Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (Cookson).djvu/192

180 From sorrow's rainy fount, to fill soft-lidded eyes

With pure libations for thy fortune's obsequies.

An evil portion that none coveteth hath Zeus

Prepared for thee; by self-made laws established for his use

Disposing all, the elder Gods he purposeth to show

How strong is that right arm wherewith he smites a foe.

There hath gone up a cry from earth, a groaning for the fall

Of things of old renown and shapes majestical,

And for thy passing an exceeding bitter groan;

For thee and for thy brother Gods whose honour was thine own:

These things all they who dwell in Asia's holy seat,

Time's minions, mourn and with their groans thy groans repeat.

Yea, and they mourn who' dwell beside the Colchian shore,

The hero maids unwedded that delight in war,

And Scythia's swarming myriads who their dwelling make

Around the borders of the world, the salt Mæotian lake.

Mourns Ares' stock, that flowers in desert Araby,

And the strong city mourns, the hill-fort planted high,

Near neighbour to huge Caucasus, dread mountaineers

That love the clash of arms, the counter of sharp spears.

Beforetime of all Gods one have I seen in pain,

One only Titan bound with adamantine chain,

Atlas in strength supreme, who groaning stoops, downbent

Under the burthen of the earth and heaven's broad firmament.