_Chor._ We are undone, undone!
We suffer, prince, unlooked-for outrages,
_Her._ Full many princes, heirs of great Ægyptos,
Ye soon shall see. Take courage; ye shall have
No cause to speak of anarchy as there.
_Enter_ KING _followed by his_ Bodyguard
_King._ Ho there! What dost thou? and with what intent
Dost thou so outrage this Pelasgic land?
Dost think thou comest to a town of women? 890
Too haughty thou, a stranger 'gainst Hellenes,
And, sinning much, hast nothing done aright.
_Her._ What sin against the right have I then done?
_King._ First, thou know'st not how stranger-guest should act.
_Her._ How so? When I, but finding what I lost....
_King._ Whom among us dost thou then patrons call?
_Her._ Hermes the Searcher, chiefest patron mine.[263]
_King._ Thou, Gods invoking, honourest not the Gods.
_Her._ The Gods of Neilos are the Gods I worship.
_King._ Ours then are nought, if I thy meaning catch. 900
_Her._ These girls I'll lead, if no one rescues them.
_King._ Lay hand on them, and soon thou'lt pay the cost.
_Her._ I hear a word in no wise hospitable.
_King._ Who rob the Gods I welcome not as guests.
_Her._ I then will tell Ægyptos' children this.
_King._ This threat is all unheeded in my mind.
_Her._ But that I, knowing all, may speak it plain,
(For it is meet a herald should declare
Each matter clearly,) what am I to say?
By whom have I been robbed of that fair band
Of women whom I claim as kindred? Nay, 910
But it is Ares that shall try this cause,
And not with witnesses, nor money down,
Settling the matter, but there first must fall
Full many a soldier, and of many a life
The rending in convulsive agony.
_King._ Why should I tell my name? In time thou'lt know it,
Thou and thy fellow-travellers. But these maidens,
With their consent and free choice of their wills,
Thou may'st lead off, if godly speech persuade them:
But this decree our city's men have made
With one consent, that we to force yield not
This company of women. Here the nail 920
Is driven tight home to keep its place full firm;[264]
These things are written not on tablets only,
[Nor signed and sealed in folds of byblos-rolls;]
Thou hear'st them clearly from a tongue that speaks
With full, free speech. Away, away, I say:
And with all speed from out my presence haste.
_Her._ It is thy will then a rash war to wage:
May strength and victory on our males attend!
[_Exit_
_King._ Nay, thou shall find the dwellers of this land
Are also males, and drink not draughts of ale 930
From barley brewed.[265] [_To the Suppliants._] But ye, and your
attendants,
Take courage, go within the fencèd city,
Shut in behind its bulwark deep of towers;
Yea, many houses to the State belong,
And I a palace own not meanly built,
If ye prefer to live with many others
In ease and plenty: or if that suits better,
Ye may inhabit separate abodes.
Of these two offers that which pleases best
Choose for yourselves, and I as your protector, 940
And all our townsmen, will defend the pledge
Which our decree has given you. Why wait'st thou
For any better authorised than these?
_Chor._ For these thy good deeds done may'st thou in good,
All good, abound, great chief of the Pelasgi!
But kindly send to us
Our father Danaos, brave and true of heart,
To counsel and direct.
His must the first decision be where we
Should dwell, and where to find
A kindly home; for ready is each one
To speak his word of blame 'gainst foreigners. 950
But may all good be ours!
And so with fair repute and speech of men,
Free from all taint of wrath,
So place yourselves, dear handmaids, in the land,
As Danaos hath for each of us assigned
Dowry of handmaid slaves.
_Enter_ DANAOS _followed by_ Soldiers
_Dan._ My children, to the Argives ye should pray,
And sacrifice, and full libations pour,
As to Olympian Gods, for they have proved,
With one consent, deliverers: and they heard
*All that I did towards those cousins there, 960
*Those lovers hot and bitter. And they gave
To me as followers these that bear the spear,
That I might have my meed of honour due,
And might not die by an assassin's hand
A death unlooked-for, and thus leave the land
A weight of guilt perpetual: and 'tis fit
That one who meets such kindness should return,
*From his heart's depths, a nobler gratitude;
And add ye this to all already written,
Your father's many maxims of true wisdom,
That we, though strangers, may in time be known; 970
For as to aliens each man's tongue is apt
For evil, and spreads slander thoughtlessly;
But ye, I charge you, see ye shame me not,
With this your life's bloom drawing all men's eyes.
The goodly vintage is full hard to watch,
All men and beasts make fearful havoc of it,
Nay, birds that fly, and creeping things of earth;
And Kypris offers fruitage, dropping ripe,
*As prey to wandering lust, nor lets it stay;[266]
And on the goodly comeliness of maidens 980
Each passer-by, o'ercome with hot desire,
Darts forth the amorous arrows of the eye.
And therefore let us suffer nought of this,
Through which our ship has ploughed such width of sea,
Such width of trouble; neither let us work
Shame to ourselves, and pleasure to our foes.
This twofold choice of home is open to you:
[Pelasgos offers his, the city theirs,]
To dwell rent-free. Full easy terms are these:
Only, I charge you, keep your father's precepts,
Prizing as more than life your chastity. 990
_Chor._ May the high Gods that on Olympos dwell
Bless us in all things; but for this our vintage
Be of good cheer, my father; for unless
The counsels of the Gods work strange device,
I will not leave my spirit's former path.