, together with the men who have been laid low!

> Greek: εἴθʼ ὄφελεν, Ζεῦ, κἀμὲ μετʼ ἀνδρῶν
τῶν οἰχομένων
θανάτου κατὰ μοῖρα καλύψαι.

[¶74] Chorus:
Alas, my king, for our noble army, for the high honor of Persia’s rule,
and for the splendor of the men now cut off by Fate! The land bewails her native youth, slaughtered for Xerxes, who has crowded Hades with Persian slain.
Many warriors, masters of the bow, our country’s pride, a great multitude of men, have perished. Alas, alas, for our trusty defence! The land of Asia, the leading power of the earth,
has piteously, yes piteously, been bowed to her knees.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὀτοτοῖ, βασιλεῦ, στρατιᾶς ἀγαθῆς
καὶ περσονόμου τιμῆς μεγάλης,
κόσμου τʼ ἀνδρῶν,
οὓς νῦν δαίμων ἐπέκειρεν.
γᾶ δʼ αἰάζει τὰν ἐγγαίαν
ἥβαν Ξέρξᾳ κταμέναν Ἅιδου
σάκτορι Περσᾶν. ᾁδοβάται γὰρ
πολλοὶ φῶτες, χώρας ἄνθος,
τοξοδάμαντες, πάνυ ταρφύς τις
μυριὰς ἀνδρῶν, ἐξέφθινται.
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ κεδνᾶς ἀλκᾶς.
Ἀσία δὲ χθών, βασιλεῦ γαίας,
αἰνῶς αἰνῶς
ἐπὶ γόνυ κέκλιται.

[¶75] Xerxes:
Behold me, alas, a fitting subject for lamentation, born a source of ruin to my race and fatherland.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ὅδʼ ἐγώ, οἰοῖ, αἰακτὸς
μέλεος γέννᾳ γᾷ τε πατρῴᾳ
κακὸν ἄρʼ ἐγενόμαν.

[¶76] Chorus:
As a greeting for your return home I will lift up an ill-omened cry of woe, the voice, versed in lamentation, of a Mariandynian mourner,
a wail attended by many a tear.

> Greek: Χορός:
πρόσφθογγόν σοι νόστου τὰν
κακοφάτιδα βοάν,
κακομέλετον ἰὰν
Μαριανδυνοῦ θρηνητῆρος
πέμψω πέμψω,
πολύδακρυν ἰαχάν.

[¶77] Xerxes:
Utter a strain of lamentation, plaintive and discordant. For Fortune has now veered and turned against me.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἵετʼ αἰανῆ [καὶ] πάνδυρτον
δύσθροον αὐδάν. δαίμων γὰρ ὅδʼ αὖ
μετάτροπος ἐπʼ ἐμοί.

[¶78] Chorus:
I will indeed utter the song of lamentation
in commemoration of your sufferings and of our strongly-manned ships, buffeted by waves; the plaintive strain of our land which mourns its sons. And I will cry aloud in lamentation, shedding many a tear.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἥσω τοι τὰν πάνδυρτον,
σὰ πάθη τε σέβων
ἁλίτυπά τε βάρη,
πόλεως γέννας πενθητῆρος·
⟨κλάγξω⟩ κλάγξω
δὲ γόον ἀρίδακρυν.

[¶79] Xerxes:
Yes, for the Ionian naval force, turning the tide of battle, swept them away, the Ionian host, ravaging the dark sea and the shore of doom.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
Ἰάνων γὰρ ἀπηύρα,
Ἰάνων ναύφρακτος
Ἄρης ἑτεραλκὴς
νυχίαν πλάκα κερσάμενος
δυσδαίμονά τʼ ἀκτάν.

[¶80] Chorus:
Woe! woe! cry aloud, learn about the whole disaster. Where is the rest of the multitude of your comrades? Where are those who stood by your side, such as Pharandaces, Susas, Pelagon, Dotamas, and
Agdabatas, Psammis, and Susiscanes of Agbatana?

> Greek: Χορός:
οἰοιοῖ βόα καὶ πάντʼ ἐκπεύθου.—
ποῦ δὲ φίλων ἄλλος ὄχλος,
ποῦ δέ σοι παραστάται,
οἷος ἦν Φαρανδάκης,
Σούσας, Πελάγων, [καὶ] Δοτάμας, ἠδʼ Ἀ-
γδαβάτας, Ψάμμις, Σουσισκάνης τʼ
Ἀγβάτανα λιπών;

[¶81] Xerxes:
By the shores of Salamis, dashing against its rugged shore,
I left them, fallen in death from a Tyrian ship.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ὀλοοὺς ἀπέλειπον
Τυρίας ἐκ ναὸς
ἔρροντας ἐπʼ ἀκταῖς
Σαλαμινιάσι στυφελοῦ
θείνοντας ἐπʼ ἀκτᾶς.

