470　BC
  THE　PERSIANS
  by　Aeschylus
  translated　by　Robert　Potter
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  ATOSSA；　widow　of　Darius　and　mother　of　XERXES
  MESSENGER
  GHOST　OF　DARIUS
  XERXES
  CHORUS　OF　PERSIAN　ELDERS；　who　compose　the　Persian　Council　of　State
  （SCENE：…Before　the　Council…Hall　of　the　Persian　Kings　at　Susa。　The
  tomb　of　Darius　the　Great　is　visible。　The　time　is　480　B。C。；　shortly
  after　the　battle　of　Salamis。　The　play　opens　with　the　CHORUS　OF
  PERSIAN　ELDERS　singing　its　first　choral　lyric。）
  CHORUS
  While　o'er　the　fields　of　Greece　the　embattled　troops
  Of　Persia　march　with　delegated　sway；
  We　o'er　their　rich　and　gold…abounding　seats
  Hold　faithful　our　firm　guard；　to　this　high　charge
  Xerxes；　our　royal　lord；　the　imperial　son
  Of　great　Darius；　chose　our　honour'd　age。
  But　for　the　king's　return；　and　his　arm'd　host
  Blazing　with　gold；　my　soul　presaging　ill
  Swells　in　my　tortured　breast：　for　all　her　force
  Hath　Asia　sent；　and　for　her　youth　I　sigh。
  Nor　messenger　arrives；　nor　horseman　spurs
  With　tidings　to　this　seat　of　Persia's　kings。
  The　gates　of　Susa　and　Ecbatana
  Pour'd　forth　their　martial　trains；　and　Cissia　sees
  Her　ancient　towers　forsaken；　while　her　youth；
  Some　on　the　bounding　steed；　the　tall　bark　some
  Ascending；　some　with　painful　march　on　foot；
  Haste　on；　to　arrange　the　deep'ning　files　of　war。
  Amistres；　Artaphernes；　and　the　might
  Of　great　Astaspes；　Megabazes　bold；
  Chieftains　of　Persia；　kings；　that；　to　the　power
  Of　the　great　king　obedient；　march　with　these
  Leading　their　martial　thousands；　their　proud　steeds
  Prance　under　them；　steel　bows　and　shafts　their　arms；
  Dreadful　to　see；　and　terrible　in　fight；
  Deliberate　valour　breathing　in　their　souls。
  Artembares；　that　in　his　fiery　horse
  Delights；　Masistress；　and　Imaeus　bold；
  Bending　with　manly　strength　his　stubborn　bow；
  Pharandaces；　and　Sosthanes；　that　drives
  With　military　pomp　his　rapid　steeds。
  Others　the　vast　prolific　Nile　hath　sent；
  Pegastagon；　that　from　Aegyptus　draws
  His　high　birth；　Susiscanes；　and　the　chief
  That　reigns　o'er　sacred　Memphis；　great　Arsames；
  And　Ariomardus；　that　o'er　ancient　Thebes
  Bears　the　supreme　dominion；　and　with　these；
  Drawn　from　their　watery　marshes；　numbers　train'd
  To　the　stout　oar。　Next　these　the　Lycian　troops；
  Soft　sons　of　luxury；　and　those　that　dwell
  Amid　the　inland　forests；　from　the　sea
  Far　distant；　these　Metragathes　commands；
  And　virtuous　Arceus；　royal　chiefs；　that　shine
  In　burnish'd　gold；　and　many　a　whirling　car
  Drawn　by　six　generous　steeds　from　Sardis　lead；
  A　glorious　and　a　dreadful　spectacle。
  And　from　the　foot　of　Tmolus；　sacred　mount；
  Eager　to　bind　on　Greece　the　servile　yoke；
  Mardon　and　Tharybis　the　massy　spear
  Grasp　with　unwearied　vigour；　the　light　lance
  The　Mysians　shake。　A　mingled　multitude
  Swept　from　her　wide　dominions　skill'd　to　draw
  The　unerring　bow；　in　ships　Euphrates　sends
  From　golden　Babylon。　With　falchions　arm'd
  From　all　the　extent　of　Asia　move　the　hosts
  Obedient　to　their　monarch's　stern　command。
  Thus　march'd　the　flower　of　Persia；　whose　loved　youth
  The　world　of　Asia　nourish'd；　and　with　sighs
  Laments　their　absence；　many　an　anxious　look
  Their　wives；　their　parents　send；　count　the　slow　days；
  And　tremble　at　the　long…protracted　time。
  strophe　1
  Already　o'er　the　adverse　strand
  In　arms　the　monarch's　martial　squadrons　spread；
  The　threat'ning　ruin　shakes　the　land；
  And　each　tall　city　bows　its　tower'd　head。
  Bark　bound　to　bark；　their　wondrous　way
  They　bridge　across　the　indignant　sea；
  The　narrow　Hellespont's　vex'd　waves　disdain；
  His　proud　neck　taught　to　wear　the　chain。
  Now　has　the　peopled　Asia's　warlike　lord；
  By　land；　by　sea；　with　foot；　with　horse；
  Resistless　in　his　rapid　course；
  O'er　all　their　realms　his　warring　thousands　pour'd；
  Now　his　intrepid　chiefs　surveys；
  And　glitt'ring　like　a　god　his　radiant　state　displays。
  antistrophe　1
  Fierce　as　the　dragon　scaled　in　gold
