Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1896) v2.djvu/259

Rh A light for Hellas, a victory-pæan,

The fleetfoot help to the Atreïds' war.

Of a farer from Ilium heard I the story,

Who had stepped to the strand in the Nauplian haven,

Heard, O Thetis' son, of thy buckler of glory,

Of the blazonry midst of the round of it graven,

Whose god-fashioned tokens of terror made craven

The hearts of the Trojans in battle adread,—

How gleamed on the border that compassed its splendour

Perseus, on sandals swift-winged as he fled

Bearing throat-severed the Gorgon-fiend's head,

While Maia's son, Prince of the Fields, for defender,

Herald of Zeus, at his side ever sped.

And flamed in the midst of the buckler outblazing

The orb of the Sun-god, his heaven-track riding

On the car after coursers wing-wafted on-racing.

And therein were the stars in their sky-dance gliding,

The Pleiads and Hyades, evil-betiding

To Hector, for death in his eyes did they fling.

On the golden-forged helmet were Sphinxes, bearing

In their talons the victim that minstrels sing.

On the corslet his bosom encompassing

The fire-breathing lioness rushed, up-glaring

At the winged steed trapped by Peirênê's spring.

And battle-steeds pranced on his falchion of slaughter;

O'er their shoulders was floating the dark dust-cloud:—