Delphi Complete Works of Aeschylus (Illustrated) (Delphi Ancient Classics) (11 page)

KING
[294]
Certainly
she was; the tradition prevails far and wide.

CHORUS
[295]
And is
there some story, too, that Zeus was joined in love with a mortal?

KING
[297]
This
entanglement was not secret from Hera.

CHORUS
[298]
What then
was the result of this royal strife?

KING
[299]
The
goddess of Argos
transformed the woman into a cow.

CHORUS
[300]
And while
she was a horned cow, did not Zeus approach her?

KING
[301]
So they
say, making his form that of a bull lusting for a mate.

CHORUS
[302]
What
answer then did Zeus’ stubborn consort give?

KING
[303]
She placed
the all-seeing one to stand watch over the cow.

CHORUS
[304]
What
manner of all-seeing herdsman with a single duty do you mean?

KING
[305]
Argus, a
son of Earth, whom Hermes slew.

CHORUS
[306]
What else
did she contrive against the unfortunate cow?

KING
[307]
A sting,
torment of cattle, constantly driving her on.

CHORUS
[308]
They call
it a gadfly, those who dwell by the Nile.

KING
[309]
Well then,
it drove her by a long course out of the land.

CHORUS
[310]
Your
account agrees with mine in all respects.

KING
[311]
So she
came to Canobus and to Memphis.

CHORUS
[312]
And Zeus
begot a son by the touching of his hand.

KING
[313]
Who is it
then that claims to be the cow’s Zeus-begotten calf?

CHORUS
[315]
Epaphus,
and truly named from “laying on of hands.”

KING
[And who was begotten of Epaphus?]

CHORUS
[316]
Libya, who
reaps the fruit of the largest portion of the earth.

KING
[What offspring, then, did Libya
have?]

CHORUS
[Agenor was her first child born.]

KING
[318]
And who
was his offspring?

CHORUS
[319]
Belus, who
had two sons and was father of my father here.

KING
[320]
Now tell
me his wisely-given name.

CHORUS
[321]
Danaus:
and he has a brother with fifty sons.

KING
[322]
Reveal his
name ungrudgingly.

CHORUS
[323]
Aegyptus;
and now that you know my ancient lineage, I pray you to help a band that is
Argive by descent.

KING
[325]
I think
you indeed have some share in this land from old. But how did you bring
yourselves to leave the home of your fathers? What stroke of fortune befell
you?

CHORUS
[328]
Lord of
the Pelasgians, of varying color are the ills of mankind, and nowhere can you
find trouble of the same plume. For who dreamed that a kindred race, sprung of
old, would thus in unexpected flight find haven at Argos, fleeing in terror through loathing of
the marriage-bed?

KING
[333]
Why have
you come as suppliants of these gods congregated here, holding in your hands
those white-wreathed, fresh-plucked boughs?

CHORUS
[335]
So as not
to be made slave to Aegyptus’ race.

KING
[336]
By reason
of hatred? Or do you speak of unlawfulness ?

CHORUS
[337]
Who would
purchase their lords from among their kin?

KING
[338]
In this
way families have enhanced their power.

CHORUS
[339]
And it is
easy then, if things go ill, to separate from a wife.

KING
[340]
How then
am I to deal with you in accordance with my sacred duty?

CHORUS
[341]
By not
surrendering us at the demand of Aegyptus’ sons.

KING
[342]
A serious
request — to take upon myself a dangerous war.

CHORUS
[343]
But
Justice protects her champions.

KING
[344]
True, if
she had a share in the matter from the beginning.

CHORUS
[345]
Show
reverence for the ship of state thus crowned.

KING
[346]
I shrink
as I gaze upon these shaded shrines.

CHORUS
[347]
Yet heavy
is the wrath of Zeus, god of the suppliant.Son of Palaechthon, lord of the
Pelasgians, hear me with a benign heart. Behold me, your suppliant, a fugitive,
running around like a heifer chased by wolves upon precipitous crags, where,
confident in his help, she lows to tell the herdsman of her distress.

KING
[354]
I see a
company of assembled gods assenting beneath the shade of fresh-plucked boughs.
Nevertheless may this affair of claimants to the friendship of our city bring
no mischief in its wake! And let no feud come upon the state from causes
unforeseen and unforestalled; for the state has no need of such trouble.

CHORUS
[359]
Indeed,
may Justice, daughter of Zeus the Apportioner, Justice who protects the
suppliant, look upon our flight that it bring no mischief in its wake. But you,
aged in experience, learn from one of younger birth. If you show mercy to a
suppliant . . . from a man of holiness.

KING
[365]
It is not
my own house at whose hearth you sit. If the state is stained by pollution in
its commonalty, in common let the people strive to work out the cure. For
myself, I will pledge no promise before I have communicated these events to all
the citizens.

CHORUS
[370]
You are
the state, you are the people. Being subject to no judge, you rule the altar,
your country’s hearth by your will’s sole ordinance; and, enthroned in sole
sovereignty, you determine every issue. Beware pollution!

KING
[376]
Pollution
on my enemies! But without harm I do not know how to help you. And yet again,
it is not well advised to slight these supplications. I am perplexed, and fear
possesses my soul whether to act, or not to act and take what fortune sends.

CHORUS
[381]
Look to
him who looks down from above, to him, the guardian of mortals sore-distressed,
who appeal to their neighbors, yet do not obtain the justice that is their
right. The wrath of Zeus, the suppliant’s god, remains, and will not be
softened by a sufferer’s complaints.

KING
[387]
If the
sons of Aegyptus have authority over you by the law of your country claiming
that they are nearest of kin, who would wish to contest it? You must plead in
accordance with the laws of the land you have fled, that they have no authority
over you.

