460　BC
  THE　SEVEN　AGAINST　THEBES
  by　Aeschylus
  translated　by　E。D。A。　Morshead
  CHARACTERS　IN　THE　PLAY
  ETEOCLES；　son　of　Oedipus；　King　of　Thebes
  A　SPY
  CHORUS　OF　THEBAN　WOMEN
  ANTIGONE
  ISMENE
  sisters　of　ETEOCLES
  A　HERALD
  SCENE：…Within　the　Citadel　of　Thebes。　There　is　an　altar　with　the
  statues　of　several　gods　visible。　A　crowd　of　citizens　are　present
  as　ETEOCLES　enters　with　his　attendants。）
  ETEOCLES
  Clansmen　of　Cadmus；　at　the　signal　given
  By　time　and　season　must　the　ruler　speak
  Who　sets　the　course　and　steers　the　ship　of　State
  With　hand　upon　the　tiller；　and　with　eye
  Watchful　against　the　treachery　of　sleep。
  For　if　all　go　aright；　thank　Heaven；　men　say；
  But　if　adversely…which　may　God　forefend！…
  One　name　on　many　lips；　from　street　to　street；
  Would　bear　the　bruit　and　rumour　of　the　time；
  Down　witk　Eteocles！…a　clamorous　curse；
  A　dirge　of　ruin。　May　averting　Zeus
  Make　good　his　title　here；　in　Cadmus'　hold！
  You　it　beseems　now…boys　unripened　yet
  To　lusty　manhood；　men　gone　past　the　prime
  And　increase　of　the　full　begetting　seed；
  And　those　whom　youth　and　manhood　well　combined
  Array　for　action…all　to　rise　in　aid
  Of　city；　shrines；　and　altars　of　all　powers
  Who　guard　our　land；　that　ne'er；　to　end　of　time；
  Be　blotted　out　the　sacred　service　due
  To　our　sweet　mother…land　and　to　her　brood。
  For　she　it　was　who　to　their　guest…right　called
  Your　waxing　youth；　was　patient　of　the　toil；
  And　cherished　you　on　the　land's　gracious　lap；
  Alike　to　plant　the　hearth　and　bear　the　shield
  In　loyal　service；　for　an　hour　like　this。
  Mark　now！　until　to…day；　luck　rules　our　scale；
  For　we；　though　long　beleaguered；　in　the　main
  Have　with　our　sallies　struck　the　foemen　hard。
  But　now　the　seer；　the　feeder　of　the　birds
  （Whose　art　unerring　and　prophetic　skill
  Of　ear　and　mind　divines　their　utterance
  Without　the　lore　of　fire　interpreted）
  Foretelleth；　by　the　mastery　of　his　art；
  That　now　an　onset　of　Achaea's　host
  Is　by　a　council　of　the　night　designed
  To　fall　in　double　strength　upon　our　walls。
  Up　and　away；　then；　to　the　battlements；
  The　gates；　the　bulwarks！　don　your　panoplies；
  Array　you　at　the　breast…work；　take　your　stand
  On　the　floorings　of　the　towers；　and　with　good　heart
  Stand　firm　for　sudden　sallies　at　the　gates；
  Nor　hold　too　heinous　a　respect　for　hordes
  Sent　on　you　from　afar：　some　god　will　guard！
  I　too；　for　shrewd　espial　of　their　camp；
  Have　sent　forth　scouts；　and　confidence　is　mine
  They　will　not　fail　nor　tremble　at　their　task；
  And；　with　their　news；　I　fear　no　foeman's　guile。
  （A　Spy　enters。）
  THE　SPY
  Eteocles；　high　king　of　Cadmus'　folk；
  I　stand　here　with　news　certified　and　sure
  From　Argos'　camp；　things　by　myself　descried。
  Seven　warriors　yonder；　doughty　chiefs　of　might；
  Into　the　crimsoned　concave　of　a　shield
  Have　shed　a　bull's　blood；　and；　with　hands　immersed
  Into　the　gore　of　sacrifice；　have　sworn
  By　Ares；　lord　of　fight；　and　by　thy　name；
  Blood…lapping　Terror；　Let　our　oath　be　heard…
  Either　to　raze　the　walls；　make　void　the　hold
  Of　Cadmus…strive　his　children　as　they　may…
  Or；　dying　here；　to　make　the　foemen's　land
  With　blood　impasted。　Then；　as　memory's　gift
  Unto　their　parents　at　the　far…off　home；
  Chaplets　they　hung　upon　Adrastus'　car；
  With　eyes　tear…dropping；　but　no　word　of　moan。
  For　their　steeled　spirit　glowed　with　high　resolve；
  As　lions　pant；　with　battle　in　their　eyes。
  For　them；　no　weak　alarm　delays　the　clear
  Issues　of　death　or　life！　I　parted　thence
  Even　as　they　cast　the　lots；　how　each　should　lead；
  Against　which　gate；　his　serried　company。
  Rank　then　thy　bravest；　with　what　speed　thou　may'st；
  Hard　by　the　gates；　to　dash　on　them；　for　now；
  Full…armed；　the　onward　ranks　of　Argos　come！
  The　dust　whirls　up；　and　from　their　panting　steeds
  White　foamy　flakes　like　snow　bedew　the　plain。
  Thou　therefore；　chieftain！　like　a　steersman　skilled；
  Enshield　the　city's　bulwarks；　ere　the　blast