[¶82] Chorus:
Woe! woe! cry aloud! Where is your beloved Pharnuchus, and the courageous Ariomardus? Where is prince Seualces,
or Lilaeus of noble lineage, Memphis, Tharybis and Masistras, Artembares and Hystaechmas? This I ask you.

> Greek: Χορός:
οἰοιοῖ, ⟨βόα⟩· ποῦ σοι Φαρνοῦχος
Ἀριόμαρδός τʼ ἀγαθός,
ποῦ δὲ Σευάλκης ἄναξ,
ἢ Λίλαιος εὐπάτωρ,
Μέμφις, Θάρυβις, καὶ Μασίστρας,
Ἀρτεμβάρης τʼ ἠδʼ Ὑσταίχμας;
τάδε σʼ ἐπανερόμαν.

[¶83] Xerxes:
Woe, woe is me!
They beheld ancient and hateful Athens and with one convulsive struggle (alas, alas!) poor wretches, they lie gasping on the shore.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἰὼ ἰώ μοί μοι
τὰς ὠγυγίους κατιδόντες
στυγνὰς Ἀθάνας πάντες ἑνὶ πιτύλῳ,
ἐὴ ἐή, τλάμονες ἀσπαίρουσι χέρσῳ.

[¶84] Chorus:
Did you really lose your trusty eye there, that which
counted tens upon tens of thousands of the Persians, Batanochus’ son Alpistus... son of Sesames, Megabates’ son, Parthos and mighty Oebares, did you leave these behind?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἦ καὶ τὸν Περσᾶν αὐτοῦ
τὸν σὸν πιστὸν πάντʼ ὀφθαλμὸν
μυρία μυρία πεμπαστὰν
Βατανώχου παῖδʼ Ἄλπιστον
…
τοῦ Σησάμα τοῦ Μεγαβάτα,
Πάρθον τε μέγαν τʼ Οἰβάρην
ἔλιπες ἔλιπες;

[¶85] Alas, alas, the unhappy men! You speak of woe, surpassing woe, for noble Persians.

> Greek: ὢ ὢ ⟨ὢ⟩ δᾴων.
Πέρσαις ἀγαυοῖς κακὰ πρόκακα λέγεις.

[¶86] Xerxes:
In truth you stir yearning in me for my gallant comrades
when you tell me of woe, surpassing woe, hateful and unforgettable. The heart within me cries out aloud for the wretched ones.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
⟨ἰὼ ἰὼ⟩ δῆτα
ἴυγγʼ ἀγαθῶν ἑτάρων μοι [ὑπομιμνήσκεις]
⟨κινεῖς⟩ ἄλαστα στυγνὰ πρόκακα λέγων.
βοᾷ βοᾷ ⟨μοι⟩ μελέων ἔντοσθεν ἦτορ.

[¶87] Chorus:
And yet there are others too whom we miss: Xanthis, commander of a myriad Mardian men, and warlike Anchares,
Diaexis, too, and Arsaces, captains of the horse, Cegdadatas and Lythimnas, and Tolmus, insatiate in war. I marvel,
that they do not follow behind around your wheeled tent.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ μὴν ἄλλους γε ποθοῦμεν,
Μάρδων ἀνδρῶν μυριοταγὸν
Ξάνθιν ἄρειόν τʼ Ἀγχάρην,
Δίαιξίν τʼ ἠδʼ Ἀρσάκην
ἱππιάνακτας,
Κηγδαδάταν καὶ Λυθίμναν
Τόλμον τʼ αἰχμᾶς ἀκόρεστον.
ἔταφον ἔταφον,
οὐκ ἀμφὶ σκηναῖς
τροχηλάτοισιν ὄπιθεν [δʼ·] ἑπομένους.

[¶88] Xerxes:
Gone are they who were leaders of the host.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
βεβᾶσι γὰρ τοίπερ ἀγρέται στρατοῦ.

[¶89] Chorus:
Gone, alas, ingloriously.

> Greek: Χορός:
βεβᾶσιν, οἴ, νώνυμοι.

[¶90] Xerxes:
Alas, alas!

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἰὴ ἰή, ἰὼ ἰώ.