CHORUS
[392]
Never, oh
never, may I fall subject to the power and authority of these men. I am
determined to flee to escape this marriage that offends my soul, piloting my
course by the stars.Take Justice as your ally, and render judgment for the
cause deemed righteous by the gods.

KING
[397]
The
judgment is not easy — do not make me the judge. I have declared already that,
though I am ruler, I will not do this thing without the consent of my people,
lest hereafter, if any evil befall, the people should say, “You honored aliens
and brought ruin upon your own land.”

CHORUS
[402]
Kindred to
both in blood, Zeus surveys both sides alike in this dispute with an impartial
scale, apportioning, as is due, to the wicked their wrongdoing and to the godly
their works of righteousness. When these things are thus equally balanced, why
do you fear to act justly?

KING
[407]
Surely
there is need of deep and salutary counsel; need for a keen-sighted eye, not
confused, to descend, like some diver, into the depths; that to the state above
all things this matter may not work mischief, but may end well for us; that
strife may not seize you for its prize, nor yet that we surrender you from
these seats of sanctuary, and bring upon ourselves the dire, abiding vengeance
of the all-destroying god, who, even in the realm of Death, does not set his
victim free. Surely you cannot think there is no need of salutary counsel?

CHORUS
[418]
Take
counsel, and, as is your sacred duty, prove yourself our sacred champion. Do
not betray the fugitive who has been impiously cast out and driven from afar.
And see me not ravished from this sanctuary of many gods, oh you who hold
sovereign power over the land. Recognize men’s wantonness, and guard against
wrath. Do not see your suppliant dragged, in spite of justice, from the images
of the gods, like a horse by the bridle, and see rude hands laid upon my
fine-woven robes. For be assured of this — whichever end you bring to pass, to
your children and house does it remain to make full payment. Consider these
just ordinances of God.

KING
[438]
I have
considered them; and I am driven to this cruel predicament. I must take upon
myself a mighty war against one side or the other. There is no escape, it is as
firmly fixed as a ship’s hull drawn tight by windlasses. There is no result
without grievous hurt. Now when goods are plundered from a homestead, other
goods may come by grace of Zeus, guardian of household wealth; as a tongue that
has shot arrows beside the mark, one speech may be the healer of another. But
to avoid the shedding of kindred blood, surely there is need of sacrifice and
that many a victim fall to many a god as a deliverance from impending harm. For
truly, it is to my undoing that I have come into this quarrel; and yet I prefer
to be unskilled rather than practised in the lore of foretelling ill. But may
my judgment belie itself and all go well!

CHORUS
[455]
Hear now
the end of my appeals for compassion.

KING
[456]
I hear;
say on. It shall not escape me.

CHORUS
[457]
I have
breast-bands and girdles to gather up my robes.

KING
[458]
Such
things are proper, no doubt, for women.

CHORUS
[459]
In these
then, be sure, I have a beautiful instrument —

KING
[460]
Tell me
what speech you plan to utter.

CHORUS
[461]
If you
will not give some pledge to this group —

KING
[462]
What will
the contrivance of the sashes do for you?

CHORUS
[463]
To adorn
these images with tablets of strange sort.

KING
[464]
Your words
are riddling; come, explain in simple speech.

CHORUS
[465]
To hang
ourselves from the statues of these gods.

KING
[466]
I detect a
threat that is a lash upon my heart.

CHORUS
[467]
You have
grasped my intention, for I have cleared your vision.

KING
[468]
And on
many sides there are difficulties hard to wrestle with; for, like a flood, a
multitude of ills bursts on me. It is a sea of ruin, fathomless and impassable,
which I am launched upon, and nowhere is there a haven from distress. For
should I not pay the debt due to you, the pollution you name is beyond all
range of speech; yet if I take my stand before the walls and try the issue of
battle with the sons of Aegyptus, your kinsmen, how will the cost not mount to
a cruel price — men’s blood to stain the ground for women’s sake?

[478]
And yet the
wrath of Zeus who guards the suppliant compels my reverence; for supreme among
mortals is the fear of him. Aged father of these maidens, take these boughs
straightway in your arms and place them upon other altars of the country’s
gods, that all the natives may see the sign that you have come in suppliance.
And let no random word fall against me; for the people could complain against
authority. It may well be that some, stirred to compassion at the sight, will
hate the wantonness of the troop of males, and that the people will be more
friendly towards you; for all men are well disposed to the weaker cause.

DANAUS
[490]
We
consider it worth much to have gained a champion who is compassionate. Yet send
escorts and guides of the country’s people with me so we may find where the
gods who protect your city have their altars at the temple porches and their .
. . seats, and that we may go safely through the town. My shape is unlike
yours, for Nile and Inachus rear a different
race. Beware lest boldness give birth to fear; for through ignorance men have
slain those they love.

KING
[500]
Come, men,
the stranger speaks well. Be his guides to the altars of the city and to the
sanctuaries of the gods. Do not speak at length with whomever you meet on the
way while you are bringing this seafarer to be a suppliant at the hearths of
the gods.

[
Exit Danaus
with attendants.
]

CHORUS
[504]
You told
him, and let him go as directed. But what of me? What am I to do? Where do you
assign security to me?

KING
[506]
Leave your
boughs here, tokens of your distress.

CHORUS
[507]
Behold, I
leave them at your signal and command.

KING
[508]
Go now
along this level space about the sanctuary.

CHORUS
[509]
But it is
not holy ground. How can it keep me safe?

KING
[510]
Be
assured, we will not surrender you to winged creatures’ ravishment.

CHORUS
[511]
But what
about those whom we dread worse than evil serpents?