Epeisodion 2
HERALD.
For they swore league, being arch-foes before that,
650
Fire and the sea: and plighted troth approved they,
Destroying the unhappy Argeian army.
At night began the bad-wave-outbreak evils;
For, ships against each other Threkian breezes
Shattered: and these, butted at in a fury
655
By storm and typhoon, with surge rain-resounding, —
Off they went, vanished, thro’ a bad herd’s whirling.
And, when returned the brilliant light of Helios,
We view the Aigaian sea on flower with corpses
Of men Achaian and with naval ravage.
660
But us indeed, and ship, unhurt i’ the hull too,
Either someone outstole us or outprayed us —
Some god — no man it was the tiller touching.
And Fortune, saviour, willing on our ship sat.
So as it neither had in harbour wave-surge
665
Nor ran aground against a shore all rocky.
And then, the water-Haides having fled from
In the white day, not trusting to our fortune,
We chewed the cud in thoughts — this novel sorrow
