---
title: "Rhesus · Ῥῆσος"
author: "Euripides"
translator: "Gilbert Murray"
languages: [grc, en]
shelf: "Classical Greek"
section: 2 of 2
url: https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-rhesus/2/
cite: "Euripides, tr. Gilbert Murray, Rhesus · Ῥῆσος, section 2. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/euripides-rhesus/2/"
---

# Rhesus · Ῥῆσος

*Euripides, tr. Gilbert Murray*

A night raid in the Trojan War: Odysseus and Diomedes against the Thracian king Rhesus.

> Greek: ed. Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (canonical-greekLit, tlg0006.tlg019, CC BY-SA 4.0).

> English: Gilbert Murray, from the Perseus Digital Library (tlg0006.tlg019.perseus-eng4). Notes are not included.

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

## 2. Lines 510–996

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

[¶0] RHESUS.:
No brave man seeks so dastardly to harm
His battle-foes; he meets them arm to arm.

> Greek: Ῥῆσος:
οὐδεὶς ἀνὴρ εὔψυχος ἀξιοῖ λάθρᾳ
κτεῖναι τὸν ἐχθρόν, ἀλλʼ ἰὼν κατὰ στόμα.

[¶1] This Greek of thine, this sitter like a thief
In ambush, I will make of him my chief
Care. I will take him living, drive a straight
Stake through him, and so star him at the Gate
To feed your wide-winged vultures.’Tis the death
Most meet for a lewd thief, who pillageth
God’s sanctuary, or so we hold in Thrace.
HECTOR.: (making no answer)
Seek first some sleep. There still remains a space
Of darkness.—I will show the spot that best
May suit you, somewhat sundered from the rest.

> Greek: τοῦτον δʼ ὃν ἵζειν φὴς σὺ κλωπικὰς ἕδρας
καὶ μηχανᾶσθαι, ζῶντα συλλαβὼν ἐγὼ
πυλῶν ἐπʼ ἐξόδοισιν ἀμπείρας ῥάχιν
στήσω πετεινοῖς γυψὶ θοινατήριον.
λῃστὴν γὰρ ὄντα καὶ θεῶν ἀνάκτορα
συλῶντα δεῖ νιν τῷδε κατθανεῖν μόρῳ.
Ἕκτωρ:
νῦν μὲν καταυλίσθητε· καὶ γὰρ εὐφρόνη.
δείξω δʼ ἐγώ σοι χῶρον, ἔνθα χρὴ στρατὸν
τὸν σὸν νυχεῦσαι τοῦ τεταγμένου δίχα.

[¶2] Should need arise, the password of the night
Is Phoebus: see your Thracians have it right.
Turning to the Guards before he goes.

> Greek: ξύνθημα δʼ ἡμῖν Φοῖβος, ἤν τι καὶ δέῃ·
μέμνησʼ ἀκούσας, Θρῃκί τʼ ἄγγειλον στρατῷ.

[¶3] Advance beyond your stations, men, at some
Distance, and stay on watch till Dolon come
With word of the Argives’ counsel. If his vow
Prosper, he should be nearing us by now.
Exeunt HECTOR and RHESUS and Attendants. The Guards, who have been below, come forward sleepily from the camp fire, and sit watching by HECTOR’S tent.

> Greek: ὑμᾶς δὲ βάντας χρὴ προταινὶ τάξεων
φρουρεῖν ἐγερτὶ καὶ νεῶν κατάσκοπον
δέχθαι Δόλωνα· καὶ γάρ, εἴπερ ἐστὶ σῶς,
ἤδη πελάζει στρατοπέδοισι Τρωικοῖς.

[¶4] CHORUS.:
Say, whose is the watch? Who exchanges
With us? The first planets to rise
Are setting; the Pleiades seven
Move low on the margin of heaven,
And the Eagle is risen and ranges
The mid-vault of the skies.

> Greek: Χορός:
— τίνος ἁ φυλακά; τίς ἀμείβει
τὰν ἐμάν; πρῶτα
δύεται σημεῖα καὶ ἑπτάποροι
Πλειάδες αἰθέριαι· μέσα δʼ αἰετὸς οὐρανοῦ ποτᾶται.

[¶5] ANOTHER.:
No sleeping yet! Up from your couches
And watch on, the sluggards ye are!

> Greek: — ἔγρεσθε, τί μέλλετε; κοιτᾶν
ἔγρεσθε πρὸς φυλακάν.

[¶6] The moon-maiden’s lamp is yet burning.

> Greek: οὐ λεύσσετε μηνάδος αἴγλαν;

[¶7] THIRD GUARD.:
Oh, the morning is near us, the morning!
Even now his fore-runner approaches,
Yon dim-shining star.
DIVERS GUARDS.: (talking)
Who drew the first night-watch?

> Greek: — ἀὼς δὴ πέλας, ἀὼς
γίγνεται, καί τις προδρόμων
ὅδε γʼ ἐστὶν ἀστήρ.
— τίς ἐκηρύχθη πρώτην φυλακήν;

[¶8] ANOTHER.:’Twas one Koroibos, called the Mygdon’s Son.

> Greek: — Μυγδόνος υἱόν φασι Κόροιβον.

[¶9] THE GUARD.:
And after?
THE OTHER.:
The Mount Taurus men
Had second watch: from them again
The Mysians took it. We came then.

> Greek: — τίς γὰρ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ; — Κίλικας Παίων
στρατὸς ἤγειρεν, Μυσοὶ δʼ ἡμᾶς.

[¶10] A GUARD.:’Tis surely time. Who will go tell
The fifth watch?’Tis the Lycians’ spell
By now;’twas thus the portions fell.

> Greek: — οὐκ οὖν Λυκίους πέμπτην φυλακὴν
βάντας ἐγείρειν
καιρὸς κλήρου κατὰ μοῖραν;

[¶11] ANOTHER.:
Nay, hearken! Again she is crying
Where death-laden Simois falls,
Of the face of dead Itys that stunned her,
Of grief grown to music and wonder:
Most changeful and old and undying
The nightingale calls.

> Greek: Χορός:
— καὶ μὴν ἀΐω· Σιμόεντος
ἡμένα κοίτας
φοινίας ὑμνεῖ πολυχορδοτάτᾳ
γήρυϊ παιδολέτωρ μελοποιὸν ἀηδονὶς μέριμναν.

[¶12] ANOTHER.:
And on Ida the shepherds are waking
Their flocks for the upland. I hear
The skirl of a pipe very distant.

> Greek: — ἤδη δὲ νέμουσι κατʼ Ἴδαν
ποίμνια· νυκτιβρόμου
σύριγγος ἰὰν κατακούω.

[¶13] ANOTHER.:
And sleep, it falls slow and insistent.’Tis perilous sweet when the breaking
Of dawn is so near.
DIVERS GUARDS: (talking).

> Greek: — θέλγει δʼ ὄμματος ἕδραν
ὕπνος· ἅδιστος γὰρ ἔβα
βλεφάροις πρὸς ἀοῦς.

[¶14] Why have we still no word nor sign
Of that scout in the Argive line?

> Greek: — τί ποτʼ οὐ πλάθει σκοπός, ὃν ναῶν
Ἕκτωρ ὤτρυνε κατόπταν;

[¶15] ANOTHER.:
I know not; he is long delayed.

> Greek: — ταρβῶ· χρόνιος γὰρ ἄπεστιν.

[¶16] ANOTHER.:
God send he trip not on the blade
Of some Greek in an ambuscade!
ANOTHER.:
It may be. I am half afraid.

> Greek: — ἀλλʼ ἦ κρυπτὸν λόχον ἐσπαίσας
διόλωλε; — τάχʼ ἄν. φοβερόν μοι.

[¶17] LEADER.:
Our time is past! Up, men, and tell
The fifth watch.’Tis the Lycians’ spell
Now, as the portions fairly fell.
The Guards pass out to waken the Lycians. The stage is empty and dark except for the firelight, when a whisper is heard at the back. Presently enter ODYSSEUS and DIOMEDE in dull leather armour, DIOMEDE carrying at his belt DOLON’S wolf-skin and mask.
ODYSSEUS.:
Diomede, hist!—A little sound of arms
Clanking... or am I full of void alarms?
DIOMEDE.:
No.’Tis some horse tied to the chariot rail
That clanks his chain.—My heart began to fail
A moment, till I heard the horse’s champ.
They steal on further, keeping in the shadow.

> Greek: — αὐδῶ Λυκίους πέμπτην φυλακὴν
βάντας ἐγείρειν
ἡμᾶς κλήρου κατὰ μοῖραν.
Ὀδυσσεύς:
Διόμηδες, οὐκ ἤκουσας — ἢ κενὸς ψόφος
στάζει διʼ ὤτων; — τευχέων τινὰ κτύπον;
Διομήδης:
οὔκ, ἀλλὰ δεσμὰ πωλικῶν ἐξ ἀντύγων
κλάζει σιδήρου· κἀμέ τοι, πρὶν ᾐσθόμην
δεσμῶν ἀραγμὸν ἱππικῶν, ἔδυ φόβος.

[¶18] ODYSSEUS.:
Mind—in that shade—the watchers of the camp.

