Agamemnon

Aeschylus

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

  1. It suits not to defile a day auspicious
  2. With ill-announcing speech: distinct each god’s due:
  3. And when a messenger with gloomy visage
  4. To a city bears a fall’n host’s woes— God ward off! —
  5. One popular wound that happens to the city,
  6. And many sacrificed from many households —
  7. Men, scourged by that two-thonged whip Ares loves so,
  8. Double spear-headed curse, bloody yoke-couple, —
  9. Of woes like these, doubtless, whoe’er comes weighted,
  10. Him does it suit to sing the Erinues’ paian.
  11. But who, of matters saved a glad-news-bringer,
  12. Comes to a city in good estate rejoicing. ...
  13. How shall I mix good things with evil, telling
  14. Of storm against the Achaioi, urged by gods’ wrath?
  15. For they swore league, being arch-foes before that,
  16. Fire and the sea: and plighted troth approved they,
  17. Destroying the unhappy Argeian army.
  18. At night began the bad-wave-outbreak evils;
  19. For, ships against each other Threkian breezes
  20. Shattered: and these, butted at in a fury