Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (Cookson).djvu/145

Rh And in the smiting of their shields shall clash

Opposing deities. For the one presents

Typhon that breathes forth fire; but Father Zeus

Sits on the other, moveless on his throne,

And centred in his hand the bolt that burns!

And who hath yet seen Zeus discomfited?

These are the powers whose favour they invoke,

We with the winners, with the losers they,

If Zeus be more than Typhon's match in battle!

Yea, by his blazon each shall stand or fall;

And Zeus displayed upon his shield shall prove

Zeus the strong Saviour to Hyperbius!

He whose arm Zeus' enemy sustains,—

Monster unfriended, Earth whilome bore,

Whom demons and Gods and mortals abhor,—

Right at the Gate he shall dash out his brains!

Amen to that. Next in the list and fifth

In order, at the Gates of Boreas,

Hard by Amphion's Tomb, the son of Zeus,

This champion takes ground. A spear he hath

Whereby he sweareth,—honouring it more

Than any God,—yea, holding it more dear

Than eyesight: 'I will ravage Cadmus Town,

Ay, maugre Zeus'! Thus he,—a cub, whose dam

Littered among the mountains,—a green chit,

Yet of a comely countenance withal,

Man-boy, or boy-man—call him what you will,—

The down upon his cheeks buds thick and fast,—

For 'tis with him the spring-time of his growth,—