Page:The Dramas of Aeschylus (Swanwick).djvu/312

242 Hearing from evil-minded men full often these reproaches,

This expedition did he plan and armament to Hellas.

Therefore by him hath ruin been achieved

Portentous, aye to be remembered, such

As ne'er before on Susa's city fell

To drain it utterly, since Sovereign Zeus

Ordained this honour, that one potentate

O'er all sheep-pasturing Asia sway should bear,

The sceptre wielding of command; for first

A Median led the host; another then,

His son, succeeding, the emprize achieved,

For reason swayed the rudder of his mind.

Third after him, Cyrus, god-favoured man,

Reigned, and for all his friends established peace;

O'er Lydia's host and Phrygia spread his rule,

And all Ionia forcibly subdued,

For, such his wisdom, God was not his foe.

A son of Cyrus fourth the army ruled;

Fifth, Mardos governed, to his fatherland

An outrage, and to Persia's ancient throne;

And him, by stratagem, brave Artaphren,

In league with friendly chiefs whose work this was,

Slew in his palace. Next myself obtained