  Of　war　comes　darting　on　them！　hark；　the　roar
  Of　the　great　landstorm　with　its　waves　of　men
  Take　Fortune　by　the　forelock！　for　the　rest；
  By　yonder　dawn…light　will　I　scan　the　field
  Clear　and　aright；　and　surety　of　my　word
  Shall　keep　thee　scatheless　of　the　coming　storm。
  ETEOCLES
  O　Zeus　and　Earth　and　city…guarding　gods；
  And　thou；　my　father's　Curse；　of　baneful　might；
  Spare　ye　at　least　this　town；　nor　root　it　up；
  By　violence　of　the　foemen；　stock　and　stem！
  For　here；　from　home　and　hearth；　rings　Hellas'　tongue。
  Forbid　that　e'er　the　yoke　of　slavery
  Should　bow　this　land　of　freedom；　Cadmus'　hold！
  Be　ye　her　help！　your　cause　I　plead　with　mine…
  A　city　saved　doth　honour　to　her　gods！
  （ETEOCLES；　his　attendants　and　most　of　the　crowd　go　out。　The
  CHORUS　OF　THEBAN　WOMEN　enters。　They　appear　terror…stricken。）
  CHORUS　（singing）
  I　wail　in　the　stress　of　my　terror；　and　shrill　is　my　cry　of
  despair。
  The　foemen　roll　forth　from　their　camp　as　a　billow；　and　onward　they
  bear！
  Their　horsemen　are　swift　in　the　forefront；　the　dust　rises　up　to
  the　sky；
  A　signal；　though　speechless；　of　doom；　a　herald　more　clear　than　a
  cry！
  Hoof…trampled；　the　land　of　my　love　bears　onward　the　din　to　mine
  ears。
  As　a　torrent　descending　a　mountain；　it　thunders　and　echoes　and
  nears！
  The　doom　is　unloosened　and　cometh！　O　kings　and　O　queens　of　high
  Heaven；
  Prevail　that　it　fall　not　upon　us！　the　sign　for　their　onset　is
  given…
  They　stream　to　the　walls　from　without；　white…shielded　and　keen　for
  the　fray。
  The　rush　of　their　feet？　to　what　shrine　shall　I　bow　me　in　terror
  and　pray？
  （They　rush　to　pray　to　the　gods。）
  O　gods　high…throned　in　bliss；　we　must　crouch　at　the　shrines　in
  your　home！
  Not　here　must　we　tarry　and　wail：　shield　clashes　on　shield　as　they
  come
  And　now；　even　now　is　the　hour　for　the　robes　and　the　chaplets　of
  prayer！
  Mine　eyes　feel　the　flash　of　the　sword；　the　clang　is　instinct　with
  the　spear！
  Is　thy　hand　set　against　us；　O　Ares；　in　ruin　and　wrath　to　o'erwhelm
  Thine　own　immemorial　land；　O　god　of　the　golden　helm？
  Look　down　upon　us；　we　beseech　thee；　on　the　land　that　thou　lovest
  of　old。
  strophe　1
  And　ye；　O　protecting　gods；　in　pity　your　people　behold！
  Yea；　save　us；　the　maidenly　troop；　from　the　doom　and　despair　of　the
  slave；
  For　the　crests　of　the　foemen　come　onward；　their　rush　is　the　rush
  of　a　wave
  Rolled　on　by　the　War…god's　breath！　almighty　one；　hear　us　and　save
  From　the　grasp　of　the　Argives'　might！　to　the　ramparts　of　Cadmus
  they　crowd；
  And；　clenched　in　the　teeth　of　the　steeds；　the　bits　clink　horror
  aloud
  And　seven　high　chieftains　of　war；　with　spear　and　with　panoply
  bold；
  Are　set；　by　the　law　of　the　lot；　to　storm　the　seven　gates　of　our
  hold！
  antistrophe　1
  Be　near　and　befriend　us；　O　Pallas；　the　Zeus…born　maiden　of　might！
  O　lord　of　the　steed　and　the　sea；　be　thy　trident　uplifted　to　smite
  In　eager　desire　of　the　fray；　Poseidon！　and　Ares　come　down；
  In　fatherly　presence　revealed；　to　rescue　Harmonia's　town！
  Thine　too；　Aphrodite；　we　are！　thou　art　mother　and　queen　of　our
  race；
  To　thee　we　cry　out　in　our　need；　from　thee　let　thy　children　have
  grace！
  Ye　too；　to　scare　back　the　foe；　be　your　cry　as　a　wolf's　howl　wild；
  Thou；　O　the　wolf…lord；　and　thou；　of　she…wolf　Leto　the　child！
  strophe　2
  Woe　and　alack　for　the　sound；　for　the　rattle　of　cars　to　the　wall；
  And　the　creak　of　the　griding　axles！　O　Hera；　to　thee　is　our　call！
  Artemis；　maiden　beloved！　the　air　is　distraught　with　the　spears；
  And　whither　doth　destiny　drive　us；　and　where　is　the　goal　of　our
  fears？
  antistrophe　2
  The　blast　of　the　terrible　stones　on　the　ridge　of　our　wall　is　not
  stayed；
  At　the　gates　is　the　brazen　clash　of　the　bucklers…Apollo　to　aid！
  Thou　too；　O　daughter　of　Zeus；　who　guidest　the　wavering　fray
  To　the　holy　decision　of　fate；　Athena！　be　with　us　to…day！
  Come　down　to　the　sevenfold　gates　and　harry　the　foemen　away！