Parodos
[Choral]
On to the Prince’s quarters!—Ho!
VARIOUS VOICES.
Who is awake? What man-at-arms,
Or squire or groom?—Let Hector know
From sentinels who stand at mark
The four long watches of the dark,
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While others sleep.—Uplift thine head,
O Hector! On thine elbow rise,
Unhood the eagle of thine eyes,
Up from thy leaf-strewn bed!—
HECTOR
Who goes there? Who cries?
A friend? The watchword! . . . By what right
Do men come prowling in the night
Across my quarters? Come! Speak out.
LEADER.
A picket, Lord.
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HECTOR.
In such a rout?
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LEADER.
Be not afraid, Lord.
Is there an ambush? No? Then what,
In God’s name, brings you from your post
With no clear tale to speak,
To spread this turmoil through a host
That lies in harness—do ye all
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Know nothing?—out against the wall
And gateways of the Greek?
CHORUS.
To arms! To arms, Lord Hector!—Send
First where the allied armies lie,
Bid them draw sword and make an end
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Of sleep.—Let someone fly
And get the horses’ armour on!—
Who goes with me to Panthoös’ son?—
Who’s for Sarpêdon and the Lycians?—None
Hath seen the priestP. 5, 1. 30, The priest.]—He would be needed to make the sacrifice before battle. go by?—
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Ho, Captain of the Runners, ho!—
Ho, Trojans of the hornèd bow!
String, string! For need is nigh.
HECTOR.
Ha, silence there! . . .
Then comfort. All an empty swell!
It seems The lash of trembling PanP. 5, 1. 36, The lash of trembling Pan.]—i.e., a panic.
Hath caught you. Speak, if speak ye can.
What tidings? Not a word is clear
Of the whole tale ye tell.
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LEADER.
Great beacons in the Argive lineP. 5, 1. 41, Great beacons in the Argive line.]— In the Iliad it is the Trojan watch-fires that are specially mentioned, especially VIII. 553-end. There is no great disturbance in the Greek camp in the Doloneia; there is a gathering of the principal chiefs, a visit to the Guards, and the despatch of the two spies, but no general tumult such as there is in Book II. One cannot help wondering whether our playwright found in his version of the Doloneia a description of fires in the Greek camp, such as our Eighth Book has of those in the Trojan camp. The object might be merely protection against a night attack, or it might be a wish to fly, as Hector thinks. If so, presumably the Assembly changed its mind— much as it does in our Book II.—and determined to send spies.
Have burned, my chief, through half the night.
The shipyard timbersP. 5, 1. 43 ff., The shipyard timbers.]—The Greeks had their ships drawn up on the beach and protected by some sort of wooden shipyard; then came the camp; then, outside the whole, a trench and a wall. The fires were in the camp. seemed to shine.
Then, clear against the light,
Toward Agamemnon’s tent the whole
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Army in tumult seemed to roll,
As stirred by some strange voice, shoal after shoal.
Was never seen. And we, in dread
What such things boded, turned and sped
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Hither; dost blame us, Lord?