  Through　the　deep　files　he　darts　his　glowing　eye；
  And　pleased　their　order　to　behold；
  His　gorgeous　standard　blazing　to　the　sky；
  Rolls　onward　his　Assyrian　car；
  Directs　the　thunder　of　the　war；
  Bids　the　wing'd　arrows'　iron　storm　advance
  Against　the　slow　and　cumbrous　lance。
  What　shall　withstand　the　torrent　of　his　sway
  When　dreadful　o'er　the　yielding　shores
  The　impetuous　tide　of　battle　roars；
  And　sweeps　the　weak　opposing　mounds　away？
  So　Persia；　with　resistless　might；
  Rolls　her　unnumber'd　hosts　of　heroes　to　the　fight。
  strophe　2
  For　when　misfortune's　fraudful　hand
  Prepares　to　pour　the　vengeance　of　the　sky；
  What　mortal　shall　her　force　withstand？
  What　rapid　speed　the　impending　fury　fly？
  Gentle　at　first　with　flatt'ring　smiles
  She　spreads　her　soft　enchanting　wiles；
  So　to　her　toils　allures　her　destined　prey；
  Whence　man　ne'er　breaks　unhurt　away。
  For　thus　from　ancient　times　the　Fates　ordain
  That　Persia's　sons　should　greatly　dare；
  Unequall'd　in　the　works　of　war；
  Shake　with　their　thund'ring　steeds　the　ensanguined　plain；
  Dreadful　the　hostile　walls　surround；
  And　lay　their　rampired　towers　in　ruins　on　the　ground。
  antistrophe　2
  Taught　to　behold　with　fearless　eyes
  The　whitening　billows　foam　beneath　the　gale；
  They　bid　the　naval　forests　rise；
  Mount　the　slight　bark；　unfurl　the　flying　sail；
  And　o'er　the　angry　ocean　bear
  To　distant　realms　the　storm　of　war。
  For　this　with　many　a　sad　and　gloomy　thought
  My　tortured　breast　is　fraught：
  Ah　me！　for　Persia's　absent　sons　I　sigh；
  For　while　in　foreign　fields　they　fight；
  Our　towns　exposed　to　wild　affright
  An　easy　prey　to　the　invader　lie：
  Where；　mighty　Susa；　where　thy　powers；
  To　wield　the　warrior's　arms；　and　guard　thy　regal　towers？
  epode
  Crush'd　beneath　the　assailing　foe
  Her　golden　head　must　Cissia　bend；
  While　her　pale　virgins；　frantic　with　despair；
  Through　all　her　streets　awake　the　voice　of　wo；
  And　flying　with　their　bosoms　bare；
  Their　purfled　stoles　in　anguish　rend：
  For　all　her　youth　in　martial　pride；
  Like　bees　that；　clust'ring　round　their　king；
  Their　dark　imbodied　squadrons　bring；
  Attend　their　sceptred　monarch's　side；
  And　stretch　across　the　watery　way
  From　shore　to　shore　their　long　array。
  The　Persian　dames；　with　many　a　tender　fear；
  In　grief's　sad　vigils　keep　the　midnight　hour；
  Shed　on　the　widow'd　couch　the　streaming　tear；
  And　the　long　absence　of　their　loves　deplore。
  Each　lonely　matron　feels　her　pensive　breast
  Throb　with　desire；　with　aching　fondness　glow；
  Since　in　bright　arms　her　daring　warrior　dress'd
  Left　her　to　languish　in　her　love…lorn　wo。
  Now；　ye　grave　Persians；　that　your　honour'd　seats
  Hold　in　this　ancient　house；　with　prudent　care
  And　deep　deliberation；　so　the　state
  Requires；　consult　we；　pond'ring　the　event
  Of　this　great　war；　which　our　imperial　lord；
  The　mighty　Xerxes　from　Darius　sprung；
  The　stream　of　whose　rich　blood　flows　in　our　veins；
  Leads　against　Greece；　whether　his　arrowy　shower
  Shot　from　the　strong…braced　bow；　or　the　huge　spear
  High　brandish'd；　in　the　deathful　field　prevails。
  But　see；　the　monarch's　mother：　like　the　gods
  Her　lustre　blazes　on　our　eyes：　my　queen；
  Prostrate　I　fall　before　her：　all　advance
  With　reverence；　and　in　duteous　phrase　address　her；
  （ATOSSA　enters　with　her　retinue。　The　Elders　do　their　obeisance
  to　her。）
  LEADER　OF　THE　CHORUS
  Hail；　queen；　of　Persia's　high…zoned　dames　supreme；
  Age…honour'd　mother　of　the　potent　Xerxes；
  Imperial　consort　of　Darius；　hail！
  The　wife；　the　mother　of　the　Persians'　god；
  If　yet　our　former　glories　fade　not　from　us。
  ATOSSA
  And　therefore　am　I　come；　leaving　my　house
  That　shines　with　gorgeous　ornaments　and　gold；
  Where　in　past　days　Darius　held　with　me
  His　royal　residence。　With　anxious　care
  My　heart　is　tortured：　I　will　tell　you；　friends；
  My　thoughts；　not　otherwise　devoid　of　fear；
  Lest　mighty　wealth　with　haughty　foot　o'erturn
  And　trample　in　the　dust　that　happiness；
  Whic