Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/124

94 Did ever such extermination fall

Upon the city Susa. Long ago

Zeus in his power this privilege bestowed,

That with a guiding sceptre one sole man

Should rule this Asian land of flock and herd.

Over the folk a Mede, Astyages,

Did grasp the power: then Cyaxares ruled

In his sire's place, and held the sway aright,

Steering his state with watchful wariness.

Third in succession, Cyrus, blest of Heaven,

Held rule and 'stablished peace for all his clan:

Lydian and Phrygian won he to his sway,

And wide Ionia to his yoke constrained,

For the god favoured his discretion sage.

Fourth in the dynasty was Cyrus' son,

And fifth was Mardus, scandal of his land

And ancient lineage. Him Artaphrenes,

Hardy of heart, within his palace slew,

Aided by loyal plotters, set for this.

And I too gained the lot for which I craved,

And oftentimes led out a goodly host,

Yet never brought disaster such as this

Upon the city. But my son is young

And reckless in his youth, and heedeth not

The warnings of my mouth. Mark this, my friends,

Born with my birth, coeval with mine age—

Not all we kings who held successive rule

Have wrought, combined, such ruin as my son!

How then, O King Darius? whitherward

Dost thou direct thy warning? from this plight

How can we Persians fare towards hope again?