Agamemnon

Aeschylus

Aeschylus. The poetical works of Robert Browning, Volume 13. Browning, Robert, translator; Berdoe, Edward, editor. London: Smith, Elder and Co., 1889.

  1. Hermes, dear herald, heralds’ veneration, —
  2. And Heroes our forthsenders, — friendly, once more
  3. The army to receive, the war-spear’s leavings!
  4. Ha, mansions of my monarchs, roofs beloved,
  5. And awful seats, and deities sun-fronting —
  6. Receive with pomp your monarch, long time absent!
  7. For he comes bringing light in night-time to you,
  8. In common with all these — king Agamemnon.
  9. But kindly greet him — for clear shows your duty —
  10. Who has dug under Troia with the mattock
  11. Of Zeus the Avenger, whereby plains are out-ploughed,
  12. Altars unrecognizable, and gods’ shrines,
  13. And the whole land’s seed thoroughly has perished.
  14. And such a yoke-strap having cast round Troia,
  15. The elder king Atreides, happy man — he
  16. Comes to be honoured, worthiest of what mortals
  17. Now are. Nor Paris nor the accomplice-city
  18. Outvaunts their deed as more than they are done-by:
  19. For, in a suit for rape and theft found guilty,
  20. He missed of plunder and, in one destruction,