Page:Suppliant Maidens (Morshead) 1883.djvu/40

26 The father of these maidens, gather up

Within your arms these wands of suppliance,

And lay them at the altars manifold

Of all our country's gods, that all the town

Know, by this sign, your coming hitherward.

Nor, in thy haste, do thou say aught of me.

Swift is this folk to censure those who rule;

But, if they see these signs of suppliance,

It well may chance that each will pity you,

And loathe the young men's violent pursuit;

And thus a fairer favour you may find:

For, to the helpless, each man's heart is kind.

Beyond gifts manifold to us is this,

To find a champion thus compassionate;

Yet send with me attendants, of thy folk,

Rightly to guide me, that I duly find

Each altar of your city's gods that stands

Before the fane, each dedicated shrine;

And that in safety through the city's ways

I may pass onwards: all unlike to yours

The outward semblance that I wear—the race

That Nilus rears is all dissimilar

To that of Inachus. Keep watch and ward

Lest heedlessness bring death: full oft, I ween,

Friend hath slain friend, not knowing whom he slew.

Go at his side, attendants,—he saith well.

On to the city's consecrated shrines;