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
ὅρα κατʼ ὄρφνην μὴ φύλαξιν ἐντύχῃς.

[¶19] DIOMEDE.:
I keep in shadow, but I am staring hard.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
φυλάξομαί τοι κἀν σκότῳ τιθεὶς πόδα.

[¶20] ODYSSEUS.:
Thou know’st the watchword, if we stir some guard?

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἢν δʼ οὖν ἐγείρῃς, οἶσθα σύνθημα στρατοῦ;

[¶21] DIOMEDE.:
Phoebus.’Twas the last sign that Dolon gave.
They creep forward in silence to the entrance of HECTOR’S tent.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
⟨Φοῖβον⟩ Δόλωνος οἶδα σύμβολον κλύων.

[¶22] ODYSSEUS.:
Now, forward!
They dash into the tent, swords drawn; then return.
God! All empty as the grave!

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἔα·
εὐνὰς ἐρήμους τάσδε πολεμίων ὁρῶ.

[¶23] DIOMEDE.:
Yet Dolon told us Hector’s couch was made
Just here. For none but him I drew this blade.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
καὶ μὴν Δόλων γε τάσδʼ ἔφραζεν Ἕκτορος
κοίτας, ἐφʼ ᾧπερ ἔγχος εἵλκυσται τόδε.

[¶24] ODYSSEUS.:
What means it? To some ambush is he gone?

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
τί δῆτʼ ἂν εἴη; μῶν λόχος βέβηκέ ποι;

[¶25] DIOMEDE.:
Maybe, to work some craft on us at dawn.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
ἴσως ἐφʼ ἡμῖν μηχανὴν στήσων τινά.

[¶26] ODYSSEUS.:
He is hot with courage when he is winning, hot.

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
θρασὺς γὰρ Ἕκτωρ νῦν, ἐπεὶ κρατεῖ, θρασύς.

[¶27] DIOMEDE.:
What must we do, Odysseus?—He was not
Laid where we thought him, and our hopes are lost.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
τί δῆτʼ, Ὀδυσσεῦ, δρῶμεν; οὐ γὰρ ηὕρομεν
τὸν ἄνδρʼ ἐν εὐναῖς, ἐλπίδων δʼ ἡμάρτομεν.

[¶28] ODYSSEUS.:
Back to our own ship-rampart at all cost!

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
στείχωμεν ὡς τάχιστα ναυστάθμων πέλας.

[¶29] The God who gave him victory saves him still.
We cannot force Fortune against her will.

> Greek: σῴζει γὰρ αὐτὸν ὅστις εὐτυχῆ θεῶν
τίθησιν· ἡμῖν δʼ οὐ βιαστέον τύχην.

[¶30] DIOMEDE.:
Could we not find Aeneas? Or the bed
Of Paris the accurst, and have his head?

> Greek: Διομήδης:
οὐκ οὖν ἐπʼ Αἰνέαν ἢ τὸν ἔχθιστον Φρυγῶν
Πάριν μολόντε χρὴ καρατομεῖν ξίφει;

[¶31] ODYSSEUS.:
Go by night searching through these lines of men
For chiefs to kill?’Twere death and death again.

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
πῶς οὖν ἐν ὄρφνῃ πολεμίων ἀνὰ στρατὸν
ζητῶν δυνήσῃ τούσδʼ ἀκινδύνως κτανεῖν;

[¶32] DIOMEDE.:
But to go empty back—what shame ’twill be!—
And not one blow struck home at the enemy!

> Greek: Διομήδης:
αἰσχρόν γε μέντοι ναῦς ἐπʼ Ἀργείων μολεῖν
δράσαντε μηδὲν πολεμίους νεώτερον.

[¶33] ODYSSEUS.:
How not one blow? Did we not baulk and kill
Dolon, their spy, and bear his tokens still?
Dost think the whole camp should be thine to quell?
DIOMEDE takes DOLON’S wolf-mask off his belt and hangs it in HECTOR’S tent, then turns.

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
πῶς δʼ οὐ δέδρακας; οὐ κτανόντε ναυστάθμων
κατάσκοπον Δόλωνα σῴζομεν τάδε
σκυλεύματʼ; ἢ πᾶν στρατόπεδον πέρσειν δοκεῖς;

[¶34] DIOMEDE.:
Good. Now for home! And may the end be well!
As they turn there appears at the back a luminous and gigantic shape, the Goddess ATHENA.

> Greek: Διομήδης:
πείθεις, πάλιν στείχωμεν· εὖ δʼ εἴη τυχεῖν.

[¶35] ATHENA.:
What make ye, from these sleepers thus to part
Desponding and with sorrow-wounded heart
If Hector be not granted you to slay
Nor Paris? Little know ye what great stay
Of help is found for Troy. This very night
Rhesus is come; who, if he see the light
Of morning, not Achilles nor the rack
Of Ajax’ spear hath power to hold him back,
Ere wall and gate be shattered and inside
Your camp a spear-swept causeway builded wide
To where beached galleys flame above the dead.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
ποῖ δὴ λιπόντες Τρωικῶν ἐκ τάξεων
χωρεῖτε, λύπῃ καρδίαν δεδηγμένοι,
εἰ μὴ κτανεῖν σφῷν Ἕκτορʼ ἢ Πάριν θεὸς
δίδωσιν; ἄνδρα δʼ οὐ πέπυσθε σύμμαχον
Τροίᾳ μολόντα Ῥῆσον οὐ φαύλῳ τρόπῳ.
ὃς εἰ διοίσει νύκτα τήνδʼ ἐς αὔριον,
οὔτε σφʼ Ἀχιλλεὺς οὔτʼ ἂν Αἴαντος δόρυ
μὴ πάντα πέρσαι ναύσταθμʼ Ἀργείων σχέθοι,
τείχη κατασκάψαντα καὶ πυλῶν ἔσω
λόγχῃ πλατεῖαν ἐσδρομὴν ποιούμενον.

[¶36] Him slay, and all is won. Let Hector’s head
Sleep where it lies and draw unvexèd breath;

> Greek: τοῦτον κατακτὰς πάντʼ ἔχεις. τὰς δʼ Ἕκτορος
εὐνὰς ἔασον καὶ καρατόμους σφαγάς·

[¶37] Another’s work, not thine, is Hector’s death.

> Greek: ἔσται γὰρ αὐτῷ θάνατος ἐξ ἄλλης χερός.

[¶38] ODYSSEUS.:
Most high Athena, well I know the sound
Of that immortal voice.’Tis ever found
My helper in great perils.—Where doth lie
Rhesus, mid all this host of Barbary?

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
δέσποινʼ Ἀθάνα, φθέγματος γὰρ ᾐσθόμην
τοῦ σοῦ συνήθη γῆρυν· ἐν πόνοισι γὰρ
παροῦσʼ ἀμύνεις τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀεί ποτε·
τὸν ἄνδρα δʼ ἡμῖν, ποῦ κατηύνασται, φράσον·
πόθεν τέτακται βαρβάρου στρατεύματος;

[¶39] ATHENA.:
Full near he lies, not mingled with the host
Of Troy, but here beyond the lines—a post
Of quiet till the dawn, that Hector found.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
ὅδʼ ἐγγὺς ἧσται κοὐ συνήθροισται στρατῷ,
ἀλλʼ ἐκτὸς αὐτὸν τάξεων κατηύνασεν
Ἕκτωρ, ἕως ἂν νὺξ ἀμείψηται φάος.

[¶40] And near him, by his Thracian chariot bound,
Two snow-white coursers gleam against the wan
Moon, like the white wing of a river swan.

> Greek: πέλας δὲ πῶλοι Θρῃκίων ἐξ ἁρμάτων
λευκαὶ δέδενται, διαπρεπεῖς ἐν εὐφρόνῃ·
στίλβουσι δʼ ὥστε ποταμίου κύκνου πτερόν.

[¶41] Their master slain, take these to thine own hearth,
A wondrous spoil; there hides not upon earth
A chariot-team of war so swift and fair.

> Greek: ταύτας, κτανόντες δεσπότην, κομίζετε,
κάλλιστον οἴκοις σκῦλον· οὐ γὰρ ἔσθʼ ὅπου
τοιόνδʼ ὄχημα χθὼν κέκευθε πωλικόν.

[¶42] ODYSSEUS.:
Say, Diomede, wilt make the men thy share,
Or catch the steeds and leave the fight to me?

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
Διόμηδες, ἢ σὺ κτεῖνε Θρῄκιον λεών,
ἢ ʼμοὶ πάρες γε, σοὶ δὲ χρὴ πώλους μέλειν.

[¶43] DIOMEDE.:
I take the killing, thou the stablery:

> Greek: Διομήδης:
ἐγὼ φονεύσω, πωλοδαμνήσεις δὲ σύ·

[¶44] It needs keen wit and a neat hand. The post
A man should take is where he helpeth most.

> Greek: τρίβων γὰρ εἶ τὰ κομψὰ καὶ νοεῖν σοφός.
χρὴ δʼ ἄνδρα τάσσειν οὗ μάλιστʼ ἂν ὠφελοῖ.

