Page:The Dramas of Aeschylus (Swanwick).djvu/350

280 Nor death by stoning at the people's hand

Shall they escape. What passeth out of doors

Is man's concern; let woman counsel not.

Bide thou within, and no more mischief cause.

Dost hear or not? Or speak I to the deaf?

Dear son of Œdipus, I trembled sore,

Hearing of rattling cars the roar, the roar,

When wheel-impelling axles shrieked amain,

When sounded on mine ear

The noise of fire-wrought gear—

Within the chargers' mouths their guiding rein.

What then? doth sailor means of safety find,

The stern forsaking for the prow, what time

His vessel labours mid the ocean wave?

Relying on the gods, as was but meet,

When at our gates pattered the deadly sleet,

With hurrying pace I sought their statues old;

By fear possest, I there

Poured to the Blest my prayer,

That they our city's prowess would uphold.

Pray that our towers be stanch 'gainst foemen's spear.

Grant not the gods this boon?