Delphi Complete Works of Aeschylus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics) by Aeschylus
Authors: Aeschylus
the habitations of
righteous men: receive as suppliants this band of women with the compassionate
spirit of the land. But the thronging swarm of violent men born of Aegyptus,
should they set foot upon this marshy land, drive them seaward — and with them
their swift ship — and there may they encounter a cruel sea with thunder,
lightning, and rain-charged winds, and perish by the tempest’s buffeting
blasts, if they ever lay their hands on us, their cousins, and mount unwilling
beds from which Right holds them aloof.
[40] And now I invoke,
as our champion from beyond the sea, the calf born of Zeus, the offspring of
the flower-grazing cow, our ancestress, the caress of Zeus’ breath. The
appointed period confirmed itself in a name suited to the event — Epaphus, to
whom she gave birth. To him I cry for help. And now in the region wherein our
first mother pastured, by recounting the story of her distress of long ago, I
shall now set forth reliable proofs to the inhabitants of the land; and other evidence,
though unexpected, will yet appear. Men will come to know the truth as my tale
proceeds.
[58] Now if by chance
there be some neighbor in the land who knows the song of birds, when our
complaint greets his ear, he will fancy that he hears the voice of Metis,
Tereus’ piteous wife, the hawk-chased nightingale.
[63] For she,
constrained to leave her green leaves, laments pitifully her accustomed haunts,
and composes the tale of her own child’s doom — how he perished, destroyed by
her own hand, victim of the wrath of an unnatural mother.
[68] Even so I,
indulging my grief in Ionian strains, pain my tender face summered by Nile’s sun and my heart unexercised in tears; and I
gather the flowers of grief, anxious whether there is any friendly kinsman here
to champion our band which has fled from the haze-shrouded land.
[76] But, gods of our
race, hear, and regard with favor the cause of righteousness; if you refuse
youth fulfillment of its arrogant desires, and readily abhor violence, you
would be righteous toward marriage. Even for those who flee hard-pressed from
war there is an altar, a shelter against harm through respect for the powers of
heaven.
[86] But may Zeus
grant that it go well with us. For Zeus’ desire is hard to trace: it shines
everywhere, even in gloom, together with fortune obscure to mortal men.
[91] Safely it falls,
and not upon its back, whatever deed comes to pass at Zeus’ nod; for the
pathways of his understanding stretch dark and tangled, beyond comprehension.
[96] From their
high-towering hopes he hurls mankind to utter destruction; yet he does not
marshal any armed violence — all that is wrought by the powers divine is free
from toil. Seated on his holy throne, unmoved, in mysterious ways he
accomplishes his will.
[104] So let him look
upon human outrageousness — in what way it shoots up men in their wooing of us,
sprouted from thoughts of evil intent, having a frenzied purpose as its
irresistible spur, and deluded, turning its thoughts to folly.
[112] Such piteous
strains of woe I utter in my pain, now shrill, now deep, blended with falling
tears — Alas, alas! groans appropriate to funeral wails; though I live, I chant
my own dirge.
[117] I invoke Apia’s hilly land — for
well, O land, you understand my barbarous speech — , and many times I lay my
hands upon my Sidonian veil and tear its linen fabric to shreds.
[123] Sacrifices in
satisfaction of vows are given freely to the gods when all fares well, if only
there be escape from death. Alas, alas, perplexing troubles! Where will this
wave of trouble bear me away?
[128] I invoke Apia’s hilly land — for
well, O land, you understand my barbarous speech — , and many times I lay my
hands upon my Sidonian veil and tear its linen fabric to shreds.
[134] Our oars,
indeed, and our timbered ship, bound with yellow rope to withstand the sea,
sped me on by help of favoring winds, unharmed by all tempests; nor have I
reason
righteous men: receive as suppliants this band of women with the compassionate
spirit of the land. But the thronging swarm of violent men born of Aegyptus,
should they set foot upon this marshy land, drive them seaward — and with them
their swift ship — and there may they encounter a cruel sea with thunder,
lightning, and rain-charged winds, and perish by the tempest’s buffeting
blasts, if they ever lay their hands on us, their cousins, and mount unwilling
beds from which Right holds them aloof.
[40] And now I invoke,
as our champion from beyond the sea, the calf born of Zeus, the offspring of
the flower-grazing cow, our ancestress, the caress of Zeus’ breath. The
appointed period confirmed itself in a name suited to the event — Epaphus, to
whom she gave birth. To him I cry for help. And now in the region wherein our
first mother pastured, by recounting the story of her distress of long ago, I
shall now set forth reliable proofs to the inhabitants of the land; and other evidence,
though unexpected, will yet appear. Men will come to know the truth as my tale
proceeds.
[58] Now if by chance
there be some neighbor in the land who knows the song of birds, when our
complaint greets his ear, he will fancy that he hears the voice of Metis,
Tereus’ piteous wife, the hawk-chased nightingale.
[63] For she,
constrained to leave her green leaves, laments pitifully her accustomed haunts,
and composes the tale of her own child’s doom — how he perished, destroyed by
her own hand, victim of the wrath of an unnatural mother.
[68] Even so I,
indulging my grief in Ionian strains, pain my tender face summered by Nile’s sun and my heart unexercised in tears; and I
gather the flowers of grief, anxious whether there is any friendly kinsman here
to champion our band which has fled from the haze-shrouded land.
[76] But, gods of our
race, hear, and regard with favor the cause of righteousness; if you refuse
youth fulfillment of its arrogant desires, and readily abhor violence, you
would be righteous toward marriage. Even for those who flee hard-pressed from
war there is an altar, a shelter against harm through respect for the powers of
heaven.
[86] But may Zeus
grant that it go well with us. For Zeus’ desire is hard to trace: it shines
everywhere, even in gloom, together with fortune obscure to mortal men.
[91] Safely it falls,
and not upon its back, whatever deed comes to pass at Zeus’ nod; for the
pathways of his understanding stretch dark and tangled, beyond comprehension.
[96] From their
high-towering hopes he hurls mankind to utter destruction; yet he does not
marshal any armed violence — all that is wrought by the powers divine is free
from toil. Seated on his holy throne, unmoved, in mysterious ways he
accomplishes his will.
[104] So let him look
upon human outrageousness — in what way it shoots up men in their wooing of us,
sprouted from thoughts of evil intent, having a frenzied purpose as its
irresistible spur, and deluded, turning its thoughts to folly.
[112] Such piteous
strains of woe I utter in my pain, now shrill, now deep, blended with falling
tears — Alas, alas! groans appropriate to funeral wails; though I live, I chant
my own dirge.
[117] I invoke Apia’s hilly land — for
well, O land, you understand my barbarous speech — , and many times I lay my
hands upon my Sidonian veil and tear its linen fabric to shreds.
[123] Sacrifices in
satisfaction of vows are given freely to the gods when all fares well, if only
there be escape from death. Alas, alas, perplexing troubles! Where will this
wave of trouble bear me away?
[128] I invoke Apia’s hilly land — for
well, O land, you understand my barbarous speech — , and many times I lay my
hands upon my Sidonian veil and tear its linen fabric to shreds.
[134] Our oars,
indeed, and our timbered ship, bound with yellow rope to withstand the sea,
sped me on by help of favoring winds, unharmed by all tempests; nor have I
reason