The altars of beaten gold were set out; and through the town thealtar fires of the Argives blazed; the flute, handmaid of the Muse’s song, sounded its note sweetly, and lovely songs of the golden lamb swelled forth, saying that Thyestes had the luck; for hepersuaded Atreus’ own wife to secret love, and carried off to his house the portent; coming before the assembly he declared that he had in hishouse the horned sheep with fleece of gold.

ChorusThen, it was then that Zeus changed the radiant paths of the stars, and the light of the sun, and thebright face of dawn; and the sun drove across the western back of the sky with hot flame from heaven’s fires, while the rain-clouds went northward and Ammon’slands grew parched and faint, not knowing moisture, robbed of heaven’s fairest showers of rain.

ChorusIt is said, but I have small belief in it, that the sun turned round his glowingthrone of gold, changing it to the misfortune of mankind, for the punishment of mortals. But tales that frighten men are profitable for service to the gods; of whom you had no thought, when you