Rhesus

Euripides

Euripides. The Rhesus of Euripides. Translated into English rhyming verse with explanatory notes by Gilbert Murray. Murray, Gilbert, translator. London: George Allen and Company, Ltd., 1913.

  1. Ah, Phrygia still hath hearts of rock!
  2. The Phrygian spear flies fast and far!
  3. Where shall ye find the fool to mock
  4. Our works in war?
CHORUS.
  1. Whom will he stab a-sleeping, whom,
  2. The quick grey wolf, the crawling doom?
  3. Grant that he slay the Spartan! Nay,
  4. Or Agamemnon’s head and plume
  5. To Helen bear at dawn of day!
  6. A lightsome dawn to hear her wail
  7. Her brother sworn, her King who came
  8. To Ilion with his thousand sail,
  9. And swords, and flame! As the song ends DOLON reappears, in the disguise of a wolf. The Guards gather round him, bidding him godspeed as he crawls off in the dark towards the Greek camp. Meantime from the direction of Mount Ida has entered a SHEPHERD who goes to HECTOR’S door and calls. The Guards seeing him return to their places.
SHEPHERD.
  1. Ho, Master! Enter HECTOR from tent.
  2. I would it ofttimes were my luck to share
  3. As goodly news with thee as now I bear.
HECTOR.
  1. What dulness hangs about these shepherds! Block,[*](P. 16, 1. 267. Hector is as bluff and hasty here as he is impulsively obstinate in 1. 319 ff., p. 19, impulsively frank to Rhesus in 1. 393 ff., p. 23, and splendidly courteous under the gibes of the wounded charioteer, 1. 856 ff., p. 47. A fine stage character, if not a very subtle study.)
  2. Com’st thou to us with tidings of thy flock
  3. Here in the field in arms? Who wants thee here?
  4. Thou know’st my house; thou know’st my father’s.