The Rhesus of Euripides Part 6

All hail!

Sweet words and faithful heart!

Only may Zeus avert From those proud lips the Wrath that none may bear!

Never a galleon bore, Now, nor in days of yore, Prince like to thee, so valiant and so fair.

How shall Achilles, how Shall Ajax bear him now, Or face thy lance? May I but stand that day Watching to see him reel Broken beneath thy steel, And once in blood his many murders pay!

RHESUS.

Yea, more atonement thou shalt take from me For this slow help.--May Adrasteia see My heart and pardon!--When we two have set Troy free from these who compa.s.s her with hate, Soon as the G.o.ds have had their first-fruits, I With thee will sail--so help me Zeus on high!-- And sack all h.e.l.las with the sword, till these Doers of deeds shall know what suffering is.

HECTOR. [vv. 474-491]

By heaven, could I once see this peril rolled Past us, and live in Ilion as of old, Untrembling, I would thank my G.o.ds! To seek Argos and sack the cities of the Greek-- 'Twere not such light work as thou fanciest.

RHESUS.

These Greeks that face thee, are they not their best?

HECTOR.

We seek not better. These do all we need.

RHESUS.

When these are beaten, then, we have done the deed.

HECTOR.

Lose not thy path watching a distant view.

RHESUS.

Thou seem'st content to suffer, not to do?

HECTOR.

I have a kingdom large by mine own right. . . .

What station will best please thee in this fight To ground the targe and stablish thine array?

Right, left, or midmost in the allies? Say.

RHESUS.

'Twould please me best to fight these Greeks alone.

Yet, if 'twould irk thine honour not to have thrown One firebrand on the ships with me, why, then Set us to face Achilles and his men.

HECTOR. [vv. 492-509]

Achilles? Nay, his spear ye cannot meet.

RHESUS.

How so? Fame said he sailed here with the fleet.

HECTOR.

He sailed, and he is here. But some despite 'Gainst the great King now keeps him from the fight.

RHESUS.

Who next to him hath honour in their host?

HECTOR.

Next, to my seeming, Ajax hath the most, Or Diomede.--But Odysseus is a tough And subtle fox, and brave; aye, brave enough.

No man of them hath harmed us more than he.

He climbed here to Athena's sanctuary One night, and stole her image clean away To the Argive ships. Yes, and another day, Guised as a wandering priest, in rags, he came And walked straight through the Gates, made loud acclaim Of curses on the Greek, spied out alone All that he sought in Ilion, and was gone-- Gone, and the watch and helpers of the Gate Dead! And in every ambush they have set By the old Altar, close to Troy, we know He sits--a murderous reptile of a foe!

RHESUS. [vv. 510-529]

No brave man seeks so dastardly to harm His battle-foes; he meets them arm to arm.

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 G.o.d's sanctuary, or so we hold in Thrace.

HECTOR (_making no answer_).

Seek first some sleep. There still remains a s.p.a.ce Of darkness.--I will show the spot that best May suit you, somewhat sundered from the rest.

Should need arise, the pa.s.sword of the night Is Phoebus: see your Thracians have it right.

[_Turning to the Guards before he goes._ 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_.

CHORUS.

Say, whose is the watch? Who exchanges With us? The first planets to rise Are setting; the Pleiades seven [vv. 530-545]

Move low on the margin of heaven, And the Eagle is risen and ranges The mid-vault of the skies.

ANOTHER.

No sleeping yet! Up from your couches And watch on, the sluggards ye are!

The moon-maiden's lamp is yet burning.

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?