Page:Tragedies of Euripides (Way 1898) v3.djvu/89

Rh All shaggy-haired. Titan Prometheus bore

A torch in hand there, as to burn the town.

Thy son Polyneikes at the Fountain Gate

Led on the war. Upon his shield the steeds

Of Potniæ racing in fear-frenzy sprang,

Wheeled round within by pivots cunningly

Hard by the hand-grip, that they seemed distraught.

High-stomached for the fight as Ares' self,

Led Kapaneus his troop to Electra's Gate;

And, for his iron-faced buckler's blazonry,

An earth-born giant on his shoulders bore

A whole town from its basement lever-wrenched,

As token for us of our city's fate.

And at the seventh gate Adrastus was,

His graven shield with five-score vipers thronged

Swung on his left arm, even the Argive vaunt,

The Hydra; and its serpents from our walls

Were snatching Kadmus' children in their jaws.

Each chief's device I well might mark, who bare

The watchword to the leaders of our bands.

Then first with bows and thong-sped javelins

We battled, and with slings that smote from far,

And crashing stones. But when we 'gan prevail,

Suddenly shouted Tydeus and thy son:

"Sons of the Danaans, ere their bolts quell you,

Why do ye tarry, onward-hurling all,

To assault their gates—light-armed, horse, chariot-lords?"

Soon as they heard that cry, was none hung back.

Many, with heads blood-dashed, were falling fast;

And of us many earthward flung thou hadst seen

Before the walls, like divers plunging, dead,

Drenching the thirsty soil with streams of gore.