Agamemnon

Perseus Greek · Perseus Greek · 1,735 sections

996
But I pray — things false, from my hope, may fall
997
Into the fate that’s not-fulfilled-at-all!
1001
Especially at least, of health that’s great
1002
The term’s insatiable: for, its weight
1003
— A neighbour, with a common wall between —
1004
Ever will sickness lean;
1005
And destiny, her course pursuing straight,
1006
Has struck man’s ship against a reef unseen.
1007
Now, when a portion, rather than the treasure,
1008
Fear casts from sling, with peril in right measure,
1009
It has not sunk — the universal freight,
1010
(With misery freighted over-full)
1011
Nor has fear whelmed the hull.
1012
Then too the gift of Zeus,
1013
Two-handedly profuse,
1014
Even from the furrows’ yield for yearly use
1015
Has done away with famine, the disease;
1017
But blood of man to earth once falling-deadly, black —
1018
In times ere these, —
1019
Who may, by singing spells, call back?
1020
Zeus had not else stopped one who rightly knew
1021
The way to bring the dead again.
1022
But, did not an appointed Fate constrain
1023
The Fate from gods, to bear no more than due,
1024
My heart, outstripping what tongue utters,
1025
Would have all out: which now, in darkness, mutters
1026
Moodily grieved, nor ever hopes to find
1027
How she a word in season may unwind
1028
From out the enkindling mind.
1035
Take thyself in, thou too — I say, Kassandra!
1036
Since Zeus — not angrily—in household placed thee
1037
Partaker of hand-sprinklings, with the many
1038
Slaves stationed, his the Owner’s altar close to.
1039
Descend from out this car, nor be high-minded
1040
And truly they do say Alkmené’s child once
1041
Bore being sold, slaves’ barley-bread his living.
1042
If, then, necessity of this lot o’erbalance,
1043
Much is the favour of old-wealthy masters:
1044
For those who, never hoping, made fine harvest
1045
Are harsh to slaves in all things, beyond measure.
1046
Thou hast — with us — such usage as law warrants.
1047
To thee it was, she paused plain speech from speaking.
1048
Being inside the fatal nets — obeying,
1049
Thou mayst obey: but thou mayst disobey too!
1050
Why, if she is not, in the swallow’s fashion,
1051
Possessed of voice that’s unknown and barbaric,
1052
I, with speech — speaking in mind’s scope — persuade her.
1053
Follow! The best — as things now stand — she speaks of.
1054
Obey thou, leaving this thy car-enthronement!
1055
Well, with this thing at door, for me no leisure
1056
To waste time: as concerns the hearth mid-navelled,
1057
Already stand the sheep for fireside slaying
1058
By those who never hoped to have such favour.
1059
If thou, then, aught of this wilt do, delay not!
1060
But if thou, being witless, tak’st no word in,
1061
Speak thou, instead of voice, with hand as Kars do!
1062
She seems a plain interpreter in need of,
1063
The stranger! and her way — a beast’s new-captured!
1064
Why, she is mad, sure, — hears her own bad senses, —
1065
Who, while she comes, leaving a town new-captured,
1066
Yet knows not how to bear the bit o’ the bridle
1067
Before she has out-frothed her bloody fierceness.
1068
Not I — throwing away more words — will shamed be!
1069
But I, — for I compassionate, — will chafe not.
1070
Come, O unhappy one, this car vacating,
1071
Yielding to this necessity, prove yoke’s use!
1072
Otototoi, Gods, Earth, —
1073
Apollon, Apollon!
1074
Why didst thou ototoi concerning Loxias?
1075
Since he is none such as to suit a mourner.
1076
Otototoi, Gods, Earth, —
1077
Apollon, Apollon!
1078
Ill-boding here again the god invokes she
1079
— Nowise empowered in woes to stand by helpful.
1080
Apollon, Apollon,
1081
Guard of the ways, my destroyer!
1082
For thou hast quite, this second time, destroyed me.
1083
To prophesy she seems of her own evils:
1084
Remains the god-gift to the slave-soul present.
1085
Apollon, Apollon,
1086
Guard of the ways, my destroyer!
1087
Ha, whither hast thou led me? to what roof now?
1088
To the Atreidai’s roof: if this thou know’st not,
1089
I tell it thee, nor this wilt thou call falsehood.
1090
How! How!
1090a
God-hated, then! Of many a crime it knew —
1091
Self-slaying evils, halters too:
1092
Man’s-shambles, blood-besprinkler of the ground!
1093
She seems to be good-nosed, the stranger: dog-like,
1094
She snuffs indeed the victims she will find there.
1095a
How! How!
1095
By the witnesses here I am certain now!
1096
These children bewailing their slaughters — flesh dressed in the fire
1097
And devoured by their sire!
1098
Ay, we have heard of thy soothsaying glory,
1099
Doubtless: but prophets none are we in scent of!
1100
Ah, gods, what ever does she meditate?
1100a
What this new anguish great?
1101
Great in the house here she meditates ill
1102
Such as friends cannot bear, cannot cure it: and still

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