[¶45] ATHENA.:
Behold,’tis Paris, hasting there toward
This tent. Methinks he knoweth from the guard
Some noise of prowling Argives hither blown.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
καὶ μὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς τόνδʼ Ἀλέξανδρον βλέπω
στείχοντα, φυλάκων ἔκ τινος πεπυσμένον
δόξας ἀσήμους πολεμίων μεμβλωκότων.

[¶46] DIOMEDE.:
Comes he alone or with his guards?

> Greek: Διομήδης:
πότερα σὺν ἄλλοις ἢ μόνος πορεύεται;

[¶47] ATHENA.:
Alone;
Toward Hector’s quarters, as I deem, he plies
His message. He hath heard some tale of spies.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
μόνος· πρὸς εὐνὰς δʼ, ὡς ἔοικεν, Ἕκτορος
χωρεῖ, κατόπτας σημανῶν ἥκειν στρατοῦ.

[¶48] DIOMEDE.:
Then he shall be the first dead Trojan!

> Greek: Διομήδης:
οὐκ οὖν ὑπάρχειν τόνδε κατθανόντα χρή;

[¶49] ATHENA.:
No;
Beyond the ordainèd end thou canst not go.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
οὐκ ἂν δύναιο τοῦ πεπρωμένου πλέον.

[¶50] Fate hath not willed that Paris by thy deed
Shall die; it is another who must bleed
To-night. Therefore be swift!
Exeunt ODYSSEUS and DIOMEDE.
For me, my guise
Shall melt and change in Alexander’s eyes,
Yea, till he dream ’tis Cypris, his delight
And help in need, that meets him in the night,
And soft shall be my words to him I hate.

> Greek: τοῦτον δὲ πρὸς σῆς χειρὸς οὐ θέμις θανεῖν.
ἀλλʼ ᾧπερ ἥκεις μορσίμους φέρων σφαγάς,
τάχυνʼ· ἐγὼ δέ, τῷδε σύμμαχος Κύπρις
δοκοῦσʼ ἀρωγὸς ἐν πόνοις παραστατεῖν,
σαθροῖς λόγοισιν ἐχθρὸν ἄνδρʼ ἀμείψομαι.

[¶51] So speak I; but on whom my spell is set
He hears not, sees not, though so near I stand.
She becomes invisible where she stands. Enter PARIS.

> Greek: καὶ ταῦτʼ ἐγὼ μὲν εἶπον· ὃν δὲ χρὴ παθεῖν,
οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδʼ ἤκουσεν ἐγγὺς ὢν λόγου.

[¶52] PARIS.:
Ho, Hector! Brother! General of the land!
Sleepest thou still? We need thy waking sight.

> Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος:
σὲ τὸν στρατηγὸν καὶ κασίγνητον λέγω,
Ἕκτορ, καθεύδεις; οὐκ ἐγείρεσθαί σε χρῆν;

[¶53] Our guards have marked some prowler of the night,
We know not if a mere thief or a spy.
ATHENA becomes visible again, but seems changed and her voice softer.

> Greek: ἐχθρῶν τις ἡμῖν χρίμπτεται στρατεύματι,
ἢ κλῶπες ἄνδρες ἢ κατάσκοποί τινες.

[¶54] ATHENA.:
Have comfort thou! Doth not the Cyprian’s eye
Mark all thy peril and keep watch above
Thy battles? How shall I forget the love
I owe thee, and thy faithful offices?

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
θάρσει· φυλάσσει σʼ ἥδε πρευμενὴς Κύπρις.
μέλει δʼ ὁ σός μοι πόλεμος, οὐδʼ ἀμνημονῶ
τιμῆς, ἐπαινῶ δʼ εὖ παθοῦσα πρὸς σέθεν.

[¶55] To crown this day and all its victories,
Lo, I have guided here to Troy a strong
Helper, the scion of the Muse of song
And Strymon’s flood, the crownèd stream of Thrace.
PARIS.: (standing like one in a dream)
Indeed thy love is steadfast, and thy grace
Bounteous to Troy and me. Thou art the joy
And jewel of my days, which I to Troy
Have brought, and made thee hers.—O Cyprian,
I heard, not clearly,—’twas some talk that ran
Among the pickets—spies had passed some spot
Close by the camp. The men who saw them not
Talk much, and they who saw, or might have seen,
Can give no sign nor token. It had been
My purpose to find Hector where he lay.

> Greek: καὶ νῦν ἐπʼ εὐτυχοῦντι Τρωικῷ στρατῷ
ἥκω πορεύουσʼ ἄνδρα σοι μέγαν φίλον,
τῆς ὑμνοποιοῦ παῖδα Θρῄκιον θεᾶς
Μούσης· πατρὸς δὲ Στρυμόνος κικλήσκεται.
Ἀλέξανδρος:
αἰεί ποτʼ εὖ φρονοῦσα τυγχάνεις πόλει
κἀμοί, μέγιστον δʼ ἐν βίῳ κειμήλιον
κρίνας σέ φημι τῇδε προσθέσθαι πόλει.
ἥκω δʼ ἀκούσας οὐ τορῶς — φήμη δέ τις
φύλαξιν ἐμπέπτωκεν — ὡς κατάσκοποι
ἥκουσʼ Ἀχαιῶν. χὣ μὲν οὐκ ἰδὼν λέγει,
ὃ δʼ εἰσιδὼν μολόντας οὐκ ἔχει φράσαι·
ὧν οὕνεκʼ εὐνὰς ἤλυθον πρὸς Ἕκτορος.

[¶56] ATHENA.:
Fear nothing. All is well in Troy’s array.

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
μηδὲν φοβηθῇς· οὐδὲν ἐν στρατῷ νέον·

[¶57] Hector is gone to help those Thracians sleep.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ δὲ φροῦδος Θρῇκα κοιμήσων στρατόν.

[¶58] PARIS.:
Thy word doth rule me, Goddess. Yea, so deep
My trust is, that all thought of fear is lost
In comfort, and I turn me to my post.

> Greek: Ἀλέξανδρος:
σύ τοί με πείθεις, σοῖς δὲ πιστεύων λόγοις
τάξιν φυλάξων εἶμʼ ἐλεύθερος φόβου.

[¶59] ATHENA.:
Go. And remember that thy fortunes still
Are watched by me, and they who do my will
Prosper in all their ways. Aye, thou shalt prove
Ere long, if I can care for those I love.
Exit PARIS. She raises her voice.
Back, back, ye twain! Are ye in love with death?

> Greek: Ἀθήνα:
χώρει· μέλειν γὰρ πάντʼ ἐμοὶ δόκει τὰ σά,
ὥστʼ εὐτυχοῦντας συμμάχους ἐμοὺς ὁρᾶν.
γνώσῃ δὲ καὶ σὺ τὴν ἐμὴν προθυμίαν.
ὑμᾶς δʼ ἀυτῶ τοὺς ἄγαν ἐρρωμένους,
Λαερτίου παῖ, θηκτὰ κοιμίσαι ξίφη.

[¶60] Laertes’ son, thy sword into the sheath!
Our golden Thracian gaspeth in his blood;
The steeds are ours; the foe hath understood
And crowds against you. Haste ye! haste to fly,—
Ere yet the lightning falleth, and ye die! ATHENA vanishes; a noise of tumult is heard. Enter a crowd of Thracians running in confusion, in the midst of them ODYSSEUS and DIOMEDE.
VOICES.: (amid the tumult)
Ha! Ha!—At them! At them! After them! Down
with them!—Where are they?

> Greek: κεῖται γὰρ ἡμῖν Θρῄκιος στρατηλάτης,
ἵπποι τʼ ἔχονται, πολέμιοι δʼ ᾐσθημένοι
χωροῦσʼ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς· ἀλλʼ ὅσον τάχιστα χρὴ
φεύγειν πρὸς ὁλκοὺς ναυστάθμων. τί μέλλετε
σκηπτοῦ ʼπιόντος πολεμίων σῷσαι βίον;
Χορός:
— ἔα ἔα·
βάλε βάλε βάλε βάλε.
θένε θένε.

[¶61] CAPTAIN.:
Who is that fellow? Look! That yonder!

> Greek: — τίς ἁνήρ; λεύσσετε· τοῦτον αὐδῶ.

[¶62] A MAN.:
Rascal thieves, the sort that crawl
And vex an army in the dark!

> Greek: — κλῶπες οἵτινες κατʼ ὄρφνην τόνδε κινοῦσι στρατόν.

[¶63] CAPTAIN.:
Ho, this way! Follow! This way all!
They pursue ODYSSEUS and DIOMEDE; catch them and bring them back.
A MAN.:
I have them! I have caught them!
CAPTAIN: (to ODYSSEUS).
Whence comest thou? What art thou? Say; what captain and what company?
ODYSSEUS: (indignantly).
’Tis not for thee to know. This day thou diest for thy knavery!

> Greek: — δεῦρο δεῦρο πᾶς.
— τούσδʼ ἔχω, τούσδʼ ἔμαρψα.
— τίς ὁ λόχος; πόθεν ἔβας; ποδαπὸς εἶ;
Ὀδυσσεύς:
οὔ σε χρὴ εἰδέναι· θανῇ γὰρ σήμερον δράσας κακῶς.

