Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/147

Rh Have shed a bull's blood, and, with hands immersed

Into the gore of sacrifice, have sworn

By Ares, lord of fight, and by thy name,

Blood-lapping Terror, Let our oath be heard—

Either to raze the walls, make void the hold

Of Cadmus—strive his children as they may—

Or, dying here, to make the foemen's land

With blood impasted. Then, as memory's gift

Unto their parents at the far-off home,

Chaplets they hung upon Adrastus' car,

With eyes tear-dropping, but no word of moan.

For their steeled spirit glowed with high resolve,

As lions pant, with battle in their eyes.

For them, no weak alarm delays the clear

Issues of death or life! I parted thence

Even as they cast the lots, how each should lead,

Against which gate, his serried company.

Rank then thy bravest, with what speed thou may'st,

Hard by the gates, to dash on them, for now,

Full-armed, the onward ranks of Argos come!

The dust whirls up, and from their panting steeds

White foamy flakes like snow bedew the plain.

Thou therefore, chieftain! like a steersman skilled,

Enshield the city's bulwarks, ere the blast

Of war comes darting on them! hark, the roar

Of the great landstorm with its waves of men!

Take Fortune by the forelock! for the rest,

By yonder dawn-light will I scan the field

Clear and aright, and surety of my word

Shall keep thee scatheless of the coming storm.

O Zeus and Earth and city-guarding gods,

And thou, my father's Curse, of baneful might,