Epeisodion 3
AGAMEMNON.
First, indeed, Argos, and the gods, the local,
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’T is right addressing — those with me the partners
In this return and right things done the city
Of Priamos: gods who, from no tongue hearing
The rights o’ the cause, for Ilion’s fate man-slaught’rous
Into the bloody vase, not oscillating,
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Put the vote-pebbles, while, o’ the rival vessel,
Hope rose up to the lip-edge: filled it was not.
By smoke the captured city is still conspicuous:
Até’s burnt offerings live: and, dying with them,
The ash sends forth the fulsome blasts of riches.
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Of these things, to the gods grace many-mindful
’T is right I render, since both nets outrageous
We built them round with, and, for sake of woman,
It did the city to dust — the Argeian monster,
The horse’s nestling, the shield-bearing people
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That made a leap, at setting of the Pleiads,
And, vaulting o’er the tower, the raw-flesh-feeding
Lion licked up his fill of blood tyrannic.
I to the gods indeed prolonged this preface;
But — as for thy thought, I remember hearing —
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I say the same, and thou co-pleader hast me.
Since few of men this faculty is born with —
To honour, without grudge, their friend, successful.
For moody, on the heart, a poison seated
Its burthen doubles to who gained the sickness:
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By his own griefs he is himself made heavy,
And out-of-door prosperity seeing groans at.
Knowing, I’d call (for well have I experienced)
Fellowship’s mirror, phantom of a shadow,
Those seeming to be mighty gracious to me:
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While just Odusseus — he who sailed not willing —
When joined on, was to me the ready trace-horse.
This of him, whether dead or whether living,
I say. For other city-and-gods’ concernment —
Appointing common courts, in full assemblage
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We will consult. And as for what holds seemly —
How it may lasting stay well, must be counselled:
While what has need of medicines Paionian
We, either burning or else cutting kindly,
Will make endeavour to turn pain from sickness.
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And now into the domes and homes by altar
Going, I to the gods first raise the right-hand —
They who, far sending, back again have brought me.
And Victory, since she followed, fixed remain she!
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
Men, citizens, Argeians here, my worships!
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I shall not shame me, consort-loving manners
To tell before you: for in time there dies off
The diffidence from people. Not from others
Learning, I of myself will tell the hard life
I bore so long as this man was ’neath Ilion.
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First: for a woman, from the male divided,
To sit at home alone, is monstrous evil —
Hearing the many rumours back-revenging:
And for now This to come, now That bring after
Woe, and still worse woe, bawling in the household!
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And truly, if so many wounds had chanced on
My husband here, as homeward used to dribble
Report, he’s pierced more than a net to speak of!
While, were he dying (as the words abounded)
A triple-bodied Geruon the Second,
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Plenty above — for loads below I count not —
Of earth a three-share cloak he’d boast of taking,
Once only dying in each several figure!
Because of suchlike rumours back-revenging,
Many the halters from my neck, above head,
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Others than I loosed — loosed from neck by main force!
From this cause, sure, the boy stands not beside me —
Possessor of our troth-plights, thine and mine too —
As ought Orestes: be not thou astonished!
For, him brings up our well-disposed guest-captive
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Strophios the Phokian — ills that told on both sides
To me predicting — both of thee ’neath Ilion
The danger, and if anarchy’s mob-uproar
Should overthrow thy council; since ’t is born with
Mortals, — whoe’er has fallen, the more to kick him.
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Such an excuse, I think, no cunning carries!
As for myself — why, of my wails the rushing
Fountains are dried up: not in them a drop more!
And in my late-to-bed eyes I have damage,
Bewailing what concerned thee, those torch-holdings
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For ever unattended to. In dreams — why,
Beneath the light wing-beats o’ the gnat, I woke up
As he went buzzing — sorrows that concerned thee
Seeing, that filled more than their fellow-sleep-time.
