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. This needs no surmise: ’tis disaster plain
  2. That comes. He speaketh of some ally slain.
THRACIAN.
  1. Disaster, yea: and with disaster shame,
  2. Which lights Disaster to a twofold flame
  3. Of evil. For to die in soldier’s wise,
  4. Since die we needs must . . . though the man who dies
  5. Hath pain . . . to all his house ’tis praise and pride;
  6. But we, like laggards and like fools we died!
  7. When Hector’s hand had showed us where to rest
  8. And told the watchword, down we lay, oppressed
  9. With weariness of that long march, and slept
  10. Just as we fell. No further watch was kept,
  11. Our arms not laid beside us; by the horse
  12. No yoke nor harness ordered. Hector’s force
  13. Had victory, so my master heard, and lay
  14. Secure, just waiting for the dawn of day
  15. To attack. So thought we all, and our lines broke
  16. And slept. After a little time I woke,
  17. Thinking about my horses, that the morn
  18. Must see them yoked for war. I found the corn