Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/165

Rh Beats back the wintered serpent's venom'd fang.

And next, by her, is Oenops' gallant son,

Hyperbius, chosen to confront this foe,

Ready to seek his fate at Fortune's shrine!

In form, in valour, and in skill of arms,

None shall gainsay him. See how wisely well

Hermes hath set the brave against the strong!

Confronted shall they stand, the shield of each

Bearing the image of opposing gods:

One holds aloft his Typhon breathing fire,

But, on the other's shield, in symbol sits

Zeus, calm and strong, and fans his bolt to flame—

Zeus, seen of all, yet seen of none to fail!

Howbeit, weak is trust reposed in Heaven—

Yet are we upon Zeus' victorious side,

The foe, with those he worsted—if in sooth

Zeus against Typhon held the upper hand,

And if Hyperbius, (as well may hap

When two such foes such diverse emblems bear)

Have Zeus upon his shield, a saving sign.

High faith is mine that he whose shield

Bears, against Zeus, the thing of hate.

The giant Typhon, thus revealed,

A monster loathed of gods eterne

And mortal men—this doom shall earn

A shattered skull, before the gate!

Heaven send it so! A fifth assailant now

Is set against our fifth, the northern, gate,

Fronting the death-mound where Amphion lies

The child of Zeus. This foeman vows his faith,