Now, all this having suffered, from soul grief-free
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I would style this man here the dog o’ the stables,
The saviour forestay of the ship, the high roof’s
Ground-prop, son sole-begotten to his father,
— Ay, land appearing to the sailors past hope,
Loveliest day to see after a tempest,
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To the wayfaring-one athirst a well-spring,
— The joy, in short, of ’scaping all that ’s — fatal!
I judge him worth addresses such as these are
— Envy stand off! — for many those old evils
We underwent. And now, to me — dear headship! —
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Dismount thou from this car, not earthward setting
The foot of thine, O king, that’s Ilion’s spoiler!
Slave-maids, why tarry? — whose the task allotted
To strew the soil o’ the road with carpet-spreadings.
Immediately be purple-strewn the pathway,
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So that to home unhoped may lead him — Justice!
As for the rest, care shall — by no sleep conquered —
Dispose things — justly (gods to aid!) appointed.
AGAMEMNON.
Offspring of Leda, of my household warder,
Suitably to my absence hast thou spoken,
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For long the speech thou didst outstretch! But aptly
To praise — from others ought to go this favour.
And for the rest, —-not me, in woman’s fashion,
Mollify, nor — as mode of barbarous man is —
To me gape forth a groundward-falling clamour!
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Nor, strewing it with garments, make my passage
Envied! Gods, sure, with these behoves we honour:
But, for a mortal on these varied beauties
To walk — to me, indeed, is nowise fear-free.
I say — as man, not god, to me do homage!
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Apart from foot-mats both and varied vestures,
Renown is loud, and — not to lose one’s senses,
God’s greatest gift. Behoves we him call happy
Who has brought life to end in loved well-being.
If all things I might manage thus — brave man, I!
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KLUTAIMNESTRA.
Come now, this say, nor feign a feeling to me!
AGAMEMNON.
With feeling, know indeed, I do not tamper!
KLUTAIMNESTRA
Vowed’st thou to the gods, in fear, to act thus?
AGAMEMNON.
If any, I well knew resolve I outspoke.
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
What think’st thou Priamos had done, thus victor?
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AGAMEMNON.
On varied vests — I do think — he had passaged.
KLUTAIMNESTRA
Then, do not, struck with awe at human censure ....
AGAMEMNON.
Well, popular mob-outcry much avails too.
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
Ay, but the unenvied is not the much valued.
AGAMEMNON.
Sure, ’t is no woman’s part to long for battle.
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KLUTAIMNESTRA.
Why, to the prosperous, even suits a beating.
AGAMEMNON.
What? thou this beating us in war dost prize too?
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
Persuade thee! power, for once, grant me — and willing!
AGAMEMNON.
But if this seem so to thee — shoes, let someone
Loose under, quick — foot’s serviceable carriage!
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And me, on these sea-products walking, may no
Grudge from a distance, from the god’s eye, strike at!
For great shame were my strewment-spoiling — riches
Spoiling with feet, and silver-purchased textures!
Of these things, thus then. But this female-stranger
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Tenderly take inside! Who conquers mildly
God, from afar, benignantly regardeth.
For, willing, no one wears a yoke that’s servile:
And she, of many valuables, outpicked
The flower, the army’s gift, myself has followed.
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So, — since to hear thee, I am brought about thus, —
I go into the palace — purples treading.
KLUTAIMNESTRA.
There is the sea — and what man shall exhaust it? —
Feeding much purple’s worth-its-weight-in-silver
Dye, ever fresh and fresh, our garments’ tincture;
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At home, such wealth, king, we begin — by gods’ help —
With having, and to lack, the household knows not.
Of many garments had I vowed a treading
(In oracles if fore-enjoined the household)
Of this dear soul the safe-return-price scheming!
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For, root existing, foliage goes up houses,
O’erspreading shadow against Seirios dog-star;
And, thou returning to the hearth domestic,
Warmth, yea, in winter dost thou show returning.
And when, too, Zeus works, from the green-grape acrid,
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Vine — then, already, cool in houses cometh —
The perfect man his home perambulating!
Zeus, Zeus Perfecter, these my prayers perfect thou!
Thy care be — yea — of things thou mayst make perfect!