Page:Four Plays of Aeschylus (Cookson).djvu/24

12 Before these Gods of Festival are laid

Branches that well accord with suppliant's law.

In Hellas that surmise confirms itself:

Fair dealing must conjecture all the rest,

Were there no living- voice to clear the doubt.

Touching our garb thy words are words of truth:

But how shall I address thee? Art thou one

Of the commonalty? Com'st with formal wand

Equipped for parle? Or as of this fair realm

Foremost and chief?

Let not that vex thy heart:

Thou may'st with full assurance answer me.

I am the son of Palaechthon earth-born,

Pelasgus, of this soil the supreme lord.

And they who reap its fruits from me their king

Are called, with reason good, Pelasgians.

Over all ground towards the setting sun,

Wherethrough the Haliacmon flows, I reign.

Within my borders I include the land

Of the Perrhaebi, and the parts beyond

Pindus, adjoining the Chaonians,

With the high mountains of Dodona; west

I touch the salt, wet frontiers of the sea.

Thence all that stretches hitherward is mine,

The spot whereon we stand being Apia,

So called of old from one in medicine wise,

Apis, Apollo's son, prophet and healer,

Who from Naupactus crossed, beyond the gulf,

And purged this land of man-devouring beasts,