Page:The Dramas of Aeschylus (Swanwick).djvu/93

Rh Be thou the Saviour,—be the Healer thou!

Ye Gods of Council, all I now invoke,

Thee, my protector Hermes, Herald dear,

Whom Heralds venerate,—and Heroes, ye

Who sent us forth, now kindly welcome back

The Argive host, poor remnant of the spear.

Hail royal palace! roofs beloved, hail!

Ye seats august, ye powers that front the sun,

If e'er of yore, now, with those cheerful eyes

Receive in state the monarch absent long,

For he returns bringing in darkness light

Common to you and all assembled here,

King Agamemnon. Welcome, as beseems,

Him who with mattock of avenging Zeus

Hath Ilion razed, her under-soil uptorn.

Quenched are the fanes, the altars of the gods,

And of the land entire the seed is crushed.

Such yoke round Troy hath Atreus' elder son

Fastened: and lo! blest by the gods, he comes

Of living men most worthy of renown.

Nor Paris now nor his associate town

Their deed may vaunt as greater than their woe

Cast in a suit for rapine and for theft,

His surety forfeit, he to utter doom

Hath mowed his natal home. Thus Priam's sons

With twofold forfeit have atoned their crime.

Hail, herald of Achaia's host!