Agamemnon
Aeschylus
Aeschylus. The poetical works of Robert Browning, Volume 13. Browning, Robert, translator; Berdoe, Edward, editor. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1889.
- The sacrificer of his daughter — strange! —
- He dared become, to expedite
- Woman-avenging warfare, — anchors weighed
- With such prelusive rite!
- Prayings and callings Father — naught they made
- Of these, and of the virgin-age, —
- Captains heart-set on war to wage!
- His ministrants, vows done, the father bade —
- Kid-like, above the altar, swathed in pall,
- Take her — lift high, and have no fear at all,
- Head-downward, and the fair mouth’s guard
- And frontage hold, — press hard
- From utterance a curse against the House
- By dint of bit-violence bridling speech.
- And as to ground her saffron-vest she shed,
- She smote the sacrificers all and each
- With arrow sweet and piteous,
- From the eye only sped, —
- Significant of will to use a word,
- Just as in pictures: since, full many a time,