[¶91] Chorus:
Alas, alas, you powers divine, you brought ruin upon us, unexpected, unmistakable to see, as is the glance of calamity.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰώ, δαίμονες,
ἔθεθʼ ἄελπτον κακὸν
διαπρέπον, οἷον δέδορκεν Ἄτα.

[¶92] Xerxes:
We have been stricken by misfortune such as will endure for ages.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
πεπλήγμεθʼ οἵᾳ διʼ αἰῶνος τύχᾳ·

[¶93] Chorus:
We have been stricken; it is abundantly clear.

> Greek: Χορός:
πεπλήγμεθʼ· εὔδηλα γάρ·

[¶94] Xerxes:
By strange woe, strange woe!

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
νέᾳ νέᾳ δύᾳ δύᾳ.

[¶95] Chorus:
It was with bad luck that we encountered Ionia’s mariners. Unfortunate in war, indeed, is Persia’s race.

> Greek: Χορός:
κύρσαντες οὐκ εὐτυχῶς
Ἰάνων ναυβατᾶν.
δυσπόλεμον δὴ γένος τὸ Περσᾶν.

[¶96] Xerxes:
How true it is. In the loss of so great an army
I have indeed been dealt a blow, wretched as I am.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
πῶς δʼ οὔ; στρατὸν μὲν τοσοῦ-
τον τάλας πέπληγμαι.

[¶97] Chorus:
What that belonged to Persia, unfortunate one, has not been destroyed?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί δʼ οὔκ; ὄλωλεν μεγάλως τὰ Περσᾶν.

[¶98] Xerxes:
Do you see this remnant of my royal robe?

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ὁρᾷς τὸ λοιπὸν τόδε τᾶς ἐμᾶς στολᾶς;

[¶99] Chorus:
Yes, I do indeed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὁρῶ ὁρῶ.

[¶100] Xerxes:
And this quiver—

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
τόνδε τʼ ὀιστοδέγμονα—

[¶101] Chorus:
What is this you say has been saved?

> Greek: Χορός:
τί τόδε λέγεις σεσωσμένον;

[¶102] Xerxes:
Treasury for shafts?

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
θησαυρὸν βελέεσσιν;

[¶103] Chorus:
Truly a small remnant from an ample store.

> Greek: Χορός:
βαιά γʼ ὡς ἀπὸ πολλῶν.

[¶104] Xerxes:
We have been deprived of defenders.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἐσπανίσμεθʼ ἀρωγῶν.

[¶105] Chorus:
Ionia’s people shrink not from the spear.

> Greek: Χορός:
Ἰάνων λαὸς οὐ φυγαίχμας.

[¶106] Xerxes:
They are a war-like people. I have lived to behold a calamity I never expected.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἀγανόρειος· κατεῖ-
δον δὲ πῆμʼ ἄελπτον.

[¶107] Chorus:
Are you speaking of the routed multitude which manned your ships?

> Greek: Χορός:
τραπέντα ναύφρακτον ἐρεῖς ὅμιλον;

[¶108] Xerxes:
And I rent my robe at the disastrous event.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
πέπλον δʼ ἐπέρρηξʼ ἐπὶ συμφορᾷ κακοῦ.

[¶109] Chorus:
Alas, alas!

> Greek: Χορός:
παπαῖ παπαῖ.

[¶110] Xerxes:
No, far worse than alas.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
καὶ πλέον ἢ παπαῖ μὲν οὖν.

[¶111] Chorus:
Yes, for twofold and threefold—

> Greek: Χορός:
δίδυμα γάρ ἐστι καὶ τριπλᾶ—

[¶112] Xerxes:
Pain to us, but exultation to our enemies

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
λυπρά, χάρματα δʼ ἐχθροῖς.

[¶113] Chorus:
Yes, and our strength has been maimed.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ σθένος γʼ ἐκολούσθη—

[¶114] Xerxes:
I am stripped of my escort.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
γυμνός εἰμι προπομπῶν.

[¶115] Chorus:
By the disasters of your comrades upon the sea.

> Greek: Χορός:
φίλων ἄταισι ποντίαισιν·

[¶116] Xerxes:
Weep, weep over our calamity, and depart to your homes.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
δίαινε δίαινε πῆμα· πρὸς δόμους δʼ ἴθι.

[¶117] Chorus:
Alas, alas, woe, woe!

> Greek: Χορός:
αἰαῖ αἰαῖ, δύα δύα.

[¶118] Xerxes:
Cry aloud now in response to me.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
βόα νυν ἀντίδουπά μοι.