[¶64] CAPTAIN.:
Stop! Give the watchword quick, before I have thy body on my pike.
ODYSSEUS: (in a tone of authority).

> Greek: Χορός:
οὐκ ἐρεῖς ξύνθημα, λόγχην πρὶν διὰ στέρνων μολεῖν;

[¶65] Halt every man and have no fear!
CAPTAIN.:
Come, gather round. Be quick to strike.
ODYSSEUS: (to CAPTAIN).

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἵστω. θάρσει.
Χορός:
πέλας ἴθι. παῖε πᾶς.

[¶66] ’Twas thou that killed King Rhesus!
CAPTAIN.:
No:’tis I that kill the man that killed...
Flies at ODYSSEUS, but other men hold him back.
ODYSSEUS.:
Hold back all!
VOICES.:
No more holding back!
ODYSSEUS: (as they attack him).
What, strike an ally in the field?

> Greek: Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἦ σὺ δὴ Ῥῆσον κατέκτας;
Χορός:
ἀλλὰ τὸν κτενοῦντα σὲ …
Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἴσχε πᾶς τις.
Χορός:
οὐ μὲν οὖν.
Ὀδυσσεύς:
ἆ· φίλιον ἄνδρα μὴ θένῃς.

[¶67] CAPTAIN.:
Then give the watchword!
ODYSSEUS.:
Phoebus.
CAPTAIN.:
Right. Ho, every man hold back his spear!—
Then know’st thou where the men are gone?
ODYSSEUS.:
We saw them running, somewhere here.
He makes off into the darkness. DIOMEDE follows, and some Thracians.

> Greek: Χορός:
καὶ τί δὴ τὸ σῆμα;
Ὀδυσσεύς:
Φοῖβος.
Χορός:
ἔμαθον· ἴσχε πᾶς δόρυ.
οἶσθʼ ὅποι βεβᾶσιν ἅνδρες;
Ὀδυσσεύς:
τῇδέ πῃ κατείδομεν.

[¶68] CAPTAIN.:
Off every one upon their track!
A MAN.:
Or should we rouse the army?

> Greek: Χορός:
ἕρπω πᾶς κατʼ ἴχνος αὐτῶν. ἢ βοὴν ἐγερτέον;

[¶69] CAPTAIN.:
No;
To stir the allies in the night and make more panic!
Let us go.
The Thracians go off in pursuit. Meantime the original Guards who form the Chorus have hastened back. The two Greeks are presently seen crossing at the back in a different direction.
CHORUS.:
Who was the man that passed?
Who, that, so madly bold,
Even as I held him fast,
Laughed, and I loosed my hold?
Where shall I find him now?
What shall I deem of him,
To steal thro’ the guards a-row,
Quaking not, eye nor limb,
On thro’ the starlight dim?

> Greek: ἀλλὰ συμμάχους ταράσσειν δεινὸν ἐκ νυκτῶν φόβῳ.
Χορός:
—τίς ἀνδρῶν ὁ βάς;
τίς ὁ μέγα θρασὺς ἐπεύξεται
χέρα φυγὼν ἐμάν;
πόθεν νιν κυρήσω;
τίνι προσεικάσω,
ὅστις διʼ ὄρφνης ἦλθʼ ἀδειμάντῳ ποδὶ
διά τε τάξεων καὶ φυλάκων ἕδρας;

[¶70] Is he of Thessaly,
Born by the Locrian sea,
Or harvester of some starved island’s corn?

> Greek: Θεσσαλὸς ἢ
παραλίαν Λοκρῶν νεμόμενος πόλιν;
ἢ νησιώτην σποράδα κέκτηται βίον;

[¶71] What man hath seen his face?
What was his name or race,
What the high God by whom his sires have sworn?
DIVERS GUARDS: (talking).

> Greek: τίς ἦν; πόθεν; ποίας πάτρας;
ποῖον δʼ εὔχεται τὸν ὕπατον θεῶν;

[¶72] This night must be Odysseus’ work, or whose?—
Odysseus? Aye, to judge by ancient use.—
Odysseus surely!—That is thy belief?—
What else? It seems he hath no fear
Of such as we!—Whom praise ye there?
Whose prowess? Say!—Odysseus.—Nay,
Praise not the secret stabbing of a thief!

> Greek: — ἆρʼ ἔστʼ Ὀδυσσέως τοὔργον ἢ τίνος τόδε;
εἰ τοῖς πάροιθε χρὴ τεκμαίρεσθαι· τί μήν;
— δοκεῖς γάρ; — τί μὴν οὔ;
— θρασὺς γοῦν ἐς ἡμᾶς.
— τίνʼ ἀλκήν; τίνʼ αἰνεῖς; — Ὀδυσσῆ.
— μὴ κλωπὸς αἴνει φωτὸς αἱμύλον δόρυ.

[¶73] CHORUS.:
He came once, of old,
Up thro’ the city throng,
Foam on his lips, a-cold,
Huddled in rags that hung
Covering just the sword
Hid in his mantle’s pleat;

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔβα καὶ πάρος
κατὰ πόλιν, ὕπαφρον ὄμμʼ ἔχων,
ῥακοδύτῳ στολᾷ
πυκασθείς, ξιφήρης
κρύφιος ἐν πέπλοις.

[¶74] His face grimed and scored,
A priest of wandering feet,
Who begged his bread in the street.
Many and evil things
He cast on the brother kings
Like one long hurt, who nurseth anger sore;
Would that a curse, yea, would
The uttermost wrath of God
Had held those feet from walking Ilion’s shore!
DIVERS GUARDS: (talking).

> Greek: βίον δʼ ἐπαιτῶν εἷρπʼ ἀγύρτης τις λάτρις,
ψαφαρόχρουν κάρα πολυπινές τʼ ἔχων·
πολλὰ δὲ τὰν
βασιλίδʼ ἑστίαν Ἀτρειδᾶν κακῶς
ἔβαζε δῆθεν ἐχθρὸς ὢν στρατηλάταις.
ὄλοιτʼ ὄλοιτο πανδίκως,
πρὶν ἐπὶ γᾶν Φρυγῶν ποδὸς ἴχνος βαλεῖν.

[¶75] Odysseus or another,’tis the guard
Will weep for this. Aye, Hector will be hard.—
What will he say?—He will suspect.—Suspect?

> Greek: — εἴτʼ οὖν Ὀδυσσέως εἴτε μή, φόβος μʼ ἔχει·
Ἕκτωρ γὰρ ἡμῖν τοῖς φύλαξι μέμψεται.
— τί λάσκων; — δυσοίζων.

[¶76] What evil? What should make you fear?—’Twas we that left a passage clear.—
A passage?—Yea, for these men’s way,
Who came by night into the lines unchecked.
A sound of moaning outside in the darkness, which has been heard during the last few lines, now grows into articulate words.

> Greek: — τί δρᾶσαι; τί ταρβεῖς;
— καθʼ ἡμᾶς περᾶσαι … — τίνʼ ἀνδρῶν;
— οἳ τῆσδε νυκτὸς ἦλθον ἐς Φρυγῶν στρατόν.

[¶77] VOICE.:
Woe, woe!
The burden of the wrath of fate!

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ἰὼ, ἰώ, δαίμονος τύχα βαρεῖα. φεῦ φεῦ.

[¶78] GUARDS.:
Ha, listen! Wait.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἔα, ἔα·

[¶79] Crouch on the ground; it may be yet
Our man is drawing to the net.

> Greek: σῖγα πᾶς ὕφιζʼ· ἴσως γὰρ ἐς βόλον τις ἔρχεται.

[¶80] VOICE.:
Woe, woe!
The burden of the hills of Thrace!
LEADER.:
An ally? None of Hellene race.

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ἰὼ ἰώ,
συμφορὰ βαρεῖα Θρῃκῶν.
Χορός:
συμμάχων τις ὁ στένων.

[¶81] VOICE.:
Woe, woe!
Yea, woe to me and woe to thee,
My master! Once to set thine eye
On Ilion the accurst, and die!
LEADER: (calling aloud).

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ἰὼ ἰώ,
δύστηνος ἐγώ· σύ τʼ, ἄναξ Θρῃκῶν,
ὦ στυγνοτάτην Τροίαν ἐσιδών,
οἷόν σε βίου τέλος εἷλεν.

[¶82] Ho there! What ally passes? The dim night
Blurreth mine eyes; I cannot see thee right.

> Greek: Χορός:
τίς εἶ ποτʼ ἀνδρῶν συμμάχων; κατʼ εὐφρόνην
ἀμβλῶπες αὐγαὶ κοὔ σε γιγνώσκω τορῶς.

[¶83] VOICE.:
Ho, some one of the Trojan name!

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ποῦ τινʼ ἀνάκτων Τρωικῶν εὕρω;

[¶84] Where sleeps your king beneath his shield,
Hector? What marshal of the field
Will hear our tale... the men who came
And struck us and were gone; and we,
We woke and there was nought to see,
But our own misery.

