Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (1908) Morshead.djvu/235

Rh Memorial of Zeus' touch that gave him life.

And his shall be the foison and the fruit

Of all the land enriched by spreading Nile.

Thence the fifth generation of his seed

Back unto Argos, yet unwillingly,

Shall flee for refuge—fifty maidens they,

Loathing a wedlock with their next in blood,

More kin than kind, from their sire's brother sprung.

And on their track, astir with wild desire,

Like falcons fierce closing on doves that flee,

Shall speed the suitors, craving to achieve

A prey forbidden, a reluctant bride.

Yet power divine shall foil them, and forbid

Possession of the maids, whom Argive land

Shall hold protected, when unsleeping hate,

Horror, and watchful ambush of the night,

Have laid the suitors dead, by female hands.

For every maid shall smite a man to death,

Dyeing a dagger's edges in his throat—

Such bed of love befal mine enemies!

Yet in one bride shall yearning conquer hate,

Bidding her spare the bridegroom at her side,

Blunting the keen edge of her set resolve.

Thus of two scorns the former shall she choose,

The name of coward, not of murderess.

In Argos shall she bear, in after time,

A royal offspring. Long it were to tell

In clear succession all that thence shall be.

Take this for sooth—in lineage from her

A hero shall arise, an archer great,

And he shall be my saviour from these woes.

Such knowledge of the future Themis gave,

The ancient Titaness, to me her son.

But how, and by what skill, 'twere long to say,

And no whit will the knowledge profit thee.