Page:The Tragedies of Aeschylus - tr. Potter - 1812.pdf/68

24 T' impress these precepts on their hearts I sent

Memory, the active mother of all wisdom.

I taught the patient steer to bear the yoke,

In all his toils joint-labourer with man.

By me the harness'd steed was train'd to whirl

The rapid car, and grace the pride of wealth.

The tall bark, lightly bounding o'er the waves,

I taught its course, and wing'd its flying sail.

To man I gave these arts; with all my wisdom

Yet want I now one art, that useful art

To free myself iron these afflicting chains.

Unseemly are thy sufferings, sprung from error

And impotence of mind. And now inclos'd

With all these ills, as some unskilful leach

That sinks beneath his malady, thy soul

Desponds, nor seeks medicinal relief.

Hear my whole story, thou wilt wonder more,

What useful arts, what science I invented.

This first and greatest: when the fell disease

Prey'd on the human frame, relief was none,

Nor healing drug, nor cool refreshing draught,

Nor pain-assuaging unguent; but they pin'd

Without redress, and wasted, till I taught them

To mix the balmy medicine, of pow'r

To chase each pale disease, and soften pain.

I taught the various modes of prophecy,

What truth the dream portends, the omen what

Of nice distinction, what the casual sight

That meets us on the way; the flight of birds,

When to the right, when to the left they take

Their airy course, their various ways of life,

Their feuds, their fondnesses, their social flocks.

I taught th' Haruspex to inspect the entrails,

Their smoothness, and their colour to the gods