> Greek: ποῦ δῆθʼ Ἕκτωρ
τὸν ὑπασπίδιον κοῖτον ἰαύει;
τίνι σημήνω διόπων στρατιᾶς
οἷα πεπόνθαμεν, οἷά τις ἡμᾶς
δράσας ἀφανῆ φροῦδος, φανερὸν
Θρῃξὶν πένθος τολυπεύσας;

[¶85] LEADER.:
I cannot hear him right; it sounds as if
The Thracians were surprised or in some grief.
There enters a wounded man, walking with difficulty; he is the Thracian Charioteer who came with RHESUS.

> Greek: Χορός:
κακὸν κυρεῖν τι Θρῃκίῳ στρατεύματι
ἔοικεν, οἷα τοῦδε γιγνώσκω κλύων.

[¶86] THRACIAN.:
The army lost and the king slain,
Stabbed in the dark! Ah, pain! pain!

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ἔρρει στρατιά, πέπτωκεν ἄναξ
δολίῳ πληγῇ.

[¶87] This deep raw wound... Oh, let me die
By thy side, Master, by thy side!
In shame together let us lie
Who came to save, and failed and died.

> Greek: ἆ ἆ ἆ ἆ,
οἵα μʼ ὀδύνη τείρει φονίου
τραύματος εἴσω. πῶς ἂν ὀλοίμην;
χρῆν γάρ μʼ ἀκλεῶς Ῥῆσόν τε θανεῖν,
Τροίᾳ κέλσαντʼ ἐπίκουρον;

[¶88] LEADER.:
This needs no surmise:’tis disaster plain
That comes. He speaketh of some ally slain.

> Greek: Χορός:
τάδʼ οὐκ ἐν αἰνιγμοῖσι σημαίνει κακά·
σαφῶς γὰρ αὐδᾷ συμμάχους ὀλωλότας.

[¶89] THRACIAN.:
Disaster, yea: and with disaster shame,
Which lights Disaster to a twofold flame
Of evil. For to die in soldier’s wise,
Since die we needs must... though the man who dies
Hath pain... to all his house ’tis praise and pride;

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
κακῶς πέπρακται κἀπὶ τοῖς κακοῖσι πρὸς
αἴσχιστα· καίτοι δὶς τόσον κακὸν τόδε·
θανεῖν γὰρ εὐκλεῶς μέν, εἰ θανεῖν χρεών,
λυπρὸν μὲν οἶμαι τῷ θανόντι — πῶς γὰρ οὔ; —
τοῖς ζῶσι δʼ ὄγκος καὶ δόμων εὐδοξία.

[¶90] But we, like laggards and like fools we died!

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δʼ ἀβούλως κἀκλεῶς ὀλώλαμεν.

[¶91] When Hector’s hand had showed us where to rest
And told the watchword, down we lay, oppressed
With weariness of that long march, and slept
Just as we fell. No further watch was kept,
Our arms not laid beside us; by the horse
No yoke nor harness ordered. Hector’s force
Had victory, so my master heard, and lay
Secure, just waiting for the dawn of day
To attack. So thought we all, and our lines broke
And slept. After a little time I woke,
Thinking about my horses, that the morn
Must see them yoked for war. I found the corn
And gave them plenteously. Then in the deep
Shadow I saw two men who seemed to creep
Close by our line, but swiftly, as I stirred,
Crouched and were seeking to make off unheard.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ γὰρ ἡμᾶς ηὔνασʼ Ἑκτόρεια χείρ,
ξύνθημα λέξας, ηὕδομεν πεδοστιβεῖ
κόπῳ δαμέντες, οὐδʼ ἐφρουρεῖτο στρατὸς
φυλακαῖσι νυκτέροισιν, οὐδʼ ἐν τάξεσιν
ἔκειτο τεύχη, πλῆκτρά τʼ οὐκ ἐπὶ ζυγοῖς
ἵππων καθήρμοσθʼ, ὡς ἄναξ ἐπεύθετο
κρατοῦντας ὑμᾶς κἀφεδρεύοντας νεῶν
πρύμναισι· φαύλως δʼ ηὕδομεν πεπτωκότες.
κἀγὼ μελούσῃ καρδίᾳ λήξας ὕπνου
πώλοισι χόρτον, προσδοκῶν ἑωθινὴν
ζεύξειν ἐς ἀλκήν, ἀφθόνῳ μετρῶ χερί.
λεύσσω δὲ φῶτε περιπολοῦνθʼ ἡμῶν στρατὸν
πυκνῆς διʼ ὄρφνης· ὡς δʼ ἐκινήθην ἐγώ,
ἐπτηξάτην τε κἀνεχωρείτην πάλιν·

[¶92] I shouted then, and bade them keep away:
Two thieves, I thought, from the great host that lay
Round us. They never answered, and, for me,
I said no more but turned and presently
Was sleeping. In my sleep there came a dream.

> Greek: ἤπυσα δʼ αὐτοῖς μὴ πελάζεσθαι στρατῷ,
κλῶπας δοκήσας συμμάχων πλάθειν τινάς.
οἳ δʼ οὐδέν· οὐ μὴν οὐδʼ ἐγὼ τὰ πλείονα.
ηὗδον δʼ ἀπελθὼν αὖθις ἐς κοίτην πάλιν.
καί μοι καθʼ ὕπνον δόξα τις παρίσταται·

[¶93] I seemed to see the horses—mine own team
I had trained long since and drove at Rhesus’ side—
But wolves were on their backs, wolves, couched astride,
Who drove and scourged; I saw the horses rear
And stagger with wide nostrils, stiff with fear,
And, starting up to drive the beasts away,
I woke.—A terror of great darkness lay
About me, but I lifted up my head
And listened. There was moaning, like the dead
That moan at night, and over me there flowed,
So soft, so warm—it was my master’s blood,
Who writhed beside me, dying! With a bound
I sprang up, empty-handed, groping round
For spear or sword, when, lo, a young strong man
Was close to me and slashed, and the sword ran
Deep through my flank. I felt its passage well,
So deep, so wide, so spreading... then I fell.
And they, they got the bridles in their hand
And fled.... Ah! Ah! This pain. I cannot stand.
The Guards catch him as he reels, and lay him on the ground.

> Greek: ἵππους γὰρ ἃς ἔθρεψα κἀδιφρηλάτουν
Ῥήσῳ παρεστώς, εἶδον, ὡς ὄναρ δοκῶν,
λύκους ἐπεμβεβῶτας ἑδραίαν ῥάχιν·
θείνοντε δʼ οὐρᾷ πωλικῆς ῥινοῦ τρίχα
ἤλαυνον, αἳ δʼ ἔρρεγκον ἐξ ἀντηρίδων
θυμὸν πνέουσαι κἀνεχαίτιζον φόβῳ.
ἐγὼ δʼ ἀμύνων θῆρας ἐξεγείρομαι
πώλοισιν· ἔννυχος γὰρ ἐξώρμα φόβος.
κλύω δʼ ἐπάρας κρᾶτα μυχθισμὸν νεκρῶν.
θερμὸς δὲ κρουνὸς δεσπότου πάρα σφαγαῖς
βάλλει με δυσθνῄσκοντος αἵματος νέου.
ὀρθὸς δʼ ἀνᾴσσω χειρὶ σὺν κενῇ δορός.
καί μʼ ἔγχος αὐγάζοντα καὶ θηρώμενον
παίει παραστὰς νεῖραν ἐς πλευρὰν ξίφει
ἀνὴρ ἀκμάζων· φασγάνου γὰρ ᾐσθόμην
πληγῆς, βαθεῖαν ἄλοκα τραύματος λαβών.
πίπτω δὲ πρηνής· οἳ δʼ ὄχημα πωλικὸν
λαβόντες ἵππων ἵεσαν φυγῇ πόδα.
ἆ ἆ.
ὀδύνη με τείρει, κοὐκέτʼ ὀρθοῦμαι τάλας.

[¶94] I know, I saw, thus much. But why or how
Those dead men went to death I cannot know,
Nor by whose work. But this I say; God send
’Tis not foul wrong wrought on us by a friend.

> Greek: καὶ ξυμφορὰν μὲν οἶδʼ ὁρῶν, τρόπῳ δʼ ὅτῳ
τεθνᾶσιν οἱ θανόντες οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι,
οὐδʼ ἐξ ὁποίας χειρός. εἰκάσαι δέ μοι
πάρεστι λυπρὰ πρὸς φίλων πεπονθέναι.

[¶95] LEADER.:
Good charioteer of that ill-fortuned king,
Suspect us not.’Tis Greeks have done this thing.

> Greek: Χορός:
ἡνίοχε Θρῃκὸς τοῦ κακῶς πεπραγότος,
μηδὲν δυσοίζου· πολέμιοι ῎δρασαν τάδε.

[¶96] But yonder Hector comes. He hath been shown
The foul deed, and thy sorrows are his own.
Enter HECTOR in wrath, with a band of Guards.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ δὲ καὐτὸς συμφορᾶς πεπυσμένος
χωρεῖ· συναλγεῖ δʼ, ὡς ἔοικε, σοῖς κακοῖς.

