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. Ha! Ha!—At them! At them! After them! Down
  2. with them !—Where are they?
CAPTAIN.
  1. Who is that fellow? Look! That yonder!
A MAN.
  1. Rascal thieves, the sort that crawl
  2. And vex an army in the dark!
CAPTAIN.
  1. Ho, this way! Follow! This way all!
They pursue ODYSSEUS and DIOMEDE; catch them and bring them back.
A MAN.
  1. I have them! I have caught them!
CAPTAIN
  1. Whence comest thou? What art thou? Say; what captain and what company?
ODYSSEUS
  1. ’Tis not for thee to know. This day thou diest for thy knavery!
CAPTAIN.
  1. Stop! Give the watchword quick, before I have thy body on my pike.
ODYSSEUS
  1. Halt every man and have no fear!
CAPTAIN.
  1. Come, gather round. Be quick to strike.
ODYSSEUS
  1. ’Twas thou that killed King Rhesus!
CAPTAIN.
  1. No: ’tis I that kill the man that killed . . .
Flies at ODYSSEUS, but other men hold him back.
ODYSSEUS.
  1. Hold back all!
VOICES.
  1. No more holding back!
ODYSSEUS
  1. What, strike an ally in the field?
CAPTAIN.
  1. Then give the watchword!
ODYSSEUS.
  1. Phoebus.
CAPTAIN.
  1. Right. Ho, every man hold back his spear!—