Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1898) v3.djvu/73

Rh To Heedfulness, of all Gods helpfullest,

That she will save this city, now we pray.

[Exit.

(Str.) Ares the troublous, O whence is thy passion

For blood and for death, unattuned to the feasts of the Revelry-king?

Not for the dances, the circlings of beauty, in virginal fashion

Tossed are thy tresses abroad, nor to breathings of flutes dost thou sing

A strain to whose witchery dances are wreathing:

But with clangour of harness of fight through the

Argive array art thou breathing

War-lust for the blood of our Thebes athirst,

As thou leadest the dance of a revel accurst

Where no flutes ring.

Thou art found not where fawnskin and thyrsus in mad reel mingle and sunder,

But with chariots and clashing of bits and with war-horses' footfall of thunder

By Ismenus' brimming marge

With the rushing of steeds dost thou charge,

Into Argives breathing the battle-hate

Against the sons of the Dragon-state;

And with harness of brass and with targe,

Fronting our ramparts of stone, dost array

A host for the fray.

A fearful Goddess in sooth is Strife,

Of whose devising the troublous life

Of the Labdakid kings of the land is anguish-rife.