Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/168

138 Yea, such thou art in act, and such thy grace

In sight of Heaven, and such in aftertime

Thy fame, for lips and ears of mortal men!

"He strove to sack the city of his sires

And temples of her gods, and brought on her

An alien armament of foreign foes.

The fountain of maternal blood outpoured

''What power can staunch? even so, thy fatherland''

Once by thine ardent malice stormed and ta'en,

Shall ne'er join force with thee." For me, I know

It doth remain to let my blood enrich

The border of this land that loves me not—

Blood of a prophet, in a foreign grave!

''Now, for the battle! I foreknow my doom,''

Yet it shall be with honour. So he spake,

The prophet, holding up his targe of bronze

Wrought without blazon, to the ears of men

Who stood around and heeded not his word.

For on no bruit and rumour of great deeds,

But on their doing, is his spirit set,

And in his heart he reaps a furrow rich,

Wherefrom the foison of good counsel springs.

Against him, send brave heart and hand of might,

For the god-lover is man's fiercest foe.

Out on the chance that couples mortal men,

Linking the just and impious in one!

In every issue, the one curse is this—

Companionship with men of evil heart!

A baneful harvest, let none gather it!

The field of sin is rank, and brings forth death.

At whiles a righteous man who goes aboard

With reckless mates, a horde of villainy,