did man rebel, or
pestilence
descend?
Aeschylus
now speak, and speed your words,
Lest I be blamed for tarrying overlong!
What new disaster broods o'er Persia's realm?
CHORUS
With awe on thee I gaze,
And, standing face to face,
I tremble as I did in olden days!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Nay, but as I rose to earth again, obedient to your call,
Prithee, tarry not in parley! be one word enough for all--
Speak and gaze on me unshrinking, neither let my face appal!
CHORUS
I tremble to reveal,
Yet tremble to conceal
Things hard for friends to feel!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Nay, but if the old-time terror on your spirit keeps its hold,
Speak thou, O royal lady who didst couch with me of old!
Stay thy weeping and lamenting and to me reveal the truth--
Speak! for man is born to sorrow; yea, the proverb sayeth sooth!
'Tis the doom of mortal beings, if they live to see old age,
To suffer bale, by land and sea, through war and tempest's rage.
ATOSSA
O thou whose blissful fate on earth all mortal weal excelled--
Who, while the sunlight touched thine eyes, the lord of all wert
held!
A god to Persian men thou wert, in bliss and pride and fame--
I hold thee blest too in thy death, or e'er the ruin came!
Alas, Darius! one brief word must tell thee all the tale--
The Persian power is in the dust, gone down in blood and bale!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Speak--by what chance?
did man rebel, or pestilence descend?
ATOSSA
Neither! by Athens' fatal shores our army met its end.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Which of my children led our host to Athens? speak and say.
ATOSSA
The froward Xerxes, leaving all our realm to disarray.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Was it with army or with fleet on folly's quest he went?
ATOSSA
With both alike, a twofold front of double armament.
GHOST OF DARIUS
And how then did so large a host on foot pass o'er the sea?
ATOSSA
He bridged the ford of Helle's strait by artful carpentry.
GHOST OF DARIUS
How? could his craft avail to span the torrent of that tide?
ATOSSA
'Tis sooth I say--some unknown power did fatal help provide!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Alas, that power in malice came, to his bewilderment!
ATOSSA
Alas, we see the end of all, the ruin on us sent.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Speak, tell me how they fared therein, that thus ye mourn and weep?
Lest I be blamed for tarrying overlong!
What new disaster broods o'er Persia's realm?
CHORUS
With awe on thee I gaze,
And, standing face to face,
I tremble as I did in olden days!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Nay, but as I rose to earth again, obedient to your call,
Prithee, tarry not in parley! be one word enough for all--
Speak and gaze on me unshrinking, neither let my face appal!
CHORUS
I tremble to reveal,
Yet tremble to conceal
Things hard for friends to feel!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Nay, but if the old-time terror on your spirit keeps its hold,
Speak thou, O royal lady who didst couch with me of old!
Stay thy weeping and lamenting and to me reveal the truth--
Speak! for man is born to sorrow; yea, the proverb sayeth sooth!
'Tis the doom of mortal beings, if they live to see old age,
To suffer bale, by land and sea, through war and tempest's rage.
ATOSSA
O thou whose blissful fate on earth all mortal weal excelled--
Who, while the sunlight touched thine eyes, the lord of all wert
held!
A god to Persian men thou wert, in bliss and pride and fame--
I hold thee blest too in thy death, or e'er the ruin came!
Alas, Darius! one brief word must tell thee all the tale--
The Persian power is in the dust, gone down in blood and bale!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Speak--by what chance?
did man rebel, or pestilence descend?
ATOSSA
Neither! by Athens' fatal shores our army met its end.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Which of my children led our host to Athens? speak and say.
ATOSSA
The froward Xerxes, leaving all our realm to disarray.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Was it with army or with fleet on folly's quest he went?
ATOSSA
With both alike, a twofold front of double armament.
GHOST OF DARIUS
And how then did so large a host on foot pass o'er the sea?
ATOSSA
He bridged the ford of Helle's strait by artful carpentry.
GHOST OF DARIUS
How? could his craft avail to span the torrent of that tide?
ATOSSA
'Tis sooth I say--some unknown power did fatal help provide!
GHOST OF DARIUS
Alas, that power in malice came, to his bewilderment!
ATOSSA
Alas, we see the end of all, the ruin on us sent.
GHOST OF DARIUS
Speak, tell me how they fared therein, that thus ye mourn and weep?