[¶119] Chorus:
A wretched offering from the wretched to the wretched.

> Greek: Χορός:
δόσιν κακὰν κακῶν κακοῖς.

[¶120] Xerxes:
Cry out, tuning your strain to mine.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἴυζε μέλος ὁμοῦ τιθείς.

[¶121] Chorus:
Oh, oh! That which has happened is grievous indeed.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὀτοτοτοτοῖ.
βαρεῖά γʼ ἅδε συμφορά.

[¶122] Alas, for I too share in your sorrow.

> Greek: οἲ μάλα καὶ τόδʼ ἀλγῶ.

[¶123] Xerxes:
Strike, strike, and groan for my sake.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἔρεσσʼ ἔρεσσε καὶ στέναζʼ ἐμὴν χάριν.

[¶124] Chorus:
I weep in lamentation!

> Greek: Χορός:
διαίνομαι γοεδνὸς ὤν.

[¶125] Xerxes:
Now cry aloud in response to me.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
βόα νυν ἀντίδουπά μοι.

[¶126] Chorus:
This care, my lord, is mine.

> Greek: Χορός:
μέλειν πάρεστι, δέσποτα.

[¶127] Xerxes:
Lift up your voice now in lamentation.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἐπορθίαζέ νυν γόοις.

[¶128] Chorus:
Oh, oh! And with our wailing, alas, will be mingled bruising blows and shrieks of pain.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὀτοτοτοτοῖ.
μέλαινα δʼ ἀμμεμείξεται,
οἴ, στονόεσσα πλαγά.

[¶129] Xerxes:
Beat your breast too, and raise the Mysian wail.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
καὶ στέρνʼ ἄρασσε κἀπιβόα τὸ Μύσιον.

[¶130] Chorus:
Anguish, anguish!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄνιʼ ἄνια.

[¶131] Xerxes:
And tear, I beg of you, the white hair from your beard.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
καί μοι γενείου πέρθε λευκήρη τρίχα.

[¶132] Chorus:
With clenched nails, with clenched nails, with loud wailing.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄπριγδʼ ἄπριγδα μάλα γοεδνά.

[¶133] Xerxes:
And utter shrill cries.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἀύτει δʼ ὀξύ.

[¶134] Chorus:
This too I will do.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ τάδʼ ἔρξω.

[¶135] Xerxes:
And with your fingers tear the robe which drapes you.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
πέπλον δʼ ἔρεικε κολπίαν ἀκμῇ χερῶν.

[¶136] Chorus:
Anguish, anguish!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄνιʼ ἄνια.

[¶137] Xerxes:
Pluck out your locks, and lament our host.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
καὶ ψάλλʼ ἔθειραν καὶ κατοίκτισαι στρατόν.

[¶138] Chorus:
With clenched nails, with clenched nails, with loud wailing.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἄπριγδʼ ἄπριγδα μάλα γοεδνά.

[¶139] Xerxes:
Let tears moisten your eyes.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
διαίνου δʼ ὄσσε.

[¶140] Chorus:
I am drenched with tears.

> Greek: Χορός:
τέγγομαί τοι.

[¶141] Xerxes:
Cry aloud now in response to me.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
βόα νυν ἀντίδουπά μοι.

[¶142] Chorus:
Alas, alas!

> Greek: Χορός:
οἰοῖ οἰοῖ.

[¶143] Xerxes:
With sounds of wailing go to your homes.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
αἰακτὸς ἐς δόμους κίε.

[¶144] Chorus:
Alas, alas!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰώ, [Περσὶς αἶα δύσβατος].

[¶145] Xerxes:
Alas! through the city.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἰωὰ δὴ κατʼ ἄστυ.

[¶146] Chorus:
Alas, indeed!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰωὰ δῆτα, ναὶ ναί.

[¶147] Xerxes:
Pour forth your wails as you move along with soft steps.

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
γοᾶσθʼ ἁβροβάται.

[¶148] Chorus:
Alas, alas, O Persian land, grievous now to walk upon!

> Greek: Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰώ, Περσὶς αἶα δύσβατος.

[¶149] Xerxes:
Ah me!
Those that perished in three-tiered galleys, ah me!

> Greek: Ξέρξης:
ἰὴ ἰὴ τρισκάλμοισιν,
ἰὴ ἰή, βάρισιν ὀλόμενοι.

[¶150] Chorus:
I will escort you with dismal sounds of woe. Exeunt omnes

> Greek: Χορός:
πέμψω τοί σε δυσθρόοις γόοις.