[¶97] HECTOR.:
Ye workers of amazement! Have your eyes
No sight? Ye watch and let these Argive spies
Pass—and our friends are butchered in their sleep—
And then pass back unwounded, laughing deep
Amid the galleys at the news they bring
Of Trojan sluggards and the fool their king?
Great God, ye never baulked them as they came,
Nor smote them as they went!
His eye falls on the CAPTAIN.
Who bears the blame
Of this but thou? Thou wast the watcher set
To guard this host till morn. I tell thee yet
For this deed—I have sworn by Zeus our Lord!—
The scourge of torment or the headsman’s sword
Awaits thee. Else, be Hector in your thought
Writ down a babbler and a man of nought.
LEADER: (grovelling before HECTOR)
Woe, woe! It was for thee, only for thee,
I must have gone, O Help and Majesty,
That time with message that the fires were burning.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
πῶς, ὦ μέγιστα πήματʼ ἐξειργασμένοι,
μολόντες ὑμᾶς πολεμίων κατάσκοποι
λήθουσιν αἰσχρῶς, καὶ κατεσφάγη στρατός,
κοὔτʼ εἰσιόντας στρατόπεδʼ ἐξαπώσατε
οὔτʼ ἐξιόντας; τῶνδε τίς τείσει δίκην
πλὴν σοῦ; σὲ γὰρ δὴ φύλακά φημʼ εἶναι στρατοῦ.
φροῦδοι δʼ ἄπληκτοι, τῇ Φρυγῶν κακανδρίᾳ
πόλλʼ ἐγγελῶντες τῷ στρατηλάτῃ τʼ ἐμοί.
εὖ νυν τόδʼ ἴστε — Ζεὺς ὀμώμοται πατήρ —
ἤτοι μάραγνά γʼ ἢ καρανιστὴς μόρος
μένει σε δρῶντα τοιάδʼ, ἢ τὸν Ἕκτορα
τὸ μηδὲν εἶναι καὶ κακὸν νομίζετε.
Χορός:
ἰὼ ἰώ,
μετὰ σέ, ναί, μετὰ σέ, ὦ πολίοχον κράτος,
τότʼ ἄρʼ ἔμολον, ὅτε σοι
ἄγγελος ἦλθον ἀμφὶ ναῦς πύρʼ αἴθειν·

[¶98] Mine eye was keen; I swear by Simois river,
It never drooped nor slumbered, never, never,
From eve till morning!
My master, verily, I am innocent utterly,
Build not such wrath against me, Lord, nor harden
Thy heart; let Time be judge; and if in deed
Or word I have offended, let me bleed!
Bury me here alive! I ask no pardon.
THRACIAN.: HECTOR is standing over him ready to strike when the CHARIOTEER speaks.

> Greek: ἐπεὶ ἄγρυπνον ὄμμʼ ἐν εὐφρόνῃ
οὔτʼ ἐκοίμισʼ οὔτʼ ἔβριξʼ,
οὐ τὰς Σιμοεντιάδας πηγάς· μή μοι
κότον, ὦ ἄνα, θῇς· ἀναίτιος γὰρ
… ἔγωγε πάντων.
εἰ δὲ χρόνῳ παράκαιρον ἔργον ἢ λόγον
πύθῃ, κατά με γᾶς
ζῶντα πόρευσον· οὐ παραιτοῦμαι.

[¶99] Why threaten them? Art thou a Greek to blind
My barbarous wit so nimbly, in a wind
Of words? This work was thine. And no man’s head
Is asked by us, the wounded and the dead,
Save thine. It needs more play, and better feigned,
To hide from me that thou hast slain thy friend
By craft, to steal his horses.—That is why
He stabs his friends. He prays them earnestly,
Prays them to come; they came and they are dead.

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
τί τοῖσδʼ ἀπειλεῖς βάρβαρός τε βαρβάρου
γνώμην ὑφαιρῇ τὴν ἐμήν, πλέκων λόγους;
σὺ ταῦτʼ ἔδρασας· οὐδένʼ ἂν δεξαίμεθα
οὔθʼ οἱ θανόντες οὔτʼ ἂν οἱ τετρωμένοι
ἄλλον· μακροῦ γε δεῖ σε καὶ σοφοῦ λόγου,
ὅτῳ με πείσεις μὴ φίλους κατακτανεῖν,
ἵππων ἐρασθείς, ὧν ἕκατι συμμάχους
τοὺς σοὺς φονεύεις, πόλλʼ ἐπισκήπτων μολεῖν.

[¶100] A cleaner man was Paris, when he fled
With his host’s wife. He was no murderer.

> Greek: ἦλθον, τεθνᾶσιν· εὐπρεπέστερον Πάρις
ξενίαν κατῄσχυνʼ ἢ σὺ συμμάχους κτανών.

[¶101] Profess not thou that any Greek was there
To fall on us. What Greek could pass the screen
Of Trojan posts in front of us, unseen?

> Greek: μὴ γάρ τι λέξῃς ὥς τις Ἀργείων μολὼν
διώλεσʼ ἡμᾶς· τίς δʼ ὑπερβαλὼν λόχους
Τρώων ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς ἦλθεν, ὥστε καὶ λαθεῖν;

[¶102] Thyself was stationed there, and all thy men.

> Greek: σὺ πρόσθεν ἡμῶν ἧσο καὶ Φρυγῶν στρατός.

[¶103] What man of yours was slain or wounded when
Your Greek spies came? Not one;’tis we, behind,
Are wounded, and some worse than wounded, blind
Forever to the sunlight. When we seek
Our vengeance, we shall go not to the Greek.

> Greek: τίς οὖν τέτρωται, τίς τέθνηκε συμμάχων
τῶν σῶν, μολόντων ὧν σὺ πολεμίων λέγεις;
ἡμεῖς δʼ ἑκὰς τετρώμεθʼ, οἳ δὲ μειζόνως
παθόντες οὐχ ὁρῶσιν ἡλίου φάος.
ἁπλῶς δʼ Ἀχαιῶν οὐδένʼ αἰτιώμεθα.

[¶104] What stranger in that darkness could have trod
Straight to where Rhesus lay—unless some God
Pointed his path? They knew not, whispered not,
Rhesus had ever come....’Tis all a plot.
HECTOR: (steadied and courteous again).

> Greek: τίς δʼ ἂν χαμεύνας πολεμίων κατʼ εὐφρόνην
Ῥήσου μολὼν ἐξηῦρεν, εἰ μή τις θεῶν
ἔφραζε τοῖς κτανοῦσιν; οὐδʼ ἀφιγμένον
τὸ πάμπαν ᾖσαν· ἀλλὰ μηχανᾷ τάδε.

[¶105] Good allies I have had since first the Greek
Set foot in Troy, and never heard them speak
Complaint of Hector. Thou wilt be the first.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
χρόνον μὲν ἤδη συμμάχοισι χρώμεθα
ὅσονπερ ἐν γῇ τῇδʼ Ἀχαιικὸς λεώς,
κοὐδὲν πρὸς αὐτῶν οἶδα πλημμελὲς κλύων·

[¶106] I have not, by God’s mercy, such a thirst
For horses as to murder for their sake.
He turns to his own men.

> Greek: ἐν σοὶ δʼ ἂν ἀρχοίμεσθα. μή μʼ ἔρως ἕλοι
τοιοῦτος ἵππων ὥστʼ ἀποκτείνειν φίλους.

[¶107] Odysseus! Yet again Odysseus! Take
All the Greek armies, is there one but he
Could have devised, or dared, this devilry?
I fear him; yea, fear in mine own despite,
Lest Dolon may have crossed him in the night
And perished;’tis so long he cometh not.

> Greek: καὶ ταῦτʼ Ὀδυσσεύς· τίς γὰρ ἄλλος ἄν ποτε
ἔδρασεν ἢ ʼβούλευσεν Ἀργείων ἀνήρ;
δέδοικα δʼ αὐτὸν καί τί μου θράσσει φρένας,
μὴ καὶ Δόλωνα συντυχὼν κατακτάνῃ·
χρόνον γὰρ ἤδη φροῦδος ὢν οὐ φαίνεται.

[¶108] THRACIAN.:
I know not who Odysseus is, nor what.

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
οὐκ οἶδα τοὺς σοὺς οὓς λέγεις Ὀδυσσέας·

[¶109] I know it was no Greek that wounded us.

> Greek: ἡμεῖς δʼ ὑπʼ ἐχθρῶν οὐδενὸς πεπλήγμεθα.

[¶110] HECTOR.:
To think thus pleasures thee? Well, have it thus.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
σὺ δʼ οὖν νόμιζε ταῦτʼ, ἐπείπερ σοι δοκεῖ.

[¶111] THRACIAN.:
Home, home! To die at home and rest my head!

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ὦ γαῖα πατρίς, πῶς ἂν ἐνθάνοιμί σοι;

[¶112] HECTOR.:
Nay, die not, friend. We have enough of dead.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
μὴ θνῇσχʼ· ἅλις γὰρ τῶν τεθνηκότων ὄχλος.

[¶113] THRACIAN.:
How can I live? Lost, and my master slain.

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ποῖ δὴ τράπωμαι δεσποτῶν μονούμενος;

[¶114] HECTOR.:
My house will shelter thee and heal thy pain.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
οἶκός σε κεύθων οὑμὸς ἐξιάσεται.

[¶115] THRACIAN.:
Thy house? Will murderers’ nursing give me peace?

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
καὶ πῶς με κηδεύσουσιν αὐθεντῶν χέρες;

[¶116] HECTOR.:
Still the same tale! This man will never cease.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
ὅδʼ αὖ τὸν αὐτὸν μῦθον οὐ λήξει λέγων.

[¶117] THRACIAN.:
My curse rest—not on Hector, but on those
Who stabbed us, as thou say’st.—Ah, Justice knows!

> Greek: Ἡνίοχος:
ὄλοιθʼ ὁ δράσας. οὐ γὰρ ἐς σὲ τείνεται
γλῶσσʼ, ὡς σὺ κομπεῖς· ἡ Δίκη δʼ ἐπίσταται.

[¶118] HECTOR.:
There, lift him.—Bear him to my house. Take pains,
If care can do it, that the man complains
No more of Troy.—Ye others, bear withal
To Priam and the Elders of the Wall
My charge, that, where the cart-road from the plain
Branches, they make due burial for our slain.
One party of Guards lifts carefully the wounded THRACIAN and goes off bearing him: another departs with the message to Troy.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
λάζυσθʼ· ἄγοντες ⟨δʼ⟩ αὐτὸν ἐς δόμους ἐμούς,
οὕτως ὅπως ἂν μὴ ʼγκαλῇ πορσύνετε·
ὑμᾶς δʼ ἰόντας τοῖσιν ἐν τείχει χρεὼν
Πριάμῳ τε καὶ γέρουσι σημῆναι νεκροὺς
θάπτειν κελεύθου λεωφόρου πρὸς ἐκτροπάς.

[¶119] CHORUS.:
Back from the heights of happiness,
Back, back, to labour and distress
Some god that is not ours doth lead
Troy and her sons; He sows the seed,
Who knows the reaping?
In the air at the back there appears a Vision of the MUSE holding the body of her dead son RHESUS.
Ah! Ah!

> Greek: Χορός:
τί ποτʼ εὐτυχίας ἐκ τῆς μεγάλης
Τροίαν ἀνάγει πάλιν ἐς πένθη
δαίμων ἄλλος, τί φυτεύων;
ἔα ἔα. [ὦ ὦ.]

[¶120] My king, what cometh? There appears
Some Spirit, like a mist of tears;
And in her arms a man lieth,
So young, so wearied unto death;
To see such vision presageth
Wrath and great weeping.
The Guards hide their heads in their mantles.

> Greek: τίς ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς θεός, ὦ βασιλεῦ,
τὸν νεόκμητον νεκρὸν ἐν χειροῖν
φοράδην πέμπει;
ταρβῶ, λεύσσων τόδε, πῆμα.

[¶121] MUSE.:
Nay, look your fill, ye Trojans. It is I,
The many-sistered Muse, of worship high
In wise men’s hearts, who come to mourn mine own
Most pitifully loved, most injured, son,
For whose shed blood Odysseus yet shall pay
Vengeance, who crawled and stabbed him where he lay.

> Greek: Μοῦσα:
ὁρᾶν πάρεστι, Τρῶες· ἡ γὰρ ἐν σοφοῖς
τιμὰς ἔχουσα Μοῦσα συγγόνων μία
πάρειμι, παῖδα τόνδʼ ὁρῶσʼ οἰκτρῶς φίλον
θανόνθʼ ὑπʼ ἐχθρῶν· ὅν ποθʼ ὁ κτείνας χρόνῳ
δόλιος Ὀδυσσεὺς ἀξίαν τείσει δίκην.

[¶122] MUSE.:
With a dirge of the Thracian mountains,
I mourn for thee, O my son.
For a mother’s weeping, for a galley’s launching, for
the way to Troy;

> Greek: Μοῦσα:
ἰαλέμῳ αὐθιγενεῖ,
τέκνον, σʼ ὀλοφύρομαι, ὦ
ματρὸς ἄλγος, οἵαν
ἔκελσας ὁδὸν ποτὶ Τροίαν·

[¶123] A sad going, and watched by spirits of evil.
His mother chid him to stay, but he rose and went.
His father besought him to stay, but he went in anger.

> Greek: ἦ δυσδαίμονα καὶ μελέαν,
ἀπομεμφομένας ἐμοῦ πορευθείς,
ἀπὸ δʼ ἀντομένου πατρὸς βιαίως.

[¶124] Ah, woe is me for thee, thou dear face,
My belovèd and my son!

> Greek: ὤμοι ἐγὼ σέθεν, ὦ φιλία
φιλία κεφαλά, τέκνον, ὤμοι.

[¶125] LEADER.:
Goddess, if tears for such as thee may run
In our low eyes, I weep for thy dead son.

> Greek: Χορός:
ὅσον προσήκει μὴ γένους κοινωνίαν
ἔχοντι λύπῃ τὸν σὸν οἰκτίρω γόνον.

[¶126] MUSE.:
I say to thee: Curse Odysseus,
And cursèd be Diomede!
For they made me childless, and forlorn for ever, of
the flower of sons.

> Greek: Μοῦσα:
ὄλοιτο μὲν Οἰνεΐδας,
ὄλοιτο δὲ Λαρτιάδας,
ὅς μʼ ἄπαιδα γέννας
ἔθηκεν ἀριστοτόκοιο·

[¶127] Yea, curse Helen, who left the houses of Hellas.
She knew her lover, she feared not the ships and sea.
She called thee, called thee, to die for the sake of Paris,
Belovèd, and a thousand cities
She made empty of good men.

> Greek: ἅ θʼ Ἕλλανα λιποῦσα δόμον
Φρυγίων λεχέων ἔπλευσε πλαθεῖσʼ
ὑπʼ Ἰλίῳ ὤλεσε μὲν σʼ ἕκατι Τροίας,
φίλτατε, μυριάδας τε πόλεις
ἀνδρῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκένωσεν.

[¶128] O conquered Thamyris, is this thy bane
Returned from death to pierce my heart again?

> Greek: Μοῦσα:
ἦ πολλὰ μὲν ζῶν, πολλὰ δʼ εἰς Ἅιδου μολών,
Φιλάμμονος παῖ, τῆς ἐμῆς ἥψω φρενός·

[¶129] Thy pride it was, and bitter challenge cast
’Gainst all the Muses, did my flesh abase
To bearing of this Child, what time I passed
Through the deep stream and looked on Strymon’s face,
And felt his great arms clasp me, when to old
Pangaion and the earth of hoarded gold
We Sisters came with lutes and psalteries,
Provoked to meet in bitter strife of song
That mountain wizard, and made dark the eyes
Of Thamyris, who wrought sweet music wrong.

> Greek: ὕβρις γάρ, ἥ σʼ ἔσφηλε, καὶ Μουσῶν ἔρις
τεκεῖν μʼ ἔθηκε τόνδε δύστηνον γόνον.
περῶσα γὰρ δὴ ποταμίους διὰ ῥοὰς
λέκτροις ἐπλάθην Στρυμόνος φυταλμίοις,
ὅτʼ ἤλθομεν γῆς χρυσόβωλον ἐς λέπας
Πάγγαιον ὀργάνοισιν ἐξησκημέναι
Μοῦσαι μεγίστην εἰς ἔριν μελῳδίας
κείνῳ σοφιστῇ Θρῃκί, κἀκτυφλώσαμεν
Θάμυριν, ὃς ἡμῶν πόλλʼ ἐδέννασεν τέχνην.

[¶130] I bore thee, Child; and then, in shame before
My sisterhood, my dear virginity,
I stood again upon thy Father’s shore
And cast thee to the deeps of him; and he
Received and to no mortal nursing gave
His child, but to the Maidens of the Wave.

> Greek: κἀπεὶ σὲ τίκτω, συγγόνους αἰδουμένη
καὶ παρθενείαν, ἧκʼ ἐς εὐύδρου πατρὸς
δίνας· τρέφειν δέ σʼ οὐ βρότειον ἐς χέρα
Στρυμὼν δίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ πηγαίαις κόραις.

[¶131] And well they nursed thee, and a king thou wast
And first of Thrace in war; yea, far and near
Through thine own hills thy bloody chariot passed,
Thy battered helm flashed, and I had no fear;

> Greek: ἔνθʼ ἐκτραφεὶς κάλλιστα Παρθένων ὕπο,
Θρῄκης ἀνάσσων πρῶτος ἦσθʼ ἀνδρῶν, τέκνον.
καί σʼ ἀμφὶ γῆν μὲν πατρίαν φιλαιμάτους
ἀλκὰς κορύσσοντʼ οὐκ ἐδείμαινον θανεῖν·

[¶132] Only to Troy I charged thee not to go:
I knew the fated end: but Hector’s cry,
Borne overseas by embassies of woe,
Called thee to battle for thy friends and die.

> Greek: Τροίας δʼ ἀπηύδων ἄστυ μὴ κέλσαι ποτε,
εἰδυῖα τὸν σὸν πότμον· ἀλλά σʼ Ἕκτορος
πρεσβεύμαθʼ αἵ τε μυρίαι γερουσίαι
ἔπεισαν ἐλθεῖν κἀπικουρῆσαι φίλοις.

[¶133] And thou, Athena—nothing was the deed
Odysseus wrought this night nor Diomede—’Tis thine, all thine; dream not thy cruel hand
Is hid from me! Yet ever on thy land
The Muse hath smiled; we gave it praise above
All cities, yea, fulfilled it with our love.
The light of thy great Mysteries was shed
By Orpheus, very cousin of this dead
Whom thou hast slain; and thine high citizen
Musaeus, wisest of the tribes of men,
We and Apollo guided all his way:

> Greek: καὶ τοῦδʼ, Ἀθάνα, παντὸς αἰτία μόρου,
— οὐδὲν δʼ Ὀδυσσεὺς οὐδʼ ὁ Τυδέως τόκος
ἔδρασε δράσας — μὴ δόκει λεληθέναι.
καίτοι πόλιν σὴν σύγγονοι πρεσβεύομεν
Μοῦσαι μάλιστα κἀπιχρώμεθα χθονί,
μυστηρίων τε τῶν ἀπορρήτων φανὰς
ἔδειξεν Ὀρφεύς, αὐτανέψιος νεκροῦ
τοῦδʼ ὃν κατακτείνεις σύ· Μουσαῖόν τε, σὸν
σεμνὸν πολίτην κἀπὶ πλεῖστον ἄνδρʼ ἕνα
ἐλθόντα, Φοῖβος σύγγονοί τʼ ἠσκήσαμεν.

[¶134] For which long love behold the gift ye pay!
I wreathe him in my arms; I wail his wrong
Alone, and ask no other mourner’s song.
She weeps over RHESUS.

> Greek: καὶ τῶνδε μισθὸν παῖδʼ ἔχουσʼ ἐν ἀγκάλαις
θρηνῶ· σοφιστὴν δʼ ἄλλον οὐκ ἐπάξομαι.

[¶135] LEADER.:
Hector, thou hearest. We were guiltless here,
And falsely spake that Thracian charioteer.

> Greek: Χορός:
μάτην ἄρʼ ἡμᾶς Θρῄκιος τροχηλάτης
ἐδέννασʼ, Ἕκτορ, τῷδε βουλεῦσαι φόνον.

[¶136] HECTOR.:
Always I knew it. Had we any need
Of seers to tell this was Odysseus’ deed?

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
ᾔδη τάδʼ· οὐδὲν μάντεων ἔδει φράσαι
Ὀδυσσέως τέχναισι τόνδʼ ὀλωλότα.

[¶137] For me, what could I else, when I beheld
The hosts of Argos camped upon this field,
What but with prayers and heralds bid my friend
Come forth and fight for Ilion ere the end?

> Greek: ἐγὼ δὲ γῆς ἔφεδρον Ἑλλήνων στρατὸν
λεύσσων, τί μὴν ἔμελλον οὐ πέμψειν φίλοις
κήρυκας, ἐλθεῖν κἀπικουρῆσαι χθονί;

[¶138] He owed me that.—Yet, now my friend is slain,
His sorrow is my sorrow. On this plain
I will uplift a wondrous sepulchre,
And burn about it gifts beyond compare
Of robes and frankincense. To Troy’s relief
He came in love and parteth in great grief.

> Greek: ἔπεμψʼ· ὀφείλων δʼ ἦλθε συμπονεῖν ἐμοί.
οὐ μὴν θανόντι γʼ οὐδαμῶς συνήδομαι.
καὶ νῦν ἕτοιμος τῷδε καὶ τεῦξαι τάφον
καὶ ξυμπυρῶσαι μυρίων πέπλων χλιδήν·
φίλος γὰρ ἐλθὼν δυστυχῶς ἀπέρχεται.

[¶139] MUSE.:
My son shall not be laid in any grave
Of darkness; thus much guerdon will I crave
Of Death’s eternal bride, the heavenly-born
Maid of Demeter, Life of fruits and corn,
To set this one soul free. She owes me yet,
For Orpheus widowed, an abiding debt.

> Greek: Μοῦσα:
οὐκ εἶσι γαίας ἐς μελάγχιμον πέδον·
τοσόνδε Νύμφην τὴν ἔνερθʼ αἰτήσομαι,
τῆς καρποποιοῦ παῖδα Δήμητρος θεᾶς,
ψυχὴν ἀνεῖναι τοῦδʼ· ὀφειλέτις δέ μοι
τοὺς Ὀρφέως τιμῶσα φαίνεσθαι φίλους.

[¶140] To me he still must be—that know I well—
As one in death, who sees not. Where I dwell
He must not come, nor see his mother’s face.

> Greek: κἀμοὶ μὲν ὡς θανών τε κοὐ λεύσσων φάος
ἔσται τὸ λοιπόν· οὐ γὰρ ἐς ταὐτόν ποτε
οὔτʼ εἶσιν οὔτε μητρὸς ὄψεται δέμας·

[¶141] Alone for ever, in a caverned place
Of silver-veinèd earth, hid from men’s sight,
A Man yet Spirit, he shall live in light:
As under far Pangaion Orpheus lies,
Priest of great light and worshipped of the wise.

> Greek: κρυπτὸς δʼ ἐν ἄντροις τῆς ὑπαργύρου χθονὸς
ἀνθρωποδαίμων κείσεται βλέπων φάος,
Βάκχου προφήτης ὥστε Παγγαίου πέτραν
ᾤκησε, σεμνὸς τοῖσιν εἰδόσιν θεός.

[¶142] Howbeit an easier anguish even to me
Falls than to Thetis in her azure sea;
For her son too shall die; and sorrowing,
First on the hills our band for thee shall sing,
Then for Achilles by the weeping wave.

> Greek: ῥᾷον δὲ πένθος τῆς θαλασσίας θεοῦ
οἴσω· θανεῖν γὰρ καὶ τὸν ἐκ κείνης χρεών.
θρήνοις δʼ ἀδελφαὶ πρῶτα μὲν σὲ ὑμνήσομεν,
ἔπειτʼ Ἀχιλλέα Θέτιδος ἐν πένθει ποτέ.

[¶143] Pallas could murder thee, but shall not save
Thy foe; too swift Apollo’s bolt shall fly.

> Greek: οὐ ῥύσεταί νιν Παλλάς, ἥ σʼ ἀπέκτανεν·
τοῖον φαρέτρα Λοξίου σῴζει βέλος.

[¶144] O fleshly loves of sad mortality,
O bitter motherhood of these that die,
She that hath wisdom will endure her doom,
The days of emptiness, the fruitless womb;
Not love, not bear love’s children to the tomb.
The VISION rises through the air and vanishes.

> Greek: ὦ παιδοποιοὶ συμφοραί, πόνοι βροτῶν·
ὡς ὅστις ὑμᾶς μὴ κακῶς λογίζεται,
ἄπαις διοίσει κοὐ τεκὼν θάψει τέκνα.

[¶145] LEADER.:
The dead man sleepeth in his mother’s care;

> Greek: Χορός:
οὗτος μὲν ἤδη μητρὶ κηδεύειν μέλει·

[¶146] But we who battle still—behold, the glare
Of dawn that rises. Doth thy purpose hold,
Hector, our arms are ready as of old.

> Greek: σὺ δʼ εἴ τι πράσσειν τῶν προκειμένων θέλεις,
Ἕκτορ, πάρεστι· φῶς γὰρ ἡμέρας τόδε.

[¶147] HECTOR.:
March on; and bid the allies with all speed
Be armed, bind fast the yoke upon the steed,
Then wait with torches burning, till we sound
The Tuscan trump.—This day we shall confound,
God tells me, their Greek phalanx, break their high
Rampart and fire the galleys where they lie.
Pointing to the dawn.
Yon first red arrow of the Sun, that brings
The dawn to Troy, hath freedom on his wings.
During the following lines HECTOR goes to his tent to get his shield, and as he enters sees DOLON’S bloody wolf-skin hanging. He takes it, looks at it, and throws it down without a word. Then he puts on his helmet, takes his shield and spear, and follows the Guards as they march off.

> Greek: Ἕκτωρ:
χωρεῖτε, συμμάχους δʼ ὁπλίζεσθαι τάχος
ἄνωχθε πληροῦν τʼ αὐχένας ξυνωρίδων.
πανοὺς δʼ ἔχοντας χρὴ μένειν Τυρσηνικῆς
σάλπιγγος αὐδήν· ὡς ὑπερβαλὼν στρατὸν
τείχη τʼ Ἀχαιῶν ναυσὶν αἶθον ἐμβαλεῖν
πέποιθα Τρωσί θʼ ἡμέραν ἐλευθέραν
ἀκτῖνα τὴν στείχουσαν ἡλίου φέρειν.

[¶148] CHORUS.:
The Chief hath spoken: let his will
Be law, ye Trojans.—Raise the cry
To Arms! To Arms! and down the line
Of allies pass the battle-sign.
The God of Ilion liveth still;
And men may conquer ere they die.
Exeunt.

> Greek: Χορός:
πείθου βασιλεῖ· στείχωμεν ὅπλοις
κοσμησάμενοι καὶ ξυμμαχίᾳ
τάδε φράζωμεν· τάχα δʼ ἂν νίκην
δοίη δαίμων ὁ μεθʼ